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Move your customers from third party online ordering sites to your own

Posted by Elizabeth Kelly

Elizabeth was the Marketing Specialist for SpeedLine Solutions from 2017 to 2021. As the previous Managing Editor for the On Point Blog, she ensured our audiences got the restaurant and delivery technology information and news that we're known for.

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Third-party online ordering services can be a great way to introduce your restaurant to new delivery customers. Many restaurants create partnerships with these companies for that express purpose.

But because the fees associated with these services can take a big bite out of your profit margin, it’s critical to turn these new customers into loyal users of your own online ordering site as quickly as possible.

How do you do it? By giving them a reason. Think incentives.

 

Box Toppers

In a recent post on the PMQ Magazine Think Tank forum, one owner suggests the use of box toppers to grab the attention of third-party online ordering customers and steer them to the company’s own online ordering site for future orders. On your box toppers for orders from third-party sites, offer a discount code for next order—if they order off your restaurant website.

 

Online-Only Deals

Offer a special deal available only online—on your own online ordering site. Kevin Wade, owner of Previti Pizza in Midtown Manhattan in a webinar with Pizza Marketplace talked about how he offers discounts to encourage customers to order directly from him. "[We] offer a discount if you order with our app or with our store, usually a 10%, or even 15% off, to get them to order with us over ordering with those third parties." 

 

Loyalty Rewards

Offer a loyalty bonus for customers who order direct from your branded site.

 

Direct Marketing

Get a pulse on which neighbourhoods your deliveries are going to, and consider a direct mail campaign targeting them. Your local postal service offers direct mail services based on neighbourhoods, demographics and ZIP codes. Ensure your postcard, coupons, or flyers direct the recipient to your website, where they can place orders directly.

 

Get Contact Information

Do you have a customer newsletter? Send out flyers or box toppers with third-party orders with an incentive to subscribe. Offer something special such as exclusive coupons and deals or invitations to VIP events. In every issue, give customers a reason to order from you directly online.

Use the same techniques on Facebook and Instagram—or a text marketing campaign—to get customers in the habit of ordering directly from your branded online ordering site.

Continue to encourage your customers to order directly from your site by promoting the benefits: exclusive deals, loyalty bonuses, or delivery savings, for example—and remind your customers that they may be paying more for delivery when they order from a third-party site.

What incentives are you using to convert customers over to ordering direct?

 


Posted on Wed, Jul 18, 2018 @ 08:07 AM.
Updated on October 19, 2020 @ 8:20 PM PST.


Tags: Online Ordering, Restaurant Marketing, Third-Party Integrations

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