Tips for Acquiring New Customers in the Food Service Industry | Efficiency Is the Key to Better Results!

Three Reasons Why It’s Difficult to Start a New Restaurant Business

Why is it so difficult to attract new customers to restaurants? Let’s start by taking a look at the real challenges faced on the ground.

Restaurants are always busy

When sales representatives visit, store owners are usually either preparing for the day or serving customers. Salespeople who show up unexpectedly during these busy times can easily come across as a distraction to the store owner.

The high barrier of "the person in charge is not available"

It’s all too common for sales representatives to visit a store only to be told, “The manager isn’t here right now,” and have the visit end there. Without a system in place to verify working hours or strategically adjust the timing of follow-up visits, this will only lead to more wasted trips back and forth.

The Limits of "Spray-and-Pray" Sales

A haphazard approach that charges ahead without narrowing down targets increases the rate of rejection and takes a toll on sales representatives’ morale. The inefficient pursuit of “quantity” ultimately leads to team members leaving and a decline in morale.

Sales Strategies for Restaurants

Here are some methods for marketing to restaurants.

• Cold calling: Visiting target stores to introduce our products
• Cold calling: We secure appointments over the phone in advance and conduct business meetings online or in person.
• FAX/Direct Mail: We will send promotional materials via fax or direct mail to all stores on the list at once.
• Word-of-mouth referrals: We ask stores with which we have existing contracts to refer us to stores or business owners they know.

Tips for Achieving Results: Timing and Targeting

To reduce unnecessary visits and take the first step toward building relationships, the following two points are essential.

Always avoid peak hours

In the restaurant business, the time of the visit is the single most important factor influencing the closing rate.

• No visits allowed: 11:00 AM–2:00 PM (lunch), 6:00 PM–9:00 PM (dinner)
• Recommended times: 2:30 PM–4:30 PM

The two hours before the post-lunch break or before evening preparations begin are when the owner is usually free, so you’re more likely to be able to speak with them.

Narrow down your target audience

Instead of targeting “all restaurants,” let’s define the types of establishments that are best suited for our service.

The key to success is to analyze scale, business type, price range, and location, and prioritize listing businesses that will “definitely benefit from our services” and “targets similar to customers who have already achieved concrete results.”

Dramatically Boost Your Conversion Rate! How to Streamline New Business Development

When it comes to new business development, rather than spending too much time on a single prospect, create a system that efficiently identifies the "must-visit" businesses with the highest likelihood of closing a deal.

Eliminate travel time by thoroughly implementing "route sales"

We use maps and lists to thoroughly eliminate unnecessary travel.

• Creating a "single-stroke" route: By planning your route as a "single-stroke" path, you can reduce travel time and maximize the number of stops.
• Utilizing Tools: Since manually creating routes is a significant burden, it is important to implement tools that allow sales representatives to visualize their destinations on a map or automatically plan routes, thereby reducing their administrative workload.

Related News >> UPWARD Featured in *Nihon Shokuryo Shimbun* (LINE Yahoo’s digital transformation )

Improve the accuracy of the list

Before your visit, be sure to check any information you can gather from the exterior, the website (including social media and food review sites), and your past visit history.

• Have you already implemented another company’s service?
• What’s the current status of your business (limited-time menus, events, etc.)?
• What was the response like to past outreach efforts?

By systematically compiling and sharing information gathered in advance and during site visits, organizations can reduce wasted sales efforts and improve the conversion rate of sales opportunities.

log helps ensure a smooth handover process even when staff members are transferred or leave the company.

Avoid Being Turned Away at the Door! Tips for That First Line

We’ll also summarize some practical tips that sales representatives can use on the job.

State the benefits within the first 15 seconds

To get a busy shop owner to listen to you, the key is to make them think, “Hmm, I’d like to hear more about that.” Start by briefly explaining the results achieved at nearby stores and the benefits your approach offers.

• Example of what not to say: "I'm a sales representative from [Company Name]. I'm here to introduce our services."
• Example: "I’m here to share the strategy that helped a nearby store, [Store Name], increase its lunch-time customer traffic by [X]%."

Since sales approaches vary depending on the product, it’s important to share and refine the sales pitches and successful case studies of top-performing salespeople within the company.

Using "I'll be back" as a weapon

If the shop owner seems busy, I won’t linger—I’ll leave after about 30 seconds. However, a professional’s trick is to hand over only the materials that might be useful and say, “I’ll drop by again around [time],” to set the stage for an efficient follow-up visit.

Providing a sense of reassurance through case studies from other companies

Restaurant owners are very attuned to the success stories of nearby establishments. By presenting specific examples of success, you can instantly gain their trust.

A clean appearance is also important　

Cleanliness is especially important in the food service industry. Be mindful of your appearance so as not to make a poor first impression. Polite, concise language and a neat, clean appearance are essential tools for making the most of your limited time.

In addition, to avoid appearing tired, it is essential to streamline sales operations and maintain team morale so that we can perform at our best when meeting with customers.

Team Management: What Sales Managers Should Keep in Mind

Managers are responsible for creating an environment where their team members can continue to make the necessary efforts to achieve results.

Include "quality" as well as "quantity" in the evaluation criteria

Instead of focusing on the number of rejections, evaluate whether you are visiting clients at the right time and via the most efficient routes, and whether you are producing high-quality interview reports. Since it’s difficult to close a deal in a single visit, give proper credit for gathering information that can serve as a hook for the next visit or help determine the best timing for your next approach.

Standardizing the "format" of conversations

We provide "killer phrases" and conversation scripts that anyone can use, regardless of individual sales skills. By using systems to bridge gaps in experience and proposal-writing ability, we can elevate the performance of the entire team.

Effective management of information and lists is key to improving performance

In sales, the on-site information gathered by field workers is a "goldmine." Let’s establish a system to make the most of this information and put a robust support structure in place.

log the "reason for rejection"

log reasons such as "I'm busy right now," "I can consider it next month," or "I'm already using another company" to prevent unnecessary follow-ups.

A shared system to prevent reliance on individual expertise

We’ll share information such as “You can speak to someone at this store at [time]” and “The owner is there on [day of the week]” to ensure a smooth transition when staff members change.

Make Reporting Easier with Tools

By implementing a system that allows sales representatives to easily enter data via their smartphones while on the go (such as sales support tools like UPWARD that utilize location data and AI), you can reduce administrative tasks after returning to the office and create an environment where sales representatives can focus on their core sales activities.

Summary: Efficiency is the fastest route to business growth for restaurants

Cold calling for restaurants is definitely not something you can get through on sheer "grit" or "determination" alone.

Optimizing these three key areas —preparation, timing, and route— and creating an environment where sales representatives can make their rounds with confidence and a smile. That is the only proven strategy for ultimately maximizing the number of franchise locations.

If you feel your current sales approach has reached its limits, why not start by exploring ways to build a system for improving efficiency?

What You Can Do with UPWARD

With "UPWARD," a tool specifically designed to support field workers such as restaurant sales staff, you can streamline sales operations for restaurants.

Data is automatically saved

Automatically summarizes conversations during visits to create daily reports

Display the target list on the map

Must-visit spots and efficient "stop-by" stops

Visualize your sales targets in a game-like way

Visualize new prospects on a map using your preferred symbols and colors

UPWARD has a proven track record of success in sales for restaurant franchisees, as well as in sales of services and products. We encourage you to try a demo or download our materials.