How to craft a winning takeaway marketing strategy in the UK for 2024

There’s a growing trend towards healthier takeaway options in response to consumer demand for more nutritious choices. Have you seen shifts in the orders that your business has received in recent weeks or months?

Many takeaway restaurants now offer online ordering and delivery services through websites and mobile apps. During the pandemic, it started as a necessity to stay in business and is now an essential component for convenient food access. Do you have the infrastructure to support this demand?

Crafting a winning takeaway marketing strategy requires knowing what your audience wants and can meet those needs. If your revenues aren’t where you’d like them to be, there are some steps to take that can help to correct the situation.

Why traditional strategies aren’t enough today

Consumers today value convenience more than ever. They seek quick and hassle-free shopping experiences, leading to the rise of online shopping, delivery services, and digital payment options.

Those preferences extend to a UK takeaway business in 2024.

In fact, UK food delivery marketing is in a completely different place today than it was even during the pandemic months. The benefits of having convenient access to menu choices allow customers to pick what they want at a time that works for them.

They can place a takeaway order in the afternoon so that they know it will be ready when coming home. It is an easy way to have lunch available when a known break occurs.

People save time. Your business must adapt to stay relevant, which is why UK takeaway promotion ideas are helpful.

In conclusion, consumer behaviour is dynamic and influenced by a multitude of factors, including technology, societal changes and economic conditions. Understanding these changes is crucial for businesses to stay relevant and meet the evolving needs of their customers.

Consumers in 2024 prioritize convenience, driving the rise in online food ordering and evolving consumer behaviors. Businesses must adapt and understand these shifts for continued relevance.

Digital marketing choices for takeaways

Digital marketing delivers lots of value for takeaways without requiring an extensive investment. Many platforms let you get information out to your community for free, so the only thing that needs to be added is your sweat equity.

The primary choice for digital marketing involves email. It converts well and creates relationships when your content is relevant and helpful. Even if you have a significant database to manage, the results are often around a 40:1 revenue-to-expense ratio.

Here are some additional options to consider using when you’re ready to scale your takeaway business.

  • Online Ordering: Invest in a user-friendly website with online ordering capabilities. Make it easy for customers to browse your menu and place orders from the comfort of their homes.
  • PPC Advertising: Consider running advertising on platforms like Google Ads. You’ll have more opportunities to increase engagement when you target specific keywords that generate interest within your target audience.
  • Food Delivery Apps: Partner with companies in your area that deliver food from your business to consumers, then look for menu integration options to streamline the process.
  • Social Media: Create and maintain active profiles on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Visual content, like your best dishes, can engage your audience at times when they’re ready to place an order.
  • ePOS: Tools like Grafterr deliver streamlined workflows while increasing personal access to your business offerings. 

You can even write blog posts, create videos about your food, offer cooking tips, or deliver industry insights. You’ll likely see profitable results when your digital marketing investments show value and solve problems!

Do you have loyalty programs or partnerships?

Loyalty programs and partnerships offer several benefits for customers. They can earn discounts, money back on purchases or other rewards that encourage them to return to your business.

Members often receive exclusive offers and promotions unavailable to regular customers. This process establishes a relationship with your takeaway branding to encourage frequent purchases.

If you’re interested in using this option for takeaway marketing strategy in UK markets, here are the steps to follow. 

  1. Define what you want to achieve with the program, such as increasing customer retention or boosting sales.
  2. Review your customer base to identify their preferences and shopping habits. What motivates someone to come to you?
  3. Determine the types of rewards you’ll offer.
  4. Create a structured program with clear rules and guidelines.
  5. Decide how customers will earn and redeem rewards, including the criteria for eligibility.
  6. You’ll need a way to manage the program. Popular options include mobile apps and online portals.
  7. Set a budget for this marketing strategy.
  8. Launch your program with a marketing campaign to inform existing and potential customers. Use various channels, including email and social media.
  9. Implement a system to track customer activity and reward redemptions. Several software platforms are available to help with this step.
  10. Ensure customers can easily access and use their rewards by creating a streamlined redemption process.
  11. Be transparent about the terms and conditions of your program.

