How to Improve Your Restaurant’s Branding: 6 Tips
Do you want to learn how to improve your restaurant’s branding?
The restaurant industry is a competitive atmosphere. So you must be asking yourself how you can entice more customers into your restaurant when there are endless options of places to dine at. Furthermore, there’s the question of how to ensure your customers will keep coming back. The best solution to these challenges you may face in the restaurant business is a strong branding strategy.
Studies show that 90% of customers will research a restaurant before eating there. As the internet has taken over our lives, digital marketing has become necessary for success in restaurant businesses.
However, building a lovable brand for your restaurant isn’t easy as many might believe. Establishing a brand that resonates with your customers requires consistent effort. But overall, the reward is worth the hard work — providing you with a sustainable business and a loyal customer base.
What Is Branding?
Branding involves communicating you and the restaurant’s personality, unique identity and company values. It expresses the mission of your business and influences a certain kind of ambiance. Additionally, a well-crafted brand establishes an emotional connection with guests.
Upon entering your restaurant, your brand should be palpable — and it should remain cohesive throughout your services, food and marketing efforts. Quality restaurant branding not only increases loyalty, but it attracts new customers who might be drawn through your marketing.
How to Improve a Restaurant’s Branding
1. Have a Clear Concept
Restaurants range in all types, including formality, price range and food. As a restaurant owner, you have to be clear about the concept of your restaurant branding in these aspects, including the service style.
It’s important to think about the type of restaurant you envision as part of your branding. Are you casual diner service, a sit-down restaurant, pop-up bar or food truck?
For instance, your restaurant could cater to those living an active lifestyle, serving healthy meals to guests as part of their everyday life. So, the concept of your brand in action would be a fast, casual lineup where guests can quickly order a healthy dish at a competitive price.
2. Establish a Mission Statement
If you want to learn how to improve your restaurant’s branding, creating a mission statement must be part of it. A mission statement is the foundation of your restaurant’s culture, product and environment.
So think about your customers when drafting a mission statement. Why are you serving them, and what can you offer that other restaurants don’t? Is it the unique flavors of your cuisine? Is it the overall experience that brings joy to your customers?
Part of your mission statement will reflect who you are, what you promise and how you’re going to accomplish it.
3. Position Your Brand
How you can improve your restaurant’s branding is by positioning it in the market. Essentially, you will answer the “what” and “where” — determining how your brand is different from the competition.
When taking the time to position yourself in the market, you better communicate your value to prospective customers.
To position your brand effectively, determine the four Ps of marketing:
- Price: Develop a restaurant menu pricing strategy.
- Product: What’s on the menu? Think of your menu design, the restaurant’s theme and the culinary experience it offers.
- Promotion: How you’ll market your restaurant and attract customers.
- Place: Where is your restaurant located?
After you determine the four P’s, you’ll want to focus on your restaurant’s SWOT analysis — strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
It’s helpful if you ask your team and community for insights. However, this is a great way to determine how your brand will succeed.
4. Develop the Restaurant’s Brand Voice
From how you interact with customers online and in public, a brand voice will play a vital role. You can start to develop your brand voice by describing your restaurant’s brand. Think of it as how you would describe a person. People can be fun, fancy, authentic, modern. Then, you’ll want to elaborate on each word until you understand your brand’s personality.
For instance, what makes your restaurant “authentic”? Is it the texture and flavors of the food? Is it the décor or the energy of the atmosphere? Communicate that style through how you speak to your customers.
5. Influence Your Brand Establishment Through Ambiance
How your restaurant appears to customers when they walk in should be cohesive with your brand. The ambiance is key to influencing how guests feel about your establishment. So, it’s essential to fine-tune all aspects of the atmosphere to create a comfortable guest experience.
Take into consideration when branding the physical components of your restaurant:
- Lighting
- Décor
- Color
- Music
- Staff clothing and composure
6. Website and Social Media
Branding your online presence is just as crucial as the physical presence of your restaurant’s brand — 60% of restaurants shut down after their first year of operation. Since more guests research a restaurant online before they visit, it’s like they’re going to look at your website. On it, they’re going to view the menus, location, hours of operation and more about your eatery.
Furthermore, they may even choose to follow your restaurant on social media. So you must keep your brand consistent on all platforms. This boils down to the photos’ aesthetic, the essence of your tone and language and your website’s design.
Maintaining a high-quality website will leave a good first impression on prospective customers. So, you’ll want to keep that in mind in addition to keeping your social media accounts active.
Restaurant Branding Is Always Evolving
Once you establish your restaurant’s brand, keep one thing in mind. Branding will always evolve and change over time. So you should think of branding as a way to foster a relationship with your customers. As your customer relationships grow, so will your branding. However, the branding is only successful if you back that up with your products and services.
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