What is your E-tunity?

The need to communicate with members in a beneficial and economical way has never been more important. With full venue re-opening dates unknown and marketing strategies coming together last minute, snail mail and social media aren’t ideal options for sharing information and offers with financial members.

What percentage of your database can you speak to electronically? (email or text)

1.Provide guests with an incentive to enrol in email and text communications.

Capture their attention by offering a reward. A simple call to action such as $5 worth of bonus points or a free entrée with any main meal purchased. Know your audience and have a few different options for different target markets.

2. Create an effective and ongoing email/text communication strategy.

If I’m going to take the time to sign up for something, make it worth my while beyond the initial incentive. Keep your members engaged by texting valuable reminders of events, valid unused offers still available or last-minute dining specials. Start deploying bonus offers exclusively via email to create a FOMO for guests not yet sharing their email contact information. This is where segmenting your members come into play, only sending them communications that you know will interest them is key to keeping their attention

3.Keep it simple.

Don’t overcomplicate the process to update their details or get the rewards. Make sure staff know how to sell and process the information in a simplistic way. i.e if a member is happy to update their details but is in the middle of a meal, telling them to go to reception on the way out does not lock them into following through. Staff should take the details down and transfer to the system themselves.

4.Give this metric some weight on staff members.

Staff tend to respond to things they are measured or rewarded on. Establish the current numbers who don’t have email or text details and layout achievable goals of capture per day. If it’s not important to upper management, it won’t be important to the front-line team members tasked with capturing and inputting the information.

5.It won’t happen overnight.

Updating your member’s details won’t happen overnight, it will be an ongoing process. New habits for both staff & members need to be formed. If members understand this is the only way they will get the information/ rewards they are more likely to sign up.