Whether you’re a seasoned restaurant marketing professional, or a new owner trying to gain a leg up on your competition… here is some information I’m sure you’ll appreciate about creating “Brand Recognition”.
Chances are if you own a restaurant, you put a great deal of time and thought into naming your business. Whether it’s a family name, or a creative name and logo, it’s intended to give meaning to your business. The name is often the first “brand” introduction the general public will have to your business.
What that brand comes to mean as your business grows is what’s important. Over time, your brand (name and logo) becomes more and more familiar. Once that happens, you begin to build true “brand awareness” for your restaurant.
But there is more to a successful business than the name. Taking your brand and effectively leveraging it to grow your business requires thoughtful strategic planning and a solid communications and marketing plan.
Before you can properly market your business you must have a precise understanding of:
- What your objectives are
- Who your target audience is
- What your Unique Selling Proposition is
- What strategies you will implement
- What tactics you will use to support those strategies
So if you’ve got your business name and logo, and you have the answers to the questions above, starting your branding campaign can be as easy as 1-2-3!
- Professionally designed Menus, Business cards, Signage and Point-of-Purchase Material
- Web Site and Domain with e-mail account
- Advertising that reinforces your company’s brand image!
Most (if not all) small restaurants complete step one. Many of today’s business professionals believe (and rightfully so) that step number two is just as essential to a successful long-term branding effort. But unfortunately, most small businesses fall short when it comes to step three…Advertising!
Many new entrepreneurs believe that most forms of advertising are far too expensive and simply out of their reach due to limited financial resources. But advertising is crucial to a businesses financial growth and long-term success.
Whether you’re a new start up or expanding your current business, you need to find a marketing medium that allows you to maximize your ROI!
Ask yourself . . . “What option gives me the best price point to value for my marketing dollars?”
The answer might surprise you. The short list of answers that most restaurant owners will come up with includes group coupon mailings, door hangers, or newspaper advertising. The truth is, a Customer Loyalty System is the most affordable, effective and measurable marketing medium you can find. Unfortunately, very few restaurants are familiar with them.
A good customer loyalty system allows you to build a customer database and then communicate with those customers through email, text messaging and direct mail marketing. It’s the best branding vehicle you’ll ever find.
You can get your logo and your message in front of thousands of customers anytime you want and do it without spending a fortune. Most importantly, a customer loyalty program let’s you build a relationship between your brand and your customers. You can personalize your communications to each customer, reward them for purchases and steer your offers based on their demographics and unique buying habits.
Simply put…no other advertising medium gives you the same level of flexibility and control over your brand.
To learn more about how you can start a customer loyalty program, go to www.loyaltylock.com. As a member of restaurantpartner.com, you’re eligible for a “members only” discounted.
