6 Things Your Marketing Needs to Drive Business During the Coronavirus
As the hospitality industry slows down due to the coronavirus pandemic, restaurants need digital marketing tools now more than ever to help drive business.
Customers will be using multiple methods to find out what’s happening at your restaurant or venues like yours, so it’s important that you make sure all of these online platforms are up to date and share the right information that connects you with the audience that wants to buy from you.
Here are six things customers are looking for right now that should be included in your restaurant’s marketing. Make sure to add them to your messages on your website, emails, social media posts and profiles, your Google My Business profile, review sites like Yelp, and, if possible, your business descriptions in any delivery apps you partner with.
1. Your current hours and services: Curfews and business hours are different in each city and state, so you need to let customers know when you are open.
2. Your takeout and delivery menu: You’re running on a smaller staff and most likely have a reduced menu. Put it front and center everywhere, and make sure the menu says takeout or delivery in the title and provides a telephone number or website information for ordering.
3. Anything unusual: Prior to the Coronavirus, nobody was ordering breakfast and brunch, cocktails to go, or gourmet meals for takeout or delivery. If your restaurant offers these special items, talk about it in your marketing.
4. The right keywords: People are searching for takeout, delivery, cuisine type, and their city — use those words on your website to have a better chance of appearing in Google search results, and include them as hashtags in your social media posts.
5. Donation information: Customers are looking for ways to help hospitals and emergency responders, as well as local businesses and members of their community who are in need. Share details in your marketing about any fundraisers you’re involved with and information on how customers can sponsor meals.
6. Photos and videos: You should be sharing visual updates of your staff hard at work, the food you’re serving, your menu, and any community donation or volunteering efforts your restaurant is involved with. The photos will catch users’ attention in social media feeds and are more likely to get engagement.
Post now, benefit later
If you’re staying active in your marketing during the coronavirus pandemic, you’re helping to keep your venue top of mind with loyal customers and gain some new customers. They’ll know, like, and trust your restaurant, and will be more likely to come back as businesses recover.
Take advantage of our resources
Tripleseat is continuing to provide tips for the hospitality industry on our blog. We also have a weekly webinar, Adapting Your Business to Change, which includes ideas on how to grow revenue during this uncertain time and Tripleseat tools you can use to stay ahead of the game. And join our Facebook group, Event Manager Community, to connect with peers and discuss the impact of the coronavirus on the events industry.