Top 5 Non-Tech Ways to Hustle Street Traffic for Your Restaurant
Location is EVERYTHING, right? Of course it is! Will you always be slammed? Not necessarily. The Field of Dreams idea “if you build it they will come” doesn’t really pertain to real life. Mondays, cold rain, lack of exposure, and poor marketing are all factors that can kill a business. Therefore “location is everything” doesn’t always hold true.
Let’s say you’re in a relatively high traffic area and you normally do well. Today just happens to be one of those days, and you’re abnormally slow. How can you increase street business? Google Favorite Places may be one way, but I am a bit skeptical. Let’s ditch advanced technology for a second, and get back to our roots. Below are 5 tips for hustling street traffic:
1. Send out the Canadian Mounted Police
My Grandfather used to have a saying: “If you get lost, I’ll send out the Canadian Mounted Police.” He was neither Canadian or ever lived in Canada. It was originally just a hilarious joke that my Grandfather loved to keep going. In reality he meant: “If you get lost, we will hit the streets and find you.” Some times you gotta hit the streets…
Is the restaurant dead? See a server standing around? Send them to the streets! Servers are naturally friendly, or can at least fake it. Have them stand if front and invite people inside. Better than standing around arguing who is getting cut first. Tell them to engage, make friends, invite people inside. In the end, it benefits their tips to pull in customers.
2. Video Billboards
Remember back in the 50’s when television was first introduced? Stores would line 50 different televisions facing the street all programmed on the same channel. It was mesmerizing to watch the pictures dance around through the windows. A small boy staring through the window with white eyes lit up usually outlined the Hallmark Moment of this period. We say take the same approach!
Invest in 3-4 small LCD Flat-screen Panels and strategically hang from your storefront. An alternative is wireless picture frames, which also work well in bathrooms. Face them onto the streets to attract your customer’s eye. Set up a slide show and rotate all your specials from the house computer. This will be sure to catch the attention of people passing by. Take a hint from Vegas and start drawing them in like flies!
3. Old School Chalk Boards
I know what you’re thinking…a freaking tech site for restaurants and I’m talking about chalk boards? Yes I am, before blogs there where chalkboards. Chalkboards are cheap and mandatory. They are simple to update daily and place in front of your restaurant. Buy the double sided board to attract customers walking in both directions. I know its old school, but very cost effective. Update your specials daily and set it on the street, think of it as your daily blog post! Best of all, servers can do it easily.
4. Hand Out Free Drink Tickets
It’s no secret, people love free drinks. Have some coupons on hand and hit the streets. Invite people in for a free drink on the house.
1 Drink = 2 Drinks = Full out Dinner
Tell your servers to say “Stop in right now and get 1 free drink.” This way you bank on the spontaneous factor, and who would pass up a free drink anyways? Your customers are swimming by, now go fishing and land them in the boat.
5. Take the Chinese Approach – Free Samples
You know what I am talking about, Mall Chinese Food. The bourbon chicken sample kills it! How many customers do they pluck daily with one free sample? Your restaurant should take notes.
The Chinese know one thing, people can be swayed with free food. You may have been craving a hot Sbarro’s Calzone until that spicy bourbon chicken came along. Five minutes later you’re elbows deep in fried rice and crushing Crab Rangoon. The free sample prevails once again.
Cut up some of your best sammies/apps. Hit the streets and offer small sample sizes. Once the customer is baited, hook them with a special inside. Guarantee you will begin to pull customers off the streets like the Chinese do in malls.
These are some non-tech ways to get more customers. Can you guys think of other clever marketing ideas? How about restaurant owners, any of these techniques work for you? Share your comments below!
Tags: advertising, marketing, Restaurant Marketing, restaurants, social media
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