Updated 3/15/2022: Menufy has migrated from digital marketing management to HungerRush 360 Marketing.

Email is considered one of the most effective marketing channels, ranking even higher than social media. It nurtures brand awareness for restaurants and helps grow the existing customer database for future promotions.

Promoting your restaurant through email marketing is now easier than ever with an integrated solution, and free!

We are excited to now offer free email marketing to our restaurant partners. Restaurateurs can create custom email campaigns within the Manager portal at no additional cost.

“I love that this will empower our restaurant partners to have some creative liberties when it comes to marketing to their customers,” suggested Nikki Finley, Menufy digital marketing specialist.

This free email marketing tool is an excellent way for Menufy restaurants to connect with repeat customers, promote new menu items, and announce upcoming specials. Restaurants that don’t have experience in email marketing can explore this incredible asset without any financial investment.

How it Works

Restaurant owners have access to a multitude of operational and marketing features through their Menufy Manager Portal. The email campaign feature can be found alongside familiar tools and can now create custom marketing campaigns without navigating to a third-party website. 

Email marketing can be used to create interest in your Coupons, Quick Deals, Tasty Rewards, or any specials or announcements you would like to share with your customers. These promotions can help increase orders and attract new customers to your restaurant.

This tool can be used to brag about new menu items or seasonal dishes that your customers will love. 

If the menu special or item you want to publicize is not listed on your Menufy ordering site, please email menu@menufy.com so our Menu team can add it for you. If you use Menufy through your Clover POS, make sure you add it to your menu first.

Email List

Customer emails are a valuable marketing resource for your restaurant. They provide a direct line of communication to your most loyal customers as well as to the ones who need reminding.

With our new free email marketing tool, connecting with your customers is no longer complicated.

Each time a customer orders through your Menufy ordering website, they have the option to opt-in to email promotions. This generates a list of your customers’ emails that you can easily download from your Manager Portal.

How many email addresses has your restaurant collected with Menufy? View our guide on how to check this information.

​​Do you have an external email list that you'd like to add to your current Menufy customer database? Our team can help you with that, too!

Subject & Message

The email subject is the first thing customers will see when they receive your email. Seize this opportunity to create something captivating and intriguing that will translate to customer clicks. Phrases such as "Free Item," "Redeem Your Reward," or "Special Offer" are powerful and will pique your customers’ interest. 

When creating your first email marketing campaign, you’ll need to consider what message you are trying to convey to your patrons. The wording in your email campaign should be specific and concise.

Clearly state your restaurant’s announcement, including the important “need to know” details. Exclude extraneous information that might confuse customers or dilute the main subject of your message.

Enticing Image

“People eat with their eyes first,” suggests Marcus Walker, digital marketing and client service lead at Menufy. Adding an irresistible food photo will make your customers hungry for more. Our email builder allows you to upload your own alluring picture or search for a free image powered by Unsplash.

CALL TO ACTION

“Many businesses miss an opportunity to drive action because they do not include the right call to action (CTA) in their content,” explained Walker.

By adding a clickable CTA button you can direct customers to your online ordering site to redeem an offer, order in advance, or view your menu.

Schedule Date & Time

Menufy’s free email marketing feature allows restaurants to schedule their emails in advance. “For instance, if there is a holiday, special event, or special offer happening at a future date, restaurants can create and schedule the emails as they need,” explained marketing specialist Nikki Finley. Operators can schedule two campaigns per month at no additional cost to their restaurant. 

If you need to edit the email after it's scheduled, you can. Managers can click on the scheduled email to make adjustments at any time. A helpful timer will appear when editing, letting operators know when that email is scheduled to send in 10 minutes or less.

Analytics

Knowing how well an email campaign performed with patrons allows managers to make adjustments in the future.

Once the email has been sent out to your customers, you will have access to the performance results. These analytics include valuable data on unique opens, clicks, and, most importantly, orders generated from your campaign. 

Best Uses 

Offering an incentive in your email marketing campaigns is an effective way to welcome back customers that may not have ordered from your restaurant in a while. “The incentives we recommend including in email campaigns are Menufy Coupons and/or Quick Deals,” Finley suggests. 

You can also use email marketing to create momentum for new menu items or special occasions, enticing people to order online from your establishment.

Final Thoughts 

The best way to build interest and increase online orders is by communicating with your customers. We created this free email marketing tool to empower our restaurant partners to do just that.

If you are interested in additional marketing, Menufy offers HungerRush 360 Marketing, a premium marketing service.

A certified in-house digital marketing coach will create text and email campaigns that provide incentives that your customers can’t resist.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melissa Dimmitt, Marketing Communications Coordinator

Melissa began her digital marketing career nearly a decade ago at a restaurant group. She worked with restaurant managers and executive chefs while coordinating seasonal menu releases, executing photoshoots, and creating fresh digital content.