Capturing Guest Data other than Loyalty Programs

Capturing guest data other than loyalty programs (for those not interested in joining the program just yet)

Many marketers out there spend a lot of time and effort on maximizing their loyalty efforts. Makes sense, those are often the guests who have the highest frequency and are worth the most revenue, plus they are the brand advocates that help us raise awareness to new guests.

Optimizing your loyalty program lowers the overall cost of it, increases revenue, and rewards guests for falling in love with your food or experience. If you are looking for tips on how to increase sign-ups and engagement from your current customers and members, check out this blog post: Three Loyalty Tactics Guaranteed to Increase Customer Frequency.

But what about your other guests? What about those who had a great experience, love the food, return from time to time but just aren’t interested in joining a loyalty program, or don't want to download an app?

Those guests are important too and you must have marketing that meets them how and where they are so that you can still drive revenue without loyalty.

Plus, if you do it right, one day, they may decide to join your rewards program.

Here are 7 methods to get guest contact data, other than loyalty sign-ups:

1. First party ordering

When customers order directly from your website, they have to provide contact information such as a name, email, phone number, and birthday. Having this data available will allow you to customize the ordering experience according to guest preferences, enabling targeted marketing and promotions amongst others.  

2. Table reservations

When your customers make a reservation, they provide key contact information like name, phone number, and email address, which is logged into the restaurant's database via online platforms or apps. Reservation systems also track dining preferences, special requests, and visit history, enriching each guest's data profile. This enables you to tailor marketing, personalize dining experiences, and manage interactions effectively, such as sending personalized offers or greetings based on a guest's favorite dish or anniversary date.

3. Gated WiFi in-store

When guests want to use the WiFi in at your restaurant, they are directed to a landing page where they must enter information such as their name, email address, or phone number to gain access. This landing page can also include options for guests to opt-in to newsletters or special offers. Once the data is submitted, it is automatically logged into the restaurant's database. This process not only grants internet access but also captures valuable guest data, which can be used for personalized marketing, customer relationship management, and enhancing the dining experience through targeted promotions and communications.

4. Guest Feedback

Enabling customer reviews on your restaurant’s website and listing websites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google Reviews captures valuable guest data. When guests leave reviews on these platforms, they often provide their names and contact information, which can be logged into the restaurant's database. This feedback process also offers insights into customer preferences and satisfaction levels. Collecting this data can help you personalize marketing efforts, improve services, and build stronger customer relationships, ultimately encouraging repeat visits.

5. Third-Party Conversion

Third-party delivery platforms, such as DoorDash and GrubHub, are great for restaurant brands to gain mass exposure to new customers by leveraging their extensive customer base. Putting a bag stuffer in 3rd party orders offering a discount on the next order is a great way to get customers to order directly via your website where you can instantly capture key information like name, email, birthday, and phone number. Furthermore, you’ll be able to target customers directly so they migrate from 3rd-party apps to your website, allowing you to build a database and protect your margins.

6. Email sign-up on your website

Restaurants can capture valuable customer data by adding an email sign-up form on their website. This simple tool allows guests to subscribe to newsletters, promotions, and updates, providing the restaurant with a direct line of communication. By collecting email addresses, your restaurant can build a database of interested customers, enabling personalized marketing to incentivize customers to order directly from your restaurant's website. 

7. Run Acquisition campaigns with traffic ads on meta:

Here’s a quick step-by-step campaign guide to run successful acquisition campaigns with traffic ads on meta:

1. Create an acquisition offer (Ex BOGO, free item, $ or % off next order)
2. Create a landing page with an explanation of the offer with fields to collect names and emails. Here's a sample ad:
   
3. Create an email automation that sends an email to the user confirming submission with directions on how to redeem.
4. Create a traffic ad on Meta that sends people to the landing page
5. Once the campaign ends, add it to your CRM database.
6. Create an email automation that sends an email to the user confirming submission with

Once you have a guest’s email address, you can always send emails promoting other valuable actions like following on social media, offering a promotion, or…. joining your rewards program!

Want to learn how to successfully implement these strategies in your restaurant? Schedule a demo with us.