Marketing Tips for Hotel Restaurants

By Guy Holmes at Captivate Hospitality.

For a lot of hotels their restaurant just serves staying guests at breakfast and a few at dinner without really getting much trade from the local area. Boosting their lunch and dinner trade would really help increase profits. So how do you transform the under-performer into the talk of the town?

Getting the offering right
Before we begin offering advice on reaching out and enticing more customers it’s essential to start with getting the offering right (not to mention the execution). Obviously the type of food and ambiance you create must be right for the hotel as well as finding a niche in the local area. Fine Dining may suit your hotel clientele but will they eat in the hotel often enough to turn a good profit?

Website
For many hotels, the restaurant on their website is hard to navigate to. Ideally if budgets allows, then a separate website would enable the restaurant to stand alone. If not then make sure the restaurant has a good section including professional photography, up to date menus, reviews and other relevant information.

Facebook
Although developments to the Facebook Algorithm mean that it’s becoming more and more difficult to reach those that already Like your Page, Facebook has a number of different options for advertising that makes it an important part of your marketing plan. You can use Local Awareness Ads to really target those in the area, pinpointing your exact demographic. To get the best results run a number of different campaigns and test. For example does an image of the interior appeal more to a female demographic or a steak or a salad or a dessert? Keep testing and evolving.

Adwords
Use Google Adwords to target those looking for a restaurant or venue for birthday parties and events. Although using Adwords for normal restaurant trade, in most locations is competitive so you won’t see a return on investment if you’re only capturing tables of 2.

Twitter
Use Twitter to target journalists and restaurant / food bloggers. Offer them a free meal and you’ll get a lot of coverage. Look at who is following your local restaurant competitors and follow them. Build relationships and goodwill online, for example send tweets to local sports teams wishing them good luck for a game and congratulate them when they win.

Instagram
Instagram is the fastest growing social media platform and with a very photogenic subject matter (i.e. food), restaurants must embrace it to reach new customers. In your team there will probably be a keen Instagramer, so ask around and pick someone that will champion it, adding content daily, following accounts of local target markets and commenting on their photos.

Special promotions
Throughout the week it will be necessary to run promotions. These don’t have to be money off, they can be added value such as set menus on an ingredient that’s in season. Or perhaps a pre- and post-theatre menu.

Database
Build your restaurant database and segment it from the hotel database. Send regular restaurant marketing emails on changes to the menu, what’s on, highlight dishes, special promotions etc.