The pizza business is big business.
It’s a near $46 billion market in the U.S., with an astonishing 77,000 pizzerias.
And this huge market isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. Whether it’s thin New York style, stuffed Chicago Style, or doughy Detroit style, Americans can’t get enough.
But how will your little (or not-so-little) pizza restaurant stand out from the other 76,999?
Social media is absolutely the right place to start. A gorgeous feed full of gooey cheesy goodness will attract followers and fans.
But there are other techniques you’ll need if you’re going to compete in 2020.
So I’m going to walk you through three marketing methods that you can use to get all the eyes on your pies.
1. SMS Marketing
What is it?
SMS stands for “short message service.” It’s a fancy name for a text message.
SMS marketing is simply sending text messages directly to your customers’ phones. You can use these texts to provide a coupon, inform customers of a special entree, or inform them about a special event.
SMS messages have a 160 character limit, so they’re short and sweet.
There are also MMS messages—“multimedia message service”. MMS messages allow you to use images, videos, and gifs in your texts.
Why do it?
First of all, what does almost everyone have? An estimated 96 percent of Americans have a cellphone.
Eighty-one percent of those cellphones are smartphones. But a smartphone isn’t even necessary to get SMS messages.
Also, the rules that govern SMS messaging help you to target only the people that really want to hear from you.
Because it is permission-based, customers have to opt-in to receive your messages.
SMS marketers can’t just buy phone numbers and start sending messages. That’s a violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and can result in big fines.
And, you have to provide a simple way for people to opt-out if they change their mind about hearing from you.
These rules mean that SMS marketing is one of the least spammy ways that you can reach your customers.