Thursday, December 3, 2009

A Marketing Plan for Restaurant Development

By Jose L Riesco

A marketing plan for restaurant effectiveness is key for attracting new customers to your restaurant and for retaining repeat customers. A solid marketing plan features various components to capture a broad range of people. It should also be measurable so results can be tracked.

Once a restaurant is open and word of mouth has begun to spread, a marketing plan for restaurant flexibility translates to a healthy bottom line. A marketing plan should be a combination of things, like direct mail, promotions, community activities, and radio, television and print advertising. Themed dinners, specials, and other in-house promotions are also successful and inexpensive marketing activities.

A marketing plan for restaurant business means enticing repeat customers. Consider marketing efforts that make customers feel special, such as honoring them on their birthday with a special promotion. Not only does this encourage repeat business, but a larger party of diners who will be part of the celebration. This means more people will experience your restaurant, thus creating more referrals.


When developing a marketing plan for restaurant stability, evaluate the dynamics of your overall business. This includes identifying your market, comparing your competition, defining your customer base, exploring other customer based opportunities, implementing focused marketing efforts for new and repeat business, identifying your competitive edge, determining menu price points, and implementing up-sell strategies.

A marketing plan for restaurant lifecycles would bring you through busy and slow months successfully. A marketing budget should be set in proportion to your sales. A rule of thumb is 3% to 6% of sales. Advertising is part of a marketing plan and should encompass all mediums. On-site promotions, taking part in special events in the area, or holding a function in partnership with a charity or other company are also key marketing components. Take advantage of free marketing opportunities by introducing yourself to the local media. Think creatively and use holidays, community events, and other opportunities to promote your restaurant.

A marketing plan for restaurant development should explore efforts that better connect you with the customer so they feel part of your family and want to support your business. Among the avenues to consider are targeted mailings, coupons, customer loyalty cards, an e-newsletter, a website and gift certificates. An inexpensive marketing plan is an email campaign where you collect customer's emails in the restaurant or through your website and email them regularly about events, specials, holiday happenings and incentives for dining with you at certain times.


A marketing plan for restaurant continuity should be easy for all staff levels. They are the ones with direct contact with diners, so they need to be an essential part of carrying out any type of marketing effort. A trained staff is the best marketing strategy because they set the tone for a customer's experience and whether they will return and refer your restaurant to others. Enhancing customer expectations through the dining experience is an inexpensive marketing effort.

A marketing plan for restaurant effectiveness means building upon a strong foundation that takes all areas into consideration, such as changes in the restaurant industry, your market, the competition in the area, your customers, and other influences. A marketing plan, whether created internally or by an outside marketing consultant, should be flexible so when results are tracked changes can be made to enhance what's working and modify what is not successful. A marketing plan is an important ongoing effort, just like the daily operations of a restaurant.

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