Unveiling the Art of Identifying Target Customers for Restaurants (with Examples)

Identifying the portrait of target customers is an indispensable analytical step in any marketing campaign, across all industries and sectors. The realm of restaurant business and dining services is no exception.

Don't just think that pinpointing the profile of target customers falls solely under the purview of the marketing department. This is at least a set of tasks that every manager or restaurant owner needs to comprehend in order to understand their products and services, grasp their customer base, and evaluate the effectiveness of their marketing team.

Join us as we delve into this comprehensive guide brought to you by the PasGo Team!

Decoding the Essence of Target Customers and Why Sketching Their Portrait Matters

Target customers encompass all individuals with potential interest in the products and services within your restaurant or eatery business.

The advertising budget for any business or restaurant owner is always limited, and no one is wealthy enough (or willing) to reach and 'care for' all those who 'might be interested.' Hence, you need to precisely define the profile of the customers you want to target, in order to:

• Save marketing costs for the restaurant
  
• Target the audience most attracted to the restaurant's products and services
  
• Create more personalized advertising content for each customer
  
• Identify the exact 'issues' that diners are facing and address them effectively
  
• Boost conversion rates of advertising campaigns, increase potential customer base, and enhance revenue for the restaurant

Finding the Right Set of Target Customers Will Optimize Advertising Costs for Restaurants

How to Identify the Portrait of Target Customers

Step 1: Gain a profound understanding of your products and services.

What's wrong here, you ask? We're talking about understanding customers, right? The answer is a definite 'no.'

Because, if you're the one handling marketing, a manager, or a restaurant owner, and you don't have a clear grasp of your products and services, you won't know what your customers truly need at your restaurant. Additionally, you won't be aware of the problems your restaurant can solve for customers when they dine in.

To understand the products and services being offered in your restaurant, you need to answer the following questions:

• What products and services does your restaurant provide to customers?
• What problems do these products and services solve for diners?
• What is the Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of the products and services? What sets them apart from competitors?
• Are there any drawbacks or disadvantages to the products and services you are offering?

After gaining a thorough understanding of your products and services, here are the steps for you to identify the portrait of target customers for your restaurant:

Step 2: Analyze the Demographics of Customers

Factors to determine in demographics typically include:

• Gender
• Age
• Geographical location
• Educational background
• Occupation, job title
• Income
• Marital status
• Life events
• Relationships
• ...

These demographic data, besides helping you understand customers for dining service, are particularly useful if you need to advertise the restaurant on paid channels like Google Adwords or Facebook Ads. The more specific information you have about target customers, the higher the accuracy when 'targeting' advertisements.

Depending on the product, some demographic factors mentioned above may not need identification. This list is not a fixed formula; you can flexibly add or subtract details to align with the goals of your restaurant business.

Additionally, if your restaurant or eatery has a Facebook fan page with a substantial following, don't forget to leverage data in Facebook Insights to gather information and reach customers more accurately.

Step 3: Identify Interests

Further 'specify' the portrait of potential restaurant customers by analyzing interest groups they might be interested in, such as:

• Culinary interests
• Technology
• Entertainment
• Business industry
• Fashion shopping
• Sports
• Healthcare
• ...

Step 4: Identify Customer Behavior

'Behavior' plays a significant role in both the psychology and decision-making abilities of customers. This is the final factor you need to determine for each of your patrons, although it's not a simple task due to the varied nature of behaviors, including logical and emotional aspects. It typically includes:

• Consumer behavior (purchasing)
• Online behavior
• Usage behavior of mobile devices
• Mobility and travel behavior
• Behavior when expressing attitudes and opinions
• ...

Precise identification of target customers brings your business plan closer to success

Key Considerations

1. The more detailed the customer information, the better

When you have to pinpoint target customers for your product, what would you list? Take a look at this example:

• Gender: All
• Age: 20 – 45
• Geographical location: Ho Chi Minh City
• Income: Moderate and above
• Marital status: Single or married
• Interest: Dining
• ...

Did you notice anything 'unusual' in the way target customers are identified above?

It's that 'your customers' belong to every gender, every marital status, which means... undefined. So listing these items here is redundant. Skip them if unnecessary, or specify and be more accurate. The more detailed the portrait of target customers, the easier it is for you to 'visualize' and reach them later, helping you categorize customers more clearly.

