Do you feel it’s time to give your restaurant a makeover? If so, it is important that it is carried out in the right way and that the budget is being spent in the right areas. This makeover can range from a change in the menu to a complete renovation in the decoration of the premises. In the following blog article we want to detail the steps to follow to carry out a good restaurant branding.
The term Branding is a word of English origin that encompasses everything related to a brand. When we refer to restaurant branding, we mean how to manage the brand image and communication of a restaurant. Large hospitality businesses develop a very particular brand image that ultimately differentiates them from their competitors.
This image is carried out by analyzing the profile of customers that you want to come to your restaurant. From there, a specific image strategy is defined that adapts to the needs of your customers to make your restaurant one of their favorites.
Steps to carry out the new branding of your restaurant
Evaluate your current brand
How does your current restaurant work and what has made you rethink the rebranding of the business? There must be a motivation behind it, and we assume that it is because you think that your business can improve, how your restaurant was born and what stories are hidden behind it, what kind of customers do you have or what kind of customers do you want to get, what tastes do they have? You need to answer all these questions to define the new image you want to convey.
Evaluates the market
What’s happening in your market space? What are your main competitors doing and what are you aiming to achieve? Be sure to research your competition, from visiting their stores to learning their websites and social networks. Gather as much information and ammunition as possible. The more information you get about your competition, the better.
What kind of food and beverages do you offer? How do you serve your customers? How do you differentiate yourselves from the competition? You don’t need to copy them, but this information is the food you need to get inspired and create new ideas for your restaurant.
Take a look at your restaurant’s interior and exterior design
Needless to say, your customers expect a complete renovation of all restaurant furnishings as part of the rebranding process. Many restaurants rejuvenate their premises with a little paint and some new furniture, even without undergoing any rebranding process.
There is a lot of wear and tear in these types of places. Therefore, it makes sense to make sure that the walls, the design of the restaurant furniture
restaurant furniture and fixtures are in good
and fixtures are in good condition, as all of these areas combined are responsible for the overall impression of your brand. It is also vital that you opt for
furniture
contract
instead of any type of furniture. In one of our previous articles we detailed in more detail
why it is necessary to use contract furniture in the hotel sector.
.
However, if you are undertaking a rebranding, make sure you do your homework well. You can research profiles on
Instagram
o
Pinterest
to get ideas, create a board and save examples that reflect your desired brand. You can even employ the help of an interior designer to assist you in this process. Some people have an eye for this type of project, while others just don’t know where to start and don’t have the same vision, which is perfectly normal!
Create a timeline for the project
As with any other project, a complete rebranding requires a specific schedule and budget allocation. Make sure you have a final budget figure in mind and break down each area of the project. Projects of this type can be very expensive if you do not have a budget in advance. Keep a close eye on it, and keep a close eye on each phase of the project as well.
A simple spreadsheet may be sufficient. Write down each element that is to be implemented as a change in the restaurant’s branding and mark in order of priority when it should begin and when it should end. All you need is careful project preparation to make it run smoothly.
Host an opening event
When your branding project is finished, it may be a good idea to promote the restaurant by organizing a reopening event. In this way, you will be able to attract both your old customers and new ones, who will be attracted by the new image of your business.
Plan your event in the best way, from a guest list to the menu and drinks. Make sure that the date you choose does not coincide with any other events in the area and that you give yourself enough time to complete the restaurant rebranding, as well as enough time to plan the event.
Choose the promotional channels best suited to your business
Advertising is essential to get your customers to come to your restaurant. Think about which social network your target audience is on and focus on it.
What social networks does your target audience use? Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, maybe all three? There are many new platforms available that can help you manage and measure all of them. Also think about different traditional marketing techniques and complement them with the use of social networks.
As you can see, there’s a lot to think about when it comes to planning a rebranding of your restaurant. However, it doesn’t have to cost so much or take so long if you plan well.