Slow business days can be disastrous for a restaurant especially if it becomes part of the weekly routine. But, restaurant owners don’t have to give in to thinking that slow days are an inevitable regular occurrence. Here are a few ways to boost business any day of the week.

  • Know your customers. Many restaurants run promotions that target “everybody” but that approach rarely works. Instead, identify your target customers. Your restaurant or bar may have several niche customers, so take the time to create a buyer persona so you understand what really motivates these target customers. Are they looking for value, or the dining experience? Then, create promotions that appeal to this (or each) niche audience. As you experiment with promotions that target specific groups, you’ll see what gives you the best results. No matter the niche, everyone is motivated by discounts, but you need to know what type of discount appeals to them the most (BOGO, percentage off, dollars off, etc.) and adjust your marketing to use the right language to the right audience.

  • Is your marketing thinking short-term or long-term? Both have their place, but you have to recognize if you’re focusing too much on one and neglecting the other. For example, consistently offering happy hour discounts can train your customers to ONLY come to your restaurant during happy hour. While this can be thought of as a long-term solution (consistent business on certain days) it can also create long-term problems, by virtually guaranteeing that your happy hours are your only busy hours. A solution is to periodically offer “flash-sale” promotions that encourage spontaneous decisions to dine with you. You can do this using the GrabQpons app, which lets you post real-time deals when YOU need to fill tables, not when you’ve already got a line out the door waiting for your regularly advertised special.

  • Loyalty programs and new menu or item launches are two ways to encourage repeat diners. You can achieve both of these using GrabQpons, since you can post a new menu and offer a real-time deal to celebrate the menu launch.

Try GrabQpons today as a way to offer real-time discounts to local diners - and say goodbye to slow days forever!