Every type, size, and specialty of restaurant needs a strong marketing plan if they want to be successful. A strong marketing plan has strong campaigns and email marketing campaigns are one of the best ways your restaurant can bring in new customers, welcome back old ones and just have an overall positive impact on your business.
The most important part of a successful email marketing campaign is providing value for your audience. It’s a delicate dance between actually sending emails that benefit the customer and risking coming of as annoying by blowing up their inbox with unwanted messages.
By sending strategic, value-driven messages to your restaurant audience, your email campaign can become a powerful, cost effective marketing tool for customer acquisition and return customer strategy that helps boost your sales.
Different Types of Email Marketing
Different types of emails can be used by businesses with specific goals in mind. for different purposes. Here are some examples to help kickstart your next email marketing campaign:
Welcome Emails
- Likely the first email you would send once you receive a customer’s email address.
- Warm and welcoming copy and branding to make them feel connected to the organization.
- Opportunity to advertise any upcoming events to your customers to encourage repeat dining.
Newsletters
- Sent weekly, monthly, or quarterly to customers inbox.
- Way to update customers on big changes happening with your restaurant.
- Typically used for ongoing promotions, big announcements and seasonal events.
Celebratory Coupons
- Provides coupons for celebratory events such as customer birthdays, personal anniversaries etc.
- Shows customers you care about them, thereby increasing customer retention rate.
Loyalty Rewards Updates
- Reminders for customers to redeem rewards through repeat dining.
- Streamlined and natural way to ensure customer retention.
Promotional Emails
- Usually for any other coupons or offers you want to send your customers.
- Can be used for new menu items, popular dates and holidays, seasonal menu items etc.
- Boost sales during slow periods of business.
To develop an effective email marketing campaign for your restaurant, stay true to your brand and provide your customers with information they would want to see in their inbox’s. Email marketing is ultimately all about reminding your guests of the great experiences they had with your establishment while not coming off as too needy by overloading them with unwanted messages.