4 Consumer Types Worth Keeping An Eye Out

So you’ve gone through our tips and tricks to push your restaurant’s success—from cooking your fries properly to marketing your offerings on social media—but today, we’re entirely shifting the focus to your customers instead. 

Like all of us, your diners like to feel valued in a social setting. While a simple ‘welcome’ is the common–and sometimes effective–practice in most restaurants, it takes more than that to build a solid relationship with your diners. So, what else do you need to do for them to come back and increase your revenue? Let’s discover the four consumer types and understand what they look for.

New customers

For unfamiliar diners, coming into a new place can be both exciting and intimidating. That is why the first impression matters to make them feel welcomed and valued, as having a positive mood is a crucial beginning for a great dining experience later on. 

Personalized messaging can go a long way–this isn’t just a ‘welcome’, but a message with a special ‘first-timer’ discount or freebie. Besides making their presence feel unique, this will also push them to purchase something and return for another time. 

Another secret ingredient–which we’ll apply to the rest of the pointers later–is integrated WiFi marketing. Diners that come in will have their smartphones connected to your network and this data-driven environment will provide you an insight to their shopping habits, allowing you to tailor messages and offers better. In turn, you’ll give them a special experience and be ahead of your competitors. 

Returning customers

For diners that are coming back for another round, consistent communication is key to retaining them. At this point, automated and personalized messages are a great start using the same integrated WiFi marketing strategy. You can tailor special offers by learning their specific behaviors and menu preferences. For example, if one has been coming to your restaurant at 3 P.M. for the past five weeks the message may read “Need to catch up for lunch? Come in after 3 P.M. tomorrow to get a free drink with your meal. (click here to redeem offer).”

A loyalty program like this can largely push purchases and increase repeat business. While non-paid programs can be beneficial, an incentivized loyalty program is more likely to make your paying diners spend even more.

Regulars

When you have regulars coming in, it’s important to retain them as it is easier and costs less. With regulars, your messages can be more direct, feature loyalty offers, and you can even advise them on the most convenient times to visit. The accumulated data lets you inform them that they can come at a certain time or to a different location to avoid long queues during peak hours.

While this effort makes your regulars feel valued and appreciated, you’re also driving more business at different franchise locations, which leads to greater sales efficiency. Your regulars are an important group to pay attention to as you don’t need to gain as much trust anymore. Hence, consistently providing them with content and recognizing their changing behaviors can drive your revenue. 

Reconnecting with lost diners

When you lose your returning diners or regulars, you’re also losing potential revenue. However, the end of a customer relationship doesn’t always mean the end of the business if you tackle this strategically. 

Similar to the three groups before, make recommendations by pinpointing previous visits and preferences. The message may read “Come back for (frequently ordered meal) with a 10% discount today. (click here to redeem offer)”. Reconnecting with lost regulars is relatively easier as your business should already know so much about their patterns.

Finding new customers and retaining them is much simpler when you embrace integrated WiFi marketing. Using their data allows you to create a more special and personalized experience for them, ensuring loyalty, longer retention, and most importantly better revenue traffic.