Restaurants Embracing Digital Innovation Will Successfully Differentiate
By Ron Shulkin, 3radical
Innovation Creates Differentiation
Restaurant marketing teams are aware diner restaurant visits are fewer and their overall spending is down. When diners are ready to eat out, a long list of restaurants are fighting to capture their attention. With these myriad options, only strong brands and differentiated concepts will carry the day. The ability to infuse a culture of innovation will create differentiation.
Digital Outreach Is Key
In our modern world, decisions, like where to eat, are researched via digital means (read that mobile). Only the restaurants, pubs and entertainment venues embracing digital tools, with their unique targeting capabilities, use of psychologically compelling techniques, and agile methodologies will successfully reach potential diners at the right time with the right message.
If you think your restaurant is excluded from the requirements for digital innovation, think back on the impact of “Moneyball” on Professional Baseball. If the leading restaurant venues are using analytics and digital outreach now, all restaurants who want to compete on an even playing field will be running to use it next season.
Same Store Sales are Down
Some consumers are eating out less often; restaurant visits and spending are down. The restaurant industry notes weak same store sales and traffic. In fact, they’re down 21 out of the last 24 months. Consumers continue to grapple with rising costs and stagnant wages.
Competitive Differentiation
It might be with the burst of investor-owned restaurant companies, and their emphasis on driving growth, the restaurant community has expanded beyond what the market can support. Amid increased competition and decreased traffic, restaurant management are coming to terms with the reality they must differentiate or fade away. Restaurant venues with strong brands and differentiated concepts will carry the day. The ability to infuse a culture of innovation will create that differentiation.
Enforce Message
Restaurants focusing on building a regular customer base with a consistent message of quality or health conscious, environmentally friendly menu or how they have remodeled or their new sustainable and antibiotic-free ingredients can use digital outreach to satisfy their diners. Today’s consumer desires to know the story behind the meal.
Loyalty & Repeat Diners
Restaurants must do more than get diners to try them out. They must nurture loyalty to keep them as customers. As the consumer’s dining options increases, the cost of customer acquisition for the restaurant brands increases. And customer loyalty decreases.
Industry research tells us restaurant brand loyalty is established on the fourth visit. Statistics show it is 90 percent likely that those who visit a restaurant for the fourth time will continue to visit on a regular basis, demonstrating brand loyalty. Winners will develop a customer nurturing campaign designed to propel the guest to their fourth visits.
Best Practice Digital Outreach
By regularly interacting with diners in between visits, nurturing an increase their frequency and spend,
new digital marketing techniques can help restaurant brands standout from competitors and get great results.
Get On Track With Digital Outreach
Workshop Registration
UK/US: 29th March 2017
Asia Pac: 4th April 2017
Consumer engagement innovators 3radical is offering a free 45 minute restaurant (and entertainment venue) workshop to learn how leading brands are achieving extraordinary results in their key marketing challenges. You can learn how digital outreach results in:
* Growing their audience
* Turning unknown customers into known customers
* Engaging customers between visits and staying front of mind
* Driving new footfall, increased frequency of purchase and average sales value
* Learning about each individual, and get feedback on their experience, to better tailor communications
With case studies from leading casual dining chain Zizzi, and pub and restaurant chains Harvester, Toby and Sizzling Pubs, by attending this workship you will learn how digital marketing technology can help drive substantial uplifts in performance for your business.