With the advancement of technology, people have become more comfortable with the idea of online ordering. They have adapted well to this system as it allows them to get anything at their doorstep without ever leaving their home.
Post-Covid, the marketplaces are incorporating online ordering systems in their businesses. Restaurants have also started online ordering for the comfort of their customers and to increase their sales.
Want to have more orders online? Check out our website for boosting your online sales with our social media marketing at Admark.
If you are not familiar with the online ordering system, we have compiled a list of the best working tips to boost your sales through online ordering.
1. Create a Platform
The most basic thing you can do to increase your online orders is to create a platform online so people can easily find you.
You can build a website that shows all your menu items with compelling pictures, as well as an option to deliver to your customer’s address. You can also integrate the “Add to Cart” for customers who order multiple items at one time. Put up your contact information on the website so people can easily get in touch with you.
You can also use an alternative, free option of setting up your restaurant online by using Facebook. Create a Facebook page and put up your information there. Setup a menu and “Start Order” option so people can easily order through your Facebook page.
You can offer discounts for people ordering through your website or Facebook. You can also put deals and package offers to encourage people to place their orders online.
Remember to actively manage your website and Facebook page to get customer’s attention. You can put posters for discounts or share videos & pictures on both your website or Facebook to intrigue people to order from you. Never underestimate the importance of Digital Marketing for restaurants.
2. Use Third-Party Tools
If you are having trouble with creating a website specific to your restaurant and do not know where to start, then we have found the right solution for you.
With restaurant-website-builder.com, you can easily create a website for your restaurant without going through the trouble of writing the code yourself or hiring someone to do it. You can choose from a variety of templates available and make your website visually appealing. With its menu setup, you can add a custom menu to your website and integrate an ordering system to your website as well.
If you have already built a website and only looking to integrate the ordering system with the website, you can check OpenDining. OpenDining is a premium online ordering service to give your websites the option to receive orders through messages, phone, emails, or receipt printer. The Premium version allows you to choose how do you want to receive your orders while the free version only gives you the option to receive orders via email.
3. Part Your Ways with Delivery Services
In their initial stages, restaurants struggle with getting customers. They try all kinds of tips and tricks to increase their sales. Most of the restaurants put up themselves on various delivery services to increase their orders. These delivery services are no doubt the best place for online ordering but the commission they take from restaurants is a bit high. These delivery services might not even benefit you as there are many brands on their site & the competition is very high.
Say goodbye to these delivery services and save yourself the commission money. Instead of contracting with the delivery services, you can directly take orders through your website or Facebook page without paying any extra amount to anyone.
One more reason to avoid delivery services is that they have many brands on board which gives customers many choices. The privilege of choosing from countless options can divert their attention from your restaurant. By making the customers order through your website, the customers are not tempted by other restaurants & their focus remains solely on your products.
4. Promote Your Restaurant through Instagram
Instagram has become a favorite platform for marketers. With nearly one billion active users, it has an enormous market potential for any brand. You must have an account on Instagram where you browse other people and see their stories, so why not use it to your advantage and promote your restaurant through it.
You can start by creating a separate Instagram account for your restaurant. Add sufficient details about your restaurant with address and contact number. Take pictures of the dishes your restaurant offers and edit them to look appealing to customers. You can share those pictures on your Instagram account to make your customers crave your restaurant’s dishes.
You can also post stories of your daily lives at the restaurant to build a strong connection with your customers. Take them on a virtual tour of your restaurant or show them the kitchen routine. You can also record a video of your staff thanking your customers and post it on your story at the end of the day. It will make the customers feel wanted and they will surely visit your place more often.
5. Launch an App
App and a website have not much difference though some people might feel the idea of ordering from a website is tiring. Just the thought of going to the browser and placing an order through it can make them lose their appetite. Nowadays, people find it more simple to just go to the app and get their order placed from it.
The idea of launching an app sounds absurd when the reason is just that your customers find the process of ordering through a website lengthy but the results can surprise you a lot. You might get the stats of how much you were losing out without the app and how your sales have increased after the launch.
