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2019 is proving to be our busiest year for recruitment yet. Since March, no less than 10 new members of staff have joined Stampede across a variety of roles.



This growth is the beginning of big expansion plans for the company this year, which will inevitably include a new office space soon (but we&#8217;re staying in Leith!).



New team members include several Business Development team members, including an Enterprise Specialist; two new Support Team members; a new Customer Success and Marketing Manager and a new Head of Growth Marketing.



James, our COO said &#8220;It&#8217;s a really exciting time to join Stampede and the wider tech industry in Edinburgh. Our new recruits bring a wealth of experience from different industries, which really expands our capabilities and knowledge base as a whole.&#8221;



&#8220;We&#8217;ve hired tech-savvy high school leavers, people from the beer industry and from the motor trade &#8211; the range is awesome&#8221; James continued.

post

Team Update

More and more hospitality operators are looking to take advantage of AI-driven marketing solutions as an opportunity to streamline their operations and support their staff.



In this guide, we will explore how hospitality operators can utilise AI to strengthen their marketing efforts, increase the visibility of their brand and drive growth at every stage of their customer journey.&nbsp;



From gaining AI-driven customer insights, and leveraging marketing automation, to in-depth data analytics and predictions. There are plenty of ways AI can be implemented in various areas of the business.



Now is the perfect time to jump on board with integrating AI into your hospitality business’s marketing plans.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-in-hospitality-marketing">AI in hospitality marketing</h2>



Artificial intelligence (AI), is the ability of computer systems to perform tasks that would usually require human intelligence.



In recent years, AI has revolutionised the hospitality industry, providing ample opportunities for businesses.&nbsp;



For instance, AI can quickly analyse large amounts of customer data to gain insights into preferences and behaviour. This can be used by staff to tailor the service and marketing campaigns. I.e. greeting a hotel guest with his favourite cocktail upon arrival or treating a customer with a restaurant voucher for their birthday.



In addition, AI can adapt the pricing strategy depending on the current market situation and provide future predictions. Managing and responding to online reviews also becomes much easier with AI tools. To name just a few, we will have a closer look at those and others in this guide.



Overall, by using AI in marketing, hospitality operators can create a seamless guest journey from the moment the customer first interacts with their brand, to the point they come back to the venue. This all leads to higher revenue and customer satisfaction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-ai">Advantages and disadvantages of AI</h2>



It is important for operators to weigh the pros and cons before deciding to incorporate AI into their business operations. We have summarised the most relevant ones in this short list below. 



You can find a more extensive list <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-using-ai-in-hospitality">in this article</a>.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-main-advantages">Main advantages:</h4>



<ol>
<li>Increased operations efficiency and productivity. AI can streamline and automate repetitive tasks.</li>



<li>Cost reduction. AI allows for data-backed decision-making.</li>



<li>Tailored customer experience. AI provides insights that support personalised marketing and service.</li>



<li>Accurate forecasting. AI can identify revenue opportunities.</li>
</ol>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-main-disadvantages">Main disadvantages:</h4>



<ol>
<li>Impersonal service. AI lacks the human touch that many guests desire.</li>



<li>System failure. Operators are highly dependent on their digital tools to work seamlessly.</li>



<li>Technical limitations. Not all AI tools are able to cater for the needs of the hospitality industry.</li>



<li>High investment costs. Implementing AI is often a major investment.</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-as-a-growth-tool-for-hospitality">AI as a growth tool for hospitality</h2>



AI technology is undoubtedly a growth tool for the hospitality industry, and those who successfully embrace it will thrive in the long run.&nbsp;



<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/4-ways-to-optimise-your-hospitality-business-with-ai">Here are 4 ways</a> it can support different areas of the business.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-operations">1. Operations</h4>



AI technology has vastly improved the way hospitality operators conduct their daily operations and provide service.&nbsp;



Chatbots are a great example, as they can scan common customer queries and answer them in real time. This relieves staff of tedious, repetitive tasks, while still ensuring customers receive an excellent level of service around the clock.



Hotels are also increasingly leaning on AI for contactless check-ins and virtual concierges, making sure guests get the most out of their stay. Self-service kiosks in restaurants on the other hand allow customers to place orders more quickly and efficiently. Again freeing up staff time for other duties.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-marketing">2. Marketing</h4>



AI can massively improve the way hospitality businesses communicate with guests and market their services. It can gather a multitude of data points in one place, coming from tech tools such as Guest WiFi, table booking platforms or loyalty scheme.&nbsp;



Marketers can use the data to better understand customer preferences, habits and needs. This then allows them to provide a more personalised experience, offer relevant promotions and optimise their marketing campaigns for maximum results.



With AI automation, tasks such as uploading data are made simpler and faster. This frees up time and reduces human errors. Trigger-based campaigns based on previous customer interactions can also be easily automated. Such as sending discounts to customers who haven’t been at your venue for a while.&nbsp;



Lastly, AI can power up digital advertising by helping with audience and campaign optimisation. On top, it can monitor social media channels for brand mentions and engagement.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-sales-revenue">3. Sales &amp; revenue</h4>



There is promising potential for integrating AI to improve sales too.&nbsp;



AI can analyse customer data to predict their preferences and suggest personalised recommendations. Equipped with these insights staff can better upsell and cross-sell when customers are in the venue. Marketers as well can take advantage of this with highly targeted campaigns that lead to higher conversion rates and ultimately create more sales opportunities.&nbsp;&nbsp;



AI can further be used for improved revenue management for hotels and restaurants. It creates accurate forecasts by analysing past data as well as external factors such as market fluctuations.&nbsp;



This enables operators to adjust their pricing in real time. So they can take advantage of peak periods while still remaining competitive during off-peak times.



For hoteliers, this also means that they can ensure guests always get the best price when booking direct.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-data-analytics-reporting">4. Data analytics &amp; reporting</h4>



By using AI to generate accurate reports hospitality businesses can become more successful in the long run through leveraging data-driven insights into customer behaviour. So that they don’t rely on guesswork anymore.



A lot of, usually manual, tasks can be automated as well. Such as the creation of monthly reports or the building of customised dashboards with the metrics that matter.



AI can present the data in a way that is accessible to the entire team and that also facilitates performance analysis from relevant KPIs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-ai-use-cases-for-hospitality">3 AI use cases for hospitality</h2>



There are already examples of hospitality businesses successfully implementing AI and it&#8217;s likely that more will follow suit in the coming years.



We’ve summarised 3 <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/4-revenue-driving-ai-tools-for-hospitality-operators">popular use cases for AI marketing</a> and operations below.



If you’re a hotelier you can find more relevant examples <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/3-clever-ai-tools-to-support-your-hotel-operations">here</a> and we also got some, especially for restaurant operators <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/3-restaurant-specific-ai-tools-that-drive-sales">here</a>.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">1. Personalised service</h4>



AI enables hospitality marketers to create a personalised customer experience with ease. Through the smart analysis of customer data, AI can segment customers into small groups according to patterns, demographics and historical interaction.



This empowers businesses to deliver targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with individual customers, helping them feel appreciated and increasing loyalty.&nbsp;



AI also helps to <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/another-5-step-recipe-how-to-easily-win-back-lost-customers-part-2-of-5">detect and retain lost customers</a> through automated campaigns that are triggered by pre-defined conditions.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">2. Content creation</h4>



AI technology can be used to quickly generate various pieces of content. This ranges from email campaigns to social media posts and website copy. Plus, it can translate content into multiple languages so you can reach wider audiences.&nbsp;



AI algorithms can also analyse the most engaging social media posts and create similar ones. Plus, it can also determine the best posting schedules, hashtags and content for various platforms to grow engagement and followers.



When it comes to website content, AI can improve SEO rankings and develop search engine-optimised content by incorporating relevant keywords.&nbsp;



Another example is restaurant menus. They are often seasonal and need to be changed on a regular basis. AI can support operators to come up with enticing menu descriptions and iterations to speed up the process.



<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-speed-up-content-creation-with-ai-in-hospitality">Check out this article</a> to find out more about how you can create more hospitality marketing content in less time with AI.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">3. Chatbots</h4>



As already mentioned, hospitality operators are now discovering the value of AI-powered chatbots in providing better customer service that is available for customers&nbsp; 24/7.



Chatbots can be used for a variety of tasks. Common examples are answering FAQs, taking orders in restaurants and helping with general service requests.&nbsp;



Plus, they can act as a concierge and support customers with their travel planning by making personalised recommendations based on past interactions.



With the ability to integrate with voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant, hospitality operators can further create a more human experience and eliminate the typing for customers.



With these advanced capabilities, hospitality operators can enhance their services while also improving staff efficiency. All without ever compromising on guest satisfaction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-ai-can-improve-reviews-management">How AI can improve reviews management</h2>



Online reviews play a crucial role in attracting customers. However, managing these reviews can be a daunting and time-consuming task for busy hospitality operators. This is where AI comes in to lend a <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-ai-can-facilitate-reviews-management-for-hospitality-operators">helping hand with your reputation management</a>. 



For example, it takes over previous manual tasks done by staff. So instead of analysing each review platform separately and dealing with spreadsheets, AI can automatically gather all reviews in one place. This allows for quick access and a multi-channel overview. Reviews can be dealt with more efficiently and progress on each response can be tracked easily.



To avoid further complications, operators have to react to reach review in a timely manner. This way they can retain unhappy customers and show that their opinion matters to the business.&nbsp;



Depending on the number of reviews flooding in it can be challenging to keep up. With automated response generation, AI can help operators to better handle their to-do lists. Based on keywords AI can generate a personalised reply in no time.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Further, AI-powered sentiment analysis can provide operators with valuable insights into customer feedback. It can detect common themes and tag them accordingly. This enables businesses to quickly identify areas for improvement to enhance their service.



With AI, hospitality operators can better stay on top of their online reputation, and improve their overall scores and customer satisfaction.



If you want to find out how AI can also make it easier for customers to leave a review, check out this article.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-summary">Summary</h2>



AI is a very beneficial tool that hospitality operators should look to explore and utilise to back up their marketing strategy.&nbsp;



AI technology has tremendous potential for increasing speed and accuracy in data collection and analysis. This allows operators to provide more tailored services for their customers based on what they&#8217;ve learned from past engagements. But also to make accurate predictions and more informed decisions which will save them time and money.



Moreover, AI can be used to aid in developing marketing content, automating and supporting daily service operations and improving reviews management.



There may be valid concerns around its adoption cost and potential impact on losing the human touch. Though, when leveraged correctly, AI can have significant positive impacts on your hospitality business.

AI In Hospitality Marketing: A Complete Guide

Without question, one of the most frustrating things in running a hotel is the tendency of guests to reserve a room but then cancel at the last minute. Or just fail to turn up altogether. It’s not just the annoyance factor, though; last-minute cancellations or no-shows have a real impact on the profitability of your hotel. How do you manage to reduce no-shows and cancellations in your hotel?







Independent hotels may suffer from this inconvenience more than most, due to a tendency (whether real or perceived) to have more lenient policies than multi-site corporations. While there is no solution that could promise to reduce these incidents to zero (we’re dealing with humans, after all!). There are a few simple methods you can use to greatly reduce both the likelihood and the impact of cancellations you suffer from this year. Ready to find out more? Let’s dive in!



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Method #1: Have a Fair, but Clear Cancellation Policy</h4>



As we touched on in the introduction, the key reason that independent hotels may suffer from an above-average number of no-shows or cancellations is the relative <a href="https://www.hotelminder.com/8-tips-to-reduce-last-minute-hotel-cancellations-and-no-shows">lack of a clear policy</a>. Even more patchy enforcement of the policy.&nbsp;



Review your policy now. See how it compares to those of your competitors. You can usually find these quite easily by browsing to the “terms and conditions” section of their website. Your cancellation policy needs to strike a balance of fairness for both you and the guest. All kinds of things can happen to disrupt the plans of a traveller, after all, so it’s only fair to them to allow them to cancel. 



The more notice they give, the less the impact on your hotel. So make sure your policy reflects this crucial fact. Many hotels allow free-of-charge cancellations provided there is at least 48 hours notice. Giving you some time to make the reservation available to another customer.&nbsp;



It may also be wise to consider a more stringent policy for particularly over-subscribed times of the year. For example over Christmas, or when a large event regularly takes place in your area. Again, make sure that this policy is easy to understand. All your staff have to know exactly what the special policy is and what dates it applies to. Finally that it compares favourably to the cancellation policies by your competitors for the same timeframe.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Method #2: Make Sure your Cancellation Policy is Published and Enforced!</h4>



This may seem obvious, but it’s amazing how many hotels have their cancellation policy buried away where customers will only have their attention drawn to it once it’s already too late.&nbsp;



Anyone that makes a reservation, whether online, via phone, or any other method, needs to be provided with a copy of your cancellation policy so they can’t claim ignorance of it later! Ideally, they should confirm their acceptance of the policy when they make the booking. At the very least their booking confirmation should include a clear reference to it. Even if it’s just a short summary with a link to the full policy on your website.&nbsp;



Make sure all staff are trained to refer to the policy and enforce it, politely explaining the costs involved if doing so causes push-back from the customer. If you decide to allow discretion in the enforcement of the policy, you should make it very clear who is allowed to exercise this discretion. Give examples of circumstances that might allow them to do so &#8211; for example, extreme weather conditions.&nbsp;



Finally, any <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/infographic-how-likely-are-people-to-act-on-promotions/">promotions</a> that you run, whether via email marketing or other advertising, should also include a clear reference to your cancellation policy. Best to cover all the bases!



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Method #3: Encourage Guests to Communicate Changes to You&nbsp;</h4>



You should allow customers plenty of options to communicate any changes of their plans to you. Providing them with the option to submit a cancellation or re-schedule of their stay via email or live chat on your website will result in a reduction of no-show occurrences.&nbsp;



Some customers are just too embarrassed or shy to pick up the phone and have to explain to someone exactly why their plans have had to change! Give them as many options as possible to get in touch. Emphasise that you’re keen to hear from them and that you understand plans sometimes have to change at the last minute.&nbsp;



For example, if your policy states that cancellations with less than 24 hours notice have to be paid at the full rate. You could send a reminder email or text 36 hours before the reservation starts. Telling them that you are looking forward to seeing them and including all the ways they can let you know if their plans have had to change for any reason. Many <a href="https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4088497.html">hotel reservation systems</a> can be configured to send such reminders automatically. Though provided all the <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-legally-and-safely-collect-and-use-customer-data-in-the-hotel-industry/">necessary information is captured</a> when the reservation is made initially.&nbsp;



Further reading: DIRECT BOOKING



Clear and consistent communication removes the worry of the unknown!&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Method #4: Re-market Rooms that Become Available due to Cancellations</h4>



As we’ve covered, cancellations are a fact of life &#8211; you’ll never be able to avoid them altogether. Where many independent hotels are missing a trick is in taking advantage of the opportunity created by a cancellation. Use it to make an extra special offer available on the now vacant room.&nbsp;



A room cancellation, especially for one of your premium suites or stay options, give you a valid justification for letting someone else upgrade to. Even more book that room for a lower-than-usual cost. You will reap the rewards of a delighted guest (who will be more likely to tell others and share pictures of the room on their social media). In addition, you’ll recoup some of the monetary loss that the cancellation has caused.&nbsp;



You can advertise the cancelled room in various places. Your reception/bar, on the boards outside your property and of course on social media. Don’t forget your own database of customers, too. <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/email-marketing-tips-for-the-hospitality-industry/">Email and text (SMS) marketing </a>are a powerful way to drive more traffic to your website and ultimately secure more bookings.&nbsp;



Further reading: <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/effective-email-marketing-tips-for-hotels/">https://stampede.ai/blog/effective-email-marketing-tips-for-hotels/</a>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">In Conclusion&nbsp;</h4>



We hope these methods for managing this frustrating aspect of running a hotel have given you plenty to think about and implement in your establishment. 



Do you want to find out more about how our solution could help you stay in touch with your guests? Get in touch!



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How to Reduce No-Shows and Cancellations in Your Hotel

Digital word of mouth is the act of people mentioning your business online. This could be through social media posts, blog posts, videos or even good old forums. 







Over <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/617136/digital-population-worldwide/">4.3 billion people</a> currently use the internet, a figure that is increasing year on year. If your business is yet to grasp its online presence, that’s a lot of potential custom you’re missing out on. After all, having people mention your business online is what drives sales, not to mention brand loyalty. 



