So, you’ve developed a stellar menu, invested in high-quality equipment, and trained your staff. Now, it is time to be open for business! But when it comes down to starting a successful BBQ business, not a single detail can be left to chance.
Indeed, while the market is offering unmissable opportunities for new food and drink ventures, don’t forget that the competition has never been so fierce. To help your BBQ business stand out of the background noise, build awareness, and establish a reliable customer base. Most of all, you’ll need to have a winning marketing and promotion strategy.
In this guide by The Logo Company, we’ll look at the key tips you need to successfully market a BBQ business. But, don’t forget that it all starts with having the right logo!
Analyze the BBQ Business Market and Your Competition
Whether you are starting a new BBQ business or looking to take your existing company off the ground, it is impossible to be successful without understanding the current market.
Today, the American barbecue grill market is valued at nearly 2.8 billion U.S. dollars, a significant increase since the 2.2 billion dollars in 2015. This astonishing growth is certainly providing company owners with unprecedented opportunities to expand and scale up their businesses. At the same time, there are some trends that you’ll need to keep in mind to succeed in an increasingly competitive market:
- Restaurant chains are dominating the market
- You’ll need a unique selling point to remain competitive
- Aspects like sustainability and inclusivity are always more important to customers
- With an increasing number of people suffering from food allergies and choosing certain diets (i.e.: plant-based, gluten-free, and keto), you’ll need to offer a wide range of food options on your menu.
Understanding how the market is developing and what disrupting trends are emerging can help you successfully grow your business.
Define Your Customer Persona
understanding your target audience is essential. One way to do this is by creating a customer persona. Start by thinking about the demographics of your ideal customer: their age, gender, location, and occupation.
Then, dive deeper into their interests, preferences, and behaviors. By defining your customer persona in detail, you’ll be able to tailor your marketing efforts. Specifically toward them and effectively meet their needs.
This step is critical to build and continue growing a loyal customer base, which represents a lifeline for any local business!
Create Your BBQ Business’s Vocal and Visual Identity
Once you have a greater understanding of the market, it is time to focus on your brand’s vocal and visual identity. If your business has been operating for years, you may consider a total rebranding. Alternatively, if you are just starting a BBQ business, you could consider working with a team of experts to create a vocal and visual identity that reflects the trends in the market and your own values.
Some of the key aspects to cover when creating your BBQ brand identity include:
- Your company’s voice tone
- Colors and patterns
- Textures and materials
- Typography and fonts
A team of experts can help you communicate your business’s goals, vision, and values through your identity.
Choose Your BBQ Business’s Name, Logo, and Tagline
Your BBQ business’s logo, name, and tagline are the three pillars on which to build a successful food and drink company. But making a winning choice isn’t always straightforward! That’s why it is important to surround yourself with experts such as the team at The Logo Company.
Some of the key strategies to use to come up with a logo, name, and tagline that will help you promote your BBQ business are:
- Keep your target audience in mind. Your name should resonate with them and reflect the type of BBQ experience you offer. For example, if you specialize in Texas-style BBQ. Consider incorporating this aspect into your name.
- Think about the longevity and future of your brand. Choose a name that is timeless and won’t limit you as your business grows and evolves.
- Make it easily recognizable and memorable: A good logo is crucial – it should be visually appealing and easily recognizable. When developing a BBQ business logo, using the right colors, visual elements, and contrasts can make all the difference.
- Keep it short and sweet: Your tagline should be a short but powerful phrase that encapsulates what sets your BBQ business apart from other businesses. Make it catchy and memorable – something that people will associate with the delicious food you serve.
This combination of a strong name, eye-catching logo, and impactful tagline will help establish your BBQ business. Defintely, in the minds of customers and set you up for success.
Invest in a High-Quality Website
When marketing or promoting your business, a critical role is played by your website. Web design – coupled with high-quality content marketing – can help you create a digital presence that your customers can use to learn more about your business, get to know your story, and check whether your values match theirs.
In marketing, having a professional, fast, and versatile website is essential for the Search Engine Optimization of your digital presence. In turn, ranking higher on search engines can help your BBQ business become more noticeable within the digital space and beyond.
Use an App To Manage Your Customer Experience
Another great option to promote your BBQ business is to develop a custom app. Whether you are using pre-built applications or have decided to hire a development team to create an ad hoc solution, a business app may help you manage your reservations and streamline your business.
