How To Make Your Restaurant Advertisement Work For You

In business, there is this concept restaurant marketers call the confidence gap. It’s a simple concept that even an elementary schooler would understand. Simply put, the confidence gap is when the customer can’t seem to determine whether the services or products of a given company is any different, better, or worse than the rest of the competition’s.

It is as simple as it is frightening, really.

Put yourself in the shoes of a customer. Scan the yellow pages. These days it’s impossible to tell which restaurant really is the best at this or that recipe, who offers the best value, the best services, etc. Every restaurant is essentially saying the same thing!

As a restaurant operator, if the customer still can’t identify your business even after going through your advertisements, you’re in big trouble. But don’t worry just yet. Here is an effective 4-way test to check if your restaurant advertisement is either working for you or against you.

1. Is your USP clearly illustrated in your restaurant advertisement?
I’ve talked about USP before, or unique selling proposition. It’s what sets your restaurant apart from all other restaurants. I’ll give some examples. “There are some things money can’t buy. For everything else there’s…” MasterCard, right? How about this. “Hot pizza delivered fresh to your door in 30 minutes or it’s FREE.” Dominoes Pizza.

Now is your restaurant advertisement doing its job of communicating your USP?

2. Do you talk in the customer’s language or your own?
A restaurant advertisement should read like a convincing friend telling the reader to give your place a try. It should not read like a brag report or an awards night ceremony. Sure, it’s okay to mention it if your restaurant has won awards. but make sure you are addressing the customer’s needs first more than anything.

3. Show, don’t tell.
I hear this a lot in creative writing. To create believable characters with believable personalities, “show” them by way of action and dialogue, don’t “tell” or spoon-feed them to the reader through endless descriptions.

Same goes for restaurant advertising. Show, don’t tell. Rinse and repeat. Use testimonials, comparisons, and graphs, even pie charts, to showcase your restaurant’s performance through your advertisements.

4. Are you talking in specific or general terms?
People just don’t care of generalities, but are more trusting of specifics. Instead of saying, “You’ll save a ton of money…” why not, “Save up to 20% if you dine in groups of six or more!“?

Any half-baked restaurant can say they are the best in this or that thing. Only a few who have the balls can give the specifics to prove it.

Don’t let your restaurant advertisement widen the confidence gap, or else you’re just wasting money. Hopefully these tips will help you turn that concept upside down on its head.

Make your restaurant advertisement work for you.