Why Restaurant Owners Shouldn’t Ignore Traditional Print Marketing

The National Restaurant Association recently performed a customer survey, and you might be surprised at some of the results. Despite all the hype being put on social media and mobile marketing these days, customers still respond best to traditional forms of advertising like television, word of mouth, and even newspapers.

 

Don’t Get Me Wrong about Social Media and SMS Marketing

 

Now I don’t want to give anyone the idea that I think these “new media” forms of advertising are useless. In fact, mobile marketing is just getting started, and it is more similar to traditional marketing than many people may think.

 

The important thing is that we shouldn’t ignore the old, just because we now have the new. In fact, the NRA’s statistics show that the old methods are valued by more customers than are the new methods.

 

So it’s the smart operator who will keep using traditional advertising and marketing channels, while slowly integrating new media into his or her routine.

 

Newspaper Advertisements for Restaurants Still Work

 

57% of respondents to the survey said that they check newspaper and magazine reviews when choosing a restaurant, while 51% of overall respondents said they also check newspaper advertisements when making their decisions.

 

Compare that to 37% who based their decisions in whole or in part on a promotional email, 36% who regularly consult online dining guides, and a dismal-yet-still-significant 25% who get “e-advice” from Yelp and other “user-created content” (i.e. consumer-driven) sites.

 

45% reported using the Internet to help them make their decisions, and that number will probably grow by next year – as will the numbers for the above-mentioned sources.

 

But at the end of the day, traditional methods are still king. At least they are for now. So you should definitely use them today!

 

The Most Traditional Marketing is Still the Most Effective

 

Surveyed customers preferred one source unanimously over all of those mentioned above, however. 93% regularly rely on recommendations from one or more family members, while 92% frequently consult friends.

 

It’s plain to see that word of mouth is still the most relied upon and trusted form of marketing your business. That’s just one reason to make sure every guest’s experience is a good one!