Even just a bit of marketing can go a long way when it comes to restaurants. Getting the word out about your establishment to as many people as possible is critical for the health of your business.
Setting up a contact center specifically dedicated to marketing your restaurant will be a great help. You can send out promotions and answer calls all from one place. It’s a lot more efficient, and you can have dedicated staff who will be specifically trained to answer customer queries and promote your food.
Here are just a few things you can do with your restaurant’s contact center to help promote your restaurant:
Opening Day Announcement
When it comes to marketing, it’s essential that you get a head start. Even before you first open your doors, patrons need to be ready and willing to fill those tables. You need to get the word about your business out there to ensure a successful opening night.
One of the best ways to do that is through text blasts. Send a message to everyone in the area and beyond letting them know when the restaurant’s going to open. If you’re offering special promos and discounts for your first week or first months of operations.
You can also incorporate fun, little gimmicks for your opening day. Maybe you’re doing a special theme or have a photo booth set aside. Maybe there’s going to be a performance from a live band or special dishes made for the opening day. Let your potential patrons know to help them engage with your business even before they first step through your front door.
Holiday Promotions
Holidays are also a busy time for restaurants. Celebrations are more fun when you make it a special occasion and eat out with your loved ones. And this is something you can definitely take advantage of as a business owner.
Offering promos and discounts during this time is a great way to make your restaurant stand out from the rest. You can have deals for couples during Valentine’s Day or have family discounts during the winter holidays. Of course, the most important part would be promoting these special deals, either through bulk messaging or through outbound calls made through our VoIP services.
It doesn’t even have to be the traditional holidays. After all, the more celebrations the merrier. For example, you can commemorate your restaurant’s founding day by creating a special menu and informing your regular patrons through text blasts that they can get special discounts on specific days.
Menu Updates
Menu changes are normal for every restaurant, but not everyone likes surprises. Setting up an SMS service notifying patrons if you’re updating your meal list or adding a few new dishes goes a long way to building trust and rapport with them.
If you also have specials every week, you can add them to the text alerts you send out. You can even combine this with other promos and events. Maybe you’re organizing vegan specials for the week or holiday-themed dishes.
You can even use bulk messaging services for seasonal changes to your menu. As spring turns into summer, you can start offering special cold drinks that your patrons will undoubtedly appreciate
Special Discounts and Promotions
As a business, offering a special discount a few times a year is a great way to attract new patrons. There are a number of ways to go about this, and each strategy can benefit your restaurant in different ways.
You can announce delivery discounts or waive the fee entirely through bulk messaging. Or, during community-centered events, you can participate by offering discounts of your own to the people attending.
If you’re able, you can even partner with a charitable organization to host a special dinner or promotion week. It’ll help build your reputation and attract new faces that may not have noticed your restaurant before. Send out text blasts to let people know—you can even schedule outbound calls to reach a wider audience and have a more direct way to answer some questions people may have.
Loyalty Deals
Everyone loves being rewarded, and loyalty rewards are a great treat for your regular patrons. You can give them special offers like coupons to increase order size or for a free drink or dish through SMS messaging.
You can also do a points-based reward system, meaning that they get free stuff after a certain amount of purchases. You can also give them a special priority number to call if they want to make a reservation.
And with the help of VoIP, you can make this a more fun and personal feature. Instead of a simple website, you can make a stronger connection with your patron by giving them a personal call and informing them of the deals they can get.
In Conclusion
Building your restaurant’s brand through VoIP and SMS services is a great way to get the word out about your business. It’s a lot more intimate and familiar, making your new patrons feel like you’re talking to them personally.
Give them a call through softphones built on top of high-quality VoIP connections every once in a while. Send them a message through powerful SMS APIs whenever you have a new promotion or discount. Do your best to establish a strong connection and open communication between your patrons and your restaurant, and you’ll surely reap the rewards later on.
Frequently Asked Questions
My restaurant doesn’t have much space. Can I still set up a contact center?
Absolutely. You don’t need an elaborate setup to use our VoIP services. As long as you have a working computer and a reliable Internet connection, you’re good to go!
Can I set up a separate communication setup for different branches of my restaurant?
Yes. You can create separate SIP accounts for any reason, and they’ll all have distinct numbers, features, and data collection, all tailored to the specific needs of that branch.
Can I set up an auto attendant to direct callers to specific services?
That shouldn’t be a problem. Our expert technicians can configure an IVR for you that will have customized routes leading to whichever agent you want to answer.
Is it difficult to configure the SMS service for my restaurant’s specific needs?
Not at all. Our SMS platform, TextPeak, has an intuitive and easy-to-use dashboard
Can your services also handle sending outbound SMS messages?
Yes. Our bulk SMS services can handle both inbound and outbound messages without a problem.
If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you take your restaurant to new heights, then get in touch with CommPeak today.