Gaining new customers is inevitably the first goal of every restaurant business. But sometimes businesses overlook their existing customers while looking for new customers, and that can be quite harmful to your business. So, as you go about crafting some strategies to gain new customers, make sure that you are paying enough attention to your existing customers as well. Here are some tips that can help you retain your existing customers.

1) Use Loyalty Programs and Offers –

Using rewards is one of the effective ways to retain your existing customers. There are many loyalty programs that restaurant owners can choose. Just make sure that the program you choose is supported by your online food ordering system. Your online food ordering system plays an important role while creating loyalty programs. An ordering system integrated with POS helps you generate detailed reports about the preferences of customers. You can come up with relevant loyalty programs specially customized as per your customers’ preferences. You can provide rewards to your customers in the form of special discounts, offers, deals, combos, freebies, promo codes, and more. So, that they can use for their next online food order.

2) Engage With Your Customers Through Social Media –

Socializing with your customers can help you in retaining your existing customers. Build your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media pages to connect with your customers and let them build the traffic through likes, shares, and comments on your posts. Now, Just don’t stop once they like or comment, Interact with them and strength your connections. You can also encourage your customers to share their reviews and feedback about your restaurant on your social media pages. This will further help you in attracting new customers.

3) Run An Email Campaign –

A study published on WebpageFX says that the ROI of email marketing in general is $44 for every $1 spent. Email marketing is one of the simplest ways to reach your customers and to retain them. You can generate detailed reports about your customers’ with the help of your restaurant online ordering system database and send them wishes and special food offers on special occasions such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, anniversaries, and more. This step will make your customers happy and let them know that you really care for them.

4) Send Them A Newsletter –

Your email list is a critical tool for maintaining and building relationships with your existing customers. You can send a newsletter to your customers to inform them that their favorite dessert is available at big discount, highlighting new food items in your menu, changes in old menu items, chef’s specials, themed menu nights, and special annual events, like food festivals etc. You can also introduce your subscribers with restaurant’s owners, chefs, staff members interactions and Customers experiences.

5) Appreciate Your Customers –

Everyone likes to be appreciated, especially when they are spending their dollars on your restaurant. You can appreciate your customers by sending them some special notes such as “thank you”and “please visit us again.”. You can also include a discount coupon for their next online food order along with a thank you note. This will really make your customers happy and they would love to come back to your restaurant.

6) Give Your Customers A Sneak Peak – 

If you’re introducing something new into your food menu, give your existing customers a sneak peak at the new offering. This offers your existing customers a privilege feel and they would come back to your restaurant again and again.

If you really want to grow your restaurant business, invest in integrating an online food ordering systems to your restaurant’s site. For more information, get in touch with us!