The goal is to get people talking about your business (in a good light of course!). If people like what they see enough to share it with their peers, this in itself is a marketing strategy that can go on 24/7, even when your business is closed. It’s all about chasing those likes, follows, tags and shares. 



If you are looking to improve your business&#8217;s digital word of mouth, here’s a general overview as well as our top tips for success. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-digital-word-of-mouth">What Is Digital Word of Mouth?</h4>



Back in the old days, word of mouth (WOM) would have consisted of someone discussing your product or business while in the supermarket, or even down the pub. These days, while having people physically speak about your product can still boost sales, for the most part, <a href="https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-to-increase-your-social-media-following-1794618">it’s moved into digital streams</a>.



Think about it logically. If you mention a product or service to a friend, without digital intervention you can’t pass them onto a location or even a website. However, if the same two people are discussing your business online, they can instantaneously drop each other a link or username to find you and even book with you.



Digital word of mouth is that constant flurry of people tagging their friends in your post, or sharing your page through instant messaging platforms. It’s people writing about you in their blog posts or talking about their experience with your business through their YouTube channel. Any online platform that can be used to mention or link to your business is considered digital word of mouth.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-a-buzz-online">Building A Buzz Online</h4>



We are now spending more than <a href="https://techjury.net/blog/time-spent-on-social-media/#gref">2 hours and 30 minutes online</a>. For some of us, that’s actually longer than we spend at work! Digital word of mouth is about getting in among the action, targeting potential online customers as well as your current ones. 



It’s not enough to just have <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/rock-your-restaurant-with-wifi-and-instagram/">social media accounts</a> for your business. They need to be utilised effectively to build a reach. The goal is to have as many people visit your page as possible, interacting with what you do to the point where they end up spending money with you.



Say you run a competition on your Facebook page, and ask people to follow your page, share the post and tag a friend to enter. Every time someone completes each of these actions, your organic reach is going through the roof.



It’s easy to overcomplicate things because <a href="https://www.jeffbullas.com/the-worlds-20-most-popular-facebook-pages/">we see competitor pages with millions of followers</a> and want to emulate their success. In truth, it all comes down to creating great content that people truly want to share, as well as listening to what works versus what falls flat with your audience. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-top-platforms">The Top Platforms</h4>



Any positive mention of your business online will increase your digital word of mouth. However, it’s always a good idea <a href="https://buffer.com/library/social-media-sites">to brush up on the newest social media platforms</a> to see where your core audience could lie in the digital stakes. 



It goes without saying that Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and LinkedIn are some of the top social media platforms that have reigned supreme for many years now. That doesn’t mean to say it’s not worth exploring new platforms (<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/29/its-time-to-pay-serious-attention-to-tiktok/">such as Tik Tok</a>) if it could be relevant to the demographic you are looking to reach.



To increase your digital word of mouth more effectively, you need to make it easy for people to do so. This means having visible social sharing buttons on your website or any other digital marketing you put out. If people are unable to share content or they are taken to broken links, your digital word of mouth will be severely limited. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-the-analytics">Measuring The Analytics</h4>



To really gauge how well your digital word of mouth strategy is working, it’s time to study analytics. For example, go into your Facebook business page and look at the insights. How much reach has your brand had this week? Other tools such as Sprout are great for measuring mentions and reach too. 



At the start of each week (or daily if you’re a large organisation) you should compile these stats into a spreadsheet, to compare this week to last. This is a great way to pick up any dips and act on them, so you can ensure your marketing strategy is always on an upward trajectory. 



It’s important to understand <a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/13-secrets-thatll-boost-your-facebook-organic-reach/">the difference between organic and paid reach</a>. Ideally, you’d want a healthy mix of the two as if people are talking about your company without having to pay for the privilege, you know your marketing strategy is truly working. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h4>



It can be difficult to wrap your head around digital word of mouth, so the key thing to remember is its people mentioning your business online, which then leads to greater reach and ultimately sales. 



Digital word of mouth is a fantastic tool, but it can go sour when <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-respond-to-positive-and-negative-customer-reviews-online/">negative reviews</a> are left on your business page. Sometimes, it might even be the case they aren’t even genuine customers! Stressful, right? At Stampede, <a href="https://stampede.ai/reviews/?referrer=stampede.ai#main">we provide innovative software solutions</a> to take control of your social media reviews, giving you peace of mind.



<a href="https://signup.stampede.ai/">Sign up for a free trial today</a>, and we’ll provide you with a personalised portal that will allow your business to get more customers and returns for less effort. Sounds like a plan to us!&nbsp;



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The Importance of Digital Word Of Mouth

The Ultimate Beginners Guide to WiFi Jargon

Planning a coffee shop opening for 2019? Got amazing coffee and an inviting interior? Do shops, offices and potential customers surround your shop? That&#8217;s a great start. But to keep your business busy, you can&#8217;t rely on passers-by wandering in off the street. Spend time establishing your brand online and get customers to come to you.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-your-coffee-shop-brand-needs-an-online-presence">Why your coffee shop brand needs an online presence</h4>



You may have been on a fact-finding trip to South America before opening your business. You might sell the best speciality coffee for miles, but have you translated this into your brand? How will you show this knowledge and passion to your customers and use it to win you sales? Establishing your brand&#8217;s ethos and personality online will help set you apart. Be easy to find and tell your customers what&#8217;s at the heart of your business and you&#8217;ll be on the right path.&nbsp;



When customers are looking for somewhere to eat and drink they grab their smartphone. They search for cafes, look at local food bloggers on Instagram, and snoop on review platforms. These are opportunities for you to get noticed. Use them to showcase the customer experience you offer and explain what you&#8217;re about. Here&#8217;s how you align your online presence to your customer to drive footfall&#8230;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-set-up-your-google-my-business-page">1) Set up your Google My Business page</h4>



If someone&#8217;s looking for somewhere to eat or drink and they search Google for a coffee shop nearby, can they find you online? Your <a href="https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/business/">Google My Business page</a> is a free marketing tool. It can help customers find you and learn more about you.



Set up your page to display your location, opening hours and contact details. Write a summary about your establishment that speaks to your target customer. Use words that tell them if you&#8217;re a comfy spot for casual coffee drinkers. If your shop is aimed squarely at coffee aficionados, make sure they know. Your target customer should identify with your coffee shop brand when they look at this page. 



Upload photos of your food, drink and your shop interior. Give potential customers a sense of what it&#8217;s like to visit you. Want to let people know about your launch party? You can <a href="https://support.google.com/business/answer/7342169?hl=en-GB">add a post</a> to let customers know about special events. Don&#8217;t forget to link to your website so customers can learn even more about you. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-invest-in-a-coffee-shop-website">2) Invest in a coffee shop website</h4>



Do you really need a website for your coffee shop? Not always, but coffee shop owners often overlook the benefits a website provides. A branded easy-to-navigate website can enhance a customer&#8217;s online experience with you. Plus, it gives you real estate you control to set out your store. 




What should be on your website? Start with an easy to find food and drinks menu, use great photography that sets the ambience for your shop. A website blog is a great place to share photos and facts from that fact-finding trip to South America. It&#8217;ll show &#8217;em you know your stuff. A website is a platform where you can share the stories, news and events that shape your brand for customers. Don&#8217;t forget to link your site to your social media accounts. This helps Google to identify your profiles and draw them into your Google My Business page. It also encourages customers to connect with you.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-begin-your-social-media-story-at-the-start">3) Begin your social media story at the start</h4>



If you want customers to wake up and smell just how good your coffee is, social media can help you to waft the scent. According to <a href="https://www.nationwidecoffee.co.uk/news/coffee-news-update-2020-and-your-best-approach-for-growth">research</a>, 45% of coffee industry leaders think social media is their most effective form of marketing. Coffee quality was identified as the biggest factor behind café success, but you need to lure those coffee drinkers in to taste what you&#8217;re offering. And the experts say you should get this strategy started before your launch. 



Simon Fogal, Creative Director at Food and Drink PR firm <a href="https://chapter81.co.uk/">Chapter 81</a>, spoke to Stampede to share his tips for launching coffee brands on social media. Yes, #latteart and #pastryporn play a part. But it&#8217;s those behind-the-scenes images that shape a brand and pique social media user&#8217;s interests.&nbsp;



&#8220;Our first port of call is great photography, images that can set a scene and really get the ambience of the venue through the lens. So we do simple set-up shots, product shots. But there are also basics like opening times,&#8221; advises Simon. 




Simon spoke to us about Chapter 81&#8217;s successful launch of Leed&#8217;s coffee shop, <a href="https://archiveleeds.co.uk/">Archive</a>. Behind the scenes teasers were used to generate interest in the brand well before the baristas got busy with any beans. 



&#8220;We helped launch their Instagram and did the shop build in sets of three. We had to do several shoots as the impact dates were very tight and it was still being built. Details of the shop and machines were used to create hype and intrigue and we did the sets of three to build up a quality Instagram feed.&#8221; 




When customers hear about new business launches, they&#8217;ll often head straight to social media to find out more details. Building anticipation by sharing your story so far can help strike the right impression with your audience. 




<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-provide-reliable-and-free-wi-fi">Provide reliable and free Wi-Fi</h4>



The rise of remote workers has driven demand for free Wi-Fi in coffee shops. Yet there are extra benefits beyond promoting you as a freelance friendly spot. With a <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/the-ultimate-beginners-guide-to-wifi-jargon/">captive portal</a> your customers login via a personalised branded screen. You can collect data to help turn first visitors into valuable repeat customers. Insights help you to craft targeted marketing. You get a fuller picture of your customer.&nbsp;



Offering free Wi-Fi also makes it easier for your customers to act as <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/building-customer-loyalty-with-blackbx/">ambassadors for your brand</a>. They can tag your coffee shop&#8217;s Instagram profile in photos of their fantastic flat white or fluffy pancake stack. And a good Wi-Fi connection makes it simple for guests to submit a review before they leave your venue.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-be-proactive-with-your-review-strategy">Be proactive with your review strategy</h4>



When you&#8217;re the new coffee shop on the block, online reviews are super important for boosting business. Your Google review score sits within your Google My Business page. Potential customers can read reviews with just a few clicks. This helps them to decide whether to visit you. Reviews on platforms such as TripAdvisor and Google and responding to reviews can increase your visibility. They help to build your brand&#8217;s reputation.&nbsp;



You don&#8217;t need to be pushy in asking customers for reviews but you can say you&#8217;d appreciate one if they give a compliment. You’ll need to be mindful of how you respond to reviews. Aim to address them in a timely fashion. Thank guests for feedback and show empathy when issues arise. A genuine attitude and personal touch can go a long way in building your coffee shop&#8217;s brand online.&nbsp;



If you&#8217;re considering introducing Wi-Fi for your coffee shop customers, find further reading here:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Stampede-Factsheets-Coffee_Shops.pdf">Coffee Shop Factsheet</a></li>



<li><a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/four-fab-benefits-of-free-wifi-for-coffee-shops/">Benefits of Free Wi-Fi for coffee shops</a>&nbsp;</li>



<li><a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/brew-lab-drips-success-with-coffee-shop-wifi-blackbx-success-story/">Brew Lab coffee shop story</a></li>
</ul>



<a href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Schedule a chat</a> with one of our team for more advice

Establishing Your Coffee Shop Brand Online

Did you know that email marketing has an average return on investment <a href="https://dma.org.uk/uploads/ckeditor/National-client-email-2015.pdf">(ROI) of 3,800 percent</a>? This really isn’t surprising, since <a href="https://dma.org.uk/research/dma-insight-consumer-email-tracker-2017">99% of consumers</a> check their email every day!



These statistics make it clear that email marketing is still one of the most popular ways of reaching your target audience – and keeping them <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/building-your-hospitality-brand-with-wifi/">engaged with your brand.</a>



Within the hospitality industry, marketing emails can help you achieve three important goals; increase the number of direct bookings, build customer loyalty and boost engagement.



To do so, you need to plan your campaigns well. For example, automate all your emails (welcome mails, weekly newsletters, special offers), incorporate personalisation, optimise for mobile, etc.



Here are our best tips on how to make the most out of this cost effective strategy to up your conversion rates.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">5 Email Marketing Tips For The Hospitality Industry&nbsp;</h4>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">1. Permission Based Campaigns</h5>



Imagine yourself starting a conversation with the subscriber when you send an email; in short, try to engage your subscribers with meaningful content. &nbsp;



This means two things:



<ul><li>First, never send a marketing email to someone who has not given you explicit permission. To lend extra legitimacy to your email, you can also include <a href="https://www.bigcommerce.com/ecommerce-answers/what-is-a-double-opt-in/">double opt ins</a></li><li>Second, space out your offers. For example, avoid sending five or six emails in a day as this could be seen as spam</li></ul>



The idea is to <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-build-an-email-list-for-a-non-digital-business/">grow your list of subscribers organically</a> through branded login portals, optimised landing pages or even a short form with welcome cards that your guests can fill in.



Think about it this way: when you run permission based campaigns, you’re only targeting people who are actually interested in your offer (since they have subscribed to your marketing emails).&nbsp;



This also helps you drive up your open and click through rates – thereby increasing engagement and sales.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">2. Keep Mobiles In Mind&nbsp;</h5>



As per recent statistics, <a href="https://www.emailmonday.com/mobile-email-usage-statistics/">47% of people use mobiles</a> to check their email on average. This clearly shows that optimising your emails for mobile is no longer optional – it’s a necessity.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Litmus.png" alt="mobile email reading environment stats 2019" class="wp-image-13156" width="384" height="323" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Litmus.png 512w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Litmus-300x253.png 300w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Litmus-150x126.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Litmus-71x60.png 71w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Litmus-107x90.png 107w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /><figcaption>Source: <a href="https://litmus.com/ebooks/state-of-email-engagement">Litmus</a></figcaption></figure></div>



There are multiple ways you can do so. For example, it’s a good idea to avoid large size images – or too many images – as they might take longer to load on mobiles with iffy WiFi connections.&nbsp;



Similarly, use a responsive template as these are designed to automatically fit any screen on which the email is being opened.



Other ideas include making your subject line short and precise since phones do not display all the characters when held vertically, and adding call-to-action buttons instead of links.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">3. Email Automation&nbsp;</h5>



As a hospitality business, part of your lead nurturing process will be to send a lot of emails to your subscribers such as newsletters, special offers, pre and post-stay emails etc.&nbsp;



But doing this manually can be tedious. The solution? Email automation.



This is the best way to drive conversions and keep your subscribers engaged at scale – without taking up too much time. In other words, email automation allows businesses to create personalised experiences based on how consumers interact with the brand.&nbsp;



In practical terms, you can automate your welcome emails, weekly newsletters or set up trigger based emails for when a user takes a specific action on site.&nbsp;



Remember, businesses that use automation to nurture their leads or keep existing customers engaged observe <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/products/marketing-cloud/benefits-of-marketing-automation/">45% more purchases</a>.&nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/email-automation-statistics.png" alt="Email marketing automation statistics" class="wp-image-13157" width="465" height="375" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/email-automation-statistics.png 620w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/email-automation-statistics-300x242.png 300w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/email-automation-statistics-150x121.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/email-automation-statistics-592x477.png 592w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/email-automation-statistics-74x60.png 74w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/email-automation-statistics-112x90.png 112w" sizes="(max-width: 465px) 100vw, 465px" /><figcaption>4Source: <a href="https://optinmonster.com/31-best-email-marketing-automation-tools/">Optinmonster</a></figcaption></figure></div>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">4. Personalised Content&nbsp;</h5>



Since <a href="https://us.epsilon.com/pressroom/new-epsilon-research-indicates-80-of-consumers-are-more-likely-to-make-a-purchase-when-brands-offer-personalized-experiences">80% of consumers</a> are more likely to purchase from businesses that cater to their preferences, it’s crucial that you focus on personalising your emails to increase reservations, revenue and customer loyalty.



Effective personalisation can be as simple as sending a welcome email to the guest or as complex as adding a picture of the room that your guest last stayed in.&nbsp;



To start with, you can add the following touches to your emails:



<ul><li>Mention the recipient’s first name</li><li>Use geolocation to make relatable content</li><li>Use stories to elicit emotions (e.g.: taking a break from work and stress for a holiday)</li></ul>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-737x1024.png" alt="Personalised Digital Marketing Figures" class="wp-image-13158" width="369" height="512" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-737x1024.png 737w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-216x300.png 216w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-768x1067.png 768w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-1106x1536.png 1106w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-150x208.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-592x822.png 592w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-43x60.png 43w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing-65x90.png 65w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Personalized-Digital-Marketing.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 369px) 100vw, 369px" /><figcaption>Source: <a href="http://resources.marketsource.com/Personalized-Digital-Marketing.html">MARKETSOURCE</a></figcaption></figure></div>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">5. Analytics &amp; Reporting&nbsp;</h5>



Marketers primarily rely on two metrics for email campaigns; open and click-through rates.&nbsp;



While it is important to track which headlines are getting the highest open rates and which CTA are bringing in maximum clicks, email analytics go deeper than these two factors.&nbsp;



For example, in-depth tracking can yield specific insights about your customers’ preferences and behaviour that you can use to set up certain KPIs.



