The Christmas season has passed and hopefully it was a good year for your restaurant. With the new year ahead it is time to get smart and plan what you need to do to make this year even better than last. To make it a good year it is very important as with everything in life to make the best possible start. With that in mind we have put together some ideas that will help your restaurant achieve the best possible start to the year.
Work your database
One guaranteed way to increase your business is to get your existing customers to visit more often. You should have a sizeable database of many of your customers email addresses as this is one of the most valuable tools you can possess. You should keep your restaurant top of your customers mind by updating them on new events, new menus etc using an email newsletter.
Appeal to your customers new year desires
Most people, including your customers want to make the best possible start to the new year and the top priorities are normally diet, health and fitness. Make it easy for new and existing customers to choose your restaurant by offering a healthy tasty option and make sure you display your new offering prominently. Everyone wants to eat healthy but ultimately are creatures of habit. If you make it easy for them to stick to their resolution you will keep their business and attract new customers.
Bring back lapsed visitors
The breakdown of new versus existing customers would be an interesting metric for a restaurant to measure (it is possible but lets leave that for another day). What your WiFi software should tell you however is the data on people who have only visited your venue once. This is a hugely important and valuable data as it gives you a chance to reach out to lapsed customers. Send them a personalised email offering them a free glass of wine/coffee or a discounted meal. This will keep your restaurant top of mind and more importantly get customers who might go elsewhere back into your restaurant and spending money.
Bring back the big spenders
You might think that all your best customers have gone into hibernation until springtime but they are out there and spending money. It is your objective to get them spending that limited cash in your restaurant and not somewhere else. Do you know who your best customers are? Do you know who your most frequent visitors are? Do you have a line of communication to them? These basic requirements are all you need to get bums on seats in January. Your WiFi software should give you this information and more. Reward you best customers with special offers to increase your January revenue.
Super targeted Facebook advertising
Although this method can be used at any time of the year, January is a great time to put it into practice. Facebook allows you to send targeted promotions based on users upcoming birthdays. If your existing or new customers are going to be spending their cash in January their birthday celebration would be a very good reason to do so. Create promotional offers based on birthday specific dates as well as age profile, gender, location and interest to drive customers through your doors.
Apply these 5 methods to turn your historically quiet January into the bumper start that you need to make this year great.
