How to Run a Successful Coupon Marketing Campaign for Your Restaurant
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Coupons are an amazing marketing idea for restaurants if used wisely. They are able to drive in new customers to your eatery while also encouraging them to frequently visit the joint. They also enable you to launch a new food item on your menu. In the long run, the marketing campaign translates to improved restaurant sales.
However, you have to be wary of the dangers that the discount offers pose. For example, coupons can significantly reduce your profit margins if you don’t calculate them first before you offer them.
To ensure that you use the coupons the right way to successfully run your restaurant’s marketing campaign, here is a quick guide to use:
Do a Proper Homework
Before you give out coupons, it’s necessary to lay out a proper groundwork. In this case, you should:
- Define your target audience: You have to identify the target market and direct the coupons towards them. For instance, you should determine the number of families with kids, the average income level, the age of most customers, and the most ordered food items.
- Establish the discount threshold: Do not just come up with discount offers in your head without weighing them as this may lead you to bankruptcy. You should first assess your gross profit and determine how much you’ll be left with after deducting the discounts.
- Revisit your past success: How did you perform in the past marketing campaign? You should only try to change what didn’t work and retain what was successful.
Diversify Your Coupons
There is wisdom in diversifying your coupons. The customer should be able to enjoy more offers in your restaurant. Most restaurants offering coupons usually mix their discount packages by going for these options:
- Bundle deals: This is where you offer customers a discount after ordering at least two complementary food items.
- Free offers: Here, you give one free deal when the customer orders a specific food item. For example, you can offer a free drink for every expensive sandwich that the customer orders.
- Flat-rate coupons: This is where you offer the customers a standard dollar discount, for example, $10 off their bill after eating in your restaurant.
- Percentage-based coupons: Give a percentage discount on a specific food item or thecustomer’s total bill.
- Loyalty cards: These are specifically meant to encourage your regular customers to continue eating at your restaurant. The cards allow them to enjoy free meals once in a while.
Distribute Your Coupons Wisely
Once you know your target audience and decided on the coupons to use, the remaining thing to do is to promote the deals. You can distribute the coupons through:
- Social Media: Create a Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram account as here is where most customers are concentrated.
- Print Advertising: Though avenues such as magazines and newspapers are not as popular as social media, they can also attract a reasonable number of customers.
- Coupon Websites: Websites such as Groupon can help you reach more customers.
Generally, coupons are great at enticing a sizeable customer community to your restaurant and retaining the old ones. Nonetheless, you have to run the campaign cautiously so as not to suffer losses. It begins by observing the above marketing guide.
Author: Tom Evans
photo/Gerd Altmann
