It doesn’t take an expert to tell you that it’s best to market to people who are interested in whatever you’re offering. Maybe you already have a list of people’s email addresses, phone numbers, or physical addresses for sending promotions. If you do, it can be very tempting to send out an ad about your latest discount to everyone on your list … and that isn’t all bad. If you’re debuting a seasonal dish, or starting a whole new special, you probably want all of your customers to know about it.
However, the real success lies in what you can do with a specially segmented list – a “smart list.” Say you run a bakery and you’ve decided to offer a free cupcake with every purchase of a personalized birthday cake; imagine how much more successful your promotion is going to be when you market it specifically to people who have purchased cupcakes or birthday cakes from you! You’re eliminating people who only want cookies or pie. You’re getting straight to the audience that matters.
But how do you get these magical lists? Here are a few tips:
- Loyalty/Rewards Programs. If you have a loyalty or rewards program tracking points and purchases, this is even easier, because the system is already keeping track of what types of foods your most loyal customers get regularly. You will already know if they like to come in on a specific day of the week and if they come in alone or with a group. You already know the best way to draw them in again, because you know what they want and when they want it.
- Online Orders. An online ordering system lends itself to this plan, as well, especially if you have customers log in to your app or website. They can easily order their favorites, and you’ll be able to put them into segmented smart lists that will help you promote your foods. A customer of yours that orders a pepperoni pizza every Saturday night can receive a very relevant “save 10% on pizzas this Monday only” discount that may inspire them to come in for an extra visit next week.
- Compile birthdays and anniversaries. Sending people a coupon during their birthday month or giving a shoutout to them on an anniversary (even “your first order with us was one year ago!”) is a great way to make people feel special. These lists can be generated automatically based on order information or on customers letting you know what their special days are. Sometimes this is as easy as noting that someone ordered birthday cupcakes exactly one year ago and are likely celebrating another birthday for someone this year, too.
- Note when orders occur. Someone who used to order regularly but hasn’t ordered in a while might need a special coupon or “we miss you” notice. You would also want to make a smart list of people who ordered only once, and a separate list of others who just need a little reminder that your business is there and open. For obvious reasons, you don’t want any of these lists to be combined, so smart lists are crucial in these situations.
The main idea is to make your advertisements and marketing campaigns as desirable as possible to the greatest number of people. That way, they will always want what you’re offering, so everyone wins!
For a personalized demo on Reachify’s phone automations that can help free up your time for more marketing, contact us here.
