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How To Promote Your Restaurant Through Email Marketing

Tips to successfully promote your restaurant through an email marketing campaign

All businesses, including restaurants, need to keep up with how the public receives and uses information. Successful marketing campaigns use Internet and email marketing strategies, because of their affordability and ease of use. Constant Contact, the leading email marketing company online, allows you to try their service for free for 60 days.

Start an Email List

Target the people who are most likely to spend money in your establishment—your current customers. Do not waste money purchasing email lists targeting strangers, because that can lead to being branded a spammer. Grow your business with the free help of people who already like what you do.
  • Make sure to have plenty of restaurant comment cards on hand. Instruct wait staff to place one in each check billfold; also have restaurant response cards available at the hostess stand.
  • Set up a guest book next to the hostess stand for diners to write comments in. Include a spot for their name and email address.
  • Bring a guest book to any street fair, trade show, or other event in which you participate.

Tips and Strategies for Writing Email Newsletters

Ideally, send an email newsletter once every two weeks. More than once per week may seem like spam, while less than once per month might result in people forgetting about the restaurant.

Choose a format for your email newsletter; for example, have a simple logo with your restaurant's name at the top. Keep the wording in each newsletter short and to the point. Most people do not want long articles delivered to their inboxes; 200 words is plenty.

Keep a newsletter template in your computer so each mailing looks similar. Constant Contact offers a variety of newsletter templates for its customers. Branding your email newsletter in this way means that customers can recognize your communication right away. Obviously, keep copies of everything you send out.

While it may seem daunting at first, each newsletter must have fresh information to keep people interested. Examples of things to talk about include:
  • Menu changes. Give your following a "heads-up" about new dishes.
  • Special events. Announce wine tastings and Mother's Day brunches a few weeks ahead of time. Send an extra email reminder a few days before the event.
  • Cooking demonstrations. If any chefs participate in local demonstrations or competitions, brag about these in the newsletter.
  • Local attractions. If there is a community event planned, include this in the email newsletter. Suggest that patrons come to the event, and stop in when they are hungry and ready to eat.
  • Deals. Any deals, discounts, or coupons should be showcased in email newsletters.
  • Restaurant news. Be conversational by announcing a welcome to a new employee, or thank everybody for braving the snow last weekend.
Send email newsletters from an address that accepts replies, and check that account once per day for customer comments and feedback.

Additional Considerations for a Successful Email Marketing Campaign

It goes without saying that any restaurant with an email marketing campaign must also have an up-to-date website. Include a link to the home page and any social media networking accounts in every email newsletter.

Keep a database of customer birthdays, and send a happy birthday email. Consider offering dinner for two on the birthday, or 50% one entrée during the customers' birthday month.

MusthaveMenus offers restaurant email marketing solutions, powered by Constant Contact.

Written by: Beth Taylor