Category Archives for "Marketing"

Q & A – Online Reservations and Email Collection

Marketing , Operations

Question:
I’m in Canada but I imagine many of the companies are offered here, too. Yelp reservations and Open Table are for sure. What are some of your opinions and experiences with online reservation systems? We want to build an email database and I like the sounds of Open Table but not the costs associated with it.

Answer:
You’re right, reservation systems have come a very, very long way and most services can do the same thing at this point:

-seating
-allow offline/online reservations
-text a wait list
-build a guest portfolio/list

So it’s going to boil down to what you want your system to do for you:
Do you really NEED the exposure of the users of the platform?
Or do you think you can drive your own traffic to a site for making reservations?
Ultimately, with systems like OpenTable, that noticeably higher fee you’re paying is for exposure to their list of diners and promotional engine.

Lastly, you mentioned using this system to build a guest email database, while this does work, generally the most efficient way to then email those guests is from WITHIN the system’s marketing functions. Otherwise, you’re having to export the list from one application into a mail service and most of the time ask for a double opt-in in to the email list to meet FCC regulations. I know, eyeroll, it can be a headache.

I think I mean to suggest that gathering guest emails can happen in lots of different ways, but using your reservation system as your main source of gathering and actually emailing your guests may not be the most streamlined option. Mailchimp, Zenreach (which also offers guest wifi) and constant contact are some easy pieces of software to manage email marketing.

Persistence via Napoleon Hill

Growth , Marketing , Operations , Uncategorized

Four steps to developing persistence:

Step 1: A Definite purpose backed by burning desire for its fulfillment. 

Step 2: A definite plan, expressed in continuous action.

Step 3: A mind closed tightly against all negative and discouraging influences (including friends and family).

Step 4: A friendly alliance with one more more persons who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose. 

How powerful is that? Talk about a plan that you could stick to. I nearly printed it out and stapled it to my forehead.

What’s behind your KPIs?

Guest Retention , Marketing

Remember that last GM meeting where you discussed a breakthrough regarding our marketing KPI (key performance indicator) being guests through the door?

And how that meant we really had to focus on guest experience end to end, from the greeting to the very last step? Remember what that last step was?

-> Assuring we acquire our guests Email addresses and as many comments as possible. How are you doing with that?

For your staff: A comment card should be presented on the TOP of every check presented. With the number of cards and pens equal to the number of guests on that check. They should be asked if they know about our incentive program when signing up and if not explained the benefit of giving their email address.

So, how’s that going?

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