Example of specific identification:

• Male, aged 22 – 45
• Residing in Districts 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, Ho Chi Minh City,
• Average income from 10 million VND/month and above,
• Marital status: Single
• Culinary interests: Enjoys seafood, likes appetizers, prefers fast food
• ...

2. Utilize Clever Questionnaires

During research, leverage existing data about the restaurant's loyal customers for analysis. Additionally, conduct surveys on social media or interview customers directly at the restaurant,...

Regardless of the method, pay attention to how you frame questions in surveys or interviews to make your customers feel open and comfortable to share. This will reveal the most 'valuable' information for you to envision them better.

Create an Imaginary Customer Portrait (Persona)

This step, though incredibly fascinating, is often overlooked by many who deem it unnecessary. However, it's the phase that helps you vividly envision each potential customer the restaurant aims to reach. It's also a practice employed by most professional marketing entities when launching new products.

After gathering essential information from the previous steps, you begin sketching the persona of an ideal customer for your restaurant. Despite being termed 'imaginary,' you need to understand that this is the most potential future customer for your restaurant. This character will encompass all necessary details, the more detailed, the better.

1. Reference example on how to create the persona of an imaginary customer

• Your Restaurant's Name

- The Seafood World ABC

• Products

- Delicious seafood dishes with fresh catches swimming, priced at an average of 300 – 500,000 VND/person/meal.

• Simulated Customer

- Tran Manh Tien

• Basic Information

- 28-year-old male, residing in his own house in Da Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Currently in a relationship, working as a software engineer for a technology company in Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCMC. Average monthly income of 20 million VND, enjoys good food without being overly particular about locations, likes gathering with friends, and has a passion for travel.

• Customer's Online Behavior

- Spends around 3 – 5 hours per day on Facebook, mainly in the early morning (6-7 AM), noon (12-1 PM), and evening (8-11 PM).

- Actively participates in various Facebook community groups related to cars, high-performance racing, and smartphones, engaging in lively discussions.

- Prefers posts with many images and minimal text.

- Does not use Instagram.

- Uses Zalo but engages in minimal chatting.

• A Typical Day in the Customer's Life

- Wakes up, has breakfast, and heads to work during regular office hours.

- Evening activities involve hanging out with the girlfriend on a motorbike or working on outsourcing projects at home. Typically goes to bed around midnight.

- Has a habit of taking the girlfriend out to restaurants regularly in the evenings or on weekends, around 2-5 times a month.

• Influencers on Customer's Dining Decision

- Girlfriend: often follows her opinions when dining together.

- Lives with parents in a separate house but isn't influenced by their opinions when going out to eat.

• Customer's Current Worries or Fears

- Afraid of upsetting the girlfriend by not satisfying her.

• Favorite Customer Brands

- FPT, Tra Phuc Long, CGV, Hyundai, The World of Seafood,

• Customer's Idolized Figures

- Cristiano Ronaldo, Son Tung MTP, Tra My Idol, Jack Ma, Elon Musk,…

• Customer's Goals and Dreams

- Achieve a promotion, increase income to 30 million/month in the next year

- Get married within the next 2 years

- Embark on journeys to explore new regions

• What your restaurant does for customers?

- Enjoying delicious fresh seafood meals weekly/monthly for a healthy and reasonably priced option that pleases the significant other

- Booking private rooms for group gatherings, birthdays

- Or organizing special events for proposals, celebration parties

2. Considerations when creating customer portraits

- Aim to construct at least 3 personas. While these 3 personas may not cover all your target customers, they provide clear directions for your imagination.

- After each practice, you'll get better at sketching personas with the most typical information and characteristics for the potential customer groups your restaurant is targeting.

Highlight customer segments to know who you're talking to and how to communicate with them

Above is the insight into determining the target customers for a restaurant. Understanding who your customers are, their characteristics, and the challenges they are facing will guide you in crafting the right content and approaching them smartly, efficiently, and economically.

'The only way to know what to say in advertising and marketing campaigns is to understand who you're talking to and what they want to hear.'

Wishing all restaurant businesses success,

Best regards,