Operating any service business is a huge challenge, but running a restaurant is especially so. You probably have already learned that in the twenty-first century, you need to have be on the Internet. However, you are already so busy; have you truly thought through the ways in which you can increase the benefit you receive from your online presence?
Cross-promotion: Use your other advertising channels to drive traffic to your restaurant website. Once your website is operational, you will find that it is an inexpensive and effective means of providing detailed information to your potential customers as well as your regulars. In your newspaper advertisements, make your URL (web address) prominent. You will find it considerably less expensive to provide details when you are not charged by the column inch. If you run television commercials, keep your web address on the screen throughout the duration of the commercial. In a radio commercial, grab the listeners first to entice them, then give them an easy to remember URL twice.
Menu display: Be sure to include your full menu, and update it online whenever it changes in the restaurant. Make sure the design makes it easy to update with your daily specials. The design should also reflect the style of the dining experience. If you operate a diner, don’t use a formal looking background on your menu page. On the other hand, if your restaurant is known for an elegant setting, the appearance of your web menu should reflect that.
Use pleasant images: Pictures of the food are fine for recipe books and boxed macaroni and cheese on the supermarket shelves, but you want your food to speak for itself as your guests dine. To attract the eyes of your website visitors, you need to show real people enjoying the food and the dining experience. Make sure that the pictures include the kinds of people you want as customers, reflecting the racial, ethnic and social diversity of your community.
Build an email list: Request the email information of people visiting your web pages and allow the diners in your restaurant to add their primary email contact information as they pay. Have a member of your staff enter these new email addresses on a frequent basis. Use regular email marketing to announce new menu items, offer special coupons or other enticements. Think of ways to keep them interested in reading your emails on a regular basis. You might want to offer an occasional recipe, or provide some sort of fun food related contest.
Definitely include testimonials: While an enthusiastic restaurant review from the local newspaper{ or local magazine} is unbeatable publicity, most folks also trust what non-journalists have to say. You might want to put these on a separate page, but also intersperse some of the more literate comments throughout your site.
All service businesses need repeat business. To encourage them to return, you want them to feel a connection with you. Knowing how to use your service business online presence can take you a long way in building that relationship with your diners.