By Eric Tress, Contributor
If you are looking for an excellent tool to increase your restaurant’s reservations, email marketing is an effective advertising tool you should consider. According to research by Sopro, over 75% percent of consumers prefer to communicate with brands through email.
Many restaurants invest in marketing when they notice low bookings or in the run-up to a low season. But if you want a continuous flow of customers, you must market your services continuously to potential guests, even when business is good.
People are always looking for popular eateries and unique menu items to try when looking to eat out.
Restaurant email marketing is the best way to attract new customers, increase table occupancy, and build a loyal customer list.
Restaurant Email Marketing Explained
Restaurant email marketing is a powerful tool to connect with guests and drive reservations. It's all about sending targeted emails that showcase your offerings and keep your restaurant on top of guests minds.
Here are some ways to use email marketing effectively.
Promote seasonal specials: Highlight limited-time deals like Easter BOGO offers or group discounts.
Events and entertainment: Announce live music nights, sports viewings, or other special events.
Showcase amenities: Remind guests about unique features like a gaming systems or patio seating.
Package deals: Upsell by creating packages with accommodation or activities for a complete experience (if applicable).
Reconnect with past customers: Send newsletters with updates and entice them to return for holidays or special occasions.
Target specific audiences: Craft emails for romantic getaways, family outings, or birthday celebrations.
Sell the destination: Beyond your food and drinks, email marketing can also promote your location. If you're in a scenic spot, highlight the local beauty to attract tourists. A beachside restaurant can target couples seeking a romantic escape, while a family-friendly establishment can showcase its appeal for birthday dinners.
Creating a Restaurant Email Marketing Strategy
Crafting compelling email campaigns can feel overwhelming, but there's a secret weapon: automation. Research shows that automated emails convert a whopping 2.5 times more than bulk emails.
These tools offer pre-built templates, audience segmentation, and scheduling features that streamline the process. You can save time and money while boosting your conversion rate.
Now, let's dive into a step-by-step guide to unlocking more reservations through budget-friendly email marketing.
1. Make an Email List
Before you can send captivating emails, you need a receptive audience.
Unfortunately, directly collecting collecting email addresses from your website visitors might not be feasible.
Most websites rely on signup forms where visitors voluntarily provide their email addresses. However, this can be very slow going. Here’s how you can easily get started:
Leverage existing guest data: Collect email addresses from reservations, online orders, or special offer signups (family meal deliveries).
Offer incentives: Promote email signup through pay-per-click advertising or website forms by highlighting exclusive offers like drink/meal deals.
Create a loyalty program: Reward customers for joining your program by offering perks like discounts or birthday treats. This encourages them to share their email address.
Make signup easy: Place clear and concise signup forms on your website and landing pages.
2. Write an Engaging Email
With your email list in place, it's time to craft content that drives reservations. Here are key ingredients for success.
Attention-grabbing headlines: Hook readers with clear, concise headlines that highlight your offers or exciting news.
Example: "Savor a Taste of Europe: French Bistro Night!"
Tempting content: Showcase your culinary offerings with mouth-watering descriptions and high-quality photos. Feature seasonal dishes, unique cuisines/specialties, or special events.
Compelling call-to-action (CTA): Tell readers exactly what you want them to do next.
Example of strong CTAs: "Book Your Table Now for French Bistro Night!" or "Get 15% Off Appetizers - Sign Up Today!"
Strategic placement: Place CTAs prominently in your email. Consider above the fold, sidebars, and the footer for maximum visibility.
Clear communication: Use concise and easy-to-understand language tailored to your audience.
3. Segment Your Restaurant’s Email Audience
According to Google Marketing, 90% of marketers say personalization significantly contributes to the profitability of businesses.
Therefore, customers are more likely to spend time at your establishment if you tailor offers to their preferences. For example, offering family-sized meals such as platters to large parties.
Therefore, when writing customer emails, remember to include offers that align with their specific interests, professions, locations, and past behavior to yield better results.
You'll find that guests are more inclined to click on call-to-action buttons and explore offers when you approach them in this way.
4. Test Your Restaurant’s Email
Before hitting send, take steps to ensure your email resonates with your audience.
Gather feedback: Get a fresh perspective by sending drafts to colleagues or loyal customers. Their feedback can help identify typos, awkward phrasing, or unclear calls to action.
Embrace A/B testing: This powerful technique lets you compare different versions of your email to see which one performs best. Test variations like subject lines, content format (text-only vs. image-heavy), or call to action buttons (e.g., "Book Now" vs. "Get 10% Off").
Optimize based on results: Once you have data, analyze it to identify the winning email format. Use those elements to craft your final, high-performing sales email.
5. Send Emails at the Right Time
The timing of your email can significantly influence open rates and reservations. Here's how to optimize your send schedule.
Pre-event marketing: For events like New Year's parties, generate excitement well in advance. Aim to send emails at least 12 days before to capture early interest.
Follow-up nudges: Don't let reservations slip away! Send reminder emails nine days before the event to refresh guests' memories, highlight special offers, and encourage them to book a table.
Weekday sweet spots: Statistics suggest weekdays are prime times for restaurant marketing emails. Consider sending emails at 12 PM, 2 PM, or 6 PM. These times often coincide with lulls in people's busy schedules, making them more likely to browse emails and consider dinner plans or socializing with friends.
6. Focus on Deliverability
Landing in the inbox, not the spam folder, is crucial for your emails' success. Here are key strategies.
Compelling subject lines: Craft short, clear subject lines that pique interest and entice recipients to open your email.
Example: "Savor Summer Flavors: New Patio Menu!" instead of "Restaurant Promotion: New Menu Available."
Personalization: Personalize subject lines whenever possible by including the recipient's name. This adds a touch of warmth and increases open rates.
Actionable language: Use strong verbs and clear CTAs that tell readers exactly what you want them to do next.
Effective CTA: "Book Your Table Now for Patio Dining!" instead of "Click Here to See Our New Menu."
Visually appealing content: Include high-quality images that showcase your restaurant's ambiance, delicious dishes, or unique offerings. Think food photography, interior design shots, or local attractions if relevant.
Scarcity tactics (Use sparingly): Create a sense of urgency by highlighting limited-time offers (LTOs) or low stock on specific dishes. However, use this tactic sparingly to avoid appearing gimmicky.
Avoid spam triggers: Steer clear of spammy words and phrases like "FREE!" or "ALL CAPS." Focus on crafting clear and concise email copy that provides genuine value to your readers.
7. Automate and Track Your Restaurant’s Emails
Automation is your secret weapon for streamlining email marketing. Imagine automatically sending targeted emails based on customer behavior. For example, a guest inquiring about drink discounts could instantly receive a personalized email showcasing your happy hour specials.
Choose the Right Email Marketing Tool for Your Restaurant
Find a tool that fits your budget and provides all the features you need to send highly converting emails. Some examples of email marketing tools include STVG HQ, GetResponse, Brevo, MailChimp, MailerLite, and EmailOctopus.
However, you can pick the right one by considering these factors;
Affordable price plans without hidden costs
A reputation for high email deliverability
Useful customizable features such as automation and segmentation
User-friendly, intuitive interfaces with engaging templates
Tracking your marketing emails to determine which ones generate the most traffic is also essential. You can do this using Google Analytics, which is relatively easy to use and free.
Final Thoughts on Restaurant Email Marketing
Restaurant email marketing is a powerful tool that pays dividends. By following the steps outlined here, you can craft compelling emails that drive reservations and grow your business.
Remember, email marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. Consistency and a commitment to providing exceptional food, drinks, and customer service are key to building lasting customer loyalty and ensuring your restaurant thrives.
