Running a restaurant can be tough. These days, finding success in the food industry means finding new ways to communicate with your customers. Restaurants using SMS marketing with their customers are driving more visitors, increasing customer spend, and growing their business.
Why Restaurants Should Use the Text2VIP SMS Platform
Text messages have extremely high open rates and don’t require a new app download which makes them an excellent marketing channel. According to a 2020 study, 93% of all text messages received were read within the first 5 minutes, with an overall read rate over 98%. If you run a restaurant, texting is the simplest way to ensure your message reaches your customers.
Food and beverage establishments can increase sales by using SMS to share new promotions, announce new menu items, get customer feedback, and send mobile coupons. Nothing brings your business front-of-mind as much as a well-timed image of today’s lunch special or idea for take-out.
How SMS Marketing for Restaurants Works
Keyword
The first step is choosing and setting up your keyword. The keyword is any word or phrase you choose to represent your business or offer. This is the word customers will text to a toll-free number (provided by Text2VIP) in order to receive exclusive offers, specials, or anything else you want to promote.
For example, say you own a pizza place in your town and you want to start texting them offers throughout the week, you might put up a sign in the shop or on your website reading “Sign up and receive a free pizza this month! Text “PIZZAPIE” to 888-888-8888.” Customers will join your SMS list by texting the keyword to a toll-free number. Now, you can send them whatever new promotions you come up with.
Auto Reply
Once customers join your list, they’ll receive an automated text message confirming their subscription to the list. This message is an auto reply. You can put the initial reward directly in this message, such as “Show this message to the cashier to receive your free pie.”
Create New Offers
Once you start to get some customers subscribed, you can start getting creative. You now have direct access to their most frequently checked inbox. Start sending new subscribers enticing offers to get them engaging with your business, and get them excited for new specials. Sending regular promotions should increase customer engagement, improve brand awareness, and boost sales.
As your SMS list grows, you’ll see more results from your efforts. Think about what texting 2,000 customers who have opted in to receive your messages can do for your business.
Have a good lunch menu? Offer them discounts on delivery during the week. Want to boost business when it’s slow on Sunday nights? Send a promotion Sunday afternoon offering a free drink with dinner purchase. The possibilities are endless.
Benefits to Using SMS Marketing for Your Restaurant
It’s Easy to Get Started with SMS Marketing
With no app to download and notification to remember to activate, restaurant text messages rise above the clutter and deliver. The barrier to compete is low, and the effect is immediate.
Furthermore, restaurants using text marketing have the ability to shift on the fly vs composing email newsletters which no one is reading or Facebook posts which are failing to show up in your page follower’s feed.
High Engagement Rates
Have too much of a certain perishable you’d like to unload? SMS marketing is the best way to promote your next special. According to the Mobile Marketing Association, mobile coupons see 10X the redemption rate of traditional coupons.
Recent surveys suggest that more than 50% of Americans dine out at least 2-3 times weekly. Restaurants using SMS marketing have a distinct advantage when it comes to driving that additional visit or takeout or delivery order.
Text2VIP is equipping savvy restaurateurs with the tools to reach new and existing customers through this reliable marketing channel.
Restaurants Can Use Text Marketing Internally
An overlooked feature that Text2VIP offers is the ability for restaurants to use text marketing internally as well as with customers. Need to cover that shift last minute? Restaurants using SMS marketing can reach their entire staff instantly. If the weather is bad, and you want to share that you will delay opening due to weather, restaurants using SMS marketing can accomplish this easily, remotely, and efficiently.
Why Use SMS Marketing to Grow Your Business?
- Instant
- Budget-friendly
- Trackable
- Personal
- Easy to use
- Proven effective
- High engagement rates
- Use internally
- Increased foot traffic
- Increased order value
- Boost brand awareness
- Increased customer engagement
START FOR FREE
Get started with your restaurant text marketing program at no cost and with no obligation. It takes 5 minutes! Get started today by clicking below or contact us at 888-813-8398.