Making the Most of the Recession: Improving Visibility

The economy’s in a bad place; this is news to no one, at least I assume. In the midst of such a devastating financial situation, many businesses knee-jerk reaction is to cut down on costs and expenses, and though this is often wise, a bad economy can also present savvy marketers with the opportunity to improve their visibility and take advantage of their competitors holding back.  By some well-placed and well-timed efforts, you can make the most of a bad situation for everybody and help your restaurant grow. Consider these simple reasons to focus on marketing and PR sooner rather than later:

Even when money’s tight, marketing is crucial to building a successful business.

Cutting back too much means your customers can’t “see” you. Being fiscally responsible is more important during tough times than ever, but there’s such a thing as being too conservative. By finding the most cost effective (even free) ways to market your restaurant — whether it be online via Facebook, Twitter, or other digital or mobile marketing strategies — you can get a lot of bang for your buck and keep your name/image/etc. out there.

Targeted messages and PR efforts are controllable. Sometimes you might get lucky enough to get free, accidental PR: think newspaper reviews, word of mouth, media exposure, what have you. Though this can often be beneficial, it’s also not something you’re able, as owner or manager, to control. Sure, you can always be at your best in case a critic’s coming in, but you can’t control these accidental PR occasions the way you can an advertisement or a limited time offer, etc.

Use other posts and tips about social media and marketing strategies, both online and otherwise, for you restaurant. If you’ve been reading our blog for a while, you’ve already gotten a lot of great tips about how to utilize social media, word of mouth, and creative special offers for marketing purposes — among other strategies. Keep these things in mind and browse our archives for more in-depth discussions of possible PR routes for your business. Just keep in mind the important balance between finances and visibility — in this economy, bang for your buck is everything. But you can’t be invisible!

I’ll be back with another post and some more specific tips later in the week. Until then, leave a comment below or contact us here.