Top Tips for Restaurant Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the best ways to keep your restaurant top-of-mind with customers. Unlike other marketing methods, email allows you to reach people round-the-clock. It’s expected that by 2025, over half of the world’s population will be using email. And the return on investment (ROI) with email is exceptional: average ROI is $40 for every $1 spent on email marketing. For restaurant owners, the potential is huge. Read on for some of our top tips to make the most of your email campaigns.
Welcome Emails are a Must
After your customers have signed up for your email list, they’re expecting what’s called a Welcome email. This is the very first email that should be sent out, and it’s where you can get super creative—Welcome emails pull in a 50 percent open rate, which is huge. Since this is likely to be the initial interaction a customer is going to have with your restaurant, you’ll want to make that first impression count. Including information like your brand story or mission statement can help humanize your restaurant. Bonus points for throwing in a digital coupon that users can cash in on their first visit.
Tread Lightly
On the whole, restaurant email open rates are pretty high. This means that customers want to hear from you, and they appreciate the content you’re sending. It also means they’re not expecting to be inundated with emails every hour of the day. Keeping your content fresh and relevant is the best way to capture (and hold) your customers’ attention. There needs to be intention behind your email marketing strategy. All that is to say, don’t send something for the sake of sending it!
Time it Right
When it comes to the timing of emails, there is a sweet spot—and it’s not universal across industries. What works for your restaurant might not work for someone in the retail space, right? So the best thing you can do is test your own audience. Try sending emails at different times of day and days of the week, and closely monitor your click-through and open rates. Generally speaking, however, several things ring true in terms of timing for emails: Stick to weekdays during the day, when folks are most likely to be by their inboxes; folks are far less likely to read through emails on the weekend. Mid-morning and mid-afternoon are the most favored times of day for people to engage with non-work-related emails, so that’s also a time to consider sending your content.
Get Seasonal
Customers expect seasonally adjusted email campaigns and promotions during the bigger “shopping” holidays, and the same is true for restaurant-goers. There are definitely times of year when restaurants can tap into seasonal vibes, including Independence Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and end-of-year holidays. There’s always a reason to celebrate something with a great meal or cocktails! Tap into these festive vibes with email campaigns centered around fun holidays. You can even include new recipes or party ideas into your sends to delight your readers.
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