SMS Marketing for Restaurants: Text To Grow Your Business

To boost profits, customer loyalty, and customer engagement, restaurant marketing departments make use of numerous advertising techniques. One effective strategy that has gained popularity in recent years is SMS marketing for restaurants. It allows restaurants to reach their current customers with a single text message. SMS marketing for restaurants helps maintain customer retention rates.

Restaurants are not the only ones utilizing this service. The vast majority of businesses, whether big or small, depend on SMS marketing to increase sales. This direct communication helps restaurants stay top-of-mind with their customers and drive more foot traffic to their establishments. According to a survey, 75% of customers prefer SMS marketing because it allows them to receive timely and relevant information.

What Is SMS Marketing?

SMS stands for short message service. The other name for it is text marketing. It involves sending targeted and personalized text messages to customers. Companies get a hold of customers’ cell numbers using a variety of methods, including:

1. Restaurant comment cards where the customer’s phone number is in the contact details section.
2. Using opt-in processes such as subscriptions and signup forms.
3. Opting for location-based data marketing.
4. Setting up guest WiFi for customers to capture valuable data.

SMS marketing for restaurants is more than just sending weekly or monthly promotional messages. If utilized properly, the restaurant marketing team can effectively communicate with their customers. They can bring the level of engagement and customer relations to a whole new level.

How SMS Can Be Used in Marketing

After getting the customer’s contact details, marketing for restaurants is now possible. However, it can be tiresome, time-consuming, and inefficient if it involves manual work. Manually sending individual messages to each customer becomes even more cumbersome if it is a personal text message. Thankfully, this is where SMS marketing comes in to save the day.

With the help of automation tools, restaurants can easily send personalized messages to their customers. These text messages could be special offers, discounts, or birthday greetings. SMS service providers assist in implementing this marketing strategy. They offer tools such as:

• Contact management
• Message scheduling
• Message automation
• Tracking analytics

All of these are necessary to deploy messaging for restaurants. With the help of these software programs, a restaurant can streamline its communication with customers. Here are some of the benefits of integrating the above software applications:

By utilizing contact management tools, restaurants can efficiently organize and update customer information, which helps in delivering relevant messages. Message scheduling allows restaurants to send timely promotions and updates, ensuring maximum engagement.

Message automation enables restaurants to streamline their communication processes. This tool automatically sends the relevant messages at the appropriate time, allowing maximum customer engagement.

Tracking analytics further helps in evaluating the effectiveness of the messaging strategy. If a marketing campaign is not yielding promising results, this calls for necessary adjustments by the restaurant marketing team. Restaurants may need to update their SMS marketing strategy to capture customers’ attention.

SMS Marketing Common Strategies

The SMS marketing process, message customization, and notifications types depend on the creative minds of the marketing team. Each restaurant has its commercial strategies to increase customer conversion. Here are some common SMS restaurant marketing strategies:

1. SMS marketing allows real-time communication, enabling restaurants to notify customers about special events, limited-time offers, and changes in operating hours.
2. They can send promotional offers, discounts, and exclusive deals directly to customers’ phones.
3. Restaurants can use SMS to gather feedback through surveys or polls. This allows restaurants to gather valuable data on customer preferences and behavior.
4. Restaurants can also use SMS to send transactional notifications. For example, they can send order confirmation messages to customers after they have placed an online or phone order.
5. SMS marketing for restaurants can also serve as a customer support channel. They can send a quick text message informing a customer about a resolved issue.

8 Benefits Of SMS Marketing

SMS marketing may not seem like such a big deal because it is a relatively simple form of communication. It feels like a basic marketing tactic that does not involve any visual presentation that sends out a captivating appeal. A plain text message feels boring compared to large-scale digital signage advertisements. Moreover, it is a common assumption that customers delete promotional text messages without even reading them.

Naive marketers may not consider this restaurant marketing approach. However, it offers several benefits for restaurants. Furthermore, SMS marketing allows for personalized communication with customers, creating a more personalized and engaging experience.

SMS Marketing for Restaurants Benefit #1: Cost-effective

It provides a cost-effective way for restaurants to promote their specials and discounts. Marketing is expensive, but SMS marketing is comparatively cheap. Here are some ways the restaurant marketing department can save money:

• By utilizing SMS marketing, restaurants can save on printing costs for physical advertisements.
• SMS marketing is target-based. So, only those interested will receive the text message. Restaurants save money and time by avoiding forwarding messages to uninterested people.
• SMS campaigns have lower distribution costs.
• Different service providers offer various SMS marketing packages. By comparing several providers, the restaurant marketing team can choose the one offering the best service at an affordable price.
• You need to deliver a single text message to all of your customers, written in a personalized manner.

SMS Marketing for Restaurants Benefit #2: Wide Market Reach

There is no doubt that text messaging can cover a wide market area. The best part of this marketing strategy is that it has no limitations. Other advertising methods, such as digital signage, posters, flyers, etc., are confined to your local area. Messaging for restaurants can reach all existing and potential customers in a country. This allows the restaurant to expand its customer base and increase brand awareness on a national scale. SMS marketing for restaurants ensures the message is sent directly to the customers’ mobile devices. There is a likelihood that customers may forward promotional messages to family and friends, further extending customer reach.

SMS Marketing for Restaurants Benefit #3: Boosts Customer Loyalty

SMS marketing for restaurants also helps boost customer loyalty. According to a survey, 72% of customers would purchase products and promotions related to customer loyalty programs. Therefore, marketing for restaurant text messages can include loyalty and discount cards.

