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MMS marketing  has the ability to generate buzz about your restaurant, reaching a targeted audience anywhere, any time. It's often easy to fill every table during the weekday lunch hours or on Friday evening. But what about those times when 80-percent of the tables are empty and servers stand around chatting about the latest episode of Game of Thrones? Mobile marketing is poised to be the secret ingredient for your restaurant's success. SMS and MMS marketing can mean more interest, more customers, and ultimately more revenue for your restaurant.

What's MMS?

Our world is vivid and colorful — shouldn't your text messages be equally beautiful? MMS or Multimedia Messaging Service is a derivative of SMS (Short Messaging Service). MMS takes text messaging or SMS to the next level by including more than text-only messages. MMS allows you to send bright, colorful images, graphics, video clips and audio clips. It's the ideal way to share stunning photos of your restaurant's best menu options to guests, enticing them in a way a text-only message can't.

Is Text Marketing (Including MMS Marketing) Right for Your Restaurant?

The Marquette Group reports annual restaurant sales have increased more than $110 billion during the last six years. As the market flourishes, it's essential for your restaurant to determine the best methods for increasing growth. SMS and MMS advertising offer an effective and affordable option versus other more cumbersome marketing tactics.

Your restaurant may have the most amazing food in the area as well as top-notch service. However, if an effective marketing plan isn't in place, your share of the industry's continuing growth will stagnate. Text marketing can help any restaurant by:

• Attracting new business
• Establishing and maintaining a loyal customer base
• Driving instant traffic
• Reducing the number of canceled reservations.

Opt-in System: Cross-Channel Messaging and Marketing Automation

Integrating a cross-channel messaging and marketing automation system for your restaurant can help improve reach and increase new customer numbers. Trumpia's effective and easy-to-use Cross-Channel Messaging and Marketing Automation system provides a fully integrated interface for multiple technologies including mobile, voice, email, and social media. With a multi-channel or cross-channel system in place, you can promote opt-ins by using promotional text keywords via social media, your website, in print ads, in radio and television ads, on a print menu, and even on signage in your restaurant. With a strong opt-in system, it's easier to increase social media interaction and makes the ROI when offering SMS or MMS exclusive deals or coupons more effective.

SMS and MMS for Reservation Reminders

Use SMS and MMS to streamline your restaurant's reservation reminder system. After customers opt-in for messaging, improve their overall dining experience by providing SMS/MMS reservation reminders. Text message reminders offer several advantages to both restaurant and clientele:

• Mobile reminder prior to reservation time reaches diner even when they're on-the-go
• Mobile alert when table is ready eliminates hand-held buzzer
• Text to cancel reservation option decreases no-call, no-shows
• Ensures tables are filled even during non-peak times when limited-time deals are offered

With an SMS or MMS reservation reminder, customers can feel more connected and valued leading to a stronger loyalty base.

Using Message Automation for Promotions

The CMO Council recently reported that 78-percent of all smartphone users access retail sites through a mobile app. Statistics like this help illustrate how much the average consumer prefers mobile, targeted information. SMS and MMS message automation provides customers with the on-the-go information they desire and need.

Use SMS and MMS marketing to attract new business, strengthen your loyal customer base, and drive instant traffic. Ways to use message automation for SMS and MMS marketing include:

• Text special offers during non-peak hours: "2 for 1 lattes! Today only. 3-5pm."
• Promote lunch specials at noon: "Burger Platter + Drink for $6.99. Noon to 1pm only."
• Promote delivery specials for customers stuck at their desk: "Tues. & Thurs. Free Lunch Delivery."
• Promote Happy Hour one hour before it begins to entice the business crowd: "Happy Hour starts in 60 mins. Countdown to drink specials is on!"
  
  

Offer an opt-in for a customer loyalty program. Your customers opt-in for text messages and they earn loyalty rewards for using the coupons sent through MMS. Another way to increase repeat business is to offer the option to text-in an order. Keeping up with the mobile lifestyle of your customers is essential for growing and maintaining business.

MMS marketing also  is the ideal method for keeping loyal customers up-to-date with new menu additions, special promotions, and foodie news such as the latest trends in gourmet burger toppings, the hottest new cocktail, or tips for ordering the healthiest entrées with the biggest flavors.

Curious how SMS and MMS advertising has benefited other restaurants? Check out the Trumpia Case Study for Chick-fil-A. Rely on Trumpia for all your restaurant's SMS and MMS marketing and message automation needs. Our software makes it easy to reach your target audience with promotions and tactics tailored to their specific demographic or buying patterns.

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