Marketing for Food Trucks 101: 5 Tips We’ve Found to Work
Whether you’re considering entering the mobile food industry, or you’ve recently made your first food trailer purchase- congrats! You’re looking at a multi-million-dollar industry that has provided millions of entrepreneurs a profitable, long term career.
As with any venture, your marketing plan is essential – (as is your business plan, which we have covered right here for you.)
At the end of the day, food trailers and trucks require the same marketing as a brick and mortar joint. We see a very common misconception here all the time; business owners assume that as long as they roll up to a busy place with a decent food truck, the money will roll in.
People are always hungry, right? True- but it doesn’t guarantee you sales. You need a concrete business plan and a creative, well thought out marketing plan to really get your food trailer thriving.
What a Marketing Plan Will Do For Your Food Trailer Business
Just like your business plan, a marketing plan provides you with a succinct overview of how you’re going to place your business in the market and how.
For food trailers and trucks, a marketing plan helps to:
- Create measurable goals
- Motivate your business team
- Create a timeline of marketing activities
- Calculate ROI, break even points and other important numerical analysis
- Form a succinct, defined SWOT analysis
- Determine your advertising methods
- Solidify your branding, messaging, tone etc.
- Align marketing strategies with business goals
- Accurately define your market, segmentation, target customer and demographics
- Prioritize time and priorities
- Assists you in spending money wisely, especially with advertising
Yeah- it’s pretty important that you create a marketing plan.
As we work with aspiring food trailer owners on a daily basis, we wanted to share some marketing tips from the pro’s.
5 Tips For Marketing a Killer Food Trailer Business
Build a Strong Social Media Base for Your Food Trailer
In today’s society, it may seem like a no brainer to actively engage in social media for any business. The reality is, however, social media engagement doesn’t work for every business.
For food trucks and trailers, social media is an absolute must.
Social media is one of the easiest ways to both build a following
and communicate with that following.
That involves everything- your location, menu updates, events you’re attending, contests, giveaways etc. It’s the perfect moving ground for sharp & visually based content and forming a solid path of communication with your followers.
Utilize Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linked In and even Pintrest. Use the strengths of each platform to accelerate your business and brand within the mobile food world.
Another reason social media is so important? The mobile food industry is one built entirely off people on the go. And what do people do on the go?
They browse their smart phones.
They’re looking for new, fresh content. They want to know what’s going on behind the scenes. They want to see your menu and your team come to life, and they want to be driven to find you. They want to engage with brands, even from a distance. They want to share cool and exciting posts from their favorite brands and influencers.
The power of social media and networking is huge. A clear and defined social media strategy is one we consider pretty essential in your business mix.
Engage Your Food Trailer with Food Influencers
Influencers have a really powerful affect. They play a huge role in the purchasing decisions of their followers and heightening brand awareness.
People trust influencers- they trust their word and their reviews of businesses. Influencers end up being a confirmation that a business is worth checking out, or something is worth getting involved in.
Pro tip? Start small. Look at local influencers that have 4,000-9,000 followers in your area. You may not think this holds merit, but it really does. These influencers may not have millions of followers, but they d have a trusted and loyal following directly in your market segment.
This can prove actually more beneficial than reaching for a widespread influencer, were targeted ROI won’t be possible- and your message may be lost in the crowd.
Connect With Websites & Apps Created For Food Trailers
The disconnect between the online world and the mobile food industry was discovered pretty quickly.
Hungry patrons wanted to know which food trucks were in their area, or which were attending events they had planned. They wanted to see menu’s, pictures & stories behind food trailers near-by.
With that, hundreds of websites and apps were built to connect users to food trailers and trucks at the touch of a button.
Integration into these websites and apps is crucial. It increases your exposure, it increases your branding, it increases communication with new and existing customers.
No pun intended, but it puts you on the map. Quite literally.
Just like brick & mortar restaurants develop great relationships with apps like Yelp and Open Table, you should be looking to foster the same kind of relations with apps and websites made for your food trailer.
We hear about the best and the worst of these.
Want to skip the research, and connect with the top 5 apps and websites for food trailers? You’re welcome.
Your Food Trailer Needs Consistent Menu Redesigns
One of the worst things a food trailer owner can do is keep the same menu for months at a time.
The mobile food industry is busy, and consumers will easily forget about you if you bring nothing new to the table.
(We are a on a roll with puns today. Not intentional, we swear.)
Not only do menu redesigns help boost revenue, but they are a fantastic tool of communication with people to remind the of your brand and coax them into trying your new creations.
Don’t be alarmed. A menu redesign doesn’t necessarily entail redoing your whole menu. Rather, try incorporating seasonal ingredients into your dishes. Have a daily feature. Run a campaign of locally sourced ingredients, and make this clear in your marketing.
A brilliant idea we have recently heard? Highlight dishes inspired by your loyal customers. Let them design their experience.
Use Your Food Trailer to Display Your Online Handles
If people found you by chance, they’ll want to know how to connect with you.
They don’t want to put in the effort to find you, but they still want to find you.
(We know, we know.)
So, make your social media and online handles clear. Clearly display them on your food truck. Make sure they’re on your business cards. Got space on your takeout containers? Throw them on there.