You can add more layers to email analytics through the following metrics:



<ul><li>Conversion rate</li><li>Unique clicks and unique open rates</li><li>Click-to-open rate (CTOR)</li><li>Unsubscribe rate&nbsp;</li><li>Bounce rate</li><li>Opens by device</li><li>Spam score, etc.</li></ul>



And that’s it – these are the top five tips that businesses in the hospitality industry should use in their email marketing campaigns to increase their conversions and ROI.



With Stampede, it doesn’t matter if you’re a non-digital business. We help you successfully target your customers across multiple touch points through our cloud-based WiFi solution.&nbsp;



Regardless of whether you’re a small café, a five star restaurant, casino, hotel, amusement park or tour operator, we can have your branded WiFi portal up and running so you can start capturing valuable customer contact and information.



The best part is that we are <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/blackbx-wifi-and-gdpr/">fully GDPR compliant</a> so you don’t have to worry about managing personally identifiable data or incurring fines.



Want to learn more about Stampede and our services? <a href="https://stampede.ai/contact/">Contact us today</a>!

Email Marketing Tips For The Hospitality Industry

There’s been plenty of talk about “pivoting” in the business world as lockdowns affected normal trading. As a quick and temporary solution to an unexpected problem, a pivot works well to sustain sales and spending, but a long term solution to staying flexible and resilient is what many operators are looking for now.



 According <a href="https://kam-media.co.uk/diversification-in-pubs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">to recent research by KAM Media</a> and TWC (https://twcgroup.net) such a solution could come from diversification. Multi-functional spaces, hybrid business models, it has many names but what it actually looks like is bike repair shops with small cafes inside, local artists exhibiting in restaurants, kitchen and bathroom showrooms selling locally crafted homewares and decorations. We’ve all seen them in town centres and village high-streets, and for good reason &#8211; it works.&nbsp;



 As KAM Media writes:



 “Straddling retail and hospitality and creating multiple ‘points of entry’&nbsp;



for customers across different dayparts, different occasions and different missions.”



 Their article focuses on pubs and what people would like to see from them by way of diversification. Traditionally, local pubs have done well sticking to what they know. But with changed opening hours, restrictions on alcohol sales and new technology being implemented faster than ever, the opportunity arises to broaden horizons and give people new reasons to come through the door.



 The top 5 most popular alternative uses for pubs came out as follows:



<ol><li>Using their car park for events (i.e. Xmas markets)</li><li>GP (doctor/pharmacy) pop-up surgery</li><li>Talks from recognised authors/speakers</li><li>Local meet and greet groups (e.g. walking tours start/finish location)</li><li>Buy a mini-keg of beer/ale/craft to takeaway for home consumption</li></ol>



Source: KAM Media/TWC, 29th Oct 2020



 With 18 ideas on this report, there’s plenty of inspiration when it comes to new revenue creating opportunities.



 And of course, there’s no need to go with just one of these ideas. Some of these suggestions will complement each other to make the pull to venues stronger and wider-reaching. Take-away Christmas lunches and a Santa Grotto in the car park; or perhaps hosting a charity bake sale and promoting baking/cooking classes at the same time are just two examples



 Operators that know their local community will know what could provide the most value for their patrons. Localisation is a key opportunity right now, what is your local area missing that you could bring in or enhance by offering up unused space in your venue?



 We’d strongly recommend reading the <a href="https://kam-media.co.uk/diversification-in-pubs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">whole article on KAM Media</a>, it offers some fantastic data-backed advice on the value diversification can bring in, regardless of what kind of venues you have.



 If you’ve got something new and awesome happening in your venue we can help you tell more customers about it and drive more engagement. <a href="https://stampede.ai/company/#contact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get in touch to find out more.</a>

Adapt and Attract

UGC Revolution: How User-Generated Content is Reshaping Marketing Strategies

How To Speed Up Content Creation With AI In Hospitality

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New Venue? Keep Your Footfall For Longer With Customer Data

Secure Revenue This Winter With Delivery Orders

How To Sell More And Increase Spend Per Head With Upsell

5 Tips To Sell More Gift Cards This Festive Season

A New 5-Step Recipe: Turn Unhappy Customers Into Big Spenders

3 Clever Ways To Use SMS Campaigns To Scale Up Your Marketing ROI [Updated 2023]

Easy And Profitable Marketing With Automations

Spooky times are creeping up at the end of this month, time to ramp up your&nbsp;Halloween marketing.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



We’ve come up with a bunch of promotional ideas to get you started and secure you some extra sales.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-halloween-email-campaign">1) Halloween Email Campaign</h5>



Highlight what you’ve planned this year and why customers shouldn’t miss out. Give them a&nbsp;sneak peek&nbsp;with some enticing images and menu previews.



Push them towards booking early on &#8211;&nbsp;‘limited availability &#8211; book now to secure your spot’.



Content ideas for your email:



<ul><li>Trick or Treat your customers &#8211; offers/deals</li><li>Planned events for kids and grown-ups</li><li>Menu &amp; drink specials</li><li>Include links to your socials for more Halloween content</li><li>Various booking call-to-actions</li></ul>



Time-saving tip:&nbsp;Stampede users can access the Halloween template from their account.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">2) Halloween Social Media Ideas</h5>



Seasonal events are great to&nbsp;give your accounts a little boost&nbsp;and put your brand forefront.&nbsp;



Here are some post inspirations:



<ul><li>Dress up competition &#8211; couples, families, pet</li><li>Take your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/g279/pumpkin-carving-ideas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pumpkin carving</a>&nbsp;to the next level (#SquashGoals)</li><li>Share homemade&nbsp;<a href="https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g1194/halloween-treats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">baking&nbsp;</a>treat ideas</li><li>What’s your favourite scary movie?</li><li>Trick or treat poll &#8211; which sweet do you go for?</li><li>Caption this &#8211;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.countryliving.com/life/a23012541/halloween-puns-funny-cute/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">halloween puns</a></li><li>Competition &#8211; find the hidden pumpkin on our website to win or how many ghosts can you spot on our website?</li></ul>



Find some best-performing Halloween hashtags&nbsp;<a href="http://best-hashtags.com/hashtag/halloween/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">3) Halloween In-venue Ideas</h5>



You can go full-on with a themed party or just focus on some smaller events. Nevertheless, customers love to share their experiences on their socials, so keep&nbsp;“TikTok-ability”&nbsp;in mind!



<ul><li>Host a theme party &#8211; mad hatters tea party, dinner in the dark,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g2640/halloween-cocktails/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spooky cocktail party</a></li><li>Host a Halloween-themed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.countryliving.com/life/g37154795/halloween-facts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pub quiz</a></li><li>Install a spooky or pumpkin patch photo wall</li><li>Run a pumpkin carving competition for kids</li><li><a href="https://www.womansday.com/life/g40290350/halloween-bingo-cards/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halloween bingo</a>&nbsp;for kids &#8211; can you spot the items in our venue?</li><li>Halloweenise your food &amp; drinks menu</li><li>For takeaway or delivery: sneak a nasty little surprise into the box</li></ul>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">Bonus: what&#8217;s trending this year</h5>



<ul><li>Offer a selection of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/halloween-mocktail-recipes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">non-alcoholic beverages</a></li><li>Eye-catching&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cosmopolitan.com/food-cocktails/g40671448/halloween-snack-ideas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">snack ideas</a></li><li>Get crafty with some easy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/g28190402/diy-halloween-decorations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DIY&nbsp;</a>decoration ideas for your venue</li><li>Stand out from the crowd and get some costume&nbsp;<a href="https://www.allure.com/gallery/unique-halloween-costume-ideas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">inspiration</a>&nbsp;from Harry Styles, Bridgerton and Stranger Things</li><li>Try something different &#8211; a Mexican-inspired&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/how-to-throw-a-day-of-the-dead-party/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">“Day of the Dead” party</a></li></ul>



Need a hand with promoting your Halloween marketing?&nbsp;<a href="https://h.stampede.ai/meetings/stampede/demo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get in touch</a>&nbsp;with our team to find out more about&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/marketing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stampede Marketing</a>.

Easy Halloween Marketing Ideas To Attract More Customers

WiFi Marketing: 3 Powerful Ways It Can Grow Your Business

Consumers appreciate speed and convenience. Pair this with a pandemic that’s encouraged people to stay at home and you have the premise for why online ordering has recently seen exponential growth. While there’s <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/why-you-should-put-your-restaurant-on-a-delivery-app-now/">no longer room for argument</a> as to whether deliveries should be an option for restaurants, the debate of how they should be administered still stands. &nbsp;



Did you know?



Did you know that revenue generated by off-premise dining makes up 44% of all restaurant sales, with 25% of those orders accounting for delivery?<a href="https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/operations/how-do-third-party-delivery-players-stack">[1]</a>



As such, the aim of this article is to guide restaurant owners through the decision-making process when it comes to answering the following question:



Should restaurants provide delivery themselves (DIY) &#8211; or should they rely on third-party services?



To help you work out what’s best for your business, let’s work through the pros and cons of the two options.&nbsp;



Here goes:



DIY Delivery 



Pros



<ul><li>If you want full control of your restaurant’s order and delivery system, then DIY delivery is the way to go. Having complete reign gives you the ability to control your delivery logistics so that you can put every effort into keeping your customers happy with your service.</li></ul>



<ul><li>In-house delivery methods allow restaurant owners and managers the freedom and flexibility to define their own product-offering and business model. For example, there are many third-party services that are restrictive by the type of products they can deliver.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<ul><li>By cutting out the middleman, you can reduce the potential for communication breakdown. There is less room for error when customers direct their orders to the source. At the same time, you can own the conversation with your customers where you provide them with options to order online or via a phone call. </li><li>Using your own vehicles is a great branding opportunity. Many companies use vehicles wrapped in eye-catching designs to get them noticed when driving around. It&#8217;s like a mobile billboard for your business, instead of a solo cyclist with a cuboid backpack.</li></ul>



Cons



<ul><li>Hiring delivery staff and delivery vehicles with in-house delivery operations can become costly.&nbsp; It can also be a complex procedure that adds to your admin, weighing you down with paperwork. </li></ul>



<ul><li>Even if you have been in the restaurant business for years, your expertise in modern-day delivery expectations may be lacking. This could lead to disrupted logistics and incompetence that could give your restaurant a bad rep. So, if you are not prepared to master new skills, then “DIY” may not be the way to go.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<ul><li>If things go wrong with an in-house delivery, there’s just no way to “pass on the buck”. If your customer is dissatisfied, then you will have to take full accountability for bad experiences. It’s fully up to you to provide ways to keep your restaurant customers happy.</li></ul>



Third-party Delivery Pros and Cons



Pros



<ul><li>Outsourcing delivery gives you room to breathe. By relying on delivery service apps to do the hard parts for you, you can focus exclusively on the tangible things you provide to your patrons. You have more time and resources on your hands to concentrate on other important day-to-day efforts and bigger projects.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Choosing to outsource delivery to a third party can lower your fixed expenses. It cuts out the need to pay wages to delivery staff and you won’t need to take out extra insurance. You also won’t need to purchase a fleet of delivery vehicles – which can put a huge dent in your profits.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<ul><li>Using a third-party delivery service has the potential to direct new business to you. Most third-party delivery services use web and mobile applications to run their services, with big advertising budgets to get consumers on board. The apps are out there doing the hard work of bringing you potential new customers.</li></ul>



Cons



<ul><li>When you rely on a third-party service application to run your deliveries, then you lose a certain amount of influential control over your patrons. For instance, you cannot customise your customer experience so that it completely meets the goals and values of your brand. You also rely on third-party staff members, who you may never meet, to be the face of your restaurant.&nbsp; At least with in-house delivery, you can train employees in exacting the delivery standards that you would like your customers to experience.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<ul><li>Commissions and fees. Third-party delivery software services are convenient in the sense that you typically only pay commission per transaction. However, this commission can take a hefty chunk out of your profits, sometimes up to 35%. Depending on your type of establishment, staff, wages, and vehicle availability may work out cheaper for a DIY delivery operation.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<ul><li>Third-party apps rely on technology to work and if there’s been a technical hitch in the system, it can lead to broken communication and an unhappy customer. While it may be the third-party’s fault that your customer is dissatisfied, it’s still your reputation on the line.&nbsp;</li></ul>



The Bottom Line…



Both DIY in-house and third-party delivery options are weighted with advantages and drawbacks. But regardless of how you decide to run your delivery operation, it’s always a good idea to incorporate some sort of delivery software into your system. <a href="https://storekit.com/advice/restaurant-software-a-guide/">Technology comes in all shapes and sizes and with its help</a>, you can streamline your logistics and optimise your operation as a whole. 



If you&#8217;re looking for more control and flexibility, DIY is the best option. However, if you favour speed and convenience, outsourcing with a third-party delivery app would be a better fit.



References:



[1] Restaurant Business Online. <a href="https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/operations/how-do-third-party-delivery-players-stack">How Do the Third-Party Delivery Players Stack Up?</a> June 21, 2018



Sources:



<ol><li>Moz. <a href="https://moz.com/blog/third-party-vs-in-house-delivery-guide">Third-party vs. In-house Delivery: A Guide to Informed Choice</a>, 22 June, 2020</li><li>Glympse. <a href="https://glympse.com/glympse/in-house-vs-third-party-delivery-pros-and-cons/">In-House vs. Third-Party Delivery: Pros and Cons</a>, May 15, 2019</li></ol>

Comparing In-House Delivery and Third-Party Delivery Apps

The acceleration of technology over the last decade has left <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/a-guide-on-current-hotel-industry-challenges/">no industry untouched</a>. With an explosion of online travel agencies (OTAs) creating both opportunities and threats for independent hotels. The process that many customers now use to choose and book a stay away from has changed beyond all recognition. There are still ways to encourage direct bookings vs OTAs and plenty of reasons to do so, which we will explore in this article.&nbsp;







On the one hand, OTAs offer a unique channel for promotions and market access. The volume of traffic they command gives independent hotels the opportunity to get offers out in front of thousands of potential customers who might never otherwise encounter their service. 



On the other hand, competition is often ferocious. Many independent hotels find this becomes a disheartening “race to the bottom”. The only winners in this scenario are those willing to cut their profit margins to the bone. With some operators apparently willing to boost occupancy at almost any cost.&nbsp;



The obvious benefit of direct bookings is the fact you won’t have to pay a commission to a third party. It’s all between you and the customer, giving you far more scope to make a healthy profit. Also, you have full access to your customers&#8217; data, which otherwise would stay with the OTA. Allowing you to get back in touch with your guests.



With this in mind, let’s explore some tried-and-tested ways that you can boost your direct bookings and drive up profits for the months ahead. 



Further reading: <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/new-tech-friend-or-foe-for-independent-hotels/">https://stampede.ai/blog/new-tech-friend-or-foe-for-independent-hotels/</a>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">User-test your website</h4>



Did you know that <a href="https://www.edhotels.com/80-hotel-bookings-made-mobile-devices/">up to 80%</a> of hotel reservations are made from mobile devices? Despite this statistic, many hotel websites make it difficult to make an online reservation from a phone. User test yours to make sure that you can easily and quickly make a reservation from your smartphone &#8211; if you’re not getting as many direct bookings are you would expect, this could be a prime reason.&nbsp;



Customers are increasingly impatient. If your website isn’t properly optimised for mobile or lacks a touchscreen-friendly booking engine, then they will abandon their attempt to reserve a room at the first hurdle. Similarly, test that your website loads quickly. As many as <a href="https://www.pegs.com/blog/10-reasons-why-hotels-must-embrace-mobile-optimization/">49% of visitors</a> will abandon your website if it doesn’t load within 8-10 seconds.&nbsp;



Finally, the phone number on your website should be a clickable link for mobile users. So that they can call you with one touch rather than having to dial the number manually. Again, the easier you make it for people to get in touch with you, the more calls you will get. It sounds simple, and it is… But it’s surprising how many don’t take this basic step of testing their website as a customer would have to use it. 



