Lunch Sales + Office Park = Business Customers
Is It That Easy?
It’s an alluring proposition. Set up a lunch spot located in the heart of an office or industrial area, within walking distance of hundreds of customers. To make it even sweeter, there are hundreds more customers visiting your customers…all of them hungry. Oh yeah, this should be a slam dunk.
Don’t put a downpayment on that beachfront mansion just yet. Whether the concept is a deli, “quick casual” café or full-service restaurant, being surrounded by business customers does not automatically translate to stellar sales. The characteristics of business customers create particular marketing challenges as well as advantages. Consider these examples:
Advantage:
Generally speaking, professionals who work in an office environment (for example, manufacturing, service or medical industries) are limited in lunch selection to the food options within a close proximity.
Challenge:
Monotony. No matter how much you love Tuna Salad Sandwiches, you can’t have them 3 times a week.
Challenge:
High productivity expectations, deadlines and the fast-pace of today’s work environment create a less-flexible lunch window.
Advantage:
Quicker table turnover.
Challenge:
Customers may choose to work through their lunch hours.
Advantage:
Some companies foot the bill for lunches as a benefit to hard-working employees.
Certain restaurant marketing principles still hold true in the business market, providing solutions to restaurant challenges or uncovering opportunities. For instance, even though your customers may be rushing through meals, the food must still be presented for “Wow” if you want them to keep coming back.
Remember that restaurant marketing is always an eye-contact sport no matter who your customers are. Get to know your neighbors by walking to nearby offices and dropping off your printed menus. Front counter staff will ask if your restaurant delivers. Be prepared to say yes and print your delivery minimum order and other details on the menu handout. See the list below for more tips on marketing to the business customer:
- Frequency Rewards: A small “thank you for your loyalty” that works every time. Example: Buy 6 sandwiches and get your 7th one free.
- Email: Business customers are more internet-savvy and nearly 50% of email users check their mail throughout the day. Collect email addresses using a privacy-protected form on your website and send your daily specials by email.
- Phone In Order Line: Make it easier on your kitchen and your customers by rewarding phone-in orders with a separate, shorter line.
- Website: If you don’t already have a website for your restaurant, come out of your cave and discover fire. Not only will the website allow your customers to find you and read your menus in advance, it will make it easier for customers to recommend the restaurant to co-workers.
- Cakes: As many office workers will tell you, they can always find a special occasion to distract them from their real jobs. Between birthdays, going away parties and holidays, there is always a demand for cakes and goodies. Serve quality baked goods and office “social planners” will be your best friends.
- Afternoon Pick-Me-Up Beverages: Help your customers fight lunch coma by keeping your barista on until the afternoon serving specialty coffee drinks and tea. Encourage group orders by offering a 1/2-off drink for the “Coffee Run Captain”.
- Catering and Deliveries: Eventually, catering and large delivery orders will become a substantial source of revenue for your restaurant. Accommodate the purchasing behavior of corporations by having a corporate account application and solid billing system. At least 2 months before the peak catering seasons, such as Christmas and July (Summer Company Picnic time), begin handing out your printed catering menu in all delivery bags.
Most restaurateurs have not worked in office environments, and therefore come less equipped to predict the unique buying behavior of business customers. To learn more and stay in-tune with your market, keep your lines of communication open with your business customers by speaking with them and welcoming comments via email or in-house suggestion boxes. By overcoming your marketing challenges and capitalizing on marketing opportunities, your restaurant will develop a strong, loyal following.
Glynn Galvante Selesnick is the Founder of Table by the Window, a restaurant marketing company that specializes in affordable, effective and easy email marketing for restaurants. An MBA and Certified eMarketing Professional with over 10 years of experience in marketing, Glynn has developed successful marketing campaigns for independent and local group restaurants throughout the West Coast. The Table by the Window team is devoted to providing a top-notch level of service and creating campaigns with high Return on Investment for all their clients.
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