3 tips for a successful mobile ordering marketing plan

Following on from our 5 simple menu tweaks to smash mobile sales blog post, we now delve into marketing tools and getting your plan in place to achieve success with your mobile menu in ordering apps like Regulr!

Tip 1 - Get your marketing basics right

Before you can effectively market your mobile menu to customers, you need to have the foundations in place. This looks different for each business but there are a bunch of free marketing tools available. Be aware of all the options, deicide what works for you and get them in place. Let’s take a look at the main ones…

The one question you need to answer a huge YES to is - Are you findable??

“Most people, 85% specifically, search for local businesses online.” - Source

Social media

Use social media accounts effectively (Facebook and Instagram are the hospo staples)

Make sure you...

  • Keep your accounts updated with a post at least once a week and keep your feed relevant with your latest offerings.
  • Don’t overthink it - your latest scones out of the oven or your recommended treats and specials with a tantalising description can be more powerful than a professional photoshoot. But do take a little time to get images of your offerings looking mouth watering.
  • Advertise your social media accounts anywhere and everywhere you can
    • in-store
    • on your menu
    • on business cards
    • on any flyers

80% of social media time is spent on a mobile device.”  - Source

Bustle helps you run your hospitaly business better designed perfectly for restaurants bars and cafes to make purchasing easy
Little Nessie Cafe’s post, nicely displaying their recommended treats

Google My Business

Get listed on Google My Business -  a free service for business owners to create a business page that appears in Google search results, increasing your findability.

Make sure you…

  • Keep your opening hours updated
  • Keep your contact details correct
  • Link your reservations page if you have one

Google Alerts

What’s better than you advertising your business? Your customers advertising for you! Set up Google alerts to get notified if your business is mentioned on the Internet. Re-share and thank the positive ones! Make sure you respond to anything you can, even the negative posts.

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And now you have all of these wonderful free tools in place - make sure you use them to promote your mobile offerings and specials wherever and whenever you can.

Bustle helps you run your hospitaly business better designed perfectly for restaurants bars and cafes to make ordering easy

Tip 2 - Cast multiple marketing nets

When it comes to your mobile sales marketing, be bold and increase your chances of getting noticed. There’s three areas to focus on:

In-store   ---   Out the Door   ---   On the Web

In-store

You’ve captured them with attentive service and amazing flavour sensations - they’re hooked and will be coming back again… Do they know you also have a mobile menu?

Market your mobile sales In-store using

  • Point of Purchase materials  - coasters, flyers, business cards.
  • Or have the team promote it in their banter…  “Next time you’re swinging past, order through Regulr and we’ll bring it out to you!”

The next time they’re in the area might not be the right time for your full service, but they surely remember that barista-made coffee, freshly squeezed juice or scrumptious slice.

The customer’s situation, their personality and timely need for convenience can all come into play. Tempt them into a drive-by purchase!

Out the Door

Do you have foot traffic? Of course you do! Crack out the old a-frame sign and get your best chalk wrangler to promote your specials and how they can get them!

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On the Web

They don’t call it the web for nothing… The Internet is a great tool to get people finding you and coming back for more. You have the basic marketing tools in play, so cast your web using your social media accounts and website to promote what you do best.

And don’t forget email - do you already have a marketing list of your customers? It can still be a powerful tool for getting the return visit.

“Mobile email opens have grown by 180% in the last three years” - Source

Make sure you let your customers know about your mobile specials as well as in-store goodies. You never know who’s in the mood for a meal, or if you’ll catch them about to swing past.

Check out our Promote, Promote, Promote article for more on casting your nets.

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Tip 3 - Test, review and get inspired

Now you have your basics in place and your nets out you should book in some time each week to keep everything updated - and don’t forget to review.

Make sure you…

  • Look into what posts / specials are getting you the most traction (likes, comments, sales results).
  • Review your mobile sales - did that special hit the right note? Try again and see what works better.

And when your creative mind has hit the wall, get inspired by others and don’t give up!! Rome wasn’t built in a day... See what else is happening for those you follow on social media, note what grabs your interest and try something similar. Keep your marketing ideas as fresh as your food and really spend that time to understand what works well and what doesn’t for your business.

And if all else fails - read this for some marketing inspo!

Cheeky tip:

Need a little help setting up your digital marketing strategy? Our friends at Hello Mellows have a great set of tools to get your digital strategy on the right path. Check out their toolbox of resources and try out Hello Mellows. if you have a few more minutes to spare, check out this great interview they did with Michael Khuwattanasenee from Khu Khu Eatery on clarity, problem solving, and customer insight.

Bustle helps you run your hospitaly business better designed perfectly for restaurants bars and cafes to make sales easy