Some restaurants think they have to add all kinds of bells and whistles to their marketing plans. But incorporating too many features can be overwhelming for restaurants and patrons alike.

Instead, modern restaurants shouldn’t forget a key marketing adage that’s still relevant: keep it simple, stupid. KISS for short.

KISS reminds you that you don’t need to get fancy. You simply need to connect with your diners where they are: on their phones.

Patrons and potential patrons are on their phones a lot; a recent study suggests that users spend an average of five hours on their phones each day. Wouldn’t you like some of that time to be spent engaging with your restaurant online?

The key to building regulars is to engage customers using marketing that's relevant to their lives. Here are four simple marketing techniques you can take to build your diners’ relationship with your restaurant:

Make yourself easy to find

One of the simplest – and often overlooked – ways to build your presence online is to ensure your business is easy to find both on the internet and in person. Create a website that looks nice and is very easy for your customers to navigate. Claim your business on Google and Yelp, and also put your website, address, hours and phone number in all the other places your customers are spending time. Focus first on OpenTable, Facebook and Instagram before moving on to websites that are specific to your local area.

Keep your social media and app content fresh

Once you have established yourself online, your job isn’t done yet. Luckily, keeping your social media and app fresh doesn’t have to be time consuming. Remember, keep it simple (stupid).

Here are some types of content that work well for restaurants:

• Food photos. Did you know that the most widely-shared images on Facebook are food pictures? Try sharing nice photos of weekly specials on your social media to really grab attention. Choose menu items that look appetizing and make sure you pay attention to the lighting and background of the picture. 

• Curated links. What publications are writing about you? Or what magazines mention one of your specialty dishes? Share these articles with your guests! After all, it’s okay to be proud. Additionally, many restaurants post links that have nothing specifically to do with them, but fit their food style. For example, if you serve only healthy salads, perhaps you could post a link to an article about how to drink more water. Choose curated links that tell a story about what your restaurant represents.
• Customer-generated content. If your diners are sharing posts describing their experience, repost on your Facebook, Instagram and app. The customers who posted will feel flattered and recognized, and new customers will see that you already have a devoted following.

Create a reason for customers to visit you

Why should customers choose your brewpub for dinner Friday night instead of the diner next door? Because you have the city’s BEST fish fry? Because on Fridays your happy hour lasts until 7pm? Determine what makes your restaurant stand out and then tell people about it! Include daily specials on your website and post about your talented bartender on social media.

Another way to create a reason for customers to visit you is by setting up a digital loyalty program through a custom mobile app. This would allow you to offer your app users VIP upgrades, bringing your restaurant to the top of their dinner list.

Set up a First Time Guest Program

You might be asking, how do you get people to download this restaurant app we’re talking about? And once it’s downloaded, how do you get those people to come into the restaurant and become customers? One way is to set up a First Time Guest (FTG) Program. FTG programs offer first time app users an exclusive reward or upgrade, like a free beer or appetizer. Then, once your FTG has redeemed the offer, you can send them another one to bring them in again. Once a customer has visited your restaurant at least 3 times, they are 70% more likely to become a consistent customer. 

Bonus Tip: You don’t have to post to your Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages separately. Focus on Instagram, and share your photos to all three pages at one time.

We know what you’re thinking, “I could follow these steps, sure. But when will I have the time?” Boelter Blue simplifies the process by creating a custom mobile app for your restaurant that allows you to scheduled automated messages and keep customers engaged even on the year’s busiest days.

To learn more about how Boelter Blue can help you put the KISS method in action and for even more marketing tips, download our eBook “Let’s Simplify Foodservice: Restaurant Marketing Edition.”