Opening your first restaurant is an exciting opportunity to see your hard work pay off. You’ve found the perfect location, you’ve bought all the right equipment to keep your products fresh and you’ve got a fully equipped kitchen. However, in order to see success come to fruition, it’s critical that you have a strategy set in place. In order to be as successful as possible, you should have a plan set in place for how you plan on being popular amongst customers.
Once you start to get a buzz going, it then becomes important to live up to the name that you’ve created for yourself. Here are some of the most critical tips when it comes to opening your very first restaurant.
Plan a Big Launch
When it comes to setting yourself up for a good reputation, a big opening day is critical. In order to draw a crowd, you’ll need to attract their attention. You’ll need a big sign that people can see from afar. Make sure that you start marketing for your event in advance so that you have plenty of time to start creating a buzz.
Ask your friends and family to support you and share the news with their networks. Above all, make sure that you are marketing on social media. Statistics show that one of the most effective ways to gather a crowd is by getting the word out on platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
Plan For Setbacks
A good business owner knows that setbacks can and will happen. It’s critical that you have a plan set in place when things start to go wrong.
Assume that at some point something is going to fail. Rather than being pessimistic and believe everything is doomed, instead, see it as a learning experience. Plan for how you want to make a comeback and keep on going with your head held high.
Accept Criticism
Impossible to make everyone happy. As the saying goes, you can be the sweetest, ripest and juiciest peach in the world; however, you’re always going to find someone that doesn’t like peaches.
It’s easy to get defensive when people criticize your restaurant. However, rather than taking it personally, use it as a tool for growth. If customers give you lousy reviews on websites such as Yelp, don’t snap back using nasty language. Instead, keep your composure and reply as politely as possible. Remember, the customer is always right.
Offer Coupons
With so much competition out there, it can be difficult to bring customers in. One of the most effective ways to get your business off of the ground is to offer a coupon for people’s first visit. Most customers will appreciate getting them to come in by offering them a special deal. Everyone loves to save money where they can, so this can be an excellent marketing tool.