Once the loyalty program or partnership is established, you’ll want to keep monitoring its progress. It can take some time to develop return business opportunities, but you don’t want to keep marketing in a way that costs more than you make from it into perpetuity.

The best loyalty programs continuously add value to your takeaway business and customers.

Loyalty programs foster customer retention through exclusive offers and structured rewards. To succeed, businesses should define goals, set budgets, manage and monitor their programs, ensuring transparency and ongoing value.

Are you harnessing the power of data and analytics?

Selecting the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is crucial for measuring the success of your UK takeaway marketing efforts in 2024.

Although each business is unique, these KPIs provide plenty of value for almost everyone.

  • Customer Retention Rate: It measures the percentage of customers who continue to engage with your brand and participate in the rewards program over a specified period.
  • Customer Acquisition Cost: This KPI measures how much it costs to bring in a new customer who completes a transaction with your takeaway company.
  • Customer Lifetime Value: With this indicator, you can estimate the total value each consumer brings to your business across the entire relationship. The data makes it easier to understand the long-term impacts of your marketing decisions.
  • Churn Rate: This KPI shows the percentage of people who stop engaging with your brand or leave the rewards program.
  • Average Transaction Value: It looks at the average amount each customer spends per transaction. Monitoring this data helps determine if your outreach efforts are profitable.

You can look at your customer engagement metrics as a group KPI or through the lens of individual data points. It helps to analyse open, click-through, and response rates for program-related emails or notifications to see how prospects interact with your messaging.

Then, look at your ROI (Return on Investment). This metric compares the revenue generated from your marketing activities to your costs, including expenses and rewards from loyalty programs.

What tangible steps do you take to improve the customer experience?

Creating a seamless customer experience is more than providing good service. It’s a potent UK takeaway marketing strategy in 2024!

When businesses prioritise delivering a hassle-free, enjoyable interaction at every touchpoint, they invest in customer retention and acquisition. These outcomes are possible for any business, especially in the service and hospitality industries.

Encourage word-of-mouth marketing

Satisfied customers become brand evangelists. They share their positive experiences through word of mouth and social media, which can significantly influence potential customers.

The goal is to provide a consistent and effortless experience because those interactions foster trust and loyalty. People are more likely to return with such a positive outcome and even become brand advocates, spreading the word to friends and family.

Higher lifetime value

Customers who have a smooth journey with a brand tend to spend more over time. They also provide recurring revenue, making them highly valuable.

You’ll discover that happy customers are more cost-effective to retain than to acquire new ones. Spending on marketing campaigns can be reduced when existing customers stay loyal.

Data-driven improvements

In industries where products or services are similar, the customer experience becomes a key differentiator. It can sway purchasing decisions in favour of one company over another.

You need data from your UK food delivery marketing and other promotion ideas to improve and refine your efforts. Collecting feedback and information is the foundation of a future seamless customer experience.

Building a reputation

Customers are more likely to switch to a competitor when they encounter friction or inconvenience. If you can develop a reputation for exceptional service, you can set your takeaway business from competitors and attract new customers.

Online reviews and ratings play a pivotal role in modern purchasing decisions. A strong reputation provides extra time and flexibility to get things right with a consumer instead of receiving an immediate negative review.

Improving customer experience is pivotal in 2024’s UK takeaway marketing. Seamless interactions, positive word-of-mouth, data-driven refinements, and a strong reputation boost customer retention and loyalty.

Now is the perfect time to pursue UK takeaway promotion ideas!

A seamless customer experience isn’t just a nice-to-have. It is a strategic imperative in today’s competitive business landscape.

When you get it right, your UK takeaway business in 2024 will have numerous ways to reach new customers and support your current ones.

As a takeaway marketing strategy in UK markets, you can drive customer loyalty and achieve sustainable growth by focusing on the relevant KPIs for your audience. Businesses that invest in creating a seamless journey will find themselves building their brand and profitable opportunities.

People need to know you’re ready to provide an incredible and seamless experience. Your takeaway marketing will accomplish that! Invest in these ideas to see how your opportunities can start expanding this year and beyond.