Start Fresh with these Four Restaurant Business Tips

Both feelings are completely understandable, especially for restaurant owners. On the one hand, 2021 will likely bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. But on the other hand, there’s really no way to predict when that end will be. There are still so many questions to be answered and you may be wondering if your restaurant business can survive that long.

If this thought keeps you up at night, you’re not alone.

According to a recent report from the National Federation of Independent Business, “21% of small and midsize business owners claim that they’ll go out of business within the next six months if the economy doesn’t improve.” Those are certainly difficult statistics to read, but there’s still plenty of hope among these business owners as well. In fact, the majority of small business owners in the United States (around 83% of people surveyed) believe that 2021 will be a successful year.

Although much of what lies ahead is still uncertain, it is possible to achieve success in the coming year! Here are four tips that we hope will help you welcome 2021 with open arms and an optimistic attitude:

1. Get to Know Your Customers All Over Again

This year has changed us all. We’ve made big changes in how we work, how we dine out, and even what we do with our spare time. For many of your customers, life is completely different now than it was in January of 2020. This means that in 2021, you’ll need to get to know them all over again. Take the time to deeply understand your customers’ new needs and wants. This will help you plan your marketing efforts and make helpful, informed changes to your restaurant throughout the year.

2. Plan to Keep Your Marketing Fluid and Relevant

Marketing is crucial to the success of your restaurant business because it’s one of the greatest tools you have for gaining new customers and retaining old ones. Typically, you might take time at the beginning of the year to set a marketing strategy for the next twelve months. In 2021, however, planning that far ahead will be challenging. As we’ve said before, there’s no telling when this pandemic will end, and when life will return to “normal”.

With this in mind, we recommend approaching the new year with a flexible marketing strategy. Take time to sketch out your ideas for campaigns or promotions but try not to put too much stake in them. In these times, it is more effective to convey sensitivity and awareness for the issues facing your audience than try to proceed with sales and marketing as if everything is normal. According to Content Marketing Institute, “Exercising sound judgment and practicing good sense in what and how your content communicates to your audiences could determine whether your brand continues to be welcomed into their lives or gets tuned out permanently.” Essentially, there are five simple words to keep in mind when it comes to marketing in 2021 - be ready to make changes.

3. Optimize Your Local SEO Strategy

Another challenge your restaurant may have faced in 2020 is gaining new customers. That’s not anyone’s fault, it’s just harder to gain new customers when less people are out and about. One way to help your restaurant get noticed is by optimizing your local SEO.

Local SEO is a Search Engine Optimization strategy that targets potential customers who live in your neighborhood. For example, let’s say you own an Italian eatery in Perrysburg. If you have a good local SEO strategy, your business should appear when someone types ‘Italian food in Perrysburg’ or ‘best pasta Perrysburg’ into their Google search bar. If you have claimed and updated your Google My Business page, the customer can click on your restaurant’s listing to learn more about your specific location, hours, menu, and more. This is a simple way to help your restaurant get noticed online.

Click here for specific directions to help you optimize your local SEO strategy.

4. Improve Your Website and Online Ordering Experience

The amount of people who have switched to placing take-out orders and shopping online this year is astonishing. A recent survey completed by Deloitte shows trends that became popular during this pandemic will continue to shape the future for restaurants. Some of these include:

• Ultimate convenience via drive-through, takeout, and delivery options.
• Simple digital experiences, either through a website or mobile app.
• Safety-conscious contactless and curbside pickup options.

All these options and more emphasize placing an order online, therefore decreasing the number of people dining in restaurants. It’s likely that restaurants will keep offering these options, even after the COVID-19 threat has gone. If you haven’t already, now is the time to invest in an online ordering solution.

You’ll want to make sure that your online solution is user-friendly and easily adaptable to both desktop and mobile devices. If you need a solution like this, we can help! Total Touch integrates with Web Ordering, a mobile and online food ordering system, to make online orders simple.

What a year this has been. You have weathered an incredible storm, and for that you should be proud. We hope that these four tips will help you look forward to starting fresh, with renewed vigor for restaurant success.

Sources: Small Biz Trends, Market Splash, Content Marketing Institute