Do you know that 100 percent of Internet users all over the world have at least one e-mail account? This is the one that they check whenever they can have the time to go online. That’s why if you’re thinking of marketing your restaurant through the World Wide Web, you certainly not miss out e-mail promotion.
The question, however, is how you’re going to do that. Every online marketer or even restaurant owner should take note of these 7 tips:
1. Create a mailing list into your website. If you have a website for your restaurant, make sure that you can add a mailing list into it. This is the part where your customers or your visitors can add their name and e-mail address, just in case they want to receive updates and other information about your business. There are plenty of free mailing lists that you can find in the Internet.
2. Make your e-mail as personal as possible. You can go for the standard Hi, Guest; but you will never get their full attention. If you want get closer to your customers and you want them to feel really special, then ensure that you can use their first name as much as possible.
3. Create an e-mail that is short and sweet. Don’t think that everyone has the time to read everything that you have to say. That’s why you have to make sure that the content of your e-mail is very brief but concise. You can use some photos to further enhance the message, making it much easier to understand.
4. Send something during special occasions. Is one of your customers celebrating birthdays or wedding anniversary today? Use your e-mail to send your warm congratulations and other personal greetings. Nevertheless, you have to make sure that this is going to be timely. Any delay will make your e-mail totally irrelevant. You can have an electronic calendar send you a notification or sound an alarm if there are important things that you have to remember, such as sending out greeting mails to your customers.
5. Communicate special promotions. E-mails can also be a great way to save costs in printing posters and other advertising materials if your restaurant has special offers. You can just send them through e-mail. Ensure, though, that the attached file (if you’re using graphics) wouldn’t be too heavy enough that the mail becomes to slow to download and read.
6. Add value to your e-mail. You don’t need to talk about your restaurant all the time. You can speak of healthy eating or how to save time during meals. This will not only make you an authority to your industry, but your customers will feel that they do matter to your business and that you care for their well-being.
7. Give them an opportunity to unsubscribe. Though you would never want to find somebody taking their names out of your mailing list, having an Unsubscribe option will help them know that you do respect their choices. This should be attached in every mail that you’re going to send. Nevertheless, don’t forget to ask them the reason why. It will help you correct your mistakes in the future.
Jon Orana is a restaurant marketing consultant and expert in Internet marketing strategies for local and independent restaurant businesses.
