You may have created advertisements or campaigns for your restaurant that aren’t exactly doing the trick. Though you’re happy with the campaign, you aren’t getting the tons of customers you hoped would come into your restaurant.

Why not?

We’ll talk about why you might not be seeing the customer increase that you expected with your advertising. Then, we’ll give you ideas to tweak your methods to more effectively engage potential diners.

Issue #1: You have no solid brand voice or content decisions. Guests could see a wildly different voice and attitude from post to post, or across social media channels. This inconsistency makes it more difficult for them to picture what a meal with you would look like.

Solution: Before you start creating social media updates, make sure you keep your brand voice consistent across all platforms. That means that you if you’re an upscale restaurant, you shouldn’t be using down-to-earth slang.

In this same planning stage, decide what kind of content you’ll post. Do you want to include links to partner businesses? Do you want to tell jokes? All these choices can be great, but you don’t want to surprise your followers by posting something completely out of the ordinary.

Issue #2: You want to make sure you’re advertising everywhere that diners might be – but you don’t have a big enough budget or enough time in the day to advertise everywhere.

Solution: Choose a few platforms and methods to which to tailor your advertising. It’s much better to become an expert in a few advertising methods that a jack of all trades. We think that smartphones are where advertising can make the biggest impact – 35% of smartphone users say they check their phones more than 50 times a day. Use platforms like Facebook where you can target your specific demographics to find new customers, then market to them on an ongoing basis through a tool you control like a mobile app.

Issue #3: You want your followers to notice you, but you’re not receiving many likes on your social media posts, and not seeing people coming in the front door because of your advertising.

Solution: You want to only posts updates that engage your followers and add value to their lives. Specifically, 76% of users scroll Facebook to find interesting content,  Think about the kind of content that would draw their attention. You must post about special events, new menu items, or promotions and have a way for your customer to interact with you after seeing your post or advertisement.  A meaningful call to action in your ads will make all the difference

Post 1: “Johnny’s has the best Garlic Bread in Town, try some today!”

Post 2: “Get hooked on the best Garlic Bread in Town, let us PROVE IT to you! VIP’s Get a FREE order with any Pizza Purchase, Search Johnny’s Pizza in the app store and get your Garlic Bread fix today!”

Issue #4: You’re overselling. You want to tell people how great your food is, so you suggest that you’re the “best” in the business and “no one can compete” with you.

Solution: Consider the adage: “Show, don’t tell.” Consumers aren’t interested in you telling them how wonderful your restaurant is; they want to be convinced. Give them a reason to come in and try your restaurant, if you have the best Chicken, offer a free taste of your chicken for all of your First Time Guests. If you’ve won local awards, post links to those accolades. If you have good reviews highlight them, Let others tell potential diners you’re great or let them decide for themselves; don’t do it yourself.

Issue #5: You’re not differentiating yourself from your competition. You’ve seen your competitors offering promotions or advertising messages, and you want to beat them at their own game.  

Solution: Set yourself apart by doing something different than your closest competitors. Instead of creating similar campaigns, create a unique campaign that demonstrates your uniqueness. For example, you could create a YouTube video series demonstrating simplified ways for viewers to prepare your popular dishes at home. Or, you could post stories focused on your staff members’ backgrounds and personality. In marketing, copying is not the sincerest form of flattery.

Issue #6: You’re not staying on message. You’ve found great posts around the Internet or think your followers would be interested in hearing a rant about your city’s pricey parking meters.  

Solution: You have personal social media and public social media accounts for a reason. Don’t post off-topic or personal posts that have no bearing on your restaurant. These posts that are off-brand or off-message confuse your guests. Guests want to feel like you understand them, but they don’t want to know everything about you outside of your business.

Boelter Blue

The best way to draw in – and hang onto – more diners is by engaging them where they’re at: on their phones. Boelter Blue can help you simplify your marketing plan. We can help you make an app that will help you interact with clients. Then, together, we can create advertising that works.

For example, we can help you post your pre-written blog posts to social media channels when and where you intend. With regular posting on social media channels, you’ll grow your dedicated followers. We’ll also monitor the conversation surrounding your restaurant on social media.

Remember, it doesn’t take a ton of work for your advertising campaign to be successful – and we’ll help. Learn more about Boelter Blue, and if you’re looking for more marketing strategies, download or free eBook, “Get More Customers into Your Restaurant: 30 Tips that Take Less Than 5 Minutes.”