Food and drink are central when it comes to spreading that holiday cheer. The holiday season is a time when people are travelling or generally have more time on their hands for leisure activities. Combined with the mostly good weather New Zealand has – let’s hope we don’t jinx it by talking about it – this usually translates to people eating outside and generally having a good time. This is why if you run a hospitality business, this is a great chance to attract many more people.
Here are some of our top promotion ideas for restaurants and bars for the upcoming holiday season:
1. Plan a special menu
For restaurants and bars, the holiday season is the perfect time to showcase your team’s talents by planning specials and themed meals. Customers are more willing to try out new things and might be more forgiving even if they don’t love something. If you generally don’t vary your menu a whole lot, use this as an opportunity to see what else works besides the evergreen favourites.
2. Showcase your window
Large windows facing the street are perfect locations to catch the eye of people driving and walking by. By using the space well you can use it to push your longer-duration promotions, like a seasonal menu for instance. Window decals are a great way to do this since they can be easily removed at the end of the season or promotional period.
3. Make the counter count
Came up with a new drink? Planned a special 3-course meal? If you have a regular clientele, your counter is probably where you have a quick chat with each of them at the end of a meal. The area is also where you can display small countertop posters, flyers or pull-up banners to tell your new clients or regulars about your fresh creations. Besides, the good thing about these marketing tools is that they can be easily moved or removed.
4. Hang that festive cheer
Nothing says special occasion like decorations hanging from the ceiling. Once you have figured out what you will be serving over the holiday season, hang well-designed promotional materials advertising those from the ceiling, along with any other special decor items for the season.
5. Get your outside popping
A lot of people who walk by often stop by to casually browse the menu. If your eating joint is located on a busy street with a lot of pedestrians, you have a pool of potential customers waiting to be lured inside. On the other hand, if you already have outdoor seating on such a street, it gives you an even better opportunity. Use a mix of materials like footpath blades and window decals, and entice your new customers.
The holiday season is a great time for hospitality businesses to experiment. Even if some things don’t work, you have the reassurance that you can always go back to your usual fare at the end of it.
Whether you need something specific for the holiday time or something that is more long-term in terms of printed marketing materials, we can help. We have worked with hospitality businesses in Auckland and surrounding areas to produce high-quality prints at extremely affordable prices.