Food and beverage advertising is a virtual requirement for small restaurants. No matter how delicious your food, how amiable your staff, or how potent your potables, it's all for naught if no one knows you exist. The biggest mistake a restaurant can make is skimping on food and beverage marketing.
Food and beverage promotions may seem unnecessary to some small restaurant owners. After all, if your bar stools are full and you've turned the dining room 4 times on a Friday night, it can be tempting to think that it'll always be like that, right? If you're doing well, maybe there's no need to pour hard-earned profit into newspaper ads. Wrong. Unless you keep your restaurant's name fresh in the public consciousness, you will quickly fade into culinary oblivion.
Food and beverage marketing doesn't have to be expensive, but it does have to be effective. Keep in mind the following tips:
1. Decide what aspect of your restaurant will be the subject of your food advertising strategies.
2. Hit a target audience with your food and beverage ads.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Decide what food and beverage promotions will best showcase your restaurant
Whether it's spicy wings or patio dining, oversized martinis or top culinary talent in the kitchen, your restaurant has or does something that makes it special. The key to successful food and beverage advertising is deciding on that iconic subject: Focus on what sets you apart from your competition and spread the word.
I recommend: Don't be ashamed to get help if you aren't media savvy. Restaurant PR has a
Virtual Publicist that offers professional consultation on market food and beverage programs. And
Restaurant Experts offer helpful tips on developing and organizing your food advertising.
Focus your food and beverage advertising on a target audience
Cutting costs on the marketing budget can be a fatal mistake for restaurants. Spending your limited budget unwisely is only slightly less dangerous. Avoid running print ads in newspapers unless you're being placed in a dining or entertainment section. Keep your print dollars in restaurant supplements and monthly dining specials.
I recommend: To reach an even larger target audience, try sinking your food and beverage advertising dollars into restaurant review shows. Radio shows like Boston's
Pat Whitley show and
Frank Bruni's NYC Restaurant Review Podcast have dedicated followers and can cite proven results on advertising revenue.
Take advantage of your existing food advertising resources
Advertising in the food industry can be done with a minimum cost by utilizing your existing resources. Convince members of your staff to spend an afternoon handing out flyers. Work out barter arrangements with local newspapers and radio advertisers. Use your beer and liquor vendors to supply signs, banners, and prizes for beverage promotion nights.
I recommend: Constant Contact is an affordable, user-friendly way to maintain contact with your best customers through email marketing. For inexpensive flyers, postcards, hats, and other promotional give-away materials, try
VistaPrint.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Food and beverage salespeople always have a trunk full of free stuff, whether it be hats, key chains, T-shirts, or bottle openers. Never, ever let a vendor leave your restaurant without getting something for free.
The official source of Food and Beverage Advertising and Marketing is
the Food and Beverage Advertising and Marketing page at Business.com
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