If you're looking for an inexpensive, efficient way to promote your restaurant—and let’s face it, who isn't?—you've probably considered an e-mail newsletter.
My grandfather owned and operated a small restaurant in Charlotte, N.C., for many years, and he never had to worry about publishing an award-winning newsletter. For him, having good food and running an occasional ad in the local paper was a winning recipe.
But what worked in the mid-20th century doesn’t necessarily work in the 21st century. E-mail newsletters are now an integral part of many restaurant marketing efforts. In some cases, they're the primary way restaurants interact with customers outside of the business.
"It depends on the market a restaurant is addressing," says Joseph Carrabis, founder of NextStage Evolution, a consulting and research company in Nashua, N.H. For example, a restaurant catering to the business crowd, where many patrons use personal digital assistants or smartphones, must have an e-mail newsletter, he says. But other types of businesses, including even sports bars, could also benefit from publishing a regular electronic dispatch according to experts. Why? E-mail newsletters can drive more business and increase customer loyalty.
Keep in mind one thing, however: There are newsletters, and there are newsletters.
Garden-variety newsletters are well-meaning promotional e-mails sent to your patrons. Let me be blunt: Many of these electronic dispatches are considered annoying spam. They're deleted almost as quickly as they are sent. You don't want to broadcast that kind of newsletter.
A newsletter, on the other hand, is a must-read, engaging, actionable missive from the chef. The kind that is so delicious, it gets forwarded to friends. I think you know what I'm talking about.
First, check out the E-mail Marketing offering from Office Live Small Business. Once you’ve signed up for the service, which will enable you to publish your own e-newsletter, follow these six tips for making sure the spam stays in your kitchen.
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