You can launch an app dedicated to your restaurant for customers to easily order with a tap on their phone. You can also provide discounts on app orders to encourage the customers to order from your app. Having your app allows you to design the User Interface however you want which has a significant impact on a customer’s mind when they check your app. A good user experience can turn them into your loyal customers.
Running ads on your app can also earn you some extra bucks but running too much of them can affect the user experience.
6. Use Hashtags
Hashtags are more powerful than you probably would have ever imagined. They can make something trendy in seconds and significantly change people’s minds. Correct use of hashtags can make your restaurant the talk of the town in a very short time. People are always eager to try new restaurants and hashtags can pave a path for customers to your restaurant.
Using hashtags with common terms helps you reach a general audience & adding some specific terms like the area you operate in or the type of food you serve can gain some customers that are looking for restaurants like yours. You can add some common hashtags like #food, #restaurants, #eating, #deliciousfood, etc. You can also be more specific with the hashtags by putting your city or town’s name with the common terms which people use when they search about food.
One more thing you can do to promote your restaurant is to create a unique hashtag about your restaurant. By doing so, every time a person comes across your hashtag, they will immediately be reminded of your restaurant. Unique hashtags give your restaurants the edge over other restaurants, especially those which do not know a thing about hashtags.
7. Encourage Customers to Share Online
Your customers are your ambassadors. A single post from them on their social media accounts can bring loads of customers to your restaurant. Some customers get so possessed by the quality and taste of the food in a restaurant that they share reviews about the restaurant without even asking but not every customer is like that.
Even if you have faith in the quality of food your restaurant provides, you can not bluntly ask your customers for a review on social media. People don’t expect much from orders other than their food. Adding a compliment or a pun on the package can give people another reason to share a picture on their social media. You can also include a thank you note to make them feel special and give them a sense of care you have for your customers.
Food quality while dining in and in takeaway or delivery packages can be different. Wrong packaging can damage the food and can have a negative impact on the customer. The quality of food must remain the same when it reaches the diner’s table. Good-looking food can entice the customer to put a review on their timeline.
8. Campaigns for Online Orders
You can add some new items to the menu by offering them online first. Customers will be excited to try out the new items as soon as they can, increasing your online sales. You can also include the option of customizing their meal so they can try out different things.
A great way to gain more customers is by offering discounts. Offering them discounts on their online orders will encourage them to order online rather than visiting the restaurant. You can also introduce a points system by offering them points every time they order which they can redeem later for a meal.
Introducing unique deals for online orders can also increase your online sales like “Two for Tuesday” or “Family Sunday”. These types of deals can score you a lot of orders if they are market properly.
You need be to very cautious when marketing these offers. A single change of word can change the outcome of the campaign. For example, “Save yourself $10 by ordering online” and “Get yourself a $10 discount when you order online” are similar sentences but the difference of Save and Get can change the perspective. Save hints that you are recovering the value you while get implies that you are obtaining value.
9. Register Your Restaurant on Google My Business
Google My Business is a free service by Google for businesses to make their presence online. GMB works like this, you first register your restaurant as a business on GMB. Google then integrates your information on Google Maps and search so people can easily look up your restaurant on Maps and Search.
Restaurants who can not afford to have a website of their own can try GMB to appear in the searches online. GMB is completely free and is widely used by various restaurants to create an online presence.
Usually, people search for places near their homes to avoid long delivery timings and to satisfy their cravings as early as possible. What other app to use when you have to search for places near you than Google Maps. With GMB, locals around your restaurant can spot your restaurant easily. Having your place appear on Google Maps tells users about a new eatery in town sparking the idea of exploring your place and enticing them to try out your food as well.
Final Words
Since Covid-19, businesses have been adapting to offer their services online. Giving customers the privilege of having food at their dinner table directly from the restaurant’s kitchen is what most of the restaurants are now aiming for. Customers are also willing to pay some extra money because of the comfort the service provides them.
Some of the restaurants which incorporated online ordering have observed a noticeable increase in their sales. We hope this blog helped you realize the importance of an online ordering system in a restaurant. Incorporating these tips will help you increase sales and further grow your business.
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