A big reason why people choose one restaurant over another is the experience.
Your experience isn’t made by one singular aspect of your restaurant. From the soft fabric of your tablecloth to the perfect lighting, the experience is made by a composition of carefully selected choices.
But this article isn’t about finding your experience. It’s about selling it. After all, your experience is a selling point. Make use of it. Here’s three ways to do so.
Photo Friendly. One of the main reasons quality restaurant experiences are so sought after is the social media factor. People love to talk about their night out. They’re far more likely to do so if they manage to snap a good picture.
You don’t have to radically change your restaurant experience to make it more photo friendly. You just need to make the right adjustments. Consider the following.
- Improve the lighting. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been taking a group photo at a restaurant, and the people I’ve been with just weren’t satisfied with any of the photos. The majority of the time, it’s all because of one reason. Poor lighting. Sometimes it’s too bright, others it’s too dim. Find what works for your atmosphere.
- Art and decor. Of course, lighting alone isn’t going to get customers to take a photo. Sprucing up your restaurant with appealing art and decorations will make it more distinct.
- Food (and beverage) presentation. If people aren’t taking pictures with their friends and family, they’re probably taking pictures of their food. Taking the time to creatively make your plates more visually interesting will often earn you social media word-of-mouth.
Unique Brand Moments. Can you think of something special that your restaurant does? Let’s call it a brand moment, if you will. It doesn’t have to be anything huge. Just something that’s tied to your brand in an interesting and noticeable way. While I can’t come up with examples for every potential brand (only you can do that), here’s a couple examples.
- Napkin folding. As suggested by Good Housekeeping, creative napkin folding is exactly the type of unique brand moment you can use to impress your customers. Oh, and it doesn’t cost you anything. (You do already have napkins, right?) Designs that resemble an element of your restaurant brand are perfect here.
- Alternatives to complimentary bread. So many restaurants give out bread as a complimentary appetizer. Try serving something different that resonates with your brand. For example, The Healthy has a list of eight healthy alternatives to bread and butter, ideal for a more nutritionally-focused brand.
Experiential Marketing. Not familiar with experiential marketing? The concept covers a lot of ground. It’s a form of marketing that seeks to engage customers through, as its name suggests, experiences. It’s about as direct a method you can get when it comes to selling your restaurant experience.
Experiential marketing can encompass common restaurant events such as live music and wine tastings. However, many brands get creative with their ideas. Courtesy of Econsultancy, you can check out ten examples here.
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What strategies has your restaurant implemented to sell the experience? Sound off in the comments!