Restaurant marketing, much like marketing in any sales business has dramatically changed in recent times. It is critical that restaurants embrace Internet marketing and cultivate a presence online, combining this with total marketing integration across a range of print media, digital media and in-store marketing communications. Today we isolate 10 specific marketing techniques that restaurants simply must embrace in order to maintain success and accelerate past the local competition:

1. Have a functional, mobile website. Can local customers find your restaurant online? Make sure they can with a well-optimised, fully responsive website. The key ingredient here is to get cutomers to reach your website before they find your competitors. A food blog, daily specials and direct visitors to your social media profiles and online review sites are highly recommended.

2. Engage in local SEO practices. Websites aren’t just for big companies; now more than ever, small local businesses are realising the importance of having a website and implementing an Internet marketing strategy. Since 72% of all searches are related to a search for local content, you should be 100% sure that your website will show up for those searches relevant to your restaurant.

3. Monitor review sites. You live or die on your reputation, so pay close attention to what people are saying about your restaurant online. This is where your offline visitors can tell the online world about their (hopefully positive) experience at your restaurant. Thank visitors for positive reviews and respond to and respectfully resolve negative reviews.

4. Use an online restaurant reservation tool. Invite your customers to make a reservation directly on your website or within your mobile app. An online restaurant reservation tool makes it easier for your customers and easier on your business. And sometimes people just don’t want to pick up the phone anymore – they’d rather make their reservation in just a few clicks.

5. Grow your email database. In comparison to direct marketing, email marketing is statistically more efficient, environmentally friendly and a faster way to keep your customers in the know. Promote your e-newsletters through social media, on your website, and inside your restaurant. You have the beauty of letting customers and leads know more about you from the minute they step into your store – use this to your advantage!

6. Get your business a social media presence. Strengthen your word of mouth marketing with an interesting, interactive social media presence. Social media is the 21st century’s equivalent of ‘word-of-mouth.’ This gives you the ability to engage your customers 365 days as year, represent your brand and enlist customers to share their stories. That’s priceless.

7. Provide enough incentive for people to pay attention. Give your patrons incentive to follow you on social media channels or to come into your restaurant, and make it simple for them to do so. If you constantly put up your restaurant specials on Facebook, your fans will lose interest. Mix it up, don’t be afraid to have fun, and be a part of the local community.

8. Create and implement a customer loyalty program. Send out e-newsletters to those who sign up to be in the program, highlighting exclusive deals. A customer loyalty program can also be implemented digitally in-store with the use of QR codes or print medium systems. Promote your loyalty program offline and online.

9. Give your menu a fresh look. If you already have a great design that works well, this may not be necessary. If, however, you have a boring or outdated menu, this is reflective on the business as a whole. As they say, ‘don’t judge a book by it’s cover’ – unfortunately however, people tend to do so!

10. Run contests. This is a great way to reward social media fans, grow your fan base, bring in more customers, and promote loyalty. Give customers a chance to win a great prize and you’ll give them another reason to come back again.