As COVID-19 continues to spread and more cases emerge throughout the world, local businesses are still unsure of when they will be able to open their doors to the public again.
During this time of uncertainty, it is important to maintain community awareness of your businesses brand and current offerings. Below are some brief tips on how to drive your restaurants delivery and curbside sales during coronavirus lockdown.
Partnering with Food Delivery Services During COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic it is important to research and gain an understanding of the service options available for delivery outside of your companies direct available resources. Be sure to research the operating food delivery apps in your region. Upload a profile to all relevant food delivery services with active and up-to-date company description, profile, menu options and locations.
Customer Database
Be sure to utilize your current customer database. Bridgelogics Guest WiFi marketing platform allows your business to gather customers contact information (email, sms, social) and allows you to automate that information into your existing CRM database.
These particular customers have been to your location before or have used your services. It is important to maintain communication with your core clientele and keep them informed on your current offerings during this unique time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Email Marketing
One effective way to provide communication and up-to-date information to your customers is through direct email marketing campaigns and or newsletters highlighting your location(s) current hours of operations, revised menu options, to-go drink specials, words of positivity and more.
Social Platform
Maintain communication with your customers through your social networks; Facebook, Instagram, twitter, yelp, LinkedIn. Many customers are looking for clarity on who’s open, when and what’s available and are turning to social media platforms for real-time up-to-date answers. These platforms not only allow you to provide information and share pictures of your specials or creative to-go cocktail kits like an email campaign, they allow you to constantly update information or promotions in real-time.
Incentives
Added incentives with purchases can increase sales by setting your restaurant
apart from the competition and showing your customer base how much you value their business and the community.
Some quick incentive based examples to drive traffic:
- Essential business workers receive discounted rates
- 10% off coupon for next purchase
- Free toilet paper roll/ sanitizer with purchase.
- Discount on family or value sized meals
- Option to donate internally to compensate staff affected by lack of work or regional non-profits in need.
Physical Advertising
Put out signs, banners, window chalk in front of your establishment highlighting you are still operating and encourage those passerby’s to order for a curbside pickup or home delivery. Provide the same real-time specials, discounts, promotions and incentives you are sending out digitally to your physical space. Many people are looking to help out their hyper-local community in these times. By physically promoting your business in a creative and informative way, it showcases your passion to serving YOUR community.
As demand for food delivery increases, so does the competition for customers. You are not just competing with establishments directly in your proximity but the entire region.
It is important now more than ever to be hands on in reaching out to your customers and letting them know you are still here to serve and provide value to the community.
