Advertising and Marketing Trends for the Foodservice E&S Industry
Each year, a long list of trends emerge on the culinary scene to offer chefs and diners a new spin on food and beverages. We’ve seen everything from new twists on the classic cocktail to sourcing local foods and increasing ways of controlling costs when it comes to methods of prepping and cooking.
Just like the numerous trends that face the foodservice industry each year, there are an equal number of new trends and methods in advertising and marketing that are available for foodservice E&S dealers and manufacturers. For instance, many of the old ways of staying in touch with customers has completely lost its effectiveness. Relying on referrals, chasing potential clients or trying to be everywhere online are some of the old antiquated marketing strategies that aren’t working in the industry anymore.
Direct mail, targeted email campaigns, social media presence and industry related apps are just a few of the trends that have remained in the forefront. Audiences consume, engage, and participate with content at the speed of light. The biggest challenge is managing that information while keeping your customer engaged so they will keep coming back.
From print campaigns to mobile apps, staying connected to your customer is not only possible but very doable. Explore the possibility of a magazine-quality catalog with vivid, in-use images and information that educates as well as entertains. Imagine having a website that automatically updates your custom pricing and industry specifications of every product you sell. Envision an app that allows instant access 24/7, because as we all know, restaurant work is not a 9 to 5 job.
Trends come and go. Most are not a one-size-fits-all solution. There are some cooking trends you might never want to try, while others may need to be slightly adjusted to fit your venue. The trends in advertising and marketing are the same way. Similar to the changing trends we’ve seen throughout the culinary circuit, the trends in advertising and marketing are worth trying out to see what works best for your business. Just like the best cooks say about the food, “Try it, you just may like it.”