Make sure that you check your website from a user perspective regularly. At least once per month &#8211; and it should also be the first thing you do if you notice a sudden fall in direct bookings that wasn’t expected.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Make full use of Google My Business</h4>



Speaking of resources that are often not taken full advantage of. Have you registered your hotel on <a href="https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/business/">Google My Business</a>? It’s free, and it’s packed with a host of tools that you can use to help you get more visitors to your website. Ultimately, more direct bookings as a result. Not only will visitors to your area see a full detailed listing on your business when they search for “hotels” within Google Maps, but you can also display special offers, weekly menu updates, photos, and much more.&nbsp;



Again, although this tool is available to all hotels, it’s surprising how many don’t take full advantage of it. Make your Google My Business page a “favourite” on your browser and set a weekly reminder to add new content to it. Respond to reviews that you receive; even negative ones can be turned to your advantage with a little skill.&nbsp;



Keeping your Google My Business page updated with seasonal opening times, latest menus and special offers will boost the overall traffic your website receives. As well as increasing it’s SEO ranking (increasing the likelihood of getting to that coveted front-page-of-Google result for certain keywords!)&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Take advantage of changing habits by using Influencer Marketing</h4>



People’s leisure habits have changed remarkably over the last decade. In 2011, traditional TV consumed over 4 hours of time per day on average, whereas social media consumed just 90 minutes. By 2021, it is estimated that this statistic will have been turned on its head. With traditional TV relegated to less than one hour per day, and social media accounting for over 3 hours!&nbsp;



You can take advantage of this change by utilising <a href="https://goatagency.com/">Influencer Marketing</a>. This method of getting your hotel’s brand in front of a new audience allows you to micro-target very specific demographics. It can often be surprisingly cost-efficient when compared to other forms of advertising. Best of all, you can tie in a special offer to your influencer marketing campaign. This allows you to accurately measure the exact return on investment.&nbsp;



This marketing route lifts you right out of the run-of-the-mill comparisons that afflict OTA websites and allows you to package a stay at your hotel as an experience in its own right, rather than just a convenient stopping-off point to grab a quick sleep before heading out again.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Capture the email address of drop-in visitors &#8211; and turn them into repeat customers!&nbsp;</h4>



Did you know that a major source of direct bookings could be literally walking in (and out) of your front door as you’re reading this? Every day, people use your reception and bar/restaurant for business meetings, as a place to catch up with their emails or grab an after-work drink with colleagues. By utilising <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-marketing-with-wifi-benefits-your-business/">WiFi marketing</a>, you can capture their email address and entice them to return with some carefully selected offers. 



Want to learn more about WiFi Marketing? Get in touch.



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These drop-in visitors could be your best source of direct bookings, as they already know the location of your hotel. They have had a chance to sample your friendly, efficient service. Thus, they are more likely to be tempted to return by an offer of a free extra night or a free room upgrade. Best of all, when you email these previous visitors, you are not competing with anyone else for their attention. You have direct access to their inbox, and a <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/email-marketing-tips-for-the-hospitality-industry/">carefully-crafted email campaign</a> can be used to woo them to return again, and again!&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Bringing it all together&nbsp;</h4>



We’ve explored four different methods, from basic to advanced, for helping balance the volume of direct vs. OTA bookings your hotel receives. While the proliferation of online competition might appear disheartening for independent hotel owners, there are ways you can turn the tide in your favour. Which combination will you choose to make your next year more profitable and rewarding?



Further reading: <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/10-tips-on-nurturing-customer-loyalty-in-the-hotel-industry/">https://stampede.ai/blog/10-tips-on-nurturing-customer-loyalty-in-the-hotel-industry/</a>



Stay tuned for more articles to help you grow your business. Or join our email list to make sure you never miss out.&nbsp;

Direct Vs. OTA Bookings – Getting the Right Balance for Independent Hotels

One prominent trend in the hospitality industry is the rising&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://mailchi.mp/exp101/good-morning-ring-an-old-friend-today?e=68c993fe11" target="_blank">customer demand for personalisation</a>. Personalisation is your key ingredient to creating a&nbsp;memorable customer experience. An experience that makes customers come back and spread the word about you.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



 Simply put, personalisation is an easy and straightforward way to stand out, increase your sales and grow your business.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-you-should-focus-more-on-personalisation">Why you should focus more on personalisation</h4>



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.revinate.com/blog/infographic-personalization-struggle-hotel-marketing/" target="_blank">62% of customers say they have recommended, chosen, or paid more for a brand that provides personalised service</a>.



It’s time to move away from the one-size-fits-all approach many businesses still rely on. Customers want to be understood as individuals and served according to their needs.



Data helps you to unlock the huge potential&nbsp;for a personalised experience. However, gathering data often raises concerns around security and the assumption that customers would not want to give their details away.



Despite that, recent studies have shown that&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.fsrmagazine.com/expert-takes/diners-crave-personalized-experiences-are-you-delivering?fbclid=IwAR3vB4e9iY0arMVdccpQQjmj99MSe0_HZn087oYLY-7vbAyxKtEZ0kApFvA" target="_blank">84% of customers say they trust restaurants with their personal data if it translates to a better, more personalised experience</a>.&nbsp;



So, make sure to use the data and derive real value from it to create targeted and relevant offers.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="how-to-grow-your-business-with-personalisation">How to grow your business with personalisation</h4>



Personalisation is not only about satisfying your customers&#8217; needs. There is more it can do to grow your businesses.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="foster-customer-loyalty">Foster customer loyalty</h5>



Personalisation is the foundation of your relationship building. If you greet your customers by name whilst already preparing their favourite coffee it might not be a big deal for you. But will definitely be remembered by your customers. Think of how Starbucks is applying this principle by calling customers by their first name when their order is ready.



The same applies to keeping track of dietary requirements and food preferences to adjust your personalised menu recommendations accordingly.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="increase-revenue">Increase revenue</h5>



In addition, remembering customer preferences based on past purchases gives you an easy&nbsp;opportunity to upsell. You know what they like, so why not proactively offer it to them when taking their order.&nbsp;



Also, email campaigns that include&nbsp;personalised offers and deals come with a much higher conversion rate (up to 6x). Start building customer mailing list segments based on transactional behaviour, interactions and demographics to better tailor your campaigns.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="boost-word-of-mouth">Boost word of mouth</h5>



We all like to share special moments with others. So whenever you exceed your customers’ expectations chances are that they will recommend you, post about you and leave a positive review. This will, of course, bring in new customers.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="improve-operational-efficiency">Improve operational efficiency</h5>



 If you know what customers want and like you can&nbsp;better predict trends. Give them more of what they like and take unpopular items off your menu. This will also help you towards better inventory management and further reduce costs.



 Watch out for <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-bring-customers-back-using-customer-data-and-personalisation-part-ii/">Part II of this blog article</a>, about what is needed to create a personalised experience, including some inspiring ideas.



Need help sending out <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/">tailored email &amp; SMS campaigns</a>?&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request" target="_blank">Get in touch</a>&nbsp;with one of our&nbsp;team who are happy to run you through it.

Drive Revenue And Loyalty With Personalisation [Part I]

Did you know that Stampede integrates with over 200 e-commerce platforms? By connecting your e-commerce system with Stampede you will be able to access even more customer data insights, allowing you to create enticing marketing campaigns to bring customers back.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



Here’s the&nbsp;<a href="https://zapier.com/apps/categories/ecommerce" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">full list of all 202 e-commerce apps</a>, including Shopify, Square and WooCommerce.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-use-transactional-e-commerce-data">How to use transactional e-commerce data</h4>



By adding more customer data sources together you&#8217;ll get a better view of the customer journey and their relationship with your brand. Those insights can then be used to create more personalised and targeted offers.



And that&#8217;s the key to getting great conversion rates.



Having all your data sources available in one place makes this easy and effective for you as well.&nbsp;Simply mix and match your data sources to create unique customer segments&nbsp;for your next email and SMS campaigns.



To get you started, we&#8217;ve put together some clever segment combination ideas and campaigns to go with them for inspiration.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">8 clever segmentation &amp; campaign ideas for your e-commerce data</h4>



1.&nbsp;Customer has purchased online but has&nbsp;not&nbsp;been at venue:



<ul><li>We&#8217;d love to meet you! Why not come by and say hello? Get % off for your first visit.</li><li>Like our [product] and want to explore our full range? Come by our venue and get [freebie] for your first visit.&nbsp;</li></ul>



2.&nbsp;Regular in-venue customer but no online purchases:



<ul><li>Want to enjoy some of your most favourite items at home? Check out our online store and get % off your first order.</li><li>Did you know that we also sell gift cards and meal-kits? They will make a great gift for [e.g. Mother’s Day]. Special offer only valid until …</li></ul>



3.&nbsp;Customer has purchased the same item several times (automated message):



<ul><li>Looks like you’re a fan of our [product]. What about getting it to your doorstep every month without having to remember to re-order it?</li><li>We’ve seen you like [product] and thought you might as well like this [product].</li><li>A fan of [product]? We’ve got a much wider range available in our venue. Come by and get [freebie].</li></ul>



4.&nbsp;Customer has made several online orders and are a regular customer (loyal):



<ul><li>Thanks for sticking with us! Here’s a sneak peak of our new [product] and an exclusive early bird offer for you.</li><li>Here’s a little treat for you. Simply show your voucher code the next time you come to visit us to get [freebie].&nbsp;</li></ul>



5.&nbsp;Abandoned cart (automated message):



<ul><li>We’ve noticed you left something in your cart. Do you want to proceed? Get additional % off if you order within the next …</li><li>Here’s a free shipping to what is left in your cart. Order now.</li></ul>



6.&nbsp;No online order or in-venue visit in the past 30 days (cold):



<ul><li>Here’s % off to say we miss you! Visit us or buy online.&nbsp;</li><li>Just checking in, as we haven’t seen you in a while. Get % off your next visit/order.</li></ul>



7.&nbsp;Big online spenders and high review scores (advocate):



<ul><li>Looks like you’re enjoying [product]. Why not tell your friends and get % off your next order.&nbsp;</li><li>We want to say thank you and have [freebie] waiting for you at our venue.</li></ul>



8.&nbsp;Big online spenders and low online rating (win back):



<ul><li>We’re sorry to hear that you’re not happy with [product] and we would like to retry. Here’s % off your next visit/order</li><li>Give us another chance, we want to make up. Your next order of [product] is on us.</li></ul>



Check out this useful article on our blog&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-set-up-a-successful-meal-kit-e-commerce-page/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on how to set up a successful e-commerce page</a>.



Ready to integrate your e-commerce platform to Stampede for more data insights?&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/company/#contact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get in touch&nbsp;</a><a href="https://stampede.ai/company/#contact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>and our team will be happy to assist.

Drive More Sales With E-Commerce Integrations and Data

Ready to start building your business through social networks?

Promotion by Recommendation
There is no better promotion than a friend referring to a business. Using the <a href="/blog/press/how-important-is-mobile-marketing">Facebook Checkin feature on Stampede</a> you can post to your clients Facebook feed endorsing your brand/venue. When a user &#8220;Checks In&#8221; that user&#8217;s friends will be notified about their presence at that venue. 
<h3>User Experience</h3>
This is a no-brainer from a user experience standpoint, they get access to Free WiFi using Facebook instantly, no input required. The user will also have the option to opt out of the check-in should they want to.
Inputting information about yourself on a mobile can sometimes be quite tricky, with Facebook Checkin on WiFi we can completely forget the login form by clicking the Checkin using Facebook button.
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

Facebook Checkin on WiFi

The Power of Reviews and Recommendations

When it comes to collecting customer details we understand that registering with a venue through WiFi isn’t possible 100% of the time. So we’ve put together a system to cover those instances and still provide the benefits of using a digital <a href="https://stampede.ai/covid-19/track-and-trace/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">track and trace system</a>.



 Customers can also scan a QR code specific to Stampede venues that is printed on posters and floor stickers.



How it Works



They enter their contact details in a form which go into the same secure storage as the information collected from the WiFi. This keeps it simple for staff with one location for all customer data.



 What makes this QR scan-in special is that there are no venue-specific ID numbers to enter, nor are there different QR codes for each venue. It’s one QR code that works for any Stampede venue. This way of keeping it simple is the ideal solution for everyone.



No phone, no problem.



 For those customers without access to a smartphone or a WiFi-enabled device, staff can add them to the system manually, still keeping all the data in one place.



 Altogether it&#8217;s a fast and easy way to tick this data collection job off your list so you can spend your time where it’s needed most.



 To find out more or ask any questions, <a href="https://stampede.ai/company/#contact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">contact</a> one of our team on <a href="tel:+441315107008" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">0131 510 7008</a>, by <a href="mailto:contact@stampede.ai?subject=QR%20Code%20Info&amp;body=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">email</a> or visit <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/hospitality-reopening/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our website</a> to live chat with us.

Covering All The Bases

Out of sight, out of mind. How do you win back lost customers that haven’t paid you a visit for a while? It’s well known that&nbsp;retaining an existing customer is much cheaper than acquiring a new one.&nbsp;So, it’s worth sending a little reminder from your side to win those customers back.



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Your goal is to re-engage with those lost customers and make them aware that they’re missing out by not coming by for some time.



This is especially valuable for customers who used to come by on a regular basis and seemed to have changed habit. But it’s also very effective at enticing one-time customers back.



Let’s take our <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/a-5-step-recipe-that-creates-profitable-personalised-marketing-part-1/">5 step recipe</a> to set up a&nbsp;simple campaign to win back your customers.



1) The Data



For this scenario, you’ll need to access your&nbsp;time-stamped visitor data, which can be obtained from various sources:



<ul><li>Last WiFi login from captive portal / guest WiFi</li><li>Last booking date from booking system</li><li>Last stamp / interaction from loyalty scheme</li><li>Last purchase from eCommerce system</li></ul>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">2) The Trigger Event</h5>



In this case, the trigger is if the&nbsp;customer hasn’t been at your venue for a certain period of time.



Choose a time interval that makes the most sense for your business and set it up as an automated trigger. Though, the longer you wait, the harder it gets to re-engage them.



You could even set up two triggers, a short time interval, e.g. three weeks and a long time interval, e.g. three months since last visit.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">3) The Messaging</h5>



Remind customers why they should come back by highlighting&nbsp;what makes your venue special and worth a visit, e.g. large outside sitting area, signature dish, events, etc.



You can also include new menu items, limited specials or any other updates that make customers curious or even fear that they might miss out on something.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">4) The Offer</h5>



Highlighting what makes you stand out might not be enough though. The easiest way is to further entice them by including an offer or promotion.



Make sure your&nbsp;offers are relevant and timely. Send drink or dinner offers out before the weekend, e.g. Friday midday. Whereas your ‘coffee for free’ should be in your customer’s inboxes the night before.&nbsp;



Here’s what your email could look like:



Subject line &#8211; &nbsp;[Name] we miss you here at [company] &#8211; here’s % off your next visit



It’s been a while since your last visit and we’d love you to come back!



Get % off your next visit.&nbsp;



Since we’ve last seen you, we’ve also introduced a new exciting [menu item]. You wouldn’t want to miss that!



Call me back in &#8211; Book Now



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-the-outcome">5) The Outcome</h5>



Retaining your customers couldn&#8217;t be achieved any easier than with an automated win-back campaign. Show customers that they matter to you and make their experience personal.&nbsp;



Also, not to forget the&nbsp;knock-on effect&nbsp;here. A happy customer can turn into a loyal one providing a solid revenue stream. Plus, they’ll also refer your business to others, which means more customers to grow.



Stay tuned for our next email to find out how you can apply our personalisation recipe to increase your gift card redemptions.



Need help segmenting your data for tailored email &amp; SMS campaigns?&nbsp;<a href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get in touch</a>&nbsp;with one of our team who are happy to run you through it.

