Restaurant Branding – New Zealand Business Tips

Restaurants are extraordinary places where we indulge our refined taste buds or seek solace in comfort food. There is always an emotional connect with our favourite restaurants. Rarely restaurants are viewed as venues of business strategy and professional marketing. But this is a serious business to run with immense profits and tremendous responsibilities towards the customers. Branding of restaurants defines its character and personality. Some restaurants are very non-descript but command a massive and loyal fan following. Others may have multi spangled splendours but fizzle out like fading stars. Branding of a restaurant is the identity which enables the customers to know you and communicate with you. Branding is the star of your restaurant business and it needs to stand out.

New Zealand is a small country, but the food industry is very robust and buzzing. Weekends are busy periods in the restaurant business with office parties and group outings. Christmas is the ultimate season for restaurants with many being overbooked and swamped with bookings. Though competition is fierce, many restaurants have carved a niche which makes them stand out like beacons. Some of the known icons of Auckland are Canton, Lone Star, Grand Harbour Yum cha, De Setti Soldi- the list goes on.

Now if you wish to add your restaurant to the list of Kiwis’ food landmarks in New Zealand, then here are a few rough guidelines to highlight your branding and take a bow in the spotlight of fine dining or popular takeaways.

Easy Accessibility

Many eating out decisions are made in an instant on a weekend night or a night out with friends. Out come the mobiles and a frantic search is done for a favourite or famous cuisine. This is the moment which can make a restaurant or takeaway click. A complete setup of combinations of Google local listings, banner advertising and AdWords along with social media insertions can go a long way to make your branding easy to access and is a way to the bank for you. Imagine someone searching for a Thai Fine Dining in Queenstown on holiday, and your listing comes up with phone address timings etc. There you go, and your bookings will go through the roof.

Enhance awareness of your brand

Your brand marks your uniqueness. Give it a boost by constant communications with your customers through emails, advertising campaigns and loyalty programs. Don’t rest on your laurels. Awareness is an ongoing task. Just keep at it. The more you publicize your brand, then more awareness develops.

Vouchers and discounts always help. Group discounts for parties help to build a famous brand. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest are various social media platforms used for marketing and sales. Publicize attractive mouth-watering images of star dishes. Promote combos to give complimentary drinks and entrees — giveaway weekend deals which will win you brownie points with your customers.

Keep inventing

New, Newer and then old wine in the original bottle. Change something in the décor or menus or even the staff appearance. This helps to create limelight for the restaurant. There was a restaurant in Nelson where the staff would break out in a flash dance suddenly, and all the customers would join in. Upgradation made the restaurant very popular. The Nippon Sake in Auckland, a trendy Japanese restaurant announces the newcomers with beats of drums. Anything unusual and interesting will boost your branding and make customers eager to visit the place. Word to mouth publicity will keep the customers coming.

Build a story

Everyone loves a story. Brand logo design and its positioning is a stratergic way of communicating a strong story behind brand .  A restaurant with a history or an interesting past will intrigue people to make a visit . A story about the idea behind the restaurant set up can inspire customers. They will feel a connection with the food and cuisine served. Dining is a very personal experience.  It spells out an individual gratification of taste buds. The branding of the restaurant which can form a close bond with the emotional side of customers,  will always be successful in retaining customers for generations as it forms a heritage of culinary experiences.

Stand out as NZ company

With all the branding advise- the question arises how to tune your restaurant branding for New Zealand trends and styles. Many  restaurant owners have come from different cultures and would like to imbibe their ethnic culture with kiwi vibes. This adds to the appeal and essence of  successful branding. A bit of Maori art or patterns, something from the NZ’s  beautiful scenic landscape or a reference to  New Zealand’s favourite colours of blue and green with a touch of black can make your branding spectacular. To stand out as a Kiwi company – it is important to integrate kiwi values and a sense of sincerity. Respecting the kiwi values will reap immense rewards.  Some freebies on weekend and rugby nights along with a large TV screen can make your restaurant or takeaway a very popular place.

The brand of your restaurant is the personality with which people recognise you and your business. This helps you to build a family feel with your customers as they recognise you and give you steady business. Repeat customers are very important for any business but more so for restaurants and takeaways. They are your backbone which depends on two things. First, of course, is the quality for your services and food. But secondly and equally important is the visibility and promotion of your brand so that it builds a reputation for you.

So Keep that Flag Flying