Best Practices and up to the minute news on Customer Experience Management and Service Excellence
Best Practices and up to the minute news on Customer Experience Management and Service Excellence
If your restaurant isn’t benefiting from partnerships with local businesses, charities, nonprofits and other organizations, you’re missing out on a great way to boost revenue and get the word out about your restaurant’s community involvement.
“Community partnerships can stimulate business, engineer free publicity and promote restaurants and communities in an integrated effort,” according to Gourmet Marketing, a restaurant, hospitality and event marketing firm.
“Charitable and civic initiatives can generate great online exposure that improves website visibility, strengthens SEO rankings and establishes restaurants as connected and civic-minded.”
Forming and nurturing long-term community partnerships can be highly productive for your restaurant business, according to restaurant supply app Cheetah.
“Local partners, in particular, can improve the ROI of everyone involved, including yours, your partners and your investors,” says Cheetah. “Working together and cross-promoting each other, both you and your partner can build a more sustainable and profitable business.”
Ready to get started on pursuing local partnerships that get the word out about your restaurant and its community involvement?
Below are five local partnerships that guests and your community will love.
When choosing a restaurant, many of today’s guests like to choose dining establishments that offer farm-to-table meats, vegetables, fruits and other foods. Partnering with local farmers is a great way to show that your restaurant is health-conscious and supports local businesses.
“Consumers today are highly conscious of the source of their foods and are more and more likely to be drawn to businesses that serve locally-sourced food, like grass-fed beef or locally raised chicken from farmers in their area, for example,” says Cheetah.
“As a restaurant owner, promoting local farmers and suppliers and having them promote your restaurant in return by increasing your visibility on their website and media, is a win-win.”
Restaurant patrons are always on the lookout for craft beer, especially when it’s brewed locally.
“Partnering with local craft beer brewers is a great way to boost your visibility and to surprise your customers with a unique beer lineup,” says Cheetah. “The demand for local, craft beer is growing by the year, and if you’re not offering a delicious selection of locally-sourced product, you are already falling behind on one of the most powerful trends of the decade.”
Offering a selection of unique, craft beers will draw new and repeat customers alike. Host craft beer sampling events to get the word out about what your restaurant and local craft brewer have to offer and show that your restaurant supports other local businesses.
Your restaurant can team up with your city’s chamber of commerce and local tourism companies and organizations to celebrate and offer specials during your city’s Restaurant Week in addition to popular holidays and seasonal events.
“Some restaurants increase sales as much as 40 percent during these food celebrations, and the exposure can attract new customers, strengthen online presence and build reputations in the community,” according to Gourmet Marketing.
Sponsoring a local 5K, 10K, marathon or music festival with your logo on the back of the event t-shirt is a marketing strategy that pays off again and again with constant exposure. Purchase a booth at local charity events and offer inexpensive giveaways with your restaurant logo, phone number and website address such as key ring, refrigerator magnets and drink koozies.
Partnering with local businesses, including large companies, to cater meetings and events and/or set up a booth with information about your restaurant’s menu, highlighting lunch, dinner and happy hour specials, can bring in plenty of out-of-towners looking for great food and drink.
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