The restaurant business is a tough one to break into. While established restaurants can easily remain solvent, new ones have often have a hard time generating an initial client base. One Ohio State University study found that nearly 60 percent of restaurants close within their first year.
One way new restaurants can help grow their business is through text message marketing. With a near-perfect open rate and a higher likelihood of customer response, SMS marketing is the perfect way to engage your audience and create brand advocates, who will use word-of-mouth to attract new customers.
Here are four ways burgeoning restaurants can use text message marketing to increase their customer base:
- Seasonal offerings. Take advantage of seasonal foods to create special menus only available during those months. Then, use your SMS service to notify customers of the new items, incentivizing repeat visits to try the new dishes.
- Personalized specials. During the opt-in process, try and gather as much information as possible, such as birthdays or anniversaries. Use this information to send out personalized messages and discounts to these clients, making your restaurant the place they celebrate these milestones. Even with limited information, simply adding a name to a message can go a long way in building a solid rapport.
- Targeted incentives. One of the things that makes SMS marketing unique in its offerings is its immediacy. According to research firm Mobile Squared, 90 percent of all text messages are opened within three minutes of its receipt. Use this to target specific and timely offerings, like a lunch special or happy hour event.
- Special events. Events like trivia, musical or comedic guests and holiday specials can be a huge drive to business. Text message marketing is a great way to help make events like that a hit. Even if you're just starting out and are still building your opt-ins, word of mouth through the customers you can message will help both bring more people to your event and increase your opt-in list.
For all your mobile text marketing needs, rely on the experienced teams at Swift SMS Gateway. From marketing to customer alert services, we can help you boost your business through our SMS solutions.
