In a word: absolutely… and it doesn’t have to be costly!
As we’re witnessing the extreme knock-on effects of COVID-19 take hold of every aspect of the hospitality industry, it’s tempting business owners to feel that now is the time to press pause on marketing.
While we understand the reactive nature of this decision, there are plenty of simple marketing activities that can achieve results, and help your business to bounce back with a strong, engaged customer-base as soon as possible.
Tip 1: Focus on retargeting
Whether you’re savvy enough to run your own digital ads, you have a solid database to send a few EDMs to, or you just want to reach out personally to regular customers, retargeting people who you know to already love your venue is a strong place to start.
Simply letting your existing customers know you’ve adapted your business offering (either via a simple EDM or a few social posts) will put you back at the forefront of their mind.
If you’ve made the difficult decision to close your doors for a while, keep your regulars updated! Even if you don’t have updates to share, treat them to the recipe for a classic dish you serve, share stories from your day-to-day, or profile a favourite producer that you can’t wait to work with again.
Tip 2: Use this time to grow your database
This downtime is the perfect opportunity to focus on all of those small, but nonetheless important, activities that you’ve been neglecting.
While you’re not posting your normal content, take the time to run a database driver that will see your business come back with a stronger pool of contacts to celebrate with upon your return.
Whether you put $100 behind a lead generation ad campaign or you just push it out on your socials (get some friends to share, too), a modest incentive like a venue voucher/comped meal can see impressive results.
Remember, if you want people to give back to you in the form of their custom, you need to give them something to keep them engaged (in layman’s terms: caring about you!).
Tip 3: Focus on local area marketing
Now, more than ever, the value of community is proving its worth! One way to capitalise on your local community is to work in conjunction with other local businesses, by developing take-home dinner or grocery packs (see Alphabet Café), discount books, or collaborative products.
Your new takeaway offerings will only thrive if you get the word out (especially if you’re employing a delivery service), so as lockdowns tighten, consider dropping some simple flyers into your neighbours’ mailboxes. If you’re lucky enough to be in the vicinity of a residential tower, get in contact with management to see if you can capitalise on their database, or leave a poster in the elevator.
If you find yourself with a surplus of produce, consider making some simple meals and donating them to your local NFP’s, healthcare centres, or friends and colleagues in the hospitality industry – you’d be surprised at how loyal they become when you’re back on your feet.
What other marketing activities are you employing at the moment?