How To Formulate Restaurant Branding Strategy In 2023

How many of you know that acquiring a new customer can cost five times higher than retaining an existing one? In fact, by increasing your customer retention by 5%, you can increase your profit by 25 to 95%. So, why are we mentioning these stats here?

You can follow a powerful branding strategy to retain your potential customers and bring them back to your restaurant. 

Before getting into the concept of restaurant branding, first understand what branding means. When a business or marketing concept helps general people identify a product, service, or individual, it is called “branding.”

So, what is restaurant branding? Well, the same concept goes in here. When a customer identifies your restaurant via the food taste, the brand color used, or something that reminds them of your place, this is what your restaurant branding does.

Why Is Restaurant Branding Important?

Well, answer this question: What comes to your mind when you think of toothpaste, Colgate, or Pepsodent? Why? It’s because they have registered as a major brand, but that is not all. 

We, as customers, trust the brand. Likewise, restaurant branding is equally important because it helps shape your customers’ perceptions of your restaurant. 

The more authentic your restaurant brand becomes, your customers will come back, talk about the food ambiance, refer to their circle, and even refer your restaurant to their friends. This is the powerful thing that makes your restaurant known to everyone.

How Do You Start a Restaurant Branding?

Remember, branding is highly associated with how your customers perceive your restaurant in their minds. So, it is highly essential to take time to define it thoughtfully, like what makes your brand unique, what you offer, and why people need to care. 

Thus, you can communicate your restaurant’s personality and express the values strongly to your customers.

Mission and values

Your restaurant’s core values must define your business and tell how your actions will impact both the staff and customers. Also, these core values must be indulged in all your business decisions, like menu adjustments, management style, hiring, and marketing. In addition, mission and culture statements also must be included. 

To put it simply, think about the people who visit your restaurant. How do you want to serve them? And most importantly, why would you want to serve them?

What’s your promise for your customers, and what are the essential steps you take to keep it?

Take a paper and pen or doc and list out your mission, statement, and core values and create a clear layout. Because these are the foundation for your business, and everything revolves around them.

Mcdonald’s doesn’t want to serve food but serve moments of feel-good. So, have that core value.

Create a unique story 

Create a unique story for your restaurant and promote it, such as the building’s history or the inspiration behind the menu. If the story has an emotional connection, your brand will get a better reach as your customers will know your brand and resonate with it for a reason.

Position your brand correctly

This means that you must be strongly known for a particular dish. For instance, people know Starbucks for two things. Affordable luxury coffee and a place where you can sit for a long time, even without purchasing anything. This is why Starbucks positions itself as a “third place.” People never forget how you made them feel. So, set your brand correctly in the customer’s mind.

Who is your target audience?

It’s not a new story that post covid and the restaurant industry has become extremely competitive. So, you must fix a target audience or customer base you want to serve. Also, don’t target the entire food market. Rather choose a niche and get a customer base for that, and with time, expand your menu. 

For this, you must understand your customers and consider their geography, lifestyle, behaviors, and demographics.

Offer unique promotions that highlight your brand identity

Coming up with unique restaurant promotion ideas is crucial to let your brand speak volumes. Pizza hut offers unlimited combo on Fridays only. You can get unlimited veg pizzas and unlimited Pepsi by paying a small upfront.

If your restaurant is family-friendly, offer discounted menus for old people or kids. Analyze which food items they would crave and offer a discount for that.

You can also host unique events. For this, create a themed event that ties in with your restaurant’s brand, such as a “Farm-to-Table” dinner or a “Wine and Cheese Night.”

Maintain consistency with your brand

Do you know what can be fatal for your restaurant branding? The inconsistency. If your brand has a color, logo, or voice, try to use it in every aspect of your restaurant. Otherwise, your customers will get confused. Even if you have a chain of restaurants, this must be strictly followed. If your restaurant is known for its signature Arabian juice, it must be strictly available in every branch. 

On top, the branding must be consistently extended across all locations and communication channels, such as brochures, flyers, social media, etc.

Building a solid online presence

Last but not least, having a strong online presence is vital to increase brand awareness. Use social media to promote your restaurant using a robust strategy and let the customers land on your website and order. A foodie who finds the different food dishes presented in a mouth-watering way will get tempted and will try to order from your website. 

Getting positive online reviews is essential to build authority. Besides, replying to every review makes them feel important, and you can also connect with customers.

Wrapping up

It’s important to note that the restaurant industry is highly competitive, and branding can be crucial in differentiating a restaurant from its competitors.

Whether you have just started with your restaurant or already have a chain with multiple restaurants. Remember, it is vital to maintain definitive standards to ensure that customers can expect good service every time they visit your restaurant.

To provide good service to your customers, you need reliable restaurant management where things operate in an organized manner. For this, you need a powerful POS system, such as PosBytz restaurant software, that can streamline your tasks, manage inventory, get quick payments, track your employees and sales. This is a friendly yet powerful tool.

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