A fish and chips restaurant can be a cornerstone of a local community, especially after people have had a fun night out, and need to load up on some fast food. So, if you have one, then you’re sure to be an important local fixture.
However, if you’re just starting out, then you need to make a place for yourself in the area. This means that you need to market your restaurant and make sure your audience knows what you have to offer. Here are a few local marketing strategies to help you with this.
Incorporate local social media marketing
Establish a strong social media presence, to start off. Set up your profiles on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Make sure you add all the relevant information there, such as location, timings, menus, and special offers.
Social media employs a lot of visuals. So, share mouthwatering photos of your food. Post high-quality images of your fish & chips dishes. Set these up in attractive layouts by using the fast food poster templates from platforms like PosterMyWall. Also ensure you interact with your audience on your social media comments and messages. Encourage this engagement with small contests and giveaways, with incentives like free meals or discounts.
Utilize local SEO strategies
Your local SEO marketing should be at the top of its game for your fish and chips restaurant. Optimize your website with relevant keywords, and make sure it is easily navigable. Examples of relevant keywords could be “fish and chips,” “seafood,” and your location.
Claim your Google My Business listing as soon as possible. Update all the information there, and make sure your ratings and reviews are enabled. Encourage customers to post online reviews as well. You can ask satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on Google, Yelp, and other such platforms. This will help you rank higher when people look for fish and chip restaurants or fast food places in your area.
Partner with other local businesses
It is important to be part of the larger local community if you want your restaurant to do well. So, you should look for collaboration and partnership opportunities with other local businesses. You can cross-promote with nearby restaurants, bars, or shops to share customers. This will be mutually beneficial, so many of these businesses will be likely to agree.
Another way to do this is to offer combo deals. Create joint promotions, like a fish & chips meal with a drink from a nearby bar. This will increase sales for both businesses, and also help you reach a relevant audience.
Host various events and promotions
Local events are a great way to be part of the local community. Host various events regularly, so that you get a loyal clientele. Organize themed nights such as ‘Fish Friday’ or ‘Seafood Saturday’.
You should also offer a happy hour. Give discounts on food and drinks during specific times. Do your research into high and low footfall times in your area, and work out your strategy accordingly. Entice customers with live music or live shows as well. Give the opportunity to local musicians and performers. This will encourage more local visitors, and will also give you access to a wider audience.
Interact with the local community
Apart from your own events, you should also participate in larger events in the community. Sponsor community festivals, sports teams, or charities. This sponsorship doesn’t just have to be large monetary donations. You can also offer free food, sponsor team shirts, or make other similar contributions.
You should definitely participate in local food festivals or markets to showcase your restaurant. Set up a stall with your best items that are also easy to eat. This will get you a lot of attention and sales. You can even offer catering services to local events, parties, or local corporate gatherings.
Make use of traditional marketing methods
Local marketing is one segment which still does really well with traditional methods. So, place ads in local publications. Also send out flyers or event invites to nearby residents through direct mail.
Also print out posters, and place billboards and banners around town. You should also update your window displays, and change them up depending on the season or events going on around town.
Offer excellent customer service
This is the key to a successful local restaurant. No matter how good your food and marketing campaigns are, they can only get you so far. If your customer service is not up to the mark, people will only visit once or twice. So, train your staff to be friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient.
Provide a clean and welcoming atmosphere, with a pleasant ambience. Make sure you follow up with customer reviews, both positive and negative. Let them know how you take their feedback in consideration, so that they feel listened to.
To sum up, these strategies will help you effectively promote your fish & chips restaurant in your local community and attract new customers.
