The 7 deadly sins of online sales
/
1-min read
Have you launched your own Delivery and Take Away channel, but are not selling what you expected?
In just 12 months, hospitality has taken a radical turn towards the online world. The situation to which the pandemic has exposed us has caused a sensation of hurry in the ambition of restaurants to digitize and implement their own sales channel.
This is why if you have a restaurant, you will most likely identify with the question I asked at the beginning. While the benefits might be clear, it is inevitable that you have missed some important details because of the urgency to implement your online shop.
The first thing we must understand are the aspects that every online restaurant shop needs to work on to maximise sales: attract, convert and drive loyalty. We will need to implement different actions to optimize results at each step of the consumer journey.
Later we will delve into each of the stages and each of the actions that can be carried out within each one. For the moment, although they may seem obvious, I share with you "the 7 deadly sins as to why your restaurant's online shop doesn’t sell" that we´ve seen consistently:
I will not do Content Marketing: the market has to know about the existence of your own channel and its advantages. Create and share quality content that helps you connect with your target audience, generating brand awareness that will translate in trust. The more people know you, the greater your credibility is, the higher your sales will be. For this, use all the communication channels in which your potential customers may be present (social media, events, emailing, blogs ...). Here are some examples such as Coya or Arboreal.
I will not exclusively promote my online shop: although it sounds surreal, there are restaurants that, on their websites, simultaneously promote their own store and Marketplaces. It is very important to drive all your website traffic to your own channel with which you will be more profitable, you will have all the information of your clients, and you will control their experience end to end. Update your social media or Google My Business profiles with your online store as a preferential option vs Marketplaces.
I will not give proper visibility to the "Order" button: the call to action to order must be in a central or top right-hand side position in your home page, in a striking and visible way, eliminating unnecessary elements that distracts customer's attention.
I will not promote my online store in my physical one: your venue is another fishing ground for loyal customers. Use it to advertise your online channel through clear signage and attractive rewards.
I will not use QRs to register customers who order via Marketplaces: with promotions redeemable in your online shop. The idea is to place it on the critical path of customer's attention, that is, on the packaging and NOT on a flyer that will most likely get lost along the way.
I will not do SEO: when we decide not to do SEO we are allowing Marketplaces to appear positioned before you with your own brand. Add SEO descriptions that enhance the position of your website as an online order channel. I encourage you to Google several restaurants and see how in most cases Marketplaces are the ones that are better positioned.
I will not differentiate my online shop from Marketplaces: following the dynamic of aggressive discounts on Marketplaces is not the only interesting option. Create your own loyalty plan with prizes and exclusive products for your online shop, which adequately reward your loyal customers. In addition, interact with them in a personalised way to generate greater engagement that will be translated into recurring sales.
I encourage you to review which one or which of the 7 deadly sins you are committing and see how your results begin to improve.
If you have any questions, we will be happy to help you.
Tony @ Cheerfy