For customers, the possibility to use an app is an excellent alternative to interact with your business digitally, through their smartphones. However, before investing in mobile applications, be sure to work with a team of specialists who can help you understand how to best invest your funds.
Take Advantage of Social Media Platforms
Social media platforms are a powerful tool to promote your BBQ business and engage with customers. Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share mouthwatering images of your delicious dishes. Even behind-the-scenes footage of your smoking process, and upcoming promotions or events.
Interact with your followers by responding to comments, likes, and messages promptly. This will help build a loyal community around your brand. Boost engagement by running contests or giveaways exclusively for your social media followers – it’s a great way to generate buzz and attract new customers too!
Manage Your BBQ Business’s Reputation
To understand why it is important to manage the reputation of your business online and offline, it is enough to look at a few key statistics gathered by the Search Engine Journal. Today, nearly 100% of customers check online reviews of products and businesses when placing orders online or interacting with businesses. What’s more, nearly 50% of users consider online reviews to be just as trustworthy and reliable as personal recommendations from friends and family.
Aside from trying to get online reviews and managing positive feedback, remember to have brand reputation management in place. Indeed, over 95% of consumers who check online reviews also purposely seek negative reviews before making a decision.
Now, regardless of how great your business is, it is likely for you to receive a bad review. Some negative feedback every once in a while. Understanding the importance of learning from and responding to these experiences can help future customers understand the character of your business.
Strive To Secure Your Spot in Google 3-Pack
Given that 1 in 3 of all mobile searches are location-specific, another important aspect to focus on is the so-called Google 3 Pack. This is a list of 3 businesses ( 20 businesses when expanded) which is provided in response to a local query on Google. The businesses selected for the 3-Pack are usually the ones considered to be the most
relevant and trustworthy, also based on their reviews, information provided, and response time to consumers.
Making sure that your business gets its place in the Google 3-Pack is essential to improve your visibility and become easily findable by new and recurring customers in the area. Work with a specialized marketing team to optimize your Google Business Profile and secure your space in the 3-Pack.
Location, Location, Location!
When it comes to building a more successful BBQ business, the importance of location cannot be emphasized enough. Choosing the right location can make or break your venture: a strategic placement in an area with high foot traffic and easy accessibility is key to attracting hungry customers.
However, if you find yourself in a less-than-ideal location, there are still ways to promote your business effectively.
One option is to take advantage of the rising trend of food trucks. By serving your mouth-watering BBQ creations on wheels, you can reach different neighborhoods and events, increasing your exposure and customer base.
Additionally, participating in local food fairs and festivals allows you to showcase your delicious BBQ offerings while also tapping into a ready-made audience of food enthusiasts. These initiatives provide excellent marketing opportunities that can compensate for any shortcomings in your physical establishment’s location.
Don’t Forget About Offline and Traditional Marketing
There is little doubt about the fact that online marketing is becoming the most prominent strategy for many businesses, also due to its high efficiency and low cost. But, don’t forget that, as a food and drink business, you’ll be mostly facing your customers.
That is where having a traditional marketing strategy in place can really pay off. Flyers are certainly a go-to option for many restaurants, especially when looking to promote discounts and offers. However, you may also support word-of-mouth, press releases in local magazines, and promotional stands.
Think Outside the Box and Try Unconventional Marketing Strategies
Are you looking to make your BBQ brand truly memorable? Think outside the box and implement an unconventional marketing strategy! There are many alternatives worth exploring.
For example, guerrilla marketing is a great way to help customers notice and remember your business. However, you’ll need to operate within the limits of local laws and requirements. Partnering with guerrilla marketing experts can certainly help you avoid financial or legal troubles.
Another option is experiential marketing. Creating fully-immersive experiences can help potential guests approach and get to know your brand before becoming loyal returning customers. Some experiential marketing ideas include designing tasting or interactive experiences.
Partner With a Specialized Team To Hone Your Marketing Strategy
Your marketing strategy truly starts and ends with your logo. A quality logo for your BBQ business can be used across all media forms, on social media platforms, on your website, and even within your guerrilla marketing strategy. And, it is that logo that will make your business memorable in the eyes of new and returning customers.
So, don’t waste a minute: partner with the experienced team at The Logo Company and start building your logo today.