The restaurant world was turned on it’s head by COVID-19 and, even though you’re open again, you now have fewer tables and a significantly reduced amount of potential customers passing by your door.
It is times like these where the internet can really help a restaurant, and it is also during this time where restaurants will rely on their regular and loyalest patrons more than ever. Emails, whilst modern they’re considered old fashioned, are one of the best, and certainly the most personal way, to connect with your guests.
Your Loyalest Patrons
Not just anyone signs up for a restaurant’s email updates. It is only the loyalest, most interested, most fervent supporters of your restaurant who will have signed up to receive these communications. Knowing that you’re mostly talking to your most loyal patrons allows you to focus your messages on them and their interests.
We Miss You!
Your emails are going to remind the receivers that you still exist and that you’re still open to serve them. So tell them something everyone wants to hear, that they’re missed!! (Because they truly are)
Old Favorites and New Ideas
You know your menu better than anyone. In your emails include photos containing your most popular and most mouthwatering dishes to remind your guests why they love your establishment.
Your menu has probably been rejigged during this pandemic to better suit costs but to still draw in customers. Maybe there’re a few new items, of food or drink, and these should also be promoted to your followers. Those who trust what you do and will visit just to sample your new offerings.
New Dining and Ordering Options
Not everyone had outdoor seating, not everyone offered food to go, not everyone was on an app; but that was before COVID. You’ve had to pivot and adjust your business model to adapt to new times, regulations, and restrictions; but does anyone know of the changes you’ve made? Let them know in a friendly email!
You could also include photos of local pubic areas where patrons can now enjoy your food out of the comfort of their own home, but, unfortunately, not quite in yours
Emails are a way to directly contact those who are the biggest fans of your establishment. This is the only form of personalize-able, direct contact that you’ve been able to have with your patrons. Use it to your advantage, let them know you’re still there, that you’re still serving what they love -probably plus some- and, most of all, that you miss them!
The key to using emails is not only to make them personable and to utilize the ideas above, but not to overload your recipient’s inbox. Overloading will cause them to unsubscribe because they’re feeling bombarded and overwhelmed. Keep it a steady flow, once every week or two, and, more than that, keep it relevant. Most of all, schedule your emails for a time when you know your customers will be craving your offerings!