As the restaurant industry continues to move forward, foodservice marketing and sales are becoming increasingly difficult. Restaurants have more technology needs, such as cloud solutions, support services, and numerous other services. It is critical to get the highest quality leads possible if you choose to work in the foodservice industry. Knowing what to look for can be tricky, however, so here is a list of the top 10 things to consider when evaluating foodservice leads.
1. Location
Knowing where a restaurant is located is essential for businesses in the foodservice industry. Restaurants usually purchase services, equipment, and other products unique to its location. Understanding a restaurant’s geographic area can offer valuable insights into what resources are needed and how to create an effective sales plan. Companies should also consider researching the top restaurants in any area for further intelligence on what restaurants need.
2. Regional Trends
Having a deep understanding of a region-specific restaurant market forces, data, trends, and culture can allow foodservice professionals to take an informed approach to sales strategies and marketing campaigns. Understanding regional trends can allow businesses to identify the best marketing channels and develop more targeted lead generation efforts.
3. Menu Insights
Having access to data on a restaurant’s menu items, pricing, and ingredients can give businesses a deeper understanding about a restaurant’s offerings. Companies can use this data to tailor their marketing and sales messages to individual restaurants, helping to increase their chances of conversions.
4. Online Reviews
Online reviews for a restaurant can provide invaluable insights into its current client base, target market, and quality of service. Companies should review review websites such as Yelp and Google to get better insight into a restaurant’s customer base, as well as any areas in which they can improve.
5. Customer Profiles
Gathering data on a restaurant’s current customers can help businesses develop a better understanding of who they are targeting and what types of incentives will be necessary to attract these customers. Customer profiles can include demographics, age range, dining habits, purchasing behaviors, and other pertinent information.
6. Technology Preferences
As digital marketing and technology have become increasingly prevalent in the foodservice industry, it’s important to develop an understanding of what technology a restaurant is using and which additional technologies they are interested in. An example could include being able to identify restaurants that would benefit from cloud-based solutions. By analyzing a restaurant’s current technology usage and preferences, it allows for customized marketing and sales approaches.
7. Price Comparisons
Developing a competitive analysis of the foodservice market can offer helpful insights into potential customers’ price preferences. Companies should research similar restaurants in the area to determine what prices are being offered by similar businesses.
8. Menu Engineering
Menu engineering involves an in-depth evaluation of a restaurant’s menu items in order to gain the insight of most profitable items, popular items, descriptiveness of items, and how to strategically design a menu. Having the right menu for a restaurant can help to attract more customers and increase sales.
9. Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing has become a popular way for restaurants to engage with their customers. Companies should review a restaurant’s current social media accounts to assess their current social media presence and determine which channels they should be focusing on.
10. Creative Content
Creative content is a powerful way to connect with a restaurant’s customers and establish brand recognition. Companies should develop creative content and use storytelling to create an emotional connection and help differentiate their products and services from competitors.
Choosing the right leads can have a huge impact on a company’s success and profitability. Companies looking to grow their market presence in the foodservice industry should consider these ten things when evaluating leads and building their sales strategies. By applying these insights and researching the foodservice market further, businesses have the opportunity to develop a strong market presence in the foodservice industry.
