In this article we’ll explore how a Restaurant Ordering System including Mobile ordering and 3.33% Delivery and Free pickups like DeliveryBizConnect combined with a Restaurant CRM or Sales and Marketing Automation software (built in with DeliveryBizConnect) can increase dine-in sales with some actionable tips you can use right away.
Attract Dine-in Customers to Use the App
There’s a couple of reasons why you want your dine-in customers to use an app you control the data and discount offerings in. Screen time has gone up by almost double across all age groups since the pandemic and 90% of the time people spend it on mobile apps.
Even if it takes just a few minutes of their time, you’d already rack up thousands of dollars in sales if you multiply each order by the number of app users. But how do you actually get your customers to download the app? There’s two ways you can go about it:
- Offer Restaurant Promotion Ideas like a discount or free item for customers first Pickup or Delivery Order they do from your app. Set up QR codes for your customers to use to Download your app to get the bonus.
Later versions of Android and iOS have built-in apps for QR codes but there are also plenty of free QR code readers out there if they needed one.
So for instance, you can use instant gratification by putting a tent card with a picture of, say, a bottle of beer or 2 slices of pizza on top of the table and a QR code and text that says, “Download the App, Get 1 FREE”, or it can also be in the form of discounts, in-store credit, etc. whichever works for you.
Now this download link is unique for every client so make sure to use the one you’ve been given to track each individual customer who downloads and installs the app.
Users will always see you on top of other restaurants and they can avail of your one-off deal or any deals you may have for that matter when they go to your restaurant.
If you want to see how you would handle it in the DeliveryBizConnect platform, watch these videos. Even if you do not have DeliveryBizConnect, the videos layout a good strategy to use with whatever platform you are using or plan to use.
And here’s how your customers can download and install the app. Note: you can generate a QR code of the link to make it more seamless.
- Set up a Referral Program.
After they’ve successfully downloaded and used the DeliveryBizConnect app for the first time, you then turn them into brand advocates by encouraging them to participate in a referral program for additional freebies and/or discounts.
Here’s why you need a referral program for your restaurant:
From a marketing standpoint, referrals are more cost-efficient than traditional ads when you factor in the cost of acquiring just one customer (customer acquisition cost) which is around $10 per new customer.
By referring others, you spend less than $2 for each new customer who downloads and orders food through the app for the first time. But the returns for such a small investment are exponential!
Your brand advocates can easily share the code with anyone around them whether it’s social media, email, or SMS and so on, increasing your sales by at least 50%.
Here’s how you make one using the Joint Venture (JV) module in DeliveryBizConnect’s back office:
Promote Your Restaurant Dine-in on Social Media
When it comes to mobile screen time, nothing beats social media. Having a Facebook page for your restaurant is a given.
In fact almost every restaurant now has one, thanks to the pandemic. But how do you actually turn your friends and followers from passive viewers to buying customers?
You need a full restaurant CRM like DeliveryBizConnect to convert post views to customer engagements. But first, here are a few things to look out for when using social media for your restaurant marketing:
- Offer Freebies and Discounts for Using the App
Similar to your dine-in strategy, you can offer deals and referral programs through your restaurant’s Facebook page.
But instead of a QR code, you give them your DeliveryBizConnect app download link with each post plus the offer. Hint: you can automate the whole process with social media tools like HootSuite and Buffer.
- Post a Link to Your Restaurant Website or Online Order Page
Alternatively, you can post your featured menu item for the day with a link to your restaurant website or online order page. DeliveryBizConnect already comes with a 3-page website for your online orders and/or restaurant website.
The goal is to let them know you’re open for dine-ins but at the same time offer online ordering if they run out of dining space.
- Set up Your Landing and Survey Pages
Being able to create a landing or survey page at will is one of the key advantages of having a full restaurant CRM like DeliveryBizConnect.
This allows you to have the flexibility to create as many pages as you want for whatever purpose whether it’s collecting customer data or signing them up to your special offers and loyalty programs and posting it up on social media.
DeliveryBizConnect is a complete all-around restaurant solution whether it’s back to normal (hopefully) at full capacity or just doing takeouts and deliveries. You’re ready for everything.
But that’s not all. Read on to see what else DeliveryBizConnect can do to increase your dine-in sales.
Reach Out to Your Customers on Multiple Channels
As a full restaurant CRM DeliveryBizConnect has the ability to target customers on multiple channels not possible with other third-party delivery app.
This includes push notifications, email, and Google search – all of these plus the added benefit of only 3.33% delivery cost vs. 30% from major third-party delivery apps.
- Push Notifications
By customers downloading and using the DeliveryBizConnect app, you gain access to your users’ phone screens for real-time marketing, geofencing, and other neat stuff you can do with Google’s push notification service.
Here’s a short video from one of our webinars that talks about mobile apps and some of the things you can do with push notifications:
Did you know just by your customers ordering from you whether through your restaurant online ordering system, mobile app or walk-up orders, you can automatically set them up for targeted emails depending on what they usually order from you?
That’s the beauty of having a full Restaurant CRM that takes the job of online ordering, delivery app, and POS rolled up in one complete package.
Watch our video to learn how DeliveryBizConnect does email marketing for you:
- Restaurant Blog or Website
You can have a shot at building an online presence and drive traffic to your restaurant website by being on top of Google’s search results.
DeliveryBizConnect already comes with a 3-page website but we also have a done-for-you (DFY) version where we set up your restaurant website with your own look and feel and domain name.
Most restaurant searches are transactional so you need to be able to take online orders right then and there. Not possible if you only have a restaurant Facebook page as opposed to a proper website with online ordering capability.
Increase Your Restaurant Sales NOW!
It’s never too late to start your own food delivery service. Book an appointment with us for a 30-minute Complimentary Restaurant Sales Expert Call. At DeliveryBizConnect we’re committed to help restaurant owners stay on top of things and increase sales like never before.
