As a restaurant owner, you know what it’s like to be inundated with hundreds of messages and emails every month.
You would probably archive in batches or choose to quickly delete uninteresting or unwanted emails. You know that you’ll only open emails if they catch your attention and you’ll only click on links if they’re adding value.
So why not send emails to your restaurant customers with that philosophy in mind?
This is not to say that email should replace all other forms of marketing. Email marketing, outbound ads, and social media can all be effective tools in your restaurant marketing arsenal.
However, think about the difference between “liking” a Facebook post and opting in to an email list. One is more indirect and impersonal, while the other indicates a sincere interest in learning more. People don’t regularly unsubscribe from newsletters, and if they opt in, that means they want your content.
DMA also reported that for every $1 you spend on email marketing, you can expect an average return of $42. There’s a tonne of email marketing benefits, but this one tops the charts for keeping your business steady and going.
Maybe, just maybe, this means you should invest a bit more time into your restaurant email marketing strategy.
Create captivating subject lines
It all starts with that subject line. Possibly, it’s the most important part of your email and it definitely determines whether your customer will be excited to open it.
Check these statistics about email subject lines which should help you when drafting them:
- Emails with “Free” in the subject line were opened 10% more than those without. (Source: Sidekick)
- 40% of emails are opened on mobile first – where the average mobile screen can only fit 4-7 words max. (Source: ContactMonkey)
- 33% of email recipients open email based on subject line alone. (Source: Convince & Convert
- Click-through rate (CTR) is higher when using the recipient’s first name in the subject line over no use of the first name. (Source: HubSpot)
- Subject lines that create a sense of urgency and exclusivity can give a 22% higher open rate. (Source: Email Institute)
This data indicates that one-word subject lines, such as “Yum” or “Delish” might be very effective. Even a simple “Thank You” or “Hi there” could work if you’re just checking.
If you’re sharing a deal, “Quick — Free Pizza!” could be a great idea to promote offers.
Keep them short and sweet
Have a look at these two emails by Prezzo and P.F. Chang’s.
Prezzo might seem the winner because of its eye-catching design, but apparently P.F. Chang’s was leading with twice as many votes. Why? Because of its brevity. According to Adestra, 45% of email opens occurred on mobile, 36% on desktop and 19% in a webmail client.
When writing your emails, it’s important to imagine what your email will look like on smartphones or tablets. Limit the amount of buttons within the email, increase the amount of food pictures, and keep the copy light.
Reread your emails and ask yourself, “So what?”
This is one of my favorite exercises.
It’s as simple as this: After you’ve written the body of your email, read it over, and ask, “So what?”
What will your customer be getting out of this? What’s the real value? Get specific, and edit the email to reflect your “so what.” There should be one main point in your email, especially if it’s an offer, and if there are more, one email may need to be chopped into several.
The “so what” should be abundantly clear the moment your customers read the subject line in your inbox.
Storytelling is so important, even with email marketing, and you want these stories to reflect your restaurant’s core values.