Another 5 Step Recipe: How To Easily Win Back Lost Customers [Part 2/5]

Our mobiles have become so close to us that we now carry them wherever we go. We check mails on the bus stop, add favourite songs to a new playlist while we&#8217;re in the queue and check Facebook at every chance we get.
<h2>Facebook Connects Everyone</h2>
Even with all the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/11/technology/facebook-privacy-hearings.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">recent privacy issues</a>, Facebook continues to be one of the most popular social media platforms. Why? Because it&#8217;s easy and enables us to connect with friends from all around the globe and share the latest cat videos with them &#8211; satisfying an ancient human urge. Jokes aside, the benefits Facebook brings are undeniable. Looking a few years back, it was unthinkable to stay in constant contact with friends from the other side of the globe and see what they were up to.
Now, Facebook prompts you when it&#8217;s someone&#8217;s birthday and even provides you with a handy birthday card template to send them a personalised greeting. Soon enough, we started using every little break to check what’s happening on Facebook, always fearing we might miss out on the next big deal, whatever that’s supposed to be.

<h2>Providing WiFi to attract</h2>
As Facebook grew in popularity, the sight of people walking down the street, their faces buried in their mobiles, started to become more common. Businesses spotted the trend and started providing free Guest WiFi in order to attract Facebook lovers to their venues. What a genius idea &#8211; if people can lean back and relax at your business, they are very likely to check their phone, checking social media sites like Facebook and staying for that extra cup of coffee or a snack. Providing for all core amenities (including free WiFi) is key to success, and that’s especially true for hospitality businesses. In other words, new ways to take care of guests, brought new possibilities for businesses to differentiate themselves.
<h2>Get your business online</h2>
Today, Facebook is way more than just a way to stalk your friend’s holiday pictures. It offers information on all kinds of content, as it expanded from a personal medium to a portal that also accommodates brands and businesses. The next step for companies was being found and loved on Facebook, as it offers fantastic ways to create engagement with the fans of the customer base.
If we compare successful businesses today, we often look at the amount of Facebook likes they have on their page as social proof. People now use Social Media sites like Facebook to see how other users rate a venue and how their experience was before making a visit.
So &#8211; you&#8217;ve got a Facebook page for your venue, right? If that’s not the case, stop reading for two minutes, <a class="" href="https://en-gb.facebook.com/business/learn/set-up-facebook-page" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">click here</a> and set up an account for your venue. There are over <a href="https://zephoria.com/top-15-valuable-facebook-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2 Billion Facebook users out there</a> that you could be reaching!
<h2>Create Online Visibility</h2>
Whereas big corporate companies have a dedicated department to shape the online presence of the company, smaller enterprises often face difficulties when it comes to managing and updating their online appearance. So what&#8217;s a small business to do?
We got you covered, don’t worry! When a user connects to a Stampede powered WiFi network, they are given the option to choose from <a href="/blog/wifi-in-your-venue-login-once-login-forever" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">entering their email address</a> or logging in through Facebook. This lets guests use the WiFi network with a single click by sharing the information that is public on their Facebook profile. This option holds a unique possibility for businesses, as they are then able to publish every connection that is made to their Guest Network on Facebook.
In other words, if a customer connects to the Guest WiFi Network, all their friends and contacts can see that the customer is checking in at your venue. This is a fantastic way to establish a strong and convincing online presence for your business and makes it easy for new and potential customers to find your venue online, check reviews of other guests and plan their next visit to your business.
As you can see, the right solution can help you to turn a necessity into a benefit for you business very easily. If you want to find out about the entire set of advantages that a Guest WiFi Software can bring to the table, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
You’ll be surprised what your WiFi can do for you.
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

Facebook WiFi and your Business

Why, it seems only just a few short days ago that we were writing about enabling <a class="" href="/blog/facebook-wifi-your-business" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook Wifi checkin for your business</a>. As many of our readers know, the world of the internet moves fast and furious.. In just that short time, Facebook founder <a href="https://www.recode.net/2018/4/10/17216734/live-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-testimony-senate-hearing-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mark Zuckerberg found himself being grilled on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC</a> over data concerns with their social media platform. Shortly afterwards, UK pub giant Wetherspoons announced that they would be <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43781281" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">shutting down all of their social media accounts</a>.

So should hospitality owners be worried? Short answer, NO.
Although the growth in Facebook has slowed in 2018, in truth, it’s still the largest social media platform out there, used by over 2 BILLION people. That’s almost one quarter of the population of the planet. That being said, after the revelations of the past couple of weeks,  users may have some concerns with using Facebook and may start posting with less frequency. At least for a while.
What Facebook does with customer data is beyond your control. What you CAN do, however, is offer your customers a fast, safe and convenient Wifi connection so they can access their Facebook accounts. To that end,  you have a number of different ways that you can let customers connect to your networks. You can give out the password so everyone can connect freely, you can let your customers login via a social network like Facebook or Twitter, or you can ask them for certain data, like their email and/or post code, in return for unlimited Wifi.
Let’s take a look at these in light of recent concerns and see which might be best for your hospitality business.
<h2>OPEN NETWORK</h2>
This is still how many hospitality and retail businesses are running nowadays. There’s typically a password written on a wall or menu somewhere which allows users to connect. The benefits of this type of network are obvious &#8211; it’s easy for anyone to connect. The bad part about this type of network is that….it’s easy for anyone to connect. Hackers looking to steal data can easily connect to the network and, <a href="/blog/articles/data-comprimised-wifi-pineapple" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">with a Wifi hacking device like a pineapple</a>, easily intercept your data.
<h2>SOCIAL MEDIA LOGIN</h2>
In this type of connection, a user logs into a Wifi network by <a href="/blog/social/facebook-checkin-on-wifi" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">authenticating against one a social network like Facebook or Twitter</a>. The benefits of this type of connection is that, for one, it’s somewhat more secure than a network with an open password and, since nearly everyone has a social media account, it’s easy for users to connect to your Wifi network. But connections aren’t free and, in most cases, buy connecting trhough a social media network, the user then will broadcast their connections to their friends on the network.
For example, a user that connects with a Facebook login will have their location announced to their Facebook friends. Until now, this wasn&#8217;t a big deal, but, as we’ve seen with the recent Facebook news, users might be less and less willing to share their data.
Social media login is one of the ways that Wifi users can authenticate to Wifi through our Stampede platform. It&#8217;s popular with a number of our customers. But, an even more powerful and flexible way for your customers to connect to Wifi is through the use of a captive portal.
<h2>CAPTIVE PORTAL LOGIN</h2>
Here’s how it works: when a user enters your location, they connect to your Wifi. Once connected, a browser opens prompting the user for their email address. This is so the user can be verified through our Stampede platform before the Wifi allows them to connect. In addition to their email address, capitive portal solutions can ask for additional information, like sex, age and post codes.
Although this may seem intrusive, most users have no problem with providing some user data in return for free Wifi. And, if you let them know that by providing you with their email address, you’ll use the data to keep them informed of upcoming offeres or specials, they’ll be happy to give it to you.
The other benefit of a captive portal is that once a customer is logged in, they stay logged in. Even better, if you have Stampede deployed in multiple locations &#8211; let&#8217;s say a chain of pubs &#8211; they can stay connected from venue to venue (pub crawl, anyone) <a href="/blog/wifi-in-your-venue-login-once-login-forever" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">without ever having to login to the Wifi</a>!
<h2>WHICH SOLUTION IS RIGHT FOR YOU?</h2>
That depends on your business and your needs.
If you’re looking to just provide Wifi to increase dwell time at your hospitality or retail business, then you can go with an open network or social media login. These type of networks are easy to setup and require little or no upkeep. But if you’re looking to turn an expense into an asset, then providing your customers with a captive Wifi portal is the solution for you. By colletcting email and other data from your users, you can land, expand and grow your business.
What are you waiting for? Your business isn&#8217;t going to grow itself.
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

Facebook, Data Security, and Hospitality WiFi

Ah, customers. Love them or hate them &#8211; the fact is you need them to create a sustainable and profitable business. In the restaurant trade, your customers all have one thing in common: they are all hungry! So, when it comes to finding new ways to attract customers, you need to keep this in mind.







There are thousands of takeaways available at the touch of the app, so what is your restaurant doing differently to persuade them to head out and join you instead? It can be difficult to keep track of the latest digital trends, meaning your business is losing out in the process.



So if your flyers feel a little old school, or your website just isn’t filling tables &#8211; here are some creative ways you can attract new customers to your restaurant.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Themed Nights</h4>



If your restaurant is stuck in a rut and you’re looking to attract fresh faces, nothing brings people together quite <a href="https://upserve.com/restaurant-insider/5-great-theme-night-ideas/">like a themed night</a>. Regardless of what type of restaurant you own, there’s always room to try something a little different!



You could even host networking events and invite local businesses. Or, how about a decade themed night, or something special for Halloween, Easter etc?&nbsp; A great tip is to hold your themed night on your <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/ways-to-boost-your-restaurant-in-winter/">slowest day of the week</a>, as this can really boost trade without having to sacrifice tables during the busier nights.



Themed nights work because more often than not, people want to bring friends along too. After all, if people are going to dress up or make an effort, they are going to want to share this with other people! Meaning lots of new customer possibilities for you.&nbsp;



You can create RSVP’s on Facebook, or ask people to book a ticket via your website. You could also offer incentives such as discounts or special deals, to really entice the crowds in for your themed night. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Email Marketing</h4>



If you’re yet to get on <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-set-up-your-first-email-campaign-guide-2019/">board with email marketing</a>, what are you waiting for? 



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You can really use <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/engaging-customers-through-wi-fi-marketing/">email marketing</a> to your advantage, especially when it comes to attracting and enticing new customers. For example, you could send an email where if your customers refer a friend to sign up, they will both receive a £5 voucher off their next meal.&nbsp;



Or, you could get creative and find a spot that’s quiet during the week. Send an email inviting customers to visit during this time, to receive a special offer or deal. You can really use this tactic to make sure you cover slow periods, which all businesses including restaurants inevitably have. It’s about looking at the stats and responding accordingly, which email marketing is brilliant for. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Create An App</h4>



As the saying goes: “If you can’t beat them, join them”. When it comes to creating an app to promote your restaurant, this could be a great way to boost existing and new trade. Especially since <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/aug/21/cellphone-screen-time-average-habits">we are now averaging over 3 hours spent on our smartphones</a> every single day.



For example, your app could allow people to pre-book tables, or even order takeaway if your restaurant offers this service. Although there are many existing apps you can use for this, they will charge commission and you won’t have full control either.&nbsp;



Your personal restaurant app, however, can alert people to free tables or special offers you may be running. Although it can be costly to set up if integrated as part of your overall marketing strategy it can really pay off. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/rock-your-restaurant-with-wifi-and-instagram/">Social Media</a> Competitions</h4>



On first glance, you might be thinking: “Hang on, how can giving something away earn me new customers?” The goal here is to look at <a href="https://blog.wishpond.com/post/115675437432/restaurant-contest-ideas">competitions as part of your wider marketing strategy</a>.



Say you create a competition on Facebook with the prize being a free meal for 2. If people like, share and tag who’d they’d bring on the post, the initial cost of the meal you are giving away, has generated hundreds of new followers and visits to your page. In many cases, this can spread to thousands like wildfire, after all, people like getting things for free! 



Even though you’re only picking one winner, the amount of people who have now seen your business is in the thousands when looking at overall reach.



Alternatively, you could launch a new item such as “Scotland’s hottest chilli” and challenge people to come and try it, by asking people to tag who they think has it in them to eat it. Even a simple idea can really boost the number of eyes on your business.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Guerilla Marketing</h4>



Nope, we’re not suggesting you turn your restaurant into a zoo here. Guerilla marketing is a form of marketing that uses surprising or unconventional ways of promoting a product or service.&nbsp;



A great example comes from Nestlé, who once turned a park bench <a href="https://www.digett.com/insights/why-small-businesses-should-use-guerilla-marketing">into their famous Kit Kat fingers</a>. When it comes to your restaurant, there are so many creative ways you could market it using similar tactics. For example, <a href="https://blog.depositphotos.com/guerilla-marketing-ideas.html">you could create street art similar to McDonald’s</a> that turned a pedestrian crossing into their famous fries. 



For the most part, it doesn’t have to involve an elaborate budget or any crazy installations &#8211; it’s all about thinking outside the box to get your restaurant in the minds of your customers. It’s about targeting key locations (such as student hubs or commuter zones) with a really creative idea that makes people stop and think. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h4>



Running a busy restaurant and trying to get to grips with the latest marketing trends can be tough! 



The key points to take away are that it’s important to reach your customers in as many different ways as possible. Sure, people may see a leaflet once &#8211; but is it enough on its own to attract lots of new customers?&nbsp;



While marketing isn’t exclusively digital and you should always look for a mix of physical and online methods to boost trade &#8211; it is where a lot of your core audience spend their time. Targeting them in exactly the right way with creative campaigns can make you stand out from the stream of takeaways or chains you’re in competition with.



If you’d like to enhance your digital marketing, Stampede offers tailored solutions so you can keep track of your customers, and ensure there’s a constant stream of them coming through the door.&nbsp;

Creative Ways to Attract New Customers

The UK’s irrepressible hospitality sector: 2022 Industry Growth Report

Delivery and takeaway sales have seen another strong start in 2022. Recent figures by <a href="https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2022/02/23/pub-delivery-and-takeaway-sales-reach-five-times-pre-pandemic-levels-in-january-2022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CGA &amp; Slerp Hospitality At Home Tracker</a> show a sales increase of 422% compared to January 2019. Time to ramp up your e-commerce meal kit page and promotions for maximum revenue.







In <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-get-it-right-meal-kit-online-sales-success-by-hawskmoor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">part one</a> of this series, we analysed the Hawksmoor At Home e-commerce website and promotions. This part will give you some further guidance on how you can deploy a similar strategy to your meal kit e-commerce sales to get them flying out the door.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-page-layout">Page Layout</h4>



Most website builders have a selection of&nbsp;built-in e-commerce templates and building blocks&nbsp;to choose from. To save time, use those and customise or adjust them to your branding rather than building a page entirely from scratch.



We’d recommend going minimalistic and choosing a simple grid layout made of image and text blocks. This provides customers with a straightforward overview of your different meal-kit options.



Have a look around <a href="https://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/best-for/restaurant-diy-kits_9779" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">others restaurants’ meal kit pages</a> and get some more inspiration from the gallery below.



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<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.17.25.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="976" height="926" data-id="21277" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.17.25.png" alt="" class="wp-image-21277" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.17.25.png 976w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.17.25-300x285.png 300w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.17.25-768x729.png 768w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.17.25-150x142.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.17.25-16x16.png 16w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.17.25-592x562.png 592w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.17.25-63x60.png 63w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.17.25-95x90.png 95w" sizes="(max-width: 976px) 100vw, 976px" /></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.30.10.png"><img decoding="async" data-id="21278" src="https://image.stampede.ai/fill/1024/544/ce/0/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGFtcGVkZS5haS93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMi8wMy9TY3JlZW5zaG90LTIwMjItMDMtMDItYXQtMTIuMzAuMTAtMTAyNHg1NDQucG5n" alt="" class="wp-image-21278"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.41.15.png"><img decoding="async" data-id="21280" src="https://image.stampede.ai/fill/1024/441/ce/0/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGFtcGVkZS5haS93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMi8wMy9TY3JlZW5zaG90LTIwMjItMDMtMDItYXQtMTIuNDEuMTUtMTAyNHg0NDEucG5n" alt="" class="wp-image-21280"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2022-03-02-at-12.43.22-1.png"><img decoding="async" data-id="21279" src="https://image.stampede.ai/fill/1024/831/ce/0/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGFtcGVkZS5haS93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMi8wMy9TY3JlZW5zaG90LTIwMjItMDMtMDItYXQtMTIuNDMuMjItMS0xMDI0eDgzMS5wbmc=" alt="" class="wp-image-21279"/></a></figure>
</figure>



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<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Page Design</h4>



Keep the overall page design&nbsp;easy to navigate&nbsp;and use your existing brand assets to make it recognisable.



The overall focus on the page should be on the pictures of your meal kits, as they will capture your customers&#8217; attention and give them an idea of what to expect.



You can, for example, use one image showing the finished meal together with some close-ups of individual components and ingredients. Chances are that you have some high-quality shots for your social media posts already that can be re-used. This visual consistency between channels will help improve campaign effectiveness.



Always keep in mind that most of your customers will browse on their phones, so make sure your page displays well on both desktop and mobile.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Written Page Content</h4>



Again, keep the text minimal and provide a&nbsp;clear and concise description&nbsp;of your meal kits. You can use a bulleted list for this part, which makes it easier to grasp all important information at one glance.&nbsp;Strong call-to-actions&nbsp;will help you drive in more orders &#8211; “Get cooking”, “Order now”, “Create your [company] at home experience”.



