Using Events to Increase Customer Reach

Reaching new customers is challenging and it can also be very costly. With so many platforms and outlets out there for you to use it can be hard to choose which platform or advertising outlet to focus your time, energy, and -more importantly- your money on. Private events are an often overlooked platform that can boost your reach to those in your local community and further afield whilst still bringing in money. Here are some event ideas to help you increase your reach using private events.

Speciality Events

These include wine pairing and beer pairing dinners as well as tasting events related to each of these categories. With consumers seeking restaurant experiences, more than just a drink and a meal, a pairing event is an excellent way to appeal to the current market. With these events you can either go it alone or collaborate with individual breweries and wineries, using their name and advertising to help fill all the seats at the event and to advertise your location to their customer base.

Charity Events

Involving yourself with charities is always profitable for restaurants, not only monetarily but also morally. However, on the monetary front, supporting charities and charitable events will promote your name alongside a good cause, and therefore in a good light. You can either sponsor the event or cater the event and provide your product to the people that attend; the latter may be more profitable -regarding attracting new customers- than just offering sponsorship or donations. You can also host charitable events in your location, bringing new consumers into your building and providing them with a first hand experience of your location, your culture, and your offerings.

Catering

As mentioned with charity events above, offering catering is an excellent way to introduce your product to others without them needing to walk through your doors. If outside catering is a project that works with the facilities you have in place you can cater private and public events outside your location.

Here there are many levels of catering for you to consider. You can supply the basic needs of just food or offer full service catering including chefs for carving stations, servers to serve the food and even bartenders to staff the bar. It all depends on what you have available to offer and what services people in your area are looking for.

Private Dinning Room

If you have a private dinning space then promoting this option is key to increasing your local customer base. Current and loyal customers may bring their friends and family in to celebrate birthdays and other big events. This will show their guests your location, a place these guests may only have heard about before. Your current customers are one of your biggest advertisers, and giving them the option to show off your location can help turn their friends and family into loyal patrons too.

Hosting and catering events is a version of organic growth which requires little advertising revenue. These event based efforts will be profitable for your business whilst also getting your name and your brand out there to new customers. Association with charities, breweries and wineries can also boost your reputation and get you more recognition and, as a result, more new customers walking in through your door.