By Eric Tress, Contributor
When you talk about marketing in this era, people quickly think of social media marketing, content marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO), among other online marketing methods.
It’s true that digital marketing is more effective today because the screen time of consumers is at an all-time high. Therefore, the best place to find them is online.
However, some traditional marketing methods like direct mail are still effective, especially in some niches and industries like restaurants.
So, why is direct mail still powerful for restaurants and how can you leverage it to reach a targeted audience and drive sales? Here’s your guide to restaurant marketing with direct mail.
What is Direct Mail Marketing?
Direct mail marketing is a traditional marketing strategy that involves sending advertising mail directly and physically to potential consumers’ mailboxes through the postal service or other delivery service. This includes sending flyers, postcards, gifts, catalogs, or letters.
Email marketing is the digital equivalent of direct mail marketing.
Should You Use Direct Mail for Restaurant Marketing?
SOURCE: Statista
Direct mail advertising continues to prosper in the global market as a tangible and personalized marketing strategy despite digital dominance. According to Statista, direct mail marketing is projected to record an annual growth rate of 1.14% (CARG 2024-2029).
Still, doubting the power of direct mail for restaurant marketing? Consider the following benefits.
Targeted Marketing
Direct mail allows you to target your marketing message and mailings to specific groups of people based on various demographics, behaviors, or characteristics. This includes people who have previously dined at your restaurant.
You can also target specific customer segments based on income levels, postal codes, or purchase history.
Other ways you can target your direct mail include;
Interests and hobbies
Purchase history
Past behavior
By targeting your direct mail campaigns, you’ll increase the relevance of your message to the recipient, making them more likely to respond positively.
Tangible Impact
Today, marketing is all about online ads. Most, if not all restaurants, have turned a blind eye to direct mail and other forms of traditional marketing. Therefore, you have a chance to do things differently and beat the competition — direct mail gives you that advantage and opportunity.
Direct mail delivers a tangible experience that grabs attention and fosters a sense of connection and brand recall. Also, when a customer receives a physical copy, they’re more likely to view its content as reliable.
Highly Personalized
Many digital marketing methods send generic messages to their audience — meaning all customers receive the same type of information.
However, direct mail allows you to personalize your messages and campaigns. Each letter can have personalized information which will certainly appeal to each person individually.
Measurable Results
With direct mail, you can easily and accurately track the effectiveness of your campaigns. For instance, you can measure response rates and return on investment (ROI) by incorporating trackable elements like QR codes or unique coupon codes.
Proven Track Records
Time and again, direct mail has proven its efficiency in all sectors. A report by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) found the average response rate for direct mail to be at 4.4% compared to email’s 0.12%.
This data proves that direct mail is extremely beneficial for your restaurant.
Key Considerations for Your Restaurant’s Direct Mail Campaign
Like any other marketing strategy, direct mail marketing can only be effective if done right. Therefore, when sending out your restaurant menus, brochures, coupons, or loyalty cards, get everything right from the start.
Here are essential considerations to define your direct mail strategy for your restaurant.
Campaign goals: What are you trying to achieve from your direct mail marketing campaign? Your goals can range from increasing foot traffic to promoting new menu items and building brand awareness.
Target audience: Who are you trying to reach? Is it a specific cuisine preference, an elderly group, vegans? understanding your target audience will guide your direct mail messaging and design.
Frequency: How many direct mails do you want to send within a week or month? It’s important to define and optimize a sending schedule based on factors like budget and goals. Remember, sending mailers too frequently can backfire.
Budget: Lastly, how much do you want to spend on your direct mail campaigns? The cost will vary depending on your goals and target audience, among other factors. But common direct mail costs include postage, printing, and design. And if you’re not using existing customer data, you’ll have to incur costs for mailing list acquisition.
Creative Strategies for Restaurant Direct Mail
Ready to leverage the power of direct mail marketing for your restaurant? Here are some pointers to get you started.
Use Eye-catching Designs
Do you know why someone might throw away your flier even before reading it? One of the main reasons is poor design.
Therefore, it’s important to make your mail extremely striking and irresistible.
For instance, use high-quality and stunning photos of your most mouth-watering dishes. Or, if you have an inviting atmosphere, include it on the mail cover to capture attention.
Personalize Your Mails
Receiving personalized mail from a reputable brand feels special. People who receive personalized mail or other marketing materials are more likely to engage with the brand that sent them.
Therefore, it’s important to add a personal touch to your mail messages. For instance, try to personalize greetings or offers based on the customer’s purchase history or preferences.
Make Your Formats Unique
Don’t stick to the common flyers for your restaurant direct mail campaign. Remember, your prospects likely receive similar of those daily. Therefore, you have to make your campaigns stand out in their mailboxes.
Consider menus, postcards, or handwritten birthday greetings for loyal customers.
Highlight Events
If you have an upcoming event in your restaurant, for instance, a live band performance, happy hour promotions, or themed dinner, ensure you highlight them in your mail message.
Such events will generate excitement for your audience.
Integrate with Digital Marketing
Just because direct mail marketing works for your restaurant doesn’t mean you should ignore digital advertising methods.
Don’t use the same stone to kill different birds. Instead, use different stones to kill different (or the same) birds.
For instance, incorporate a QR code in your mail piece that links to your online ordering platform, website, or social media pages. The goal is to create a seamless omnichannel experience.
Tips for Effective Restaurant Direct Mail Marketing
Now, let’s look at some tips for success in your direct mail marketing.
Timing is key: You should send your mail messages at the right time when your target audience needs your services or products. For instance, send them on weekends or holidays when people are more likely to dine out.
Follow up: Don’t just send one mail message and sit there waiting for a response. Instead, follow up with the recipient to remind them of your offer and encourage them to take action. And you can use a different channel to follow up, like an email saying,
“Hi, did you receive mail from us? If you haven’t read it, please do because it has got amazing limited offers for you!”
Offer value: Don’t just include generic information about your restaurant and offerings. Instead, give the recipients a compelling reason to visit your restaurant, such as a special promotion or discount.
Include a clear call to action: After reading your mail, the recipient should have a clear idea of what you expect them to do. This can be placing an order online, visiting your restaurant, or making a reservation. Therefore, ensure your call to action (CTA) is clear enough.
Test and iterate: Continuously test different offers, messaging, and formats to see what resonates best with your audience. Then, refine your approach accordingly.
Ready to Launch Your Restaurant Direct Mail Strategy?
Direct mail marketing is a powerful marketing tool for restaurant marketing, especially for local restaurants. This marketing method lets you build a solid rapport with your customers and prospects, boost engagement and increase traffic and sales.
It’s worth noting that there are several laws in the U.S. and many other jurisdictions, to protect consumers against unsolicited and unwanted mail. Therefore, it’s important to speak to an experienced attorney to help you understand laws regarding direct mail marketing before proceeding.