Once you’ve got the key information across, you can use storytelling to give your content a personal touch. Showcase your local suppliers and their ingredients with links to their websites. And don’t forget to include customer testimonials.



A short FAQ section can give customers answers to common questions around last order date, storage, etc. You can also include more detailed step-by-step instructions here. This will help you to highlight how easy it is for customers to replicate your restaurant experience at home. 



To make your page even more engaging think about incorporating a short video on how to prepare the meal featuring your chef in action.



Check out <a href="https://garrettoden.com/analyzed-18-meal-kit-delivery-websites/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this article</a> analysing different meal kit delivery pages and their content for some more tips and tricks. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">E-Commerce Promotion</h4>



Once your page is all set up, it&#8217;s time to promote your meal kit e-commerce page properly. Besides using your social channels and email marketing, you might opt for paid search ads. This will allow you to reach a much wider (national) audience.



Below are some useful resources around setting up converting Google Search Ads and further SEO tips to boost your website content.



<ul><li>Digital Restaurateur &#8211; <a href="https://www.digitalrestaurateur.com/paid-search-for-restaurants" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paid search ads for restaurants</a></li><li>39 celsius &#8211; <a href="https://www.39celsius.com/google-ads-for-restaurants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google ads for restaurants</a></li><li>Search Engine Journal &#8211; <a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/restaurant-seo-tips/208644/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Restaurant SEO tips</a></li><li>Lightspeed &#8211; <a href="https://www.lightspeedhq.com/blog/seo-for-restaurants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SEO for restaurants</a></li></ul>



Stampede integrates with a number of e-commerce platforms that allows you to access valuable customers data. <a href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get in touch</a> with one of our team who are happy to run you through it.

How To Set Up A Successful Meal Kit E-Commerce Page

The troubling news:&nbsp;72% of hospitality operators have noticed a dip in visitor frequency&nbsp;recently. But more importantly:&nbsp;59% have also observed an increase in spend per head!



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While the frequency might go down, customers want to treat themselves whilst they’re out.



So, what’s the best way for hospitality operators to tackle this? Level up your&nbsp;upselling strategy!



Here are two simple techniques you can use to increase spend per head and table.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deploy-marketing-for-pre-visit-upselling">Deploy Marketing For Pre-Visit Upselling</h5>



There are many opportunities to make some additional sales before customers come to your venue.



Start with your&nbsp;booking confirmation email. Make sure to highlight any offers or special packages straight away. Give customers a sneak peek of what they might miss out on and leave them with an&nbsp;easy option to book any add-ons.



On top of that, send an automated SMS (or email) the day before or on the day of the booking. This message should focus on your promotions once again but this time&nbsp;create some urgency, i.e.&nbsp;&#8220;last chance to enjoy our …”, “you don’t want to miss our … special”.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">2 Quick Win In-Venue Upselling Ideas</h5>



The biggest upselling opportunities present themselves once customers are actually at your venue.



Check out these two proven in-venue techniques that will help you increase spend per head:



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">1) Train your staff for at-the-table upselling</h6>



<ul><li>Use cross-selling and offer pairing recommendations, i.e. drinks or sides</li><li>Make personal staff or customer-based recommendations &#8211;&nbsp;“I love our new …”, “One of our most popular …”</li><li>Try to upsell on high-margin items and suggest the larger option first</li><li>Highlight popular daily or seasonal menu specials</li><li>Make personalised recommendations based on previous visits &#8211;&nbsp;“Same … as usual?”</li><li>Let customers sample drinks</li><li>Offer desserts to go</li></ul>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">2) Use digital upselling</h6>



The most effective in-venue upselling technique is to&nbsp;push your&nbsp;promotions directly to your customers&#8217; phones. Instead of relying solely on table displays which might not grab their attention.



This digital upselling can be done through a&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/marketing/#upsell" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">captive portal WiFi solution</a>. Once customers have joined your WiFi you can immediately reach out to them with automated marketing messages.



Using digital tools for upselling also helps you to&nbsp;compensate for any staff shortages and busier periods.



<a href="https://h.stampede.ai/meetings/stampede/demo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Reach out</a>&nbsp;to find out more about how our Guest WiFi solution can help you increase spend per head massively through&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/marketing/#upsell" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">digital upselling</a>.

Some of the biggest names in high street food and drink like <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/food/pizza-express-reveal-the-recipe-for-their-famous-dough-balls-heres-how-to-make-them-at-home" target="_blank">Pizza Express</a> and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.essexlive.news/whats-on/food-drink/greggs-release-sausage-bean-cheese-4023733" target="_blank">Greggs</a> have started sharing their best-loved recipes online. If you can’t go out to get your favourite foods, then being able to create them at home is the next best thing. And some of these big names are going a step further with detailed cook-at-home video demonstrations showing how people can make these favourites by themselves.



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One <a href="https://youtu.be/lTcesqUPu9U">excellent example</a> is from Wagamama&#8217;s Exec Chef Steve Mangleshot. Filmed in his own home kitchen, he donned his chef’s whites and jumped right into the classic chicken katsu curry &#8211; a favourite for many Wagamama patrons.



If you’re not so familiar with <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-video-marketing-can-boost-your-restaurant/">making video conten</a>t you might wonder: “What makes this video so good?”. It’s not all about budget or having a well-known brand. Anyone can make great videos that represent you and your brand really well by sticking to these best practice tips.



 Here&#8217;s some of the crucial bits Steve from Wagamama got right in his cook-at-home videos, that we reckon make a big difference:



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-setup">The Setup</h4>



His ingredients are laid out individually so he can show them off. Where there’s some simple prep needed (like beating the eggs) this is already done. It’s a good way to show which ingredients are part of specific stages of the cooking process. In this case &#8211; what is for the chicken and what is for the sauce.



The full ingredient list is in the description. This is vital! No one wants to start/stop a video to write them down. Got hard to find ingredients? Throw a link to a place where people can buy them online in the description too.



ALL the lights are on &#8211; great videos need good lighting. We can see it’s the middle of the day but every downlight on the kitchen surfaces is on. This draws the viewers’ attention to the main event and prevents background lighting causing Steve to be just a silhouette.&nbsp;



He filmed it in manageable sections. This makes it easier to edit, without depending on one take to do it all. It also allows for close-ups of the cooking processes and ingredients to be slotted in to make the video engaging.



You don&#8217;t need expensive or complex video editing software to arrange a series of clips into one video. Apple’s iMovie or Windows Movie Maker are just fine for doing these. If you don’t want to export it to a desktop or laptop, GoPro’s Quik app can do the same thing on mobile.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-human-element">The Human Element</h4>



What makes <a href="https://youtu.be/lTcesqUPu9U">this video</a> work is that he&#8217;s tailored it for the audience and the situation. The audience are going to be Wagamama fans to some degree. They are also people who are stuck at home with potential restrictions on their ability to shop for groceries. The little things Steve does here to make the video relevant to all these audiences are spot on.



He talks about the ingredients that he found in the cupboard &#8211; it’s made from household stuff not wholesale exclusives. This reassures the watchers that this really is doable at home with mainstream ingredients.



Steve&#8217;s dog makes an appearance &#8211; pets in the video are all the rage right now! We’ve all seen the jokes and memes about cats, dogs and other pets appearing in video calls. Here, it injects some empathy. Any dog owner knows how much they love to lie in the most in-the-way place whilst you work about the kitchen.



There&#8217;s encouragement for viewers to make it their own. Steve suggests that viewers adjust the volumes of certain ingredients to their own tastes. He shows where and when to do this with the caveats of how it will affect the dish.



Lastly &#8211; and this isn&#8217;t for everyone &#8211; but he&#8217;s really channelled his inner &#8220;TV chef&#8221;:



<ul><li>Talking directly to the camera</li><li>Be loud and clear, project your voice so the built in phone camera picks you up</li><li>Use lots of adjectives on the food. Wonderful, gorgeous, delicious, incredible, lovely &#8211; the list goes on.</li><li>Be really descriptive. Getting the smell of particular ingredient combinations or the sound of the perfect bread crumb coating.</li><li>Show the hard parts in detail. Go back and watch the part about the sauce and roux. He takes plenty of time to show the slow addition of stock and how it should develop.</li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wrapping-up">Wrapping Up</h4>



With all the above in mind, there&#8217;s still some neat editing gone on behind the scenes as well in Steve&#8217;s Wagamama video. Such is the nature of a large restaurant company and its resources. 



This cook-at-home video is definitely more of a target to aim for than a minimum requirement for video standards &#8211; don&#8217;t try and overdo it. Quick and down-to-earth resonates with audiences as we’ve seen in many other how-to videos. 



Also remember, these best practice tips aren&#8217;t limited to food videos. This advice all still applies whether it&#8217;s a showcase to make sourdough bread, a cocktail class or a beer tasting. Lay everything out, get the lights on, humanise the situation, record in sections, be descriptive and you’ll be on to a winner.



If you keep the points above in mind, you&#8217;ll have people flocking to your wonderful cook-at-home videos whilst keeping your brand and your credibility up front and central for your customers.

Wagamama Exec Chef Steve Mangleshot showing how to make chicken katsu curry

A Success Recipe For Cook-At-Home Videos by Wagamama

It’s a brave new world.&nbsp;Without a doubt, the <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/a-guide-on-current-hotel-industry-challenges/">fast-changing expectations and requirements of travellers</a> over the last decade have presented a real challenge for owners of independent hotels. Maybe you long for the good old days when things seemed so much simpler. The reality is that along with all the challenges there are also exciting new opportunities for your independent hotel to prosper, so, what is the modern traveller like in 2020?







Ready to embrace the winds of change? Let’s dive in and explore some of these opportunities together!&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-opportunity-1-embrace-what-makes-you-unique">Opportunity #1 &#8211; Embrace what makes you unique&nbsp;</h4>



Many modern travellers are treasure hunters in the sense that they’re on the lookout for unique, unusual, and “Instagrammable” experiences. They can share this with their friends and followers on social media. This gives you, the independent hotel owner, a powerful advantage over your larger competitors, who thrive on efficiencies gained through standardisation across multiple locations.&nbsp;



From the decor to the service to the food. Opportunities abound for you to show off the local culture, art, and mystique. Research local legends and traditions. You’ll find a rich store of inspiration to help you come up with. Or unique titles for your culinary masterpieces, artwork to line the walls of your hotel, and evening entertainment to keep those cameras flashing.&nbsp;



Showcase local authors, artists, and heroes &#8211; whether historic or living. Maybe a nearby place was used in the filming of a famous movie, or a now-common cure for a deadly disease was invented on your doorstep. Or maybe your town had a famous but little-known role in a historical conflict &#8211; like <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/inside-top-secret-radar-facility-helped-win-second-world-war/">this unassuming</a> Worcestershire outpost!&nbsp;&nbsp;



<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page">Wikipedia</a>, local museums and historical societies or even the national archives can help you out if you’re struggling for inspiration. Of course, you should start with your hotel building itself. If the property is an old one, rather than trying to modernise the appearance, maybe you could look at restoring it to its old-fashioned glory. Discrete LED lighting could be made use of to spotlight historical features. And just because your restaurant looks 200 years old doesn’t mean your guests need to do without the modern amenities they expect, like <a href="https://stampede.ai/product/hotels/">fast and free WiFi!</a>&nbsp;



You can also partner with local travel, guide, and transport companies to offer unforgettable experiences that your visitors will treasure for a lifetime. Look for companies with similar values to yours, and a commitment to providing an excellent service. You’ll want to check their track record as well, as any negative experiences could reflect badly on your own brand.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-opportunity-2-unleash-your-staff-potential">Opportunity #2 &#8211; Unleash your staff potential&nbsp;</h4>



Want to know the next big opportunity for making an indelible impression on your guests? They’re all around you &#8211; your staff!&nbsp;



Alan Weiss (the worldwide renowned “million-dollar consultant”) says that he always hires for <a href="https://alanweiss.com/alan-weisss-monday-morning-memo-12-09-2019/">enthusiasm first</a>. That is excellent advice for independent hotel owners too. Don’t be put off by a lack of experience, professionalism, or teachable skills in potential staff. Be on the lookout for enthusiastic, energetic, humorous people. Those that can breathe life into your organisation and infuse every interaction with their own unique brand of personality.&nbsp;



It’s always sad to hear of people getting turned down for work due to a lack of relevant experience. The advice given in the seminal book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996">“Good to Great”</a> is also relevant here. Get the right people on the bus, then figure out what seats to put them in. Of course, your existing team members almost certainly have hidden potential you can unlock too. It’s just waiting for you to find it!&nbsp;



Remember, one of the biggest advantages you have against big corporate hotels is the complete freedom to make your hotel a fun and enjoyable place to work. How you achieve that is up to you.&nbsp;



Speak to your team and find out their ideas for making their job. Also, by extension, your guest’s experiences &#8211; more enjoyable. It could be a relaxed dress code, enhanced staff perks, or a weekly “spin the reward wheel” exercise. Just make sure that all your team know that you value them bringing their own personality and contribution to the hotel visitor experience. That you care about them just as passionately as you care about providing an exceptional experience for your guests!&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-opportunity-3-ride-the-health-wellbeing-wave">Opportunity #3 &#8211; Ride the health &amp; wellbeing wave&nbsp;</h4>



No question about it &#8211; the modern traveller of 2020 is more likely than any previous generation to have health and wellness in mind when staying at your independent hotel. This mega-trend shows no signs of stopping, with <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/tips-for-the-future/future-of-health-wellbeing-beauty/">statistics</a> showing every age group increasingly making health-based buying decisions. 



While Victorians (and even ancient Romans) used to travel to certain locations with believed health and wellbeing properties, such as a mineral spa or mountain air. Today&#8217;s traveller is more likely to be concerned with the availability of food that meets their dietary requirements. Or whether your hotel has a gym facility to help them keep up their exercise routine.&nbsp;



Of course, “wellness” is more than just diet and exercise. It takes into consideration mindfulness and mental health also, reflected in the increasing popularity of spa-type experiences. It doesn’t matter if your hotel is in the midst of a surging metropolis or perched on a rocky seaside cliff. You can still take advantage of this renewed interest in wellbeing with a carefully-crafted marketing message.&nbsp;



Maybe you can draw attention to a huge choice of vegan dishes, expertly prepared using local ingredients by your chef. Or perhaps your hotel has its own herb garden and living plants in every room. Maybe an outdoor eating area that is also a wildflower meadow, teeming with biodiversity. You get the idea! If you are in an inner-city, consider whether you can pitch your hotel as offering an oasis of calm and peacefulness. Sound-deadening walls, perhaps, or a basement spa and pool.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-opportunity-4-let-guests-connect-for-work-rest-and-play">Opportunity #4 &#8211; Let guests connect for work, rest, and play&nbsp;</h4>



Ever hear the term “digital nomad”?&nbsp;



It’s yet another <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/top-marketing-trends-in-the-hotel-industry-for-2020/">global trend</a> that has been a feature of the last decade, and that is set to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/elainepofeldt/2018/08/30/digital-nomadism-goes-mainstream/#2769a0f04553">expand massively</a> over the decades ahead. Workers with in-demand skills can travel the world while working remotely. Always using their laptops, smartphones, and apps such as <a href="https://www.skype.com/en/">Skype</a> and <a href="https://slack.com/">Slack</a> to keep in touch with their co-workers.&nbsp;



But it’s not just the digital nomad trend that you can take advantage of. The modern traveller expects to be able to connect their devices to the internet for entertainment, news, and esports too. Whether it’s a YouTube creator that needs to upload their latest video or a teenager that insists their parents only take them where they can remain connected (!). <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/3-powerful-ways-wifi-marketing-can-grow-your-business/">Fast, secure, and compliant WiFi</a><a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/3-powerful-ways-wifi-marketing-can-grow-your-business/"> </a>is a must for your hotel.&nbsp;



Make sure that you advertise this benefit on your hotel website and your marketing materials too. You’ll steal an advantage over other outlets who overlook the importance to their guests of staying connected. By reassuring potential customers that they will be able to get online quickly and at no extra cost, you’ve just given yourself the best chance of securing that all-important booking reservation!&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bringing-it-all-together">Bringing it all together</h4>



While the modern era has brought challenges and disruption to the hotel industry among many others, smart independent hotel owners can adapt to take full advantage of the opportunities that these changes bring. 



If you want to connect to your customers in a more powerful way, why not give our WiFi marketing solution a go? Get valuable guest insights and reach out to them in a more personalised way. Understanding and catering to the needs and requirements of the modern traveller of 2020 can provide your independent hotel with the ultimate advantage towards the bigger brands.



