Caspian Grill: An Example of How Proper Restaurant Marketing is the Key to Success


As restaurant week is approaching in Madison, we wanted to take the time to tell the story of our success with Caspian Grill. Caspian Grill is a local restaurant in the Madison area that is known for its delicious Mediterranean food. This family-oriented restaurant has always been a fan-favorite for us at IH Concepts. Caspian Grill gives a small, family friendly feel that many people love in the Madison area.

There are many ways where marketing will help your restaurant succeed. Caspian Grill is just one example in showing why marketing matters. Between having a proper website, inviting colors, a good social media presence, and a design that tells your story, advertising is an investment that will show in the message you’re sending to your audience.

According to the USA’s National Restaurant Association, “Only about 3% of the average restaurant’s monthly sales is spent on marketing. This typically isn’t enough.” Aaron Allen, restaurant marketing consultant, says “Digital marketing for restaurants is certainly something that any restaurant, regardless of budget, should invest resources into.” This is why when Caspian Grill came to IH Concepts months ago for a meeting, we could not have been more excited to help.

Developing an Attractive Identity

We were ready to give Caspian Grill a visual presence to help their new ventures hit the ground. Before opening, IHC developed a brand new identity including a new logo, business card, take-out menu, and a TV menu. The new marketing collateral was ready to be released.

Aside from creating new menus, logo, and business cards, IH Concepts had designed their new sign. The new sign displays a fierce fire, with colors of red, orange, and yellow. The red letters over the black background really makes the name of the restaurant pop. As the article written by Victoria Davis has to say, “the restaurant might be easy to miss if it weren’t for its richly warm and vibrant orange walls and front desk neon sign blinking the word “specials.” The new design truly catches everyone’s eyes as it is so vibrant and inviting. According to Stan Mack of Chron, “Advertising also can help you develop important aspects of your reputation.” This is something we have advised our clients to do in the past.

Taking Their Social Presence to the Next Level

In addition to helping with their identity, IH Concepts assisted Caspian Grill with some of the photos for their social media as well. For their social media accounts, IH Concepts has taken some of their photos that have been used for their platforms. According to David Miles, “With the right kind of social media marketing, your restaurant can start to build a customer base through word of mouth.” We have advised our customers in the past to focus on social media marketing, as it is a very effective way to target your audience.

Achieving Success


Photo by Victoria Davis for The CapTimes

September 2019 came around and it was time for Caspian Grill to present their new brand identity. The success of the marketing collateral with IH Concepts has been tremendous. Caspian Grill often gets people coming from everywhere to eat at their restaurant. Some customers come from all over the Greater Madison-area. People have been very impressed by the quality of food and the new design.

The success metrics since the collateral release have been very impressive. The restaurant is always bustling with people coming and ordering every day even as Caspian is only doing takeout at the moment, but hopes to open for in-person dining soon. The collateral has been a huge hit for Caspian Grill, and we could not be happier for them. The positive reviews on Yelp, Google, and Facebook can prove just how successful they have been.

Caspian Grill was even featured in the Wisconsin State Journal. The article, written by Samara Kalk Derby, describes the high-quality food that Caspian Grill has to offer. Derby says “The borscht ($4.95) came in a big, deep bowl with lots of finely-chopped cabbage and carrots. It had a great flavor and was served with three small square slices of dark rye bread. A small cup of sour cream made it irresistible.”

Cap Times also acknowledged Caspian Grill’s new identity as they featured it in an article as well. The article, written by Victoria Davis describes what the owners have to say about Caspian Grill and just how much of a family friendly place it is. “It’s our business, yes, but it’s also like a home away from Baku for us,” said Gelfand, whose two children often help out with cooking and serving at the restaurant. “It’s a family business and we wanted this place to be small and warm and feel like family home to others too.”

Final Thoughts

Overall, IH Concepts could not be happier with the release of the marketing collateral with Caspian Grill. Where most restaurant’s fail, Caspian Grill’s investment in marketing positions them to continue to be a hit with the community. We are proud to call Caspian Grill a client, and one of our favorite places to eat! We cannot wait to see how much more Caspian Grill will continue to succeed.

Sources

http://restaurantmarketinglabs.com/restaurant-marketing-budget-recommendations-for-2016/

https://madison.com/ct/entertainment/dining/restaurants/lets-eat-caspian-grill-skewers-a-taste-of-the-mediterranean/article_ace4fd5c-0dcd-5256-a098-80fa14e02363.html

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/reviews/caspian-grill-brings-back-fond-memories-of-russian-house/article_7089a2e4-1515-5be9-b666-b36f92b10a92.html

https://modernrestaurantmanagement.com/the-five-biggest-marketing-mistakes-made-by-local-restaurants/

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-advertising-restaurant-67044.html

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