| Thousands of restaurants are using email newsletters | | | | 5. Feature photos. Email newsletter readers devour |
| to build and engage their customer base and promote | | | | photography and even moreso when those photos |
| their offerings. Service providers such as AWeber and | | | | depict people. Include photographs of large parties or |
| Constant Contact enable restaurants to quickly and | | | | events you've hosted in your newsletter. This can also |
| easily deliver email newsletters and manage | | | | help to promote your restaurant's catering or event |
| subscribers. But while an email newsletter can be a | | | | services. You can even feature regulars where you |
| highly successful marketing tool for a restaurant, | | | | include snapshots of your favorite regular customers. |
| creating interesting, valuable content is a | | | | 6. Offer coupons and discounts. Let's be honest. The |
| time-consuming headache for busy restaurant owners. | | | | main reason customers subscribe to an email |
| The good news is that much of the content for your | | | | newsletter is the promise of special deals. By offering |
| email newsletter already exists within your restaurant | | | | them exclusive discounts and VIP treatment, |
| and with your customers. In this article, I suggest ten | | | | customers will look forward to your newsletter and |
| ideas for newsletter content that are easy to create | | | | keep coming back to your restaurant. |
| and quick to engage readers. Keep in mind that you | | | | 7. Celebrate your philanthropic work.The restaurant |
| can later repurpose much of this content on your | | | | industry is one of incredible generosity, with many |
| restaurant's website. | | | | restaurants helping the community in ways their |
| 1. Introduce your staff.Many of your staff members | | | | customers might not even know about. Note your |
| have interesting outside interests, hobbies or training. | | | | participation in programs such as Share Our Strength |
| Did your cooks attend a culinary program? What are | | | | or contributions to local food banks. You may even |
| their favorite menu items? How long have they been | | | | help attract more volunteers in the process. |
| with your restaurant? Having an area of your | | | | 8. Ask customers questions. Why should you do all of |
| newsletter dedicated to personnel is also a great | | | | the talking? Your customers are a source of valuable |
| chance to introduce a new staff member or promote | | | | information and offering a poll or survey in your email |
| job openings. | | | | newsletter is a simple way to tap into their opinions |
| 2. Read any good books lately? Chances are, your | | | | and tastes. You may even ask them what they'd like |
| email newsletter subscribers are just as interested in | | | | to see more of in your email newsletter! |
| food as you are. Share books or articles with them | | | | 9. Answer customers' questions. Solicit questions and |
| that are guaranteed to be of interest. For example, if | | | | feedback from your customers. They may have |
| you run a regional Italian restaurant and a new | | | | questions about your food, the history of your |
| cookbook is published featuring recipes from that | | | | restaurant, or other insights that you can respond to as |
| region, let subscribers know about it. It reinforces your | | | | part of a regular newsletter feature. This transforms |
| expertise in the cuisine and can increase customers' | | | | your email newsletter from a one-way communication |
| appreciation of it as well. | | | | channel to a regular dialogue between you and your |
| 3. Share a seasonal recipe. Your email newsletter may | | | | customers. |
| only go out several times a year. Showcase a recipe | | | | 10. Promote environmental consciousness. According |
| for a simple, seasonal cocktail or dish created by your | | | | to the National Restaurant Association, 62% of adults |
| restaurant. Don't forget to include photos! | | | | are likely to make a restaurant choice based on how |
| 4. Sell your products. More than 57% of family dining | | | | environmentally friendly a restaurant is. A brief article |
| restaurants offer retail items for sale. Increase profits | | | | on how you are making your restaurant more |
| by providing a link to purchase directly from your email | | | | environmentally friendly is always attractive to |
| newsletter. Subscriber-only discounts on these | | | | customers. |
| products also have great appeal to readers. | | | | |