Strategy clinic: making the most of the wedding market

Holding wedding receptions can be very profitable. Your marketing materials must be of a high standard to create the best possible image, so produce a special brochure to showcase exactly what you can offer a wedding party. Include good photography - always use a professional - and shots of previous weddings at your restaurant, as well as example menus and testimonials.

As with all marketing, it's essential to identify your target market and how to reach them. Anyone planning a wedding will visit dress shops, jewellers, florists, wedding planners and other specialist services. Try to negotiate deals with these companies where they get a commission for any weddings that book as a result of their recommendation. Try to get your brochure distributed to their customers.

There are a number of magazines that specialise in weddings, so why not send them a press release with photos, following up with a phone call, to see if you can get some free editorial?

Lastly, include specific information about weddings on your website. You can promote this by pay-per-click adverts on search engines such as Google (the ads that appear at the top and right-hand side of every results page). Submit a wide range of keywords and phrases such as "wedding reception venue Oxford" and as many variations as you can think of, including obvious spelling mistakes.

The Restaurant Ingredient

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