Millennials, Generation Y, or in simple terms, the youth of today make up to almost 60% of the entire restaurant customer base. What is more, with the changing cultural habits, Indian millennials dine out or order in food when they are in the mood for some fun. In fact, according to research and insights firm Nielsen “Young Indians, who comprise the middle-income millennial generation, newly entering the workforce, spend three times as much on restaurant visits than on any form of entertainment, including cinema, theatre, and other recreational activities.” This note was released in December 2017. Thus, it only makes sense to devise your restaurant marketing strategies around them. According to a survey, millennials eat out more often than their parents & also spend more. The reason behind this significant change is that the overall per capita income of the households has increased, thus increasing the disposable income of consumers. Know more about the changing food habits of millennials and how they impact the restaurant industry here. Follow these 5 effective Restaurant Marketing Tips to target the most important segment of your customer base: the millennials.
How To Attract Millennial Customers: Restaurant Marketing Tips
As mentioned earlier, millennials make up the largest customer base in India right now, so it only makes sense to devise marketing strategies targeted towards the generation. But marketing for millennials is different from marketing for Gen X or Gen Z. Millennials are comparatively more tech-savvy, more culturally exposes, more health conscious and up for trying new cuisines. Here are some effective restaurant marketing tips for you to attract millennials.
1. Utilize Social Media Marketing
Social media has become the most powerful way to reach out to millennial customers. Considering that the young generation spends a maximum of their time browsing through Social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc., dedicating ample time to Social Media Marketing is the most effective restaurant marketing tip in the book.
To nail your social media marketing strategy Promote User Generated Content. The most common thing for a young person to do as soon as their food arrives in a restaurant is to take its picture and upload it to Instagram with hashtags such as Foodporn, Foodgasm, foodie, etc. You should promote this user-generated content; it shows that you appreciate the efforts taken by the customers. You can use this restaurant marketing tip to develop a strong relationship with your customers and make them your die-hard fans.
You can also come up with a unique hashtag for your restaurant, and encourage guests to use it when they upload a picture of your food.
This article will tell you how to run a successful Instagram campaign.
2. Employ Technology For Effective Customer Targeting
It is a no-brainer that the young generation is tech savvy. Hence our next restaurant marketing tip revolves around the use of technology itself. Employing technology in restaurants not only smoothens your operations but also provides enhanced customer experience to your guests. You can use technology also as a restaurant marketing technique to attract customers.
- Get a Website: Having a Restaurant Website is essential as it improves your brand visibility online. Get listed on online review websites and create a Google My Business page for your restaurant to receive orders directly from Google.
- Online Ordering: 85% of home delivery orders are placed via Online Ordering.
- Tablet Ordering: Allowing the tech-savvy generation to place their order via handhelds tablets increases the customer delight. This eliminates the risk of errors in order taking and improves the entire guest experience.
- Online Table Reservation: Let your customers decide where they want to sit and reserve their seats beforehand.
- Integrated Feedback Management: Asking for instant feedback from your customers is a great way to make them feel valued, and also to increase engagement. You can use a Customer Feedback App for this purpose. Ask your customers to give their feedback on a tab through the app.
- Wifi: Free wi-fi is something that is sure to attract the crowd that is active on the internet all day long. Just remember to have a sign that is easily visible.
3. Experiment With New Trends
When roping in the generation Y is concerned, one of the smartest restaurant marketing tips is to stay on top of trends. The young generation is always looking for new experiences and thanks to the incredible penetration of the internet, is quick to try out new trends. The Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is real, and keeps the millennials on their feet, trying out new things. Thus, it becomes imperative that you stay on the lookout for the latest trend in the market and piggyback on it to attract customers. For example, the craze of Pokemon Go had hit the world quite hard, with everyone trying to catch the Pocket Monsters through their smartphones. Many businesses were quick to cash in on this fad. While some promoted their restaurant as the venue of rare Pokemon, smart marketers were quick to introduce Pokemon themed menu items.
Know more about the upcoming restaurant trends of this year here.
4. Promote Healthy Food
No matter how much the elder’s charge the millennial generation for leading an unhealthy lifestyle, statistics reveal that the youth of today are more focused on eating healthy food. While salads and vegetables are being ordered and consumed increasingly, young customers are also keeping track of the food they are eating. You can use this trend to your benefit. Even soups are being widely accepted as a full meal, and meal bowls which are healthy and fulfilling are making an entry.
Now more aware than ever, customers like to be aware of what exactly they are consuming and thus call for menu transparency. You can use this as a marketing technique to attract the health-conscious customers. Mention the number of calories in a portion, or clearly state that you do not use any artificial preservatives or flavors.
5. Organize Events & Invite Famous Singers/Bands
Organizing events has been one of the most tried and tested restaurant marketing tips. However, before you host one, do remember to keep the target audience in mind.
If you mostly cater to the corporate crowd, it is a good idea to organize Stand-up comedy or karaoke nights. If your customer base comprises of college going people, it is better to call in a famous DJ or a pop singer.
Lastly, You can also tie up with local organizations and institutions and offer your venue for their event. This way, you increase your brand visibility and also result in more repeat customers. Try these 5 Event Ideas That Would Liven the Slow Nights at Your Restaurant.
Implement these restaurant marketing tips in your restaurant and feel free to share your experience with us! 🙂
