06 Feb 2019 | Blog
The restaurant industry is one of the most competitive arenas at present, with new venues opening up on a weekly basis. While this sits well with patrons and restaurant goers, as they get more options as to where to drink and dine next, your business may struggle to keep a strong foothold in the market and stand out from the competition.
Traditional methods of attracting customers won’t work as effectively as they used to due to the increasing millennial market and online methods of promotion. Not only that, the delivery boom has majorly impacted the number of people dining in restaurants. Venue owners need to change and adapt to newer methods to maximise their chances of getting customers into their venue. Setting up social media pages for promotional purposes, for instance, is a step in the right direction, but it may not be enough. By using alternative technology solutions, you open your business up to a technology savy market in which you will gain new customers. With that said, an ordering service like TableTime is something that you should look into.
Here are some ways you can attract new customers to your venue.
Ordering ahead via the app
With an order ahead app like TableTime, your customers will experience convenience through a better ordering service; they don’t need to wait in queue to pick up their coffee in the morning, or stand in line to order their drinks at the bar. With TableTime, they can order through the app, sit at their table, and enjoy good company while waiting for their food and beverages to be served.
Apps like TableTime also give your venue exposure on a marketplace with other businesses. Don’t let this scare you! TableTime exposes your venue to a wide range of customers, who may not have been considering your cuisine or may not have been aware you existed at all. By having a presence on the platform, customers now have the option to peruse and order from your menu.
In addition, customers are made aware of your business geographically, which means whenever they open the app in your area, they will be notified that your venue is close by. This localisation strategy further drives your marketing and brand awareness.
Marketing your business through social media
When it comes to marketing your business, TableTime opens up opportunities for your restaurant to reach new people through its marketing and social media tools at no cost to you. In partnership with TableTime, you will be able to reach your customers as well as potential new ones through hashtags and tagging carefully curated by TableTime. This in turn will raise familiarity with your products and services.
As a venue owner, you need to consider the use of web-based services, through channels such as Facebook, Instagram and blogging, so that your customers get to stay in touch with you on what’s going on in the venue. This might include changes or new additions to your menu, special occasions or upcoming event etc. The beauty of partnering with a platform like TableTime is that they assist in handling some of the heavy-lifting with this type of marketing.
Connecting with millennials
We know very well that millennials are always connected online (via social media) and very familiar with technology. We also know that they are the ones who are spending more money on food and entertainment compared to the older generation. This is why millennials are a key target segment for TableTime, as they have the know-how for using apps on a daily basis and the willingness to spend money on food and other items found online.
Be smart with data
TableTime aims to keep you up to date with emerging trends, as it allows you to make use of your customer data directly from the platform. This insight includes what type of food your customers are ordering, their frequency of purchase, popular meal times and popular/unpopular meal choices. In turn, this reinforces your ability to create a more targeted and comprehensive digital menu.
Giving customers an incentive
Customers love special deals and promotions and it is a great way to attract new customers and reward existing ones! Through TableTime, you can offer your customers incentives by offering special, deals and offers just by leveraging the menu tool. This in turn will incentivise your customers to return to retrieve other offers, or simply to return to your venue again due to having had a positive experience.
Restaurants will always want new customers. More new people coming through their doors means there’s more potential for referrals and, ultimately, profit. By using the right tech tools, like the TableTime order ahead app, you give your business a chance to thrive in a wider marketplace.
TableTime is a free app. Why spend hundreds of dollars building your own app from the ground up, when there’s a much better alternative that is easy to use and won’t cost you anything? And what’s more is that when you partner with TableTime, you won’t have to worry about any lock-in contracts. Visit www.tabletime.com.au for more information.
