How Restaurants Can Use Direct Mail Postcards to Boost Takeout and Res

Introduction

As the world goes more digital, direct mail postcards are still an efficient way for restaurants to target their local markets. Postcard mail ads are tangible, and clients give them a great chance to approach potential customers compared to typical web banners. Direct mail postcards are effective since they provide a special takeout offer and persuade people to make reservations for occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries, among others. 

Personalize Offers for Local Customers

Another advantage of direct mail postcards is they can be very specific in the audience they reach. Restaurants can take advantage of direct mail postcards to reach residents of other towns and neighbourhoods, offering them relevant information and services. For instance, a restaurant can create some bonus, a particular discount or a certain meal for delivery only for a certain period and time during which people living close to it may be attracted and more urged to order. Further, these postcards can be personalized to create a better association about the recipient’s choice, for instance, by depicting pictures of preferred dishes.

Even more effective, customers’ first names or a quick ‘welcome back’ can be included in the direct mail postcards. This makes customers feel like they are wanted and gives them a feeling that our restaurant cares about them, which they would prefer taking out from our restaurant rather than going to the other restaurants.

Showcase Limited-Time Promotions to Drive Urgency

Time-sensitive promotions are valuable tools to get customers to make decisions, and direct mail postcards are a perfect medium for getting the message across. For instance, restaurants could print postcards as a way of alerting consumers of discounts for weekend takeaway goods or mid-week dinners because they may not be as popular as lunch. The availability of time restrictions, for example, ‘Order takeout by Friday for a 15% discount,’ makes the clients alert.

Restaurants can use the postcards to offer coupon codes to certain customers and not others, thereby making those who receive the postcard feel appreciated. This sense of exclusivity can improve response rates; the customer feels they are receiving an offer that nobody else is receiving.

Highlight Seasonal and Holiday Specials to Boost Reservations

Direct mail postcards can also be used crisply to boost in-house business, especially for events that are seasonal or over the holidays. Cafes can post images or messages using postcards on specific occasions that offer special themes in their meals, such as Valentine’s, New Year or Mother’s Day. On these special days when people are more likely to go out for dinner or to the restaurant, a beautiful postcard with a designed holiday menu or an invitation to a special event will surely stimulate people to book a table.

To make the postcard even more appealing to visitors, restaurants can add a small, additional bog, for example, free dessert on an appetizer for those restaurant visitors who book the table before a certain date. This not only increases people’s concerns with the event but also allows them to have a good reason to make table reservations sooner rather than later.

Include QR Codes for Easy Online Ordering and Reservation

The use of QR codes in  postcards is another effective technique for closing the gap between traditional and digital methodologies of reaching consumers and enabling consumers to use their mobile devices to place direct orders. QR codes on a PU’s packaging, which lead the customer directly to the restaurant’s takeaway menu or reservation page, will help the restaurant to order food or reserve a table. This convenience is a strong seller since the customers do not have to look for the restaurant’s website or make a call to make a booking.

Encourage Repeat Orders with Loyalty Programs and Discounts

Direct mail postcards are also efficient tools to enhance loyalty and keep customers ordering your products. The information on postcards is very simple and clear: restaurants may invite customers to join their ‘membership’ program and provide them with bonus points for each delivery; or reward regular customers with small but consecutive discounts. Conversely, a postcard may say, “Eat three times, and with the fourth time, get a 20% discount on your takeout order.” This enhances customer traffic in the restaurant to increase sales and convince customers that they are valued in the restaurant.

Furthermore, postcards can contain information about other existing personalized promotions that customers never knew existed and, therefore, promote constant visits to the store. Customer loyalty is a long-term plan and sending direct mail postcards to remind people of these programs would make a world of difference to a restaurant.

Conclusion

Direct mail postcards may be effective ways of promoting both to-go eating and diners eating in the restaurant. Direct mail postcards can build a strong dialogue between restaurants and consumers because of these strategies: offering target-specific menu items, conveying time-sensitive promotions, emphasizing seasonal offerings, incorporating QR codes and promoting repeat purchases. The main finding shows that direct-mailing postcards remain an effective means of passing communications to the dining public as restaurants seek means to engage customers.