There’s no doubt that pizza is among the most popular foods in the restaurant industry, and many people are willing to spend a great deal of money on the food. The American pizza industry is estimated to be worth over $46.24 billion in 2020.
For independent local businesses to compete with larger chains, they need to have fresh ideas outside of their usual guide to restaurant marketing. Your pizzeria can compete effectively in the pizza sector using these marketing strategies.
Volunteer With Local Nonprofits
Supporting a local non-profit that shares your values as a pizzeria is beneficial for your community. Volunteering can also serve as one of your restaurant marketing tactics.
Choose a local non-profit whose cause resonates with you and volunteer to cater their next fundraiser. Organize a pizza sale with your local school sports teams and organizations to raise money for new uniforms and supplies.
Remember to take a day off and volunteer with your staff instead of running your business. Employee engagement will improve, and local customers will likely place repeat orders.
Change Loyalty Program Punch Cards to Digital Check-ins
Develop a digital rewards program to reward your loyalty program members as one of your pizza marketing ideas. They can check-in at every visit, earn prizes, and redeem incentives through an online rewards program. Furthermore, it is less costly for your business because you no longer have to print and pay for costly plastic cards.
You can have your customers opt into your loyalty program by entering their email addresses or phone number into your POS system. They become members of a loyalty program that rewards them with points for their purchases.
Loyalty program members can receive automatic texts or emails reminding them of their incentives. With these reminders, you can track how often repeat clients return. Once they accumulate a certain number of points, they can exchange them for free pizza or another reward.
Use Grocery Store Coupon Advertising
A new way of doing coupon advertising for restaurants is to use register tape advertising. This allows you to place coupons on the backs of grocery receipts. Make arrangements with local grocery stores near your restaurant to promote your restaurant on their receipts.
Providing ads on the back of register tapes in grocery stores near your restaurant helps you reach local customers. Since many people shop on supermarket shelves for food and other necessities, they may be more likely to remember your restaurant if they saw your restaurant coupons on their receipts.
Develop Fresh and Unique Menu Items
Offering your customers new and unusual toppings in your pizza shop is one of the most effective pizza marketing strategies. Make sure your customers have an unforgettable eating experience by experimenting with new flavors and ingredients. Despite pizza’s long history, new toppings can add a new dimension to your menu.
You can make your company more appealing to potential customers by offering options suitable for various dietary needs, including vegan and vegetarian options. A gluten-free pie would be a positive addition to your business. You distinguish yourself from other pizza joints by offering vegan cheese or meat substitutes.
Offer Ways for Customers to Take Pictures at Your Restaurant
You may have seen customers pulling out their phones to take Instagram-worthy pictures and videos of your food and restaurant. Take advantage of opportunities to let customers take pictures of your restaurant as one of your restaurant promotion ideas. You can then cross-post them to your account with your customers’ permission.
Ensure that all your food and packaging materials are visually appealing. Make your business more attractive by providing a unique indoor mural. In-restaurant menu tent cards can include your restaurant’s social media handles and a unique hashtag for customers to share their photos and videos. This increases sales and awareness of your restaurant.
Show Off Customer Feedback
Be proud of your favorable reviews on your Google Business Profile or Yelp website. Send direct mailers and other advertising materials with a quote from a satisfied customer. Use quotes from food critics and newspaper articles in your marketing campaigns. List your restaurant’s review pages on receipts and pizza boxes to encourage customers to leave you a review.
Market Your Pizza Shop Through Text Messages
You could launch pizza marketing campaigns using text messaging as one of your pizza restaurant marketing ideas. There is no need to download an app or complete a time-consuming sign-up process for your customers. They only need to enter a code to subscribe to your pizzeria’s updates.
A commercial text messaging service can share information quickly and respond to any mobile device. You can even use text messages to send updates to your customer base about their online orders and reservations.
Sell Branded Merchandise
Selling branded restaurant items is one of the most effective pizza shop marketing strategies for eateries looking to build their customer relationships. If your employees wear branded t-shirts, aprons, and hats, you can sell them to your customers.
Put together a cookbook of recipes inspired by your pizzeria’s most popular menu items. Cookbooks are excellent gifts, so increase your marketing efforts during holidays. Branded calendars are visually appealing and functional for your customers.
Offering customized products at your restaurant is about more than just letting your patrons show their support for you. In the long term, it boosts brand awareness and increases sales.
Take Your Pizza Business Marketing Plan to the Next Level
Consider text message marketing, social media, and grocery store receipts to relaunch your pizza marketing campaign. You can focus on connecting with customers with more menu options that align with their dietary requirements.
Offering branded clothes and self-published cookbooks allows your customers to take home a piece of your business. If you follow all these strategies, you can positively impact your community and stand out from your competitors.
By Eric Shafer