Reasons Why Email and Direct Marketing (and not Facebook/Broadcast Media) Might be the Better Choice for Your Restaurant

Have you ever been in a store browsing, only to be annoyed by a pushy salesman who doesn’t understand the concept that you just want to look around?  We’ve all experienced this and it isn’t a pleasant experience.  In fact, it’s the primary reason why the foundation of successful marketing is the understanding that your approach needs to be something that your end-audience invites.  If you attempt to market in a way that your intended audience feels is intrusive, you might be negating the point of your marketing attempt in the first place, which is to attract customers without annoying them.  

For this reason, Facebook as a marketing platform has lost its luster for many companies for one very simple reason: people use Facebook to connect with friends and a social network—not necessarily to read marketing messages on their home page.  The same works for broadcast media.  People listen to the radio or watch TV to enjoy their favorite music or shows, and will often turn the volume down or change the channel entirely when confronted with too much marketing.  

You might ask, then, so what is the least intrusive way to market?  Well, according to surveys conducted regarding customers’ preferred method of contact for marketing and promotional material, an overwhelming majority stated that email is their preferred method for receiving marketing messages.  

Think of it this way: people access their email at a time of their own choosing, and can open emails or not open them according to their own whims.  This puts the end-user in control of when he or she reads a message, making them much more receptive to what the message contains.  Their lives, social networking, and entertainment time are not interrupted, and they are always subconsciously appreciative of this consideration on behalf of the restaurant marketing to them.