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If you enjoyed this post, then stay tuned &#8211; we’ll have more articles soon for you to benefit from!

The Modern Traveller – A 2020 Guide For Independent Hotels

Online reviews are increasingly driving customers both towards &#8211; and away from &#8211; service businesses such as coffee shops, bars, and hairstylists.&nbsp;







As humans, we are hard-wired to attach more importance to the experience of others than what a company may try to tell us about themselves. Our natural scepticism makes us believe the apparently independent reviews and all-important “star rating” that we see. Especially, when we search for a company on Google or Google Maps more than the companies’ own words about themselves.&nbsp;



As could only be expected with such a powerful trend in the marketplace, it wasn’t long before some individuals tried to game the system. Who can forget the <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/06/garden-becomes-top-rated-london-restaurant-tripadvisor-site/">man</a> who made his garden shed the top-rated restaurant in London on TripAdvisor, for example?! The ease of setting up new accounts on many review sites might tempt hospitality business owners or employees to try a similar trick. However, there are plenty of ways in which this can backfire spectacularly.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Why it might seem so tempting to leave fake reviews… and why you should resist it</h4>



Your online review rating suffers from another well-known quirk of human psychology; we are more likely to tell others of a negative experience than we are about a positive experience. According to <a href="https://www.inc.com/andrew-thomas/the-hidden-ratio-that-could-make-or-break-your-company.html">Inc Magazine</a>, it takes an average of 40 positive customer experiences to make up for just one negative (1 star) review! In the face of such daunting statistics, it is certainly tempting to “level the playing field” a bit by leaving some positive reviews for yourself.&nbsp;



Apart from all the ethical reasons why you shouldn’t do this, there are some solid common-sense reasons too. Firstly, fake reviews can often be detected. Not just by the review platform, but also by punters looking to make a decision on who to award their business to.&nbsp;



There’s something about a glowing five-star review that is light on substance. But heavy on praise which just seems&#8230; instantly suspicious. The “Amazon effect” spills over into your customers’ consciousness. It is now a well-known fact that Amazon is flooded with fake reviews. Therefore, people have sharpened up their BS filters accordingly!&nbsp;



Secondly, there’s no reason to stress unduly over an individual bad review &#8211; or even a handful of them. Believe it or not, they can actually <a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/your-business-needs-negative-reviews/">boost your credibility rating</a>. <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-respond-to-positive-and-negative-customer-reviews-online/">Provided you respond to each</a> in a positive, professional way, apologising to the customer for their poor experience. Also, inviting them to get in touch to discuss it further. When a potential customer sees this, they will instinctively know they are looking at real customer interactions. And not fake ones &#8211; and they will trust you more accordingly.&nbsp;



As a bonus, the presence of a few negative reviews means that punters will also attach a higher level of credibility to the other reviews they see on the business as a result!&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Technology to the rescue?</h4>



There is a final and persuasive reason. You should give all the incentive you need not to risk playing with the fire of fake reviews.&nbsp;



<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-marketing-with-wifi-benefits-your-business/">Technology platforms</a> now exist that allow service businesses like yours to harness the power of online reviews in your favour. In a far more effective (not to mention far more ethically sound!) way than you could ever hope to achieve by posting fake reviews.&nbsp;



For example, our <a href="https://stampede.ai/reviews/?referrer=stampede.ai">own system</a> has two powerful features that allow small to medium business owners to boost their online review ratings. A system to remind customers to leave reviews via SMS text message or email. Thereby overcoming the traditional apathy that those who had a positive experience might otherwise feel. Even further, our system places negative/low (1 to 3 star) ratings into a “holding area” for you to deal with before they get published online!&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">A brave new world for traditional service businesses&nbsp;</h4>



Traditional “brick and mortar” type businesses can’t afford to ignore online reviews. Or, for that matter, the importance of offering WiFi to their customers &#8211; any longer. Did you know, for example, that 70% of people prefer bars &amp; pubs that have access to WiFi?&nbsp;



As <a href="https://marketingartfully.com/what-are-important-customer-demographics/">customer demographics</a> change, statistics like these are only likely to ever move in one direction. Towards an increasingly connected, mobile, online world. Along with this, review platforms such as TripAdvisor, Google, and Facebook are adding new security measures and compliance systems to monitor and weed out fake reviews. Having noted the bad publicity that the ability of some organisations to rig the system in their favour have resulted in.&nbsp;



The good news is that accessing smart technology can help even the smallest coffee bar attract and retain loyal customers is easier than at any point before. Not to mention extremely affordable too. Sophisticated online marketing tools that used to be the sole preserve of big chains and nationwide organisations is now within the reach of the most time-pressed service business owner.



Along with this, the power of social media, which is encouraging many individuals to seek out an individual or unique experience that they wouldn’t get elsewhere that they can then share with their friends online. All works in favour of smaller, more bespoke establishments like yours.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Bringing it all together&nbsp;</h4>



In conclusion, fake reviews, whether purchased or placed yourself, are simply not worth the risk. Here’s what you should consider instead to boost your online review ratings:



<ol><li>Leave a polite response to any negative reviews that you receive online. Apologising sincerely (no matter how unfair the review might seem!) and asking the reviewer to get in touch. That way you can discuss their problem directly with you so you can look into it further</li><li>Encourage more positive reviews to be left by going the extra mile to impress customers with your own unique touch. Asking them to review you. If you want to automate the process of asking for reviews, systems like Stampede can do all the heavy lifting for you. Leaving you to focus on the customer service angle!&nbsp;</li><li>Consider the use of a review management platform. This allows you to place low reviews in a “holding area” before they get published. So you have an opportunity to intervene and make things right</li><li>Ask review platforms to investigate and remove reviews that you have reason to believe are fake</li></ol>



We hope you found this article useful. Watch this space for future posts that can help you take your <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/getting-started-with-guest-wifi/">service business to the next level</a>!&nbsp;Or why not give our reviews feature a try?



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Fake Reviews Can Hurt Your Business. How You Can Safely Boost Your Ratings

From the pride of having your name over the door to the every day chats with people from all walks of life. There are so many reasons for opening your own pub. Maybe you can’t stand the thought of being stuck in a dead-end job and being answerable to the boss from hell. Or maybe you want to avoid the mundanity and limitations of the 9-5 life. Either way, it’s important that you create a pub image and atmosphere which will enable you to turn a healthy profit and enjoy essential work satisfaction. You can go a long way towards the realisation of these aims through the use of the pub marketing methods recommended in this helpful blog.







<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Bar Culture</h4>



You can set your bar apart by building a distinct culture which really resonates with your customers. Perhaps your bar has a long-established history, with quaint and charming features from times past. You could build a sense of tradition into your marketing materials. Set the scene on your pub website, explaining and sharing your images which highlight the changes made to your bar over the decades.&nbsp;



On the other hand, you might want to transform your bar into the venue of choice for local sports fans. In this case, you might consider giving your menu a sporty theme and offering discounts on drinks after big events.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Website</h4>



It is absolutely essential that you have a well-designed website which fits in with the theme of your bar. The website should feature key details such as the location, opening hours, and facilities. You should also keep your online menu updated and provide customers with information about upcoming promotions and events. Testimonials should be featured, telling of the many excellent reasons for paying a visit.&nbsp;



Your pub website should be regularly topped up with quality content. This also helps you rank higher on top search engine rankings. Perhaps you’ll take the opportunity to write some blogs on your draft beers or upload images of your happy customers. You should also set up a Google My Business account and keep it up to date with all of the latest pub info. 



Further reading: <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/easy-steps-to-make-a-great-website-for-your-pub/">https://stampede.ai/blog/easy-steps-to-make-a-great-website-for-your-pub/</a>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Reviews</h4>



Word of mouth can be one of the most effective tools when it comes to the promotion of your pub. You should take the opportunity to encourage customers to leave reviews on your website and on well-known third party websites, such as Trip Advisor. Ideally, the reviews will tell of outstanding customer service and delicious pub meals. However, there will inevitably be those customers who take exception and take their moment in the spotlight to share their negative experiences.



It might be tempting to <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-respond-to-positive-and-negative-customer-reviews-online/">respond with anger and apportion</a> the blame to the newest member of bar staff. However, you should show your professionalism. Letting the customer know that you are sincerely sorry. But also be prepared to do everything within your power to rectify the situation.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Social Media</h4>



You should continue the promotional theme with the sharing of quality content across social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. If you run a sports bar then you could take pictures of fans getting stuck into some banter over pitchers of your finest beer. You could also post details of organised music nights or your involvement with local charities. Just be sure to maintain a regular and consistent presence across your preferred social media channels.&nbsp;



Sprout Social have a blog packed full of helpful <a href="https://sproutsocial.com/insights/bars-restaurants-social-media-guide/">social media marketing</a> tips for those of you keen to further your digital knowledge and expertise. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">WiFi Marketing</h4>



As the owner of a modern bar, you absolutely must offer fast and reliable internet connectivity. However, you can take the opportunity to collect a range of <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/5-tips-for-setting-up-wifi-for-your-restaurant-or-pub/">customer details in exchange for continued access to free WiFi.</a> WiFi Marketing is another useful method for your pub you shouldn&#8217;t miss out on.



Our system allows for the collection and organisation of information. From the number of visits to the drinks and food being ordered by your customers. Why not give it a try?



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You can build the <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-marketing-with-wifi-benefits-your-business/">customer data into your pub marketing</a>; arranging targeted advertisements and special offers based on customer preferences. Send out Emails with downloadable vouchers and discount coupons in readiness for customer birthdays and major milestones. The reward of customer loyalty is likely to pay off with continued business for your pub.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h4>



The marketing methods and tips covered in this blog will help you set your pub apart from the rest. You’ll find that word spreads far and wide as your pub becomes the venue of choice for couples looking for evening romance and regular locals alike. Cheers to that!

The Best Marketing Methods For Your Pub

We’re excited to announce a new integration between Stampede and <a href="https://www.tp-link.com/uk/omada/">TP-Link’s Omada controller</a>.



<a href="https://www.tp-link.com/uk/">TP-Link</a> was founded in 1996 and has become a recognised global provider of networking devices and accessories. 



The Omada ecosystem (formerly Auranet) is a business wireless solution that includes hardware and software. It enables easy management of networks in one centralised platform. The system has been set up with scalability in mind. Perfect for businesses looking to expand their number of locations or improve connectivity in current venues.



As Stampede now integrates with this solution, TP-Link hardware is now another one of the many hardware suppliers that can host our <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/wifi/">Guest WiFi solution</a>. And of course, the numerous other features that dovetail from it, including <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/automations/">Reviews</a> and <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/marketing/">Stories</a>.



With scalability and growth as shared values, this is a brilliant opportunity for more businesses to benefit.



Find out more about the TP-Link Omada controller and how it could work for your venue – <a href="https://www.tp-link.com/uk/omada/">https://www.tp-link.com/uk/omada/</a>



Already using TP-Link in your venues?



Get started with our Guest WiFi captive portal <a href="https://signup.stampede.ai?vendor=tplink">here</a>.

Stampede now integrates with TP-Link and their Omada controller

New Integration with TP-Link Omada

When business picked up after lockdown, the popular western US brand&nbsp;<a href="http://ribandchophouse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rib &amp; Chop House</a>&nbsp;decided to elevate their loyalty program to a paid scheme to reward their most dedicated customers.&nbsp;



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Since implementing their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsrmagazine.com/expert-takes/rib-chop-houses-loyalty-membership-turns-guests-brand-evangelists" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exclusive pay-to-join, limited membership ‘Royalty Program’</a>&nbsp;they have reported great results and have now shared their success story.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-customer-loyalty-vs-royalty">Customer Loyalty Vs Royalty</h5>



A royalty program allows you to reward your most loyal customers with&nbsp;unparalleled benefits&nbsp;on every visit. This way you can turn your top-tier customers into brand fanatics.



But what makes Rib &amp; Chop House&#8217;s program so successful? We had a closer look.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">Finding Your Royal Customers</h5>



First things first, how do you spot your royal customers? It’s simple,&nbsp;check the analytics from your tech tools&nbsp;to get customers’ insights.



Here are the&nbsp;3 metrics&nbsp;Rib &amp; Chop House took into account:



<ul><li>Top-tier users of their existing loyalty program</li><li>Big spenders&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;on average their royal customers had a 14% higher spend than non-royalty</li><li>High visit frequency&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;up to 5 times per month compared to 1-3 for loyal customers</li></ul>



In addition, Rib &amp; Chop House noticed another common characteristic: Royal customers really want to&nbsp;experience the venue. Their prime motivation is not collecting points to get a freebie or discount.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">6 Royalty Club Best Practice Tips</h5>



Rib &amp; Chop House also shared some&nbsp;details of how their paid loyalty scheme benefits their customers:



<ol><li>$600 in gift cards annually&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;equals the cost of the royalty program membership</li><li>Limited the number of members&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;to make it really exclusive</li><li>Offer priority seating&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;a secured table with no pre-booking required</li><li>Allow for anytime cancellation</li><li>Host member-only events&nbsp;</li><li>Additional amenities&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;10% off every bill, free birthday entrée, a complementary set of branded steak knives</li></ol>



Stay tuned to find out more about how to identify your royal customers.

The Paid Loyalty Scheme That Works A Treat

There is a misconception that is hard to debunk even in today&#8217;s world… women do not like numbers and are only interested in communication.

In a data hungry world, it&#8217;s no surprise that with this misconception, only <a class="" href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-wojcicki/tech-industry-gender-gap_b_9089472.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">26% of tech jobs are held by women</a>. As data, analytics and coding are generally associated with numbers.
As a marketing professional this is something that I find troubling. It seems that marketing analytical/data focused jobs are dominated by men, while content and PR by women.
Interestingly, data focused roles, such as Data Analysts and Digital Marketing Managers, are usually better paid than content and PR roles, such as Content Manager and PR Manager.
Not to mention the average pay gap, for <a class="" href="https://www.marketingweek.com/2018/01/08/salary-survey-2018-gender-pay-gap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">marketing and sales directors is 12%</a>, and for <a class="" href="https://www.marketingweek.com/2018/01/08/salary-survey-2018-gender-pay-gap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">marketing associate professionals around 18%</a>.
I know this is generalising, but that&#8217;s my experience.
As today is International Women&#8217;s Day, I&#8217;m here on a mission to debunk this nonsense.
To start off, here are JUST three out of millions of women that are known for being extremely good in using data!
<h3>Data-driven women</h3>
1. <a class="" style="font-family: Montserrat, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/sheryl-sandberg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sheryl Sandberg</a> &#8211; Chief Operating Officer of Facebook
She is a technology executive that brings data to life, helping to dramatically boost revenues at Facebook. She joined Google as business-unit general manager in 2001 and became Facebook COO of in 2008.
Sandberg has demonstrated her value amongst other executives on earth, <a style="font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.vogue.com/article/sheryl-sandberg-what-she-saw-at-the-revolution">managing hyper-growth</a>, through data.
2. <a class="" style="font-weight: bold;" href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/marissa-mayer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Marissa Mayer</a> &#8211; Ex-President and CEO of Yahoo! 
She is an information technology executive, known for her work in Google as the first female engineer and also on the three-person team responsible for <a class="" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AdWords" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Google AdWords</a>.
 “<a class="" href="https://www.fastcompany.com/1403230/googles-marissa-mayer-assaults-designers-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Forty shades of blue</a>”, Mayer tested 40 different shades of blue, that they were randomly shown to visitors. Google would note which colour earned more clicks &#8211; now that is real data and testing &#8211; and that’s how the blue colour we see on Gmail and other apps was chosen. 
3. <a class="" href="https://www.gartner.com/analyst/52512/Cindi-Howson" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cindi Howson</a> &#8211; VP of research at Gartner and founder of BI Scorecard
She is a business intelligence and management reporting expert. Some of her work is based on advising BI tool selections and developing products exclusively hands on testing.
This BI expert shares her knowledge in market trends, vendors and best practises in both the<a class="" href="https://blogs.gartner.com/cindi-howson/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Gartner</a> and <a class="" href="http://biscorecard.typepad.com/biscorecard/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BI Scorecard</a> blog &#8211; have a look to learn more about BI and analytics.  
<h3>So do we really hate numbers?</h3>
Of course not!
I personally enjoy working with data analytics and even learned to code a bit for fun. Unfortunately, this misconception is forced on us, not only with numbers but in so many more aspects:
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I am not just saying this, the topic has been heavily researched in many studies and analysis. If you want to find out more and enjoy a good read, click <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/mar/05/girls-lack-self-confidence-maths-science-oecd-school-engineering" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">right here</a>.
Where can you learn more about these high demanded skills, like analytics and coding?
There are a bunch of skills you can learn. There are courses which are very easy to find, just google it, and you will see all the possibilities! Here are some places that I normally get my information from…
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><a class="" href="https://www.codecademy.com/catalog/subject/all" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Codecademy</a> &#8211; Free courses for all levels</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><a class="" href="https://www.coursera.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Coursera</a> &#8211; Any course you want to do, you will find it here</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><a class="" href="https://moz.com/blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moz</a>, <a class="" href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kissmetrics</a>, <a href="https://community.spiceworks.com/?source=navbar-global" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">S</a><a href="https://community.spiceworks.com/?source=navbar-global" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">piceworks</a> &#8211; Check some of these blogs to expand your knowledge</li>
</ol>
Ok &#8211; you work for a tech company, why are you writing this?
For 3 reasons:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Incentivise women to learn tech related skills and join this world.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Celebrate International Women’s Day.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">To have a hook to our product 😉 &#8211; as a good representative of my company I am proud of what we do, and what we offer.  </li>
</ol>
<h3>WiFi &amp; Customer Analytics for your business</h3>
So what can you do to use analytics in your favour? Are you using on-site analytics? Or collecting any type of data from your customers? If not, then you are not maximising the possibilities of your Guest WiFi. 
With the features that Stampede offers, you will be open to a whole new world of marketing. With our dashboard you&#8217;ll be able to analyse data, have insights and act on improving your marketing activities and even your business as a whole!
Explore our Guest WiFi software solution that will allow you to capture and analyse customer data, automating and increasing the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns.
Want to know more? 
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

Analytics are for everyone – Happy International Women’s Day

If you&#8217;re not offering WiFi for your Airbnb guests. You&#8217;re already losing out. According to a recent survey in <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/TripAdvisorInsights/n2670/6-key-travel-trends-2016">TripBarometer</a>, nearly half of all travellers &#8211; 46% &#8211; considered in-room WiFi a &#8220;must-have.&#8221; So if you don&#8217;t have WiFi in your property, your listing isn&#8217;t even going to show up when Millennials and Digital Nomads click the &#8220;On-site WiFi&#8221; box in Airbnb searches. But how do you ensure your offered WiFi is secure?







