As a restaurant owner or manager, you’re no stranger to the hustle and bustle of the industry. Every day brings new challenges and opportunities, and marketing often takes a backseat amidst the chaos. You know the importance of engaging customers, especially in today’s digital landscape, but the thought of learning a new tech platform or hiring someone else feels overwhelming.
At Olive + Leo, we understand that busy restaurant managers like yourself wear countless hats. Your plate is already so full managing your team and creating exceptional experiences. That’s why we built a streamlined text marketing and digital engagement platform specifically for busy restaurant owners and managers. Our intuitive platform makes it easy to set up and manage your text marketing campaigns and digital customer loyalty program, even amidst the daily hustle.
Text Marketing Guide for Restaurant Managers
Ready to unlock the power of customer loyalty through text marketing without the tech headaches? Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to get started. (You can also use the Olive + Leo platform to make it even easier.)
Step 1: Build Your Subscriber List
The foundation of successful text marketing lies in building a subscriber list of customers who opt-in to receive your messages. Here are a few simple best practices:
- Empower your staff: Train your team to ask every customer to opt-in when they arrive at the host station or place an order.
- Sweeten the deal: Offer incentives like discounts or exclusive offers to encourage sign-ups.
- Spread the word online: Run social media contests or eye-catching graphics promoting your text program.
- Make it easy: Include opt-in forms on your website, receipts, and in-store signage.
We’ve made it easy for restaurants to build their database with Olive + Leo by providing a sign-in kiosk that’s integrated with our platform. Many of our customers have experienced tremendous success adding hundreds of customers to their loyalty program by placing the kiosk at the check-in station or point-of-sale location.
Step 2: Craft Messages That Make Mouths Water (and Phones Buzz)
As you build your subscriber list, it’s time to craft messages that captivate and drive action. Think about the types of messages and offers that customers might want to receive. Here are a few ideas to help you craft text campaigns that inspire customers to act:
- Highlight exclusive offers: Promote limited-time deals, flash sales, or loyalty rewards.
- Create urgency: Use phrases like “limited-time offer” or “ends today” to encourage immediate action.
- Tell them what to do: Include clear calls to action like “Book a table now!” or “Click here to redeem.”
- Incorporate creative ideas: At Olive + Leo, we encourage our users to find innovative ways to stand out. Our recent article lists a few of our favorite text marketing campaign ideas for restaurants that go beyond simple offering discounts.
Step 3: Unleash the Power of Personalization (Olive + Leo Makes it Easy)
Remember, generic messages are like serving the same dish to everyone, even the picky eaters. Personalization is the secret sauce of successful text marketing. With Olive + Leo, you can:
- Celebrate special occasions: Send birthday greetings or anniversary offers to make customers feel valued.
- Send trigger-based texts: Automatically send messages based on engagement, such as “We miss you!” offers if a customer hasn’t checked in over the past 30 days.
- Use “Thanks for your order!” follow-ups: Show appreciation and encourage repeat business with a personalized thank you.
Step 4: Automate Your Text Marketing (and Free Up Your Time!)
Manually crafting numerous campaigns throughout the week is a recipe for burnout. This is where Olive + Leo shines! With our platform, you can:
- Schedule campaigns in advance: Plan promotions weeks ahead and set them to auto-launch – no more scrambling at the last minute.
- Create targeted groups: Send different messages to specific customer segments for maximum impact.
- Track results like a pro: Determine which messages speak to your audience the most and measure the success of your campaigns.
- Analyze and adapt: See which messages resonate most with your audience and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Don’t Let a Lack of Time or Technical Chops Hold You Back
Remember, engaging customers takes intentionality but doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. With the right tools and a little effort, you can leverage the power of text marketing to:
- Boost sales: Drive traffic, promote special offers, and increase order value.
- Build loyalty: Reward repeat customers, celebrate special occasions, and create a sense of community.
- Gather valuable feedback: Get direct insights from your customers to improve your offerings.
Ready to unlock the potential of text marketing and take your restaurant to the next level? Explore the Olive + Leo packages to see how our platform can help you effortlessly engage customers and unleash loyalty.
