We all get myriad notifications and emails from every corner. Each message is vying for our attention while trying to avoid getting automatically thrown into the spam folder.
With the evolution of technology, there are countless ways by which you can get in touch with your customers, but we mustn’t get overzealous. Today, we’ll share 8 hacks that can help your messages get through and capture your audience’s attention without spamming them.
- Send the right message at the right time
While it may seem that sending bulk SMS and daily emails gives your customer regular reminders.The only thing you’re probably not doing to repel your customers even more is making 100 calls to them in a day. By doing this, you’ll only get added to their block list. With the right messaging at the right time, you can get into their heads instead of their junk folder. For example, know when your customers are expected to go out on weekends and vacations, and shoot them a dine-in offer at your restaurant. You may also provide special month-end offers when a major section diners’ wallets are close to empty.
- Find out your customers heard about you
Figuring out the platforms that led your customers to your door is essential. Was it facebook? A newspaper? Your website? A restaurant discovery app like Dineout? One way to get the answers to questions like this is through the inResto Feedback app, which has a section on the feedback form asking your diners where they found out about your restaurant. When you find the answer, invest in that platform.
- Get smart on social media
If your diners heard about you on social media, then it’s best to get more active on the most popular platform. Of course, posting too frequently can spam your followers’ feeds and give them a reason to unfollow you. Instead, focus on creating relevant and interesting conversations. Quality over quantity, always! Ideally, put up one post daily on the relevant network(s). Make sure the strategy used for each platform is different. For instance, keep Instagram photo-centric instead of posting a lot of text – which works better on Facebook. Twitter is a great place to get feedback and have conversations. Investing in promotional ads on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter can also yield great results. Find out more about nailing the social media for your restaurant here.
- Get on the web
A dedicated website is essential nowadays if you want to have a distinct presence outside restaurant discovery platforms. Whenever a prospective customer hears about you and searches for your business online, having your own site will certainly be an advantage. Plus, you will be able to send them browser notifications without making them download an app. If it’s done right, with solid SEO and SEM, you could get a great response.
- Consider making an app for your restaurant
Speaking of apps, they could be a great tool to stay in touch with and engage your regular customers. People usually think twice before downloading apps to take up their precious memory. However, if you have made a good impression in the restaurant, you can encourage them to download an app and then communicate offers, celebrations and events through push notifications. As always, inResto WLA can help you create your own apps and websites.
- Reach out to those at home
If your customer isn’t coming to your door, go to theirs. Popular restaurants like Chili’s and Barbecue Nation prefer to push home delivery offers instead of dine-in discounts. They have upscaled their business by reaching out to a larger segment of customers who prefer home delivery over dining at the restaurant. We think it’s a great strategy and a worthy investment.
- Create relevant and engaging communication
It’s good to think out of the box but irrelevant content can backfire. Your messages should let the personality of your brand shine through and be in context of the event or promotion you’re talking about. Make them relevant and fun to read. One well thought out message is worth more than 10 random insignificant messages that just talk about discounts.
- Encourage Crosswalking
Encourage your diners to try your brand’s other outlets by giving them outlet-specific offers. This will help you create buzz about your other branches – which may well be closer to some of your regular customers – resulting in increased awareness. We are sure this is something you will definitely be happy about.
It is essential to make your diners feel invited and special by starting a conversation with them. However, there is a thin line between conversing and spamming, so make use of the tools you have to understand your customer better. Insights from inResto Feedback can help gauge what works and what doesn’t. Use that in figuring out what you say and where you say it.
Do your customers love the music you play? Talk more about your events and live performances. Did they find you on twitter? Increase your presence and invest in promotions there. Use inResto Campaigns to re-engage with diners who haven’t come over in a while and reward regular customers with a loyalty programme that doesn’t just offer discounts, but also privileges and freebies.
These are all tools you can use. But the tools are only as effective as you make them. Be sharp, be empathetic, think out of the box and, more than anything else, make the customer feel special to get those high conversion rates you desire.
