There’s nothing quite like word of mouth advertising for your restaurant. It’s virtually free. It’s powerful. And, it can make or break your business. But how can you harness this positive force?
Here’s how to make word-of-mouth advertising work for your restaurant:
- Build excitement. Host special events, happy hour specials and community meetings at your operation. It will get new customers in the door and help existing customers see how involved you are in the community.
- Focus on internal marketing. Your treatment of your employees and your suppliers says a lot about the practice behind the scenes. Be sure you’re not only treating your team members with the utmost respect, but also arm them with the knowledge they need to sell your operation even when they’re not on the clock.
- Understand the tentacles of word-of-mouth advertising. Don’t overlook just how far reaching word-of-mouth advertising can be. Once the ball is rolling, it can easily translate into newspaper stories, advertising, targeted direct mail, reviews, etc.
Keep in mind, this type of grassroots marketing takes patience, consistency and persistence, but the rewards will literally speak for themselves. To get the most of it, make sure your staff is well trained in excellent service and profitable sales techniques to capitalize on increased traffic from word-of-mouth marketing.
Restaurant Service and Sales Training
The Service & Sales Excellence Waitstaff Training Series is based on Service That Sells!, a restaurant training philosophy developed by restaurant owners for restaurant owners. Click here to learn more.
