There are many ways to advertise your restaurant—social media, radio commercials, TV commercials, word-of-mouth advertisement. But which is the most effective, and valuable? Social media campaigns and commercials can be pricey investments, and they don’t always guarantee a return. Word-of-mouth advertisement, on the other hand, is invaluable. Its free and more consumers trust this form of promotion than any other.
When you’re in the restaurant business, you have a ton of competition and it can be hard to find something that’ll make you stand out among the crowd. Consumers have a wide variety of choices at their fingertips, which doesn’t make things any easier for you. Offering your customers conveniences and luxuries they won’t be able to find elsewhere is one way you can up your chances of gaining word-of-mouth advertisement. With things like Yelp and Google reviews, restaurant owners should never underestimate the power of a negative review of their establishment. The benefits of word-of-mouth advertising for restaurants are extensive, so keep on reading to find out exactly how your business can benefit from this method of publicity.
The Importance of Word-of-Mouth Advertising for Restaurants
As we’ve mentioned, word-of-mouth advertising is invaluable—it’s merit is virtually unmatched by any other type of advertisement, and best of all, it’s free. It’s quickly become an integral part of marketing plans, and is often referred to as word-of-mouth marketing. Spreading positive reviews about your business by organic word of mouth is still great, but it can be difficult to monitor who’s saying what and what motivated patrons to give you a positive review in the first place. Word-of-mouth marketing starts with your corporate communications department rather than directly with a customer.
Take this example of word-of-mouth marketing: a local food blogger is invited to your restaurant to try the food, take pictures of the space, and blog about their experience. If they post on social media using hashtags, and someone comes across their posts and looks into their review, and reads positive things about your restaurant, it’ll have the same effect on them as if they had heard a great review from a friend. While organic word-of-mouth advertisement is always a plus, intentional word-of-mouth marketing is a great alternative since you have a sure-fire way to highlight certain amenities and features your establishment has to offer.
It’s important to get the word out about your restaurant in an organic (or organic as possible) way, to create a sense of trust among your customers. When you use more traditional methods to advertise your business, consumers are inherently mistrustful of what they hear through them because they already know what they’re designed to do. A glowing recommendation from their trusted friend, a reputable blogger, or an influencer will sound more genuine than a commercial and encourage more customers to choose your restaurant.
Benefits of Word-of-Mouth Advertising of Your Restaurant
Using word-of-mouth advertising tactics comes with a number of benefits. First of all, you’ll be able to gain the trust of potential customers. People will be more receptive to and trusting of a review they get from a friend versus a commercial on the radio—friends and family are less likely to lie or embellish their experience, making them a more reliable source of information in their eyes. Secondly, word-of-mouth advertising costs very little, and sometimes nothing at all. It may cost you a free meal here and there if you’re trying to get food bloggers to visit and review your place, but real reviews from real customers are totally free. This will also give you an awesome opportunity to begin or continue to build your brand. Using word-of-mouth marketing will encourage positive vibes regarding your products and service, and build up your business’s image among consumers. This creates long-term value that you’ll benefit from for months and even years to come. When used effectively, word-of-mouth advertising can be an extremely low-cost tool that can have lasting benefits.
Ways to Improve Word-of-Mouth Marketing for Restaurants
Promotions and Events
Generate publicity and spark word-of-mouth advertisement by having promotional events throughout the year. Nothing will entice a potential customer to give your place a try like a discount. Having a lunch special will attract working professionals in the area, and weekend wine specials are never a bad idea. Offering first-time customers a special rate or discount will encourage them to give your establishment a chance, and once they see what you have to offer, they’re bound to return with more of their friends and family in tow.
Social Media
Holding social media contests and campaigns is another great way to engage customers and ignite conversation about your restaurant. Using hashtags and social media influencers can be more helpful than you may realize when it comes to encouraging word-of-mouth advertising. This tactic will work especially well if you have a slightly younger demographic—deploying geotags and Snapchat filters and presenting your restaurant as “Instagram-worthy” can bring droves of young customers your way.
USB Charger for Restaurants
Don’t underestimate the power a cellphone or mobile device has in word-of-mouth advertising. What better way to ensure your customers have a great experience in your establishment than to provide them with a way to keep their devices charged at all times? Get a bar phone charging station and give your customers a reason to share positive experiences at your restaurant with their friends. A phone charger for your restaurant will offer patrons an added convenience, and make them more likely to choose your establishment again and encourage their friends and family to visit, too. Almost no one is without a smartphone in 2017, so having a restaurant phone charging station will appeal to a diverse audience.
Engage Your Customers with Ohming’s Charging Caddy
Stand out in the sea of nearby competitors and purchase Ohming Technology’s battery-powered USB charger for restaurants. It’s guaranteed to please customers and keep them coming back, and our charging caddies are bound to get your restaurant rave reviews. With two USB ports, it charges virtually any device via USB including tablets, smartphones, Bluetooth, and more. Contact us today for more information on our portable USB phone chargers for restaurants, or shop online now.
Paul Romanenko
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