ONLINE ORDERING MARKETING CALENDAR

Optimize your pickup procedures to be as streamlined as possible. Give guests confidence in your safety and ordering protocols and they’ll be back again.

• Have a dedicated staff member to greet guests and handle phone inquiries.
• Clearly mark the designated pickup area to expedite the pickup process, keep guests distanced, and avoid disrupting dine-in service.
• Maintain an open line of communication for guest questions and complaints via telephone, email, or social media. Make sure guests can reach your restaurant and employees are trained to handle these situations, as a positive experience is more likely to lead to a repeat order.

Update your websites, menus and social channels with your promotions to make sure your digital audience is in the know well in advance of the holiday or event.

• Website popups make sure your offers are seen by everyone who visits your page - just don’t forget a clear “Order Now” call-to-action.
• Digital directory listings, like Yelp, allow you to promote holiday offerings at no cost, so update your listings with these details.
• Share offers on social media in advance, with engaging stories and posts, to give followers ample time to plan ahead.
• Paid social ads, even with a small budget, go a long way when they’re hyper-targeted to guests living within takeout-distance. Link directly to order to make it easy for diners.
• Enhance your website SEO to make your restaurant more discoverable by adding in keywords related to these events, such as “Valentine’s Day Dinner at Home”.
• Create specific email campaigns to communicate your promotions to guests in your database.

While every online order counts, it’s important to prioritize promoting your direct ordering options across your channels to avoid commission fees and to streamline your operations for increased efficiency.

• Find a tech partner that integrates with your third party channels so you can manage all your orders and your menu through one system, while still allowing you to accept orders from guests using marketplaces to find restaurants.
• Make your Google preferred order link your direct ordering platform link. There is no reason to pay third party fees for customers who were already planning to order from your restaurant!
• Use every opportunity to educate your guests about the importance of ordering direct - on your social channels, in your emails, and even on inserts in your takeout bags. Consider including a special promo to incentivize direct orders.