Summer causes unpredictable customer traffic, with some days seeing a surge in diners seeking refreshing meals, while others experience slower foot traffic due to vacations and changes in routines. The allure of summer vacations can divert guests’ attention from their regular dining patterns as people head to the beach, mountains, or other destinations. Warm weather also encourages patrons to prefer outdoor seating (or revert to indoor in hotter climates), prompting restaurants to optimize their spaces, create appealing dining experiences, and adapt menus to highlight seasonal ingredients such as fresh produce and seafood.
In these dynamic times, loyalty programs, and specifically personalized marketing, serves as a critical tool for restaurants to drive traffic and retain customers. It’s true that customer inboxes are overwhelmed with generic restaurant marketing—this is why open and click rates on generic emails hover at less than 5 percent and declining. Stop sending generic customer emails to everyone with the same message and stop eroding your brand value with generic marketing. In the summer, use these best practices to drive traffic, control crowds, and manage seasonal inventory with your loyalty program.
Here’s are a few ideas for how to use your guest engagement program to drive traffic in the summer:
Target specific orders: Target guests who have previously ordered seasonal products and notify them of the item’s return. Targeted guests based on previously purchased items, improves relevancy and conversion. For example, Thanx customer Modern Market ran an item-based campaign to promote their new summer menu. The online only promo utilized an automated campaign to recognize when customers purchased from the new summer menu and gifted each customer with a free dessert reward.
Manage crowds: For restaurants in popular tourist destinations, target high-value locals with skip-the-line and exclusive reservation passes to retain your best customers.
Boost traffic: For restaurants experiencing a slow summer season, attract foot traffic with exclusive perks for loyalty members. A creative summer dining initiative could involve enticing your best customers to visit on sunny days with all-day happy hour pricing for loyalty members. For example, have a loyalty member appreciation day with an all day happy hour for loyalty members only.
Enhance your rewards marketplace with seasonal offerings: Have a surplus of inventory that you need to move? A blanket discount on that item will certainly help sell the item, but why not engender loyalty at the same time? Instead, add the item for free or as a BOGO to your marketplace for an attractive point value and in doing so, win favor with your best customers while solving a business challenge. It’s a win win!
Keep your app fresh: Iterate on your mobile app and website homepage to showcase seasonal offerings. Send push notifications to boost engagement and awareness. Thanx customer Dig capitalized in the wake of a non-threatening earthquake in NYC as their local marketing teams took advantage of the event with real-time promotions. Their agility in responding to such a sudden natural phenomenon was even faster than official government alerts. It highlights the reflexive nature of digital marketing and its ability to engage with current events in real time.
Brands must use combined technological tools, such as data analytics and mobile applications, to create and implement loyalty programs that are specifically designed to target and engage their customers effectively. These tools are essential for sustaining customer engagement and loyalty, particularly during seasonal fluctuations. These data-driven insights empower brands to customize their offerings with precision, ensuring each customer feels uniquely valued and engaged, even during seasonal fluctuations, by providing personalized experiences that resonate with individual preferences and needs. Some brands have mastered this art, effectively leveraging them to enhance customer engagement and build lasting relationships.
The success stories highlighted here demonstrate the effectiveness of innovative loyalty strategies tailored to the summer season. By embracing the dynamics of the warmer months—such as fluctuating customer traffic and a preference for outdoor dining—restaurants can turn potential obstacles into opportunities for growth and deeper customer connections. Not to mention, partnerships with local attractions can enhance the value proposition for loyalty members, fostering a sense of community and shared experiences.
The key lies in using apps and innovative technology to better understand diners’ seasonal preferences and behaviors. Leveraging this insight, restaurants create value-driven loyalty programs. By doing so, restaurants not only maintain customer loyalty during the summer but also strengthen their brand’s relationship with customers, ensuring continued success year-round.
Corinne Watson is the Director Growth Marketing at Thanx. Corinne leads innovative marketing strategies to drive customer engagement and retention. With a keen eye for data-driven insights and a passion for personalized marketing, Corinne brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles as Director of Brand and Communications at 7shifts and Director of Content at Lunchbox. Corinne’s dynamic approach and commitment to excellence continue to propel Thanx to new heights in the competitive landscape of guest engagement technology.
