As a restaurant owner, you may think that all it takes to get customers in the door is to serve good food. While this is certainly important, it’s sadly not the only important thing to do in order to have a well-loved restaurant!
Advertising for restaurants is incredibly important so that loyal and new customers alike know about your business and any special deals going on. Here at That’s Biz, we handle advertising for a variety of restaurants — and yours could be next. We’re all about digital coupons, converting landing pages, and effective email marketing. That being said, however, we also have seen the power of text message marketing firsthand. Your customers have their phones in their hands all the time — go ahead and put your coupon right in front of them! In today’s blog, we’ll discuss some of the benefits of text message marketing, how to create a strategy, what best practices are, and, finally, give you some ideas to get started.
This blog should cover all the basics so you feel you can take on text message marketing as a beginner. However, it’s always helpful to have an expert on your side. Contact That’s Biz today to get started with SMS marketing services.
Know the Benefits
This advertising method is affordable and effective — but let’s not get ahead of ourselves with the benefits! Be sure to check out our blog post on 8 Benefits of Text Message Marketing for more information, but here’s the rundown:
- Customer Choice – Customers opt in to receive text message coupons
- Fast Delivery – There’s no wait time for receiving a message
- Cost-Effective – It’s more affordable than Facebook or Google ads
- Customizable – Add emojis, choose your type of sale, and customize it all the way
- High Open Rates – Text messages have a higher open rate than emails do
- Wide Demographic – Target to a large, diverse demographic
- Complements Other Marketing – Support your other marketing with this service
- Increased Engagement and Recognition – Interact with your customers more
Create a Strategy (and Follow It!)
Just like any other advertising method, you need a strategy. After all, even the best forms of advertising fail when there’s no strategy in place. Or, if there is a strategy in place, hold yourself accountable and be sure to follow it! Check out our post on How to Create a Strategy for Text Message Marketing, or get the highlights right here:
- Establish a Goal – Have a goal for your text message marketing in general and for all individual campaigns
- Determine a Budget – Although SMS marketing services are affordable, make sure you stay on budget
- Follow Best Practice – You want to keep your customers engaged and happy by following best practices
- Get Creative – Everything can be customized, so take advantage of this and get creative
Commit to Best Practices
We alluded above to following best practices when doing text message marketing, and we mean it! After all, your customers opted in to receive text messages. If you text at all hours of the night, too often, or don’t offer good deals, then they’ll unsubscribe before you know it. Check out our post on 6 of the Best Practices for Text Message Marketing, and get the lowdown right here:
- Keep It Short – All your messages should be short, sweet, and to the point
- Pay Attention to Time – Know what time your customers are looking for food (happy hour deals, midnight munchies, lunchtime, etc.)
- Don’t Overwhelm Customers – A few messages a week is a good rule of thumb; a few messages a day is not
- Establish Strong CTAs – Incentivize visiting your restaurant with desirable calls to action
- Provide Opt-Ins Everywhere – Reach more customers by providing more opportunities to sign up
- Hire SMS Marketing Services – That’s Biz can simplify your life and increase your profits
Check Out These Ideas
Need some inspiration for your text message marketing. Again, you can count on That’s Biz. Forms of advertising can vary greatly, and some people think text message marketing limits them because you’re confined to a small text message — not so! This gives you all the more opportunity to be creative. Check out our post on 7 Ideas for Your Text Message Marketing if any of these ideas appeal to you:
- Special Promotions
- Flash Sales
- Order Confirmations
- Teasers
- Weekly Messages
- Sweepstakes
- In-Store Deals
Get Started With Text Message Marketing Today
Here at That’s Biz, we help restaurants harness the power of advertising methods that truly work for them. Contact us today and we can help you too! The best forms of advertising are simply the ones that work. Whether you’re interested in text message marketing, guest access WiFi, or any of our Solutions-To-Go products, we are confident our restaurant marketing will work for you. Contact That’s Biz today to get started!