Bars and restaurants have not been left behind in joining the business text messaging bandwagon. Text message marketing is great for any business and it is especially effective for small restaurants that want to attract and keep new customers without spending that much money.
Why SMS Marketing for Bars and Restaurants Works
Results Are Instant
90% of text message marketing texts are read within the first 3 minutes of being sent. If your text message was about a discount on pizza, you may have orders streaming in in as little as those three minutes.
It Is Affordable
If you are just getting started and don’t have that big a budget for marketing tools, try out restaurant SMS marketing. It is cheaper than most other marketing methods including printing flyers and advertisements. Smart messaging software for business allows you to send SMSs to tons and tons of customers at a low price.
It Has a Wide Reach
Every phone in the world has text messaging reception capabilities bar landlines and satellite phones so your market base can all receive your message – they don’t even have to have a smartphone to receive the message.
Limiting yourself to traditional marketing methods like email will not enable you to reach as many people as you would with text messages. Emails for one need internet connectivity and a smartphone or computer.
Versatility
Text messaging marketing is flexible in the sense that you can pick whatever you want to communicate when devising an SMS marketing strategy. You could communicate anything from an exclusive menu item to discounts or even basic news about your restaurant.
Improved Customer Loyalty
Catchy, attractive, and exciting messages with regular exclusive deals over SMS will definitely tempt people to come over and please their palates in your restaurant.
Restaurant SMS Marketing Best Practices
Keep Messages Short and to the Point
Customers are not looking forward to hearing you drone on and on about something in more than the 160-character limit for text messages. They could be reading your text message in the middle of a meeting for all you know. Keep it simple, to the point, and of course sweet to make it more effective.
Give Customers the Option to Opt in and Opt Out
It is not pleasant to bombard you customers with text messages without their consent. Give them the option to opt into your SMS campaign and the option to opt out as well when they have had enough.
Only Use It When You Have Something to Say
It is not good to keep texting your customers even more than their friends text them – for instance. Use the text messages only when necessary. If the message is not as urgent, you can use emails and use SMSs for more urgent issues like expiring offers and discounts.
Personalize Your Messages
When doing bulk SMS marketing on smart messaging software for business it is always good to customize your messages. Something as simple as addressing them by their first name could make them feel special.
Ideas for SMS Marketing for Bars and Restaurants
Here are some ideas you could try out to improve the efficiency of your SMS campaigns;
Encourage a Second Order
This applies for first time customers. After a customer makes their first purchase, you could offer them a discount on their second purchase. This will effectively nudge them towards making that second purchase which means more money and a repeat customer.
They are more likely to keep an eye out for future discounts and promotions and order again.
Prevent Order Abandonment
I know you have been bang in the middle of an online shopping spree before abandoning your cart midway. Text messages could come in handy to send reminders to customers to complete their orders. Send them that reminder to complete their order and recover those lost sales.
Reconnect With Customers Who Haven’t Ordered in a While
Keeping customers loyal is not easy and some fall off the wagon along the way. You have probably noticed some customers slipping away and not ordering anything in a while.
You could identify them and send them target SMSs reminding them you miss them or something in that line. It may even be cheaper than getting new customers altogether.
Say Happy Birthday
Nothing says we are thinking about you on your special day than a happy birthday message and a special treat for your customers. Send them a happy birthday wish and offer them discounts on meals, free dessert, or something of the sort.
