Community Marketing for Restaurants: Becoming Part of the Neighbourhood

Restaurants often talk about building a community when what they really mean is building an audience. Community marketing works when a venue becomes meaningfully connected to the people, organisations and routines around it.

Map the neighbourhood

Consider residents, offices, schools, sporting clubs, gyms, apartments, hotels, retailers, markets and community organisations.

Be useful before asking for exposure

Support activities that create value for the community rather than simply seeking logo exposure.

Build practical local referrals

Hotels, theatres, coworking spaces and neighbouring businesses can become useful two-way referral relationships.

Use events to bring networks together

Producer nights, business breakfasts, charity dinners and cultural celebrations can give communities a reason to enter the venue.

Tell local stories

Feature producers, staff, neighbourhood history, nearby attractions and community partners.

Creators can add local reach

A creator with a genuinely local audience may be more useful than a larger national account.

Keep promotions truthful

Australian Consumer Law applies to social media promotions, discounts, giveaways and other claims.

Measure relationships, not only impressions

Look at referrals, repeat customers, event attendance, partnership enquiries, database growth and introductions.

Community marketing can create something paid reach cannot buy instantly: a genuine place in the neighbourhood.