It’s become a cliché of business management that it costs more to attract a new customer than to keep an old customer happy. But that doesn’t negate the fact that to grow and succeed, brands need frequent infusions of new customers who find out about the restaurant, visit it, love it, come back for more, and spread the word.

So how can quick-service brands successfully—and cost-efficiently—draw new customers? In the age of social media and digital experiences, no less? We spoke with experts at a variety of chains to find out how they leverage their marketing efforts.

1. Change the channel

Loyalty is good, but not when a restaurant’s loyalty to a particular marketing channel keeps it from using more effective ones. Businesses that look to the future and the past, experiment with new platforms, and turn regular consumer hangout spots into brand-new marketing channels are the ones that attract eyeballs—and customers.

Social media has long been a leader for brands that want to build awareness, especially if they’re on a budget. Facebook posts, Instagram stories, and tweets are free, and some social platforms let businesses promote or boost their posts or accounts to reach more people.

“Facebook is the No. 1 tool we use to get out there,” says Bill Hart, cofounder of Bubbakoo’s Burritos, which has 24 locations in New Jersey and eight more coming soon in New Jersey and New York. “When we focus on something that’s local or something that everybody’s engaged in, our posts get double the exposure, if not triple. So when we do giveaways like ‘spread the word for a free gift card,’ we’ll boost the post and will get anywhere from 30,000 to 40,000 views on it. It gets the word out there organically just through people sharing with their friends and talking about it.”

While social media is practically de rigueur today, some brands are also looking to platforms that have social media–like qualities but aren’t strictly marketing channels: review sites. “Our team is hard-focused on the reviews we get through Yelp, Facebook, and Google Business,” says Charity Faith, chief of staff at SkinnyFATS, a restaurant that offers “Healthy” and “Happy” menu options and has five locations with three more on the way. “While we can’t win every guest, we certainly try—by responding to their concerns and being genuine in our efforts to quickly resolve any service flaws and consistency issues.” Quick serves that track and respond to comments on the most popular review sites can turn even negative reviews into an opportunity to win over diners who are looking for somewhere new to eat.

All this isn’t to say that brands should abandon traditional marketing and advertising channels for digital ones. Bubbakoo’s is adding TV commercials to its list of marketing channels, for example. “We’re hoping to spread out a little farther and hit people who maybe aren’t on Facebook, or who may be on Facebook but are watching TV instead of their phones,” Hart says. “There’s a reason why larger brands are on TV and have been for years. We want to be around for years, so we want to follow suit.”

Like many businesses, the restaurant consultancy Goliath Consulting Group spends a lot of time on digital—from Google ads to geofencing ads on social media—but it also makes sure to bundle in traditional advertising for clients as well. For example, billboards have been around for eons because they work, so Goliath makes use of them.

“Billboard space is much more competitive today than it used to be, because folks know the power of putting a billboard near a restaurant,” says president Jay Bandy. This is especially true for restaurants that aren’t easily visible from the street.

Brands that have a broad customer base and a budget to match may find that the best strategy is to use various channels to reach different demographics via their favorite media. “Broadcast TV is certainly the best match to get awareness and trial,” says Jennifer Chasteen, vice president of brand strategy and activation at Church’s Chicken, which boasts more than 900 locations across the U.S. “And we’ve found that digital channels continue to grow in importance, especially as delivery and catering become growth areas. For Church’s, we use an integrated approach across all of the marketing channels, from TV and radio all the way to print and social and digital. It really allows us to reach customers with the right message at the right time.”

2. Get the timing right

Speaking of the right message at the right time, a marketing calendar helps limited-service chains and their franchisees plan out promotions that make the best use of their data and resources; pinpoint the best times to do, say, a boosted Facebook post or a Valpak promotion; and even schedule social media content.

A long lead time gives operators time to brainstorm their marketing and promotions, and then they hash out the details as the deadlines draw near, tweaking content and timing as needed. “The way we do it is that the first quarter of the marketing calendar is detailed,” Bandy says. “The second quarter is a little less granular, and the third and fourth quarters just have the big items.”

For example, PJ’s Coffee, a New Orleans–based chain with 105 locations in eight states, lays out its marketing calendar about a year in advance; Church’s Chicken does the same 18 months in advance. Both brands finalize their calendars five or six months out from each promotion launch. “This really helps us evaluate consumer trends and purchasing behaviors within our markets, as well as make sure that our commodities are having a really strong cost of goods,” says Reid Nolte, vice president of brand strategy at PJ’s Coffee.

Wondering what to put on those calendars to bring in new customers? National holidays and the changing seasons are a staple of marketing calendars everywhere—but tying into a holiday that resonates with the brand’s location or values helps it stand out from all the competitors that are jumping on the “pumpkin spice for fall” and “BOGO for 4th of July” bandwagons.