Expanding Perspectives: A Strategic Approach to Restaurant Promotion
Promotion tools serve as the bridge connecting potential restaurant guests with the value of the establishment – the answer to the question, “Why should guests choose your restaurant?”
However, if these fundamental components are not carefully considered, the choice of tools may end up being driven by intuition, following the latest trend, or merely because competitors are doing the same.
Now, let’s delve into trends more thoroughly. It’s crucial to stay informed about trends, but it’s equally important not to blindly follow them. Understanding their applicability to your restaurant is key, as trends don’t offer a one-size-fits-all solution.
I know a case where a budget-friendly café aimed to boost its presence on Instagram. They brought in a social media manager, who suggested a trendy dark profile for a visually impressive feed, asserting, “It’s beautiful, stylish, and guests will love it.”
Despite the seemingly straightforward approach – beautiful and trendy – the outcome was far from ideal.
Instead of attracting more guests and enhancing the brand, the café faced confusion. Regulars couldn’t reconcile the cozy café they knew with the upscale image presented on Instagram. The dark visual, often associated with luxury, clashed with the café’s affordable pricing and simple offerings.
The café, with its established audience appreciating simplicity, veered off course by following a trend, causing a significant shift in perception. This clash in values resulted in a divide not only between the café and its guests but also between the café and its social media manager.
The manager, who emphasized creating a visually appealing Instagram account influenced by bloggers, viewed the situation from her perspective, where beauty equated to success.
When promoting a restaurant on social media, the key is to accurately convey its value and ambiance, understand the guest’s preferences, and align with their ideas of style and beauty. It’s about seeing the restaurant through their eyes and always prioritizing the guest over personal notions of beauty.
To avoid such situations, here’s a brief checklist for selecting promotion tools for a restaurant (café, bar).
Pay attention to the following aspects:
- Identify potential restaurant visitors.
- Understand the current perception of the restaurant among guests.
- Define the restaurant’s value (why guests choose it).
- Recognize attributes of value that help guests understand it’s the right place for them.
- Determine the most effective communication channels for your audience.
- Select tools that can effectively convey your message through those channels.
By addressing these aspects, you can make informed decisions when selecting promotion tools that align with your restaurant’s value and effectively reach your potential customers.
