I was impressed by the large representation of executives at this year’s Restaurant Leadership Conference, one of the biggest in recent years, with more than 1,500 professionals in attendance. The conference was a great facilitator of dialogue between restaurateurs, while presenters shared best practices and innovative ideas.

One presentation I particularly enjoyed was Linda Duke’s Restaurant Marketing Leadership panel. Her overarching message was that leading brands are flexible and able to modify their approach to changes in the market environment.

To communicate the importance of a flexible approach, panelists explained that there are more complexities than ever before in marketing to the restaurant consumer. Marketers must consider the political and economic environment, including changing caloric regulations and the growing interest in healthy options. Restaurant demographics are also changing; recent research unveiled an unexpected emerging trend of young adults cutting back on restaurant spending. On a positive note, the percent of food dollars consumers are spending on restaurants has risen considerably since 1955, from 25% to 49% today.

One panelist, Rachel Phillips-Luther, Vice President of Marketing and Brand Innovation for Kona Grill, discussed brand perception in the marketplace. She encourages management executives to become intimate with their brand in order to determine how to best market it. She explained that you need to understand the customer, their perception of your food and what they think of your restaurant. Once you’ve done the research, you’ll be on the path to developing a clear, cohesive message in your brand marketing.

Another theme that emerged throughout the conference was local marketing. Local marketing is critical to any brand. It can supplement a brand’s national campaign while speaking directly to the tastes and preferences of local customers. A wide range of brands are using local marketing to respond to competition, support community sponsorships, as well as generate trial and frequency.

Additionally, several presenters covered the role of social media in restaurant marketing, emphasizing that it should be used as one component of a holistic approach that capitalizes on the strengths of traditional marketing practices.

Overall, the atmosphere at the conference was upbeat, with attendees walking away from presentations feeling motivated and excited about the wide realm of possibilities for improving their businesses.

If you were able to attend this year’s conference, what were your takeaways? Please let us know in the comments section below.