| FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
89%
Of Consumers Research Online
Before Selecting A Restaurant
57% Of Consumers View A Restaurant Website When Selecting A Restaurant
Atlanta, GA/July 10, 2007 - AIS Media, Inc., a leading
e-business solutions company and the developer of Excerpo® Mail and
Excerpo® Storefront announced the results of online polling of America’s
consumers concerning the restaurant industry and its approach to the internet
and online marketing. The poll was conducted June 15-20, 2007 of which
2517 consumers nationwide were contacted randomly via email. Results were
then weighted to achieve proper demographic balances. The poll has a margin
of error of +/- 1.69%.
The poll showed that
89% of consumers have researched a restaurant online prior to visiting
a restaurant. This result shows the impact that online services and marketing
are having on the restaurant industry. Among those who research online
prior to selecting a restaurant, 57% of respondents said that they check
out the restaurant’s website. This was greatest among respondents
in the 25-45 age groups and in the Northeast and Pacific coast.
The poll found that
online marketing is working for the restaurant industry. Thirty-nine percent
of respondents liked receiving promotional emails from restaurants with
the two most popular online promotions being coupons for drink or food
specials.
“With competition
at an all time high, and chain restaurants crowding the market, a smaller
restaurant needs to look at new ways to market and entice customers,”
said Harpointner. “Traditional advertising is reaching a diminishing
market. Email and cell phones are overtaking most venues of communication
and with that, an email campaign is far more effective than telephone
book advertising.
“The key in
using email as part of the restaurant’s marketing campaign is to
make sure that is a targeted campaign reaching your potential consumer,”
continued Harpointner. Mass emails are not effective and therefore should
be broken down by demographics. Another major component is complying with
the anti-spam laws. The best advice for restaurants launching an email
campaign is to use a program that can target your niche audience, comply
with existing laws, and allow you to track the results in real time. Emails
for restaurants are per dollar a greater return on investment then any
other source of marketing.”
“Technology
is changing the restaurant industry completely,” said Thomas Harpointner,
CEO of AIS Media. “In the past traditional advertising such as the
newspaper or telephone book was the way most people selected a restaurant.
Advertisements that stood out influenced consumer’s decisions. Today,
the Internet is replacing or becoming additional exposure to traditional
advertising and marketing. The first contact that many people have with
a restaurant is its website. It is critical that a website reflect the
restaurant in its look and feel, is easy to navigate, have a simple way
for a consumer to contact the restaurant, and have mapping directions
to the restaurant.”
“A restaurant’s
website should reflect the dynamics of the restaurant, as well as, the
audience that it is targeting,” continued Harpointner. “Today’s
consumers expect the best in service when frequenting a restaurant and
for many this experience begins when they go online. It is also key to
keep the website updated constantly so consumers continue to return to
it.”
As consumers become
savvier in researching restaurants, the poll found that 33% of respondents
seek out fellow consumer reviews online and base their restaurant selections
on the ratings of fellow consumers. Twenty-nine percent of respondents
based their decisions on newspaper reviews. Consumer reviews carried the
greatest weight in the Midwest and Pacific Coast.
“The internet
is the great equalizer,” said Harpointner. “Customer service
and their experience is key in the restaurant industry. Today, a bad experience
can be lethal for a restaurant’s reputation. One dissatisfied customer
can post a bad review that can be read by consumers throughout the world
and can be reposted on various websites and blogs.”
“Today everyone
plans ahead when traveling,” said Harpointner. “This includes
hotels, tourist sites, and restaurants. Just because a restaurant is close
to a hotel does not ensure that guest will frequent it. With a majority
of travelers researching dining options prior to leaving for a destination
which means if a restaurant does not have an online presence it may never
be considered.”
Among respondents,
32% considered directions with mapping capability as being most important
on a restaurants website. That was followed by 28% who viewed a menu selection
with pricing important, and 24% seeking general restaurant information.
“A restaurant
website should be set up that once the customer arrives at the restaurant
all that they need to do is sit down and enjoy their dining experience
as they have all of the relevant information prior to arriving,”
said Harpointner.
Founded in 1997, AIS
Media is an award-winning provider of professional Internet solutions
that empower businesses to increase revenue, reduce expenses and improve
productivity. The company has developed a suite of Web-based applications
under the proprietary “Excerpo” brand, which focuses on email
marketing and e-commerce. AIS Media’s comprehensive suite of professional
Internet services includes professional website design, application development,
credit card merchant services and Internet consulting. AIS Media’s
solutions are available directly and through its global network of certified
partners.
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