Is your restaurant menu mailing campaign successful?
A restaurant menu mailing campaign can be an effective way to attract local traffic to your eatery if you plan your strategy just right. Sending a menu puts your brand top of mind, shows people the type of food you serve and what you charge, and can even incentivize them to pay you a visit.
Take a look at our top tips on producing an effective restaurant menu mailing campaign for maximum success:
#1 – Consider Your Targeting Options
There are different ways you can target your restaurant menu mailing campaign, but they’re not all created equal. Consider the following two popular options:
EDDM Campaign
This type of campaign is ideal if you don’t have a mailing list but want to cover a specific geographical area. Your menu goes to every door on a specific mail route, so everyone on that route will be exposed to your brand. The postage on this type of campaign can be lower than other types of mailings.
Targeted Mailing
This type of mailing targets people of specific demographics. This might include age range, household income, geographical area, profession, businesses only, new residents to the area, or other criteria. This method is best if you cater to a specific clientele rather than a general audience.
#2 – Get Creative with Sizes
Restaurant menus can come in all shapes and sizes, so don’t be afraid to do something unique. Most standard menus come in a tri-fold design, which is ideal for an average number of selections. This style offers an elegant layout that’s easy to read and highly familiar.
However, you aren’t limited to this menu style. You could opt for a much larger size and use creative folds to scale down the size. A bi-fold design can just as easily be mailed as a tri-fold. If you have a small selection or are only touting a Happy Hour menu or other specials, consider using a postcard-sized menu that’s easy to pin on a refrigerator or other visible location.
Another popular option is including your menu on a calendar. Pizza delivery restaurants are masters at this art.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Including something useful like a calendar or list of local events on your menu gives it a potentially longer shelf life and can make recipients more likely to hold onto it.” quote=”Including something useful like a calendar or list of local events on your menu gives it a potentially longer shelf life and can make recipients more likely to hold onto it.”]
#3 – Consider Evergreen Incentives
Speaking of increasing your menu’s shelf life, consider adding a few evergreen incentives, such as always-good special pricing or coupons that show your audience what kinds of deals they can score. When they’re deciding what to eat for dinner, having some form of discount or special offer might tip the scales in your favor.
#4 – Don’t Forget the Most Important Elements
What should you include on your restaurant menu? Aside from the obvious, like restaurant name, address, and phone number, there are a few other elements that a successful restaurant menu mailing should display.
Remember, your menu in a mailing campaign is essentially a marketing tool and could be the determining factor on whether someone orders from you!
Map
Yes, most folks have GPS these days, but adding a map with a few local landmarks can help them visualize where to find you.
Prices
Highlighting your prices can help your audience avoid surprises when they show up to your restaurant.
Best Sellers
If your recipient has never ordered from your restaurant, show them some of the tried and true favorites of your loyal fans. This gives your audience an idea of what you do best and where they can expect to get the best value.
Photos
Adding a few photos of your food isn’t just good business – they’ve been shown to have a positive psychological effect on the viewer. In one study, adding a photo of a food dish increased sales by up to 30%.
Upsell Options
Add value to your options by including upsell opportunities. For instance, you might advertise they can add a side and a drink for $1.99 (or something along those lines).
Social Media
Show viewers how they can stay in touch with you via social media. This is an easy way to increase your following, especially if you also offer an incentive for doing so.
Special Perks
Do you have fast takeout? Delivery service? Happy hour? The NFL Sunday Ticket? Whatever perks you have, include them on your menu!
#5 – Invest in Custom Menu Design
Work with a designer who is skilled in menu design and can help you get the best ROI. Tricks like using certain colors, placing items in a specific place, and how you list your food can create subtle but powerful impacts on your bottom line. It also shows you care enough about your business to make sure that every communication you send to your audience is professional.
#6 – Opt for Full Color
Rather than sending a black and white photocopy, make sure you invest in full color to grab your audience’s attention. This shows you care about your mailing, and your viewer should, too. It can also make them more likely to hold onto the menu instead of tossing it.
#7 – Don’t Just Stop at One Campaign
Restaurant menus can become outdated, torn, or even mistakenly tossed in the trash. People move and newcomers need to learn about your establishment.
Continue sending restaurant menu mailings to ensure your customers have the most up to date pricing and options. It also helps keep your brand top of mind and can lead to short-term sales boosts.
Get the Most from Your Restaurant Menu Mailing Campaign
If you’re considering starting a restaurant menu mailing campaign, talk to our experts here at Las Vegas Color Graphics and let us help you get the best return for your investment.
Our designers and printers are skilled in helping you choose the best colors, paper stock, and other options to produce a menu your customers can’t resist. We also handle every aspect of printing and mailing for you, so you can focus more on your business and enjoy the results.
Contact us today for a free quote.
