As we learned quickly during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, restaurants are hit particularly hard during a disaster. To minimize the weight of challenges during this or any future crisis, it's essential to have a quality marketing plan. These tips can help your restaurant stay afloat during such trying times.

Have a Website—and Keep It Updated

If you don't have a website for your restaurant, there's no time like the present to get one going. You don't need to be a web designer to have a professional site, either. There are many website builders available for free or at a relatively low cost, such as Wix and Weebly. You can also get a free primary website from Menufy.

Once you have a website, keep it updated. Make sure your hours are correct, and your menu is complete. Let your readers know about any specials you're offering, and tell them how to order online. If something changes, immediately change your website—and draw attention to that change.

Be Active on Social Media

Be present on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and local social media platforms such as NextDoor. As with your restaurant's website, make sure all your information is current, and alert your customers to changes. If you're not social media savvy, see if any of your employees are and task them with running your social media. 

Social media is effective because it's instant; customers don't have to go to your restaurant website to find new information. You can post photos of delicious dishes, alert everyone to specials, and give your company a "personality" it may not otherwise have. It also provides a fast way to get to know your clientele and answer questions without spending time on the phone.

If you need inspiration, check out Wendy's or Kogi on Twitter, Sweetgreen on Instagram, and Yo! Sushi on Facebook.

Offer Gift Cards

Gift cards are an excellent way to generate revenue; they're projected to generate $698.2 billion in sales in 2024. As people are shopping for presents during a pandemic, they're often looking for things that their loved ones can use safely—which rules out many options that require close contact. So, they're turning to gift cards for lower-contact experiences such as restaurant carryout and delivery service.

Restaurant gift cards can attract new customers. They can also encourage repeat business if you offer a special, such as "spend $50 on this order, get a $5 gift card." Customers also spend more than they otherwise would if they have a gift card. Additionally, an open secret about gift cards is that unused money equals profit: The money is already in your till, whether or not the card is redeemed.

If you don't currently offer gift cards, you can manage them through services such as GiftFly and HoneyBook.

Give Food Away

It may seem counterintuitive to give your food away during a pandemic, but this can be a confidence booster for your customers—and a revenue booster for you. Workers in high-risk jobs could appreciate a break from cooking. If you tell your customers you're donating food to these groups via a donation option or a "buy a meal, we donate a meal" promotion, they may be more likely to purchase from you. 

These front-line workers may also remember and become customers in the future. As a bonus, making and delivering these meals means you have more work for your employees, which will allow them to earn more money during these hard times while lowering the need for seeking other jobs.

Go Old School With Signs and Door Hangers

Transportation data suggests that people have been walking and biking more than driving during COVID-19, especially early on. Putting large signs up on your business saying, "Yes, we're open!" can draw their eyes as they mosey by. If your local area allows signs to be posted elsewhere, such as on walking trails or street corners, do this as well.

While people often immediately throw away direct mailers, they find door hangers harder to ignore. This tactic is a contact-free way to let potential customers know you're open and to tell them about your specials and how they can order. In typical times, door hangers show a return on investment of between 4% and 8%; if you manage to get your hangers on 1,000 doors, that's 40 to 80 new customers! As with signs, be sure to check local laws before sending your employees out on these adventures. If you don't already have a company that creates such materials for you, Vistaprint offers both services.