By sending personalized offers and discounts directly to the customer’s mobile device, restaurants can make them feel valued and appreciated. This can encourage repeat visits and foster a sense of loyalty towards the restaurant.

SMS Marketing for Restaurants Benefit #4: Share Information

SMS marketing allows for easy communication with customers. Restaurants can provide them with updates on new menu items, special events, or any changes in operating hours. The restaurant can also share event ideas to attract customers and create a buzz in the community. This event sharing tactic further enhances the relationship between the restaurant and its customers.

Sharing information is a two-way street. So, instead of providing updates, the restaurant marketing team can use SMS to collect valuable data from customers. Such marketing for restaurants is doable in the following ways:

• Asking customers to share their dining experience.
• Provide feedback on SMS surveys and polls.

SMS Marketing for Restaurants Benefit #5: Flexible SMS Promotion

SMS marketing for restaurants is versatile. Restaurants can choose from a wide variety of promotional messages to best suit their needs. You can deliver multiple text messages in a day or a single message in a month. It is entirely your choice. You also decide on what you want to advertise. You also decide on what you want to advertise. Whether promoting daily specials, offering discounts, or announcing new menu items, SMS allows restaurants to reach their customers instantly.

SMS Marketing for Restaurants Benefit #6: Instant Results

Do you know what the average SMS open rate is? According to a survey, 90% of people will open the text within the first three minutes of receiving it. This is quite a huge percentage. These statistics allow restaurants to inform, remind, and persuade a large market of current and potential customers. The promise of a high instant result is one of the reasons why this is widespread marketing for restaurant strategy. It’s a great tool for helping up-and-coming eateries get their name out there and make a profit.

SMS Marketing for Restaurants Benefit #7: Greater Customer Engagement

Thanks to the tools provided by SMS service providers, messaging for restaurants is now personal.

SMS marketing for restaurants aims to attract customers and increase their involvement. There are numerous marketing for restaurant strategies that can accomplish this goal. However, focusing on restaurant reward programs will prove to be a vital marketing strategy to boost customer engagement.

1. Offering a buy-one-get-one-free deal.
2. Offering discounts to regular customers.
3. Giving a cake, discounts, or a free menu item on a customer’s birthday.
4. Implement a point scheme and notify customers about how many points they can redeem on their next purchase.
5. Offering special deals to restaurant members who have a loyalty program.

SMS Marketing for Restaurants Benefit #9: Time Sensitive Promotions

SMS marketing allows restaurants to reach their customers directly, ensuring that their messages are seen in a timely manner. This is especially important for time-sensitive promotions, such as limited-time offers or last-minute event announcements. Many customers scramble to avail themselves of a promotional discount, especially if it is only valid for a limited time.

SMS Marketing for Restaurants: Best Practices

Statistics have proven that text marketing has a high open SMS rate, and most customers love to receive promotional messages. But a 90% open rate does not guarantee a high conversion rate. Restaurants must know how to use SMS marketing for restaurants to boost sales, increase online orders, and drive foot traffic.

The restaurant marketing department needs to follow best practices in SMS marketing. Many people believe that merely sending a text message is the only purpose of SMS marketing. But in reality, it is much more.

SMS marketing goes beyond just sending messages; it involves crafting compelling and personalized content that resonates with the target audience. It entails segmentation and targeting strategies, monitoring, and analyzing campaign performance.

To truly capture the attention and interest of customers, the marketing team must come up with various marketing plans. To better understand this, below are some SMS marketing ideas for restaurants.

SMS Marketing Ideas for Restaurants

Every restaurant needs to follow best practices when applying SMS marketing for restaurants. This is especially true for SMS marketing. Here are a few SMS marketing ideas for restaurants to ensure that messaging for restaurants adheres to best practices:

1. The message should include the restaurant’s name, a link to the website, a menu, or a promotional offer.
2. SMS for booking and confirmation can increase attendance by 50%.
3. Offer customer loyalty rewards to make them come back for more.
4. Always inform customers of promotions. According to surveys, 41% of customers are likely to avail of limited-time offers.
5. Increase customer retention by offering a discount on their next meal. This attracts customers to return for a second course.
6. Notify customers of new products and events.
7. Keep messages to the point. No one wants to read long text messages.
8. Re-engage old customers by sending personalized emails or text messages offering exclusive discounts or incentives.

Cheapest Restaurant Marketing Consultant for Restaurants and Takeaways

Small or recently opened eateries often search for the cheapest restaurant marketing consultant for restaurants and takeaways. These marketing consultants should be affordable and provide the necessary services. For example, provide advice on how to optimize limited-time offers, create engaging campaigns, and effectively communicate with customers through messages.

Beambox is an excellent marketing agency. It offers an all-in-one marketing platform along with a team of marketing consultants. Beambox specializes in supporting restaurants and takeaways to attract and retain customers. Here are some various services:

• SMS marketing for restaurants
• WiFi marketing solutions
• Customer data collection
• Personalized emails and text messages
• Automate marketing
• Social media management
• Loyalty programs
• Reputation management

With Beambox’s comprehensive range of services, restaurants and takeaways can attract new customers and build strong relationships with existing ones. The best part about Beambox is that it offers a trial period. This allows businesses to test out the platform and see the results for themselves before committing to a long-term partnership. Grow your business today with Beambox.

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