Why Street Marketing is a Must for Restaurant Businesses

At first glance, you might think street marketing is just a way of advertising on the street.

While that is certainly part of it, according to Wikipedia, street marketing is promoting your restaurant in an unconventional way in public places, outdoors.

The main function of street marketing includes activities done on the streets, but it can include marketing done in other public venues.

Your goal is to establish direct contact with your customers and to help them remember your restaurant when they’re hungry.

In this article, we look at why street marketing is a must for restaurant businesses and how you can leverage it for success.

First let’s look at the benefits.

Benefits of Street Marketing

Street marketing helps you cut through all the marketing clutter and meet directly with potential customers. (tweet this)

It’s a terrific way to drive business right to your front door, especially when you use people in your street marketing efforts.

Now, let’s discuss some of the ways you can participate in street marketing for your restaurant.

T-Shirts and Hats

Clothing is a great way to advertise your restaurant. Print T-shirts with your logo and a picture that is memorable and speaks to your brand image. Add your website in big letters on the back.

Encourage your employees to wear the shirts while they’re out and about town. Give T-shirts away free to your best customers.

The goal is to get people to wear your branded T-shirts in public.

Vehicle Wraps

Use your car as a marketing tool.

Meet with a designer at a sign company and have them design a vehicle wrap that boldly advertises your restaurant.

If you offer delivery, make sure your delivery drivers either have a vehicle wrap, sticker or something on the top advertising your restaurant.

You can also include advertising on commercial vehicles, scooters and even bicycles. Make use of the traveling advertisement.

Flyers and Posters

Enlist the help of your employees, volunteers and brand ambassadors to hit the streets and hand out flyers and coupons to passersby.

You’ll find that this traditional use of street advertising is a great way to get your message out.

Your best bet is to hire a designer to create and print attractive flyers and posters for you. Include your logo, address, phone and website as well as a coupon. Keep it simple and clean so it’s attractive.

Another traditional form of street advertising, posters are yet another “eyeball” for your marketing.

Hang them in stores, shopping malls and on outdoor posts. Put flyers and posters in bus and railway stations. Seek out large employers and ask if you can leave them in strategic locations.

Think of places where you’ll find large numbers of people, and that’s a good place for your flyers and posters.

Be sure and get permission to hand out flyers or post posters first, though.

Have people hand out flyers and advertising your restaurant to generate brand awareness and encourage traffic.

To-Go Boxes

Several times a year, take your food on the road. Pack up your best-selling items in professionally printed boxes.

Consider to-go packaging that is sustainable and that people can re-use.

Take your food to large, local businesses and leave it. You’ll create a memorable and long-lasting impression.

You can also leave plastic drink cups with your logo, phone and website on them.

QR Codes

Use QR codes to leverage both street marketing and digital marketing.

Hand out stickers with QR codes on them leading potential customers to a coupon on your website.

You can also stick them in strategic places to get more attention. In the end, you have more traffic on your website, people downloading coupons and then eating in your restaurant.

Billboards and Static Ads

Purchase billboard space to grab attention as people drive by on the highway.

You can also hang static ads in different locations around town. Be strategic and think large buildings, buses, and city recreational facilities like ice rinks and sports stadiums.

Events

Another great place for street marketing is at events in your city.

Hang your posters and large signs, hand out flyers, and even put up a booth.

You can serve samples of your food at events to entice customers as well.

Videos

Using projection screens or videos is another form of street marketing.

You can always go the route where you buy advertising space to host your videos.

But, if you want to step outside the box, you could use projection equipment on the sides of buildings after it gets dark. Highlight your restaurant and your menu, and include your phone number, address and website.

For this to work, it must be in a highly-trafficked area, and again, we recommend getting permission first.

Mascots

Who doesn’t love a mascot?

Plus, children are among the first to remember meeting a mascot, so the next time their parents ask them what they want to eat, they’ll remember your restaurant because of your mascot.

Send your mascot out about town. Let people take photographs with the mascot and talk to it. Have the mascot hand out flyers or samples.

You can also use your mascot to help promote events or new dishes at your restaurant.

To Conclude

When it comes to street marketing, one of the most important aspects of it is to make a plan and stick with it. (tweet this)

Consider street marketing as part of your overall advertising and marketing strategy. Use it as a communication and education tool. Inform the public about your restaurant by leveraging the “street.”

You’ll find that you have an advantage over the competition because many restaurants don’t have the time to participate in a street marketing campaign.

Get creative and find ways to enlist the help of your brand ambassadors, volunteers, friends and family to get the word out.

You want to be actively marketing your restaurant on a continual basis.

Finally, use street marketing to give people a reason to remember your restaurant by giving them something to talk about.

Be unique and bold while making the statement that your restaurant is “the” place to eat.

Now is the time to get out there, get personal and get in front of your customers where they are.

At Restaurant Engine, we can fine tune your digital presence by creating great, responsive websites that include online menus to start your customers’ journey to your website. Ready to take the plunge and create a website with an online menu, blog and beautiful photos? Get your free website consultation today!

Images: Herson Rodriguez and Xochi Romero