Starting a Restaurant Newsletter Can Increase Your Business Dramatically

The restaurant newsletter program can be as simple or detailed as you see fit, but getting it started has become a must in the competitive market today. Your first objective in getting involved in building your base is finding out who your base is. Many restaurants have comment cards that include a place to put the guests e-mail address. Others collect addresses on the bottom of guest checks, or with guest check inserts. Many others have the bartenders or wait staff hand out little forms to collect the addresses. Whatever way works for your establishment get it started.

Information you would like to collect is their full name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, birthdays and anniversary. It is nice to have these special dates to put in your database so you can offer a special occasion offering such as a dessert on their birthday.

Once you start collecting in house keep it going until you feel you have a good base to build from. You should also include a page on your web site to collect the same information from interested online guests.

To build your actual newsletter I advise to break it down into sections that can be ongoing columns. For instance a monthly recipe, a wine spotlight and drink special sections are easy to change every month. After you have your regular sections selected work in selling points and features like special events, any awards accolades or press, wine tastings or dinner specials. Make sure you highlight menu items prominently. Keep in mind seasonal adjustments as well (highlight lighter foods and white wines during the summer months and heavier foods and red wines in the winter months).

I suggest that you get involved with a newsletter marketing group such as Benchmarkemail.com ( Benchmarkemail.com ) which does wonders in getting you started and building an effective newsletter campaign that will keep your guests coming back and your base growing.

Your restaurant newsletter does not have to be lengthy, but it is intended to inform your base that you are there, that you are growing, and that you care about their patronage.

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