Whether it’s inflation, labor expenses, or rising menu costs causing guests to visit restaurants less (or order less when they do), restaurant operators may feel there is little room to maneuver these days. That makes marketing all the more important — and as a recent newsletter from Restaurant Business suggests, right now there are a lot of brands doubling down on developing the kind of messaging that compels the right guests to come back. For instance, Papa John’s has shifted its promotions to focus more on its value offerings than on premium, quality ingredients. Portillo’s is planning a television and billboard ad campaign to coincide with football season. First Watch is fine-tuning its outreach to customers, including those in its loyalty program, to encourage people to dine with them. Statistics shared by Menu Tiger indicate that consumers are receptive to a wide range of prompts from restaurants: For starters, 70 percent of consumers say they are more likely to visit a restaurant that offers personalized promotions, 80 percent of consumer say they watch restaurant-related video content, and 80 percent of consumers expect restaurant brands to have a social media presence and to interact with them. Looking at your guest demographics and feedback, along with your data on traffic and ticket sizes, what stress points emerge? Are there particular guest segments that used to be in your sweet spot but aren’t driving the kinds of sales they once did? How can you use the tools in your toolbox — to include social media, your loyalty program, email lists, or traditional media outreach — to bring your brand front of mind for the kinds of guests you most value? At a time when it can be difficult to differentiate yourself on cost, the things you do to connect with guests in other ways can help set you apart.

When Nation’s Restaurant News surveyed 600 restaurant operators for its second annual Restaurant Technology Outlook, they found that digital marketing is an area of tension for many businesses right now: Operators understand that digital marketing efforts are critical to driving traffic and sales, yet across segments, the vast majority of survey respondents reported being only “somewhat satisfied” with their existing digital marketing tools – or worse. (The same was true for related tools for loyalty programs, integrations and APIs, customer data platforms and CRM systems.) Tellingly, the survey found that digital marketing topped the list of investment priorities for restaurants, with 46 percent of respondents saying they would support this area of their business with investment. In the quick-service segment, an even larger percentage of respondents (54 percent) were in favor of digital marketing as a top priority for investment. In a recent webinar, “Emerging Tech Strategies for Restaurants,” Christi Ravneberg of Nation’s Restaurant News said operators’ dissatisfaction with their digital marketing tools, growing knowledge and confidence about guest data, and willingness to invest, combined with the expanding applications of artificial intelligence, could deliver a “perfect storm for a lot of exciting investment and innovation on the marketing front in the next year.” If your restaurant is looking to enhance its current capabilities in this area, you will likely find opportunities to innovate (and perhaps negotiate) as providers bring new services to market and vie for business in a market eager for better options.