Here's one thing you already know -- there are countless ways to market to your customers. The best advice remains a sampling of marketing programs done on a regular basis to see which are most effective for your restaurant. Adding to the mix, now we have a new marketing concept in "text messaging". The idea is simple -- customers sign up at your restaurant to be notified by cell phone text message of any special promotions, offers or events. The restaurant then sends out messages such as "10% off your next visit when you show this message at Bistro 211" to drive a spike in the week's business. The opportunity here is of course to generate repeat business and to create the possibility for increasing levels of customer loyalty.

One such company offering this service is Textalert. Based out of Boston, the company has operating history in Europe where text messaging is already happening on a gigantic scale and where commercial text messages are accepted by consumers.

"A restaurateur's first reaction," says David New, CEO of Textalert "is often who wants junk mail on their cell phones?" A valid concern indeed. "The key to the text messaging option, much like any advertising vehicle, is that you first obtain the customers permission to contact them. And the customer has the ability to unsubscribe from the messaging list at any time."

Our Take: There is something very valuable in permission based marketing. By giving permission the customer is literally saying "I'd like to hear from you!" Unquestionably, many restaurants currently do a poor job of communicating with their existing customers (which of course assumes that they do any communication at all with these important folks). Whether it is through mail, email or now text messaging restaurants should take advantage of all available tools which allow them to easily contact existing customers in an effort to drive return business.

Is text messaging a good marketing idea? It is too early to tell. Nonetheless, it seems worth exploring for certain restaurateurs who are looking to build their clientele and expand their business.

Weblink: http://www.restaurant.textalert.com