Here might be a useful topic where people can share ideas about how to get customers to order from your own site, and not expensive directories. Here are a few ideas I have thought of, but feel free to add more and benefit everyone (except people charging high percentages ).
[]Make sure your online ordering (however you do that) gives the customers the ability to add the online ordering page to their home screen and/or their bookmarks. Adding to the home screen will give the ordering page the look and feel of an app and the convenience of just being able to launch it. Also, don’t rush out to create your own app, even if companies are making these affordable to you. People are getting tired of everybody wanting them to put their app on their phone. It’s too much and the entire idea will eventually fail. The browser will win the war and be the prominently used method of searching and doing because it’s one app that can go anyplace, and no installs needed, and no upgrades needed.
[]Make sure the customer can see an order history and has his card info stored (securely) for quick ordering. They are coming to expect this. If the customer wants his order info saved, then he signs up really quickly giving you info, and BANG, the marketing info begins to flow.
[]Grab that email, text number and other info from the customer, and advertise back to them after they order directly from you, like these services do. They get the order for you, and then they train your customers that this is how they order from you so that they always get the order first. A vicious cycle. Your customers need to be retrained. How about a 5 or 10% discount if they place another order that week directly from you? Money or savings is a useful re-trainer.
[]Obviously, blanket your sit down menu with notifications that you now take online orders directly from your site. Possibly offer a 10% discount with first online order. Sure you lose money the first time, but still not as much as you lose with GH and others, and you won’t keep losing it. That’s the point.
[]Put the fact that you have online ordering (and a discount) on your coupons if the takeout or delivery was placed by phone to encourage next order to be online rather than phone.
[]Add a link to your online ordering in yelp, facebook and other sites that get a lot of eyeballs.
[]Put a prominent sign right at your front counter checkout.
[]Display prominently on your outside sign and/or windows. Your sign is one of your best advertising vehicles you have and it’s basically free,
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