This is a recent post on a local Facebook group that I'm part of. Someone had been to a local restaurant. They had an amazing experience, and they were asking in the group, why don't they frequent more?

Unfortunately, this happens quite often in the restaurant industry. People aren't visiting your restaurant more often because you're not in their faces! And their faces are on their mobile devices. The only reason why people go to national chains is because they're constantly in their faces.

Local restaurant owners think that national chains have some huge marketing pockets, that's why they thrive. While that is true, they also have something that local restaurants have; data (or the ability to collect customer data). And that data includes phone numbers, emails, names, whatever it might be.

The sad part is that most restaurants do have customer data that they have collected, either through their POS system, their online ordering system, whatever the case might be. The next issue is that they're not using the power of the data. Data is the new gold! Look at the biggest companies in the world today, Amazon, Google, Facebook, DoorDash, Uber...they are where they are because of data. And they use this data to make billions.

By using the data they already have (or start collecting data if they don't have it), the restaurants can start sending people reminders that they exist! Most restaurant owners think they need to send coupons, and this is absolutely not true. All people need is gentle reminders that you're open, you're ready to serve them, you exist!

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below!