Even if you already have WiFi in your Airbnb places, you could still be leaving yourself open to hackers and those bent on stealing your data. 



You know that router sitting in the living room you use to connect to the internet? You know &#8211; the one out in plain sight. Yeah &#8211; that one &#8211; the router provided by your internet company that is still protected with the default password. The <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/take-the-risk-out-of-guest-wifi/">default password</a> that is probably on a sticker on the bottom of the router somewhere.&nbsp;I think you can see where this is going.



But what to do? You want to give your Airbnb guests an <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-marketing-with-wifi-benefits-your-business/">awesome experience,</a> so you can gather those <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/the-power-of-reviews-and-recommendations/">positive reviews</a> and keep your place at the top of the listings. All this without leaving your data and valuable computer systems open up to evil-doers.



Don&#8217;t worry. There are a few simple precautions you can take to keep both you and your guests secure.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Keeping your Airbnb WiFi Secure</h4>



CHANGE YOUR ROUTER PASSWORD&nbsp;&#8211; Let&#8217;s start out simple. CHANGE THE DEFAULT ROUTER PASSWORD. You big dummy. Interesting trivia bit &#8211; one of the first tricks a hacker will try is checking default passwords. This is detailed in the 1989 computer security classic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cuckoo%27s_Egg">The Cuckoo&#8217;s Egg</a>.



INSTALL A GUEST WIFI DEVICE &#8211; If you don&#8217;t want to bother with changing passwords, <a class="" href="https://www.stampede.ai/blog/press/guest-wifi-the-fourth-emergency-service">Guest WiFi </a>allows you to set up a separate, more secure WiFii network exclusively for your Airbnbers. 



This keeps things secure by keeping them off your WiFi network. Simply take the guest Airbnb WiFi device, plug it into the router, adjust a few settings, and you&#8217;re good to go. Setup the Guest WiFi so users can register with their email address or even use a social login like Facebook. 



If you&#8217;re running a high volume Airbnb with a lot of turnover, you can even use the <a class="" href="https://www.stampede.ai/how-it-works#marketing">built-in marketing capabilities</a> of Guest WiFi devices. They allow you to gather valuable customer data and start building a mailing list or use the built-in SMS/Email messaging to alert previous guests to special offers or discounts.



These devices are typically pretty inexpensive and can be <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.stampede.ai/blog/setting-up-your-airbnb-for-guest-wifi" target="_blank">setup in just a few minutes</a>. Don&#8217;t believe us? Just check out the video.&nbsp;



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<figure><iframe loading="lazy" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/VhXYSfzX_8s" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure>



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



If you&#8217;d like to read a little more in depth on how you can use WiFi marketing to help keep your AirBnB full. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" class="" href="https://www.stampede.ai/blog/tips-on-using-wifi-with-your-airbnb-during-the-holidays" target="_blank">Have a look at this article</a>.&nbsp;



In addition, check out one of our free eBooks with useful tips on how to avoid common WiFi mistakes in your venue.



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INSTALL A VPN ROUTER &#8211; This is probably the most technically challenging of the bunch. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) encrypts your data and tunnels it to another network location. What&#8217;s the point of this? Thanks for asking &#8211; few of reasons here. 



Number one, this protects all your data, which is always a good thing. Your Airbnb guests can surf to their hearts content, knowing that they&#8217;re protected from the bad guys. Last, but not least, your ISP can&#8217;t see where the traffic is going on a VPN. So, if your visitors decide to get on your WiFi and download the latest Hollywood releases from the newest Pirate Cove site &#8211; you won&#8217;t be left holding the bag when the lawyers come calling.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Ready to Offer Secure WiFi in Your AirBnB?</h4>



Then why not take Stampede for a spin? We offer a free trial so you can see how fast and easy it is to offer safe and secure WiFi in your AirBnB property.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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Airbnb WiFi: Offering Your Guests Safe and Secure Wireless

Vertical: The Future of Video Content for Digital Marketing

When you look at your social media feeds, you are probably concerned with the <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/rock-your-restaurant-with-wifi-and-instagram/">content you personally post</a> onto it. In reality, it’s just as important to receive content posted by others on your feeds too. After all, it would hardly be considered sociable to just have a digital conversation with yourself. What your feeds need are lots of followers who are engaged with your brand. Also, aren’t afraid to show it through likes, comments and similar interactions.&nbsp;So, make use of user-generated content on your social media channels.







If you are new to the concept of user-generated content, now is the time to get clued up, especially if you want to maximise your marketing potential in the digital age. Here’s everything you need to know. Including a general background as well as how to implement user-generated content on your own feeds too.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">What is user-generated content?</h4>



As the name suggests, user-generated content is anything <a href="https://blog.hootsuite.com/user-generated-content-ugc/">that has been posted onto your website or social feeds by other people</a>. This could take the form of likes, comments, images, reviews, or videos.&nbsp;



In essence, it’s the art of your brand being promoted without you directly promoting yourself. For example, somebody sends a tweet and tags you in to say what a fantastic meal they had at your restaurant. That content has been generated by a user. Which you can now like or retweet to promote your restaurant, despite the fact you didn’t directly create it.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Why does it matter?</h4>



First and foremost, user-generated content gives an authentic view of your business. As a company, you can toot your own horn by saying you’re the “best Italian restaurant in Scotland” or that you are “the number one curry house in Glasgow”. However, most businesses will big themselves up, and <a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/content-isnt-working-for-you/">for the most part, it rarely comes across as believable</a>.



Having an independent customer reach out and say the same, however, is a total game-changer. Suddenly you have someone tagging themselves at your restaurant. Uploading a picture commenting it was “the best meal out they’ve ever had” &#8211; not only is it free advertising, it’s way more believable when it comes from an actual customer.



If you’re still not convinced. Think about how we believe the <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/the-power-of-reviews-and-recommendations/">reviews of total strangers</a> on the likes of Yelp and Trip Advisor. We search out these reviews before booking because we want an honest opinion. Which isn’t always what the user gets from an official website alone. If the review comes from a real person not connected with the company who isn’t being paid to state their opinion, we believe it more. That value is why user-generated content is so important for your restaurant.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">How to encourage user-generated content</h4>



It sounds simple enough. But if you don’t have social media accounts that are easy to find and are active, it’s unlikely you will receive any user-generated content. Granted, social media accounts do require someone to monitor them. The payoff is well worth it when you can turn all those likes, comments and shares <a href="https://www.marketingdonut.co.uk/social-media/social-media-strategy/use-social-media-to-market-your-business">into free marketing for your business</a>.



Photo and video content are especially popular, as it gives your customers a real look at the food you serve and the overall environment of your restaurant. One way to encourage this is to create incentives for checking in. Or you could ask the customer to tag your company in photos taken in your restaurant. It’s also a good idea to collate content left on review websites as well as your own. The more interactions, the better!



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">How to get the most out of user-generated content&nbsp;</h4>



On a basic level, you should be responding to likes, tweets, comments etc as this then generates further impressions and interactions, helping to boost your social stats. It also shows you care about what your customers are saying about you &#8211; thank them for the love!



The one downside is that retweets or comments have a short lifespan. One way to really harvest the potential of user-generated content is to <a href="https://www.smartinsights.com/content-management/content-marketing-strategy/5-ways-use-user-generated-content-in-marketing/">take your positive customer interactions and use them in other ways</a>. For example, retyping a comment and putting it into your email marketing. Or even creating further social media posts that feature the comment but tag the owner in to show your appreciation.&nbsp;



The more you get out of your user-generated content, the more it is worth to your business. Remember this is absolutely free, trustworthy marketing that has the potential to fill those empty tables when your restaurant is most quiet. Don’t simply pat yourself on the back when someone likes what you do, use it to the full advantage!&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h4>



What your customers are saying about your business matters more than ever. Now they can share their feedback via online portals. Likes, shares and reviews are more than just a “well done” for your business. They are meaningful interactions that could generate even more trade for your restaurant.&nbsp;



If people have taken the time to positively review your restaurant, you should look for strategies to best capitalise on this. After all, there’s no better marketing tool than glowing reviews from patrons who are looking to tell the world how great you are!



By maximising your user-generated content on your social media channels, your diners are effectively generating their own marketing campaigns. Even better, on behalf of your restaurant, even as they dine with you! <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-marketing-with-wifi-benefits-your-business/">Add in an excellent WiFi system from Stampede</a>. So, you’ll be well on your way to mastering your best ever marketing campaign.&nbsp;



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The Importance of User-Generated Content on Social Media

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">New version software now live!</h2>



Discover V4.0



<a href="#webinar-video">Watch our Webinar below</a>



After lots of hard work, we&#8217;re happy to announce the fourth iteration of our software platform is now live



The new version includes:



&nbsp;A totally redesigned user experience making the software faster and easier to use than ever.



An overhaul of our marketing suite including changes to the interface as well as improved functionality in the email builder.



Enhanced insight and statistics within the software providing more detail that you can use to grow your business.



Our Lastest feature &#8211; <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/introducing-stories/">WiFi Stories</a>



WiFi Stories allows you to promote news, offers, events and more in a dynamic way.



Check out our webinar below for more information or contact our team below for a 1-to-1 demo.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://stampede.ai/contact/">Book A Demo</a></h3>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div id="webinar-video" class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Product Update Webinar | Stampede" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j0m4R1SXXqM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Webinar script&nbsp;</h4>



Welcome &#8211; 0:00



Dashboard overview &#8211; 0:36



Stampede’s new dashboard layout makes V4.0 extremally easy to navigate with all your key customer data pulled into one place.



<ul><li>Reports and analytics</li><li>Reviews</li><li>Marketing campaigns</li><li>Branding/login</li><li>Amount of people in your venue</li></ul>



Analtyics &#8211; 2:24



Find out who and when your customers are in your venue with our improved analytics and graphs



<ul><li>Male/Female</li><li>Opt-ins vs opt-outs for marketing</li><li>Customer Timeline Graphs&nbsp;</li></ul>



Branding/login &#8211; 3:27



With our new editor and layout &#8211; building your business splash page has never been easier



<ul><li>View what your business splash page will look like on a mobile device</li><li>View GDPR terms</li><li>Edit data capture on the same page as design to see real-time updates&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Customise your splash page like a professional with our easy to use editor&nbsp;</li></ul>



Marketing automation &#8211; 4:30



Stampede’s marketing automation feature has undergone a redesign so you can track and implement a number of different campaigns quickly and efficiently to ensure you are reaching a return on investment.



<ul><li>Compare campaigns</li><li>Cash value ROI tool</li><li>Send limit</li><li>Create audiences</li><li>&nbsp;“And” rule to send multiple campaigns to customers</li><li>“Or” rule for more targeted campaigns to customers&nbsp;</li><li>Send SMS and email campaigns</li><li>Stampede’s email builder has lots of new features to create eye-catching emails&nbsp;</li></ul>



Reviews &#8211; 8:31



The Reviews tool has an easy to use filter system so you can manage all your reviews in one place efficiently. The review email template has also undergone a modern upgrade that autofill images and text from your splash page to create a stylish, branded design automatically&nbsp;



<ul><li>Filter based on website or time&nbsp;</li><li>Email template upgrade</li></ul>



Stories &#8211; 9:41



WiFi Stories allows you to promote news, offers, events and more in a dynamic way. On your Connect account, you can now create tiles for individual promotions and messages, that will be shown to returning visitors to your venue, after they login back into the WiFi. Each tile will be shown for 12 seconds before moving on, with a countdown timer along the top.



You can track impressions from the Stories and track clicks and interactions on these in the Connect platform, alongside our improved dashboard, analytics, and other marketing tools.



<ul><li>How to create stories</li><li>How to track impressions</li></ul>

Connect Version 4.0

If you’re looking for an easy win when it comes to social media, we’ve got a classic trick to share with you today.



Before we get into it, a little thought experiment: How many of your social media followers do you think are also on your email marketing list? It’s not easy to tell, but how do the numbers compare?



 Getting the two audiences to synchronise is a worthwhile exercise &#8211; more touchpoints = more sales after all &#8211; but it’s not the easiest thing to do.



Turning email subscribers into social media fans is the path of least resistance, but what if your social media following is where the big volume exists? There could be hundreds or thousands of those followers who miss your content thanks to the algorithms. If they get your emails though, they are more likely to interact with your marketing efforts.



 Celebrity chef and restauranteur Tom Kerridge reminded us of a great way to cross-pollinate your social media following and your email marketing list: fear of missing out.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="550" height="1024" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05-550x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-19425" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05-550x1024.png 550w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05-161x300.png 161w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05-150x279.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05-592x1103.png 592w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05-32x60.png 32w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05-48x90.png 48w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-16-at-17.14.05.png 598w" sizes="(max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px" /></a></figure>



In this post on Instagram, he reminds followers that his e-Newsletter will be sent the following day. He addresses this post to his “Pirates” &#8211; those who are on his mailing list. Some followers who see this will feel a bit left out, but luckily there’s a link in his bio to join his mailing list (and become a Pirate).



 Simple and effective but it harnesses that emotional response at the core of so much social media: fear of missing out.



To do something similar on your own feed:



<ul><li>Identify an exclusive feature of your newsletters that only subscribers can access</li><li>Leverage that exclusive feature in your social media posts, regularly. Give them a taste of what they’re missing out on.</li><li>Make sure it’s easy for people to sign up to your email list</li><li>Post reminders on social media before the regular send date of your newsletters</li></ul>



Posting reminders of newsletters arrival will increase your open rate too &#8211; bonus!



 Some brands will run competitions to drive newsletter sign-ups as Tom has done above, but it’s not imperative if you are offering something valuable in every email.&nbsp;



 A regular routine of newsletter recruitment in your social media can do the same job, more often, without the costs of a giveaway competition.



 For all things email, from website subscription forms to newsletter templates, <a href="https://stampede.ai/company/#contact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">get in touch</a> with one of our team.

Expand Your Mailing List For Free

Whenever we have a question or an idea, we immediately turn to our best friend, the Internet. The easiest and fastest way to find out more about that topic that’s been keeping us up at night. Today, the world wide web is filled with information on just about every topic, probably being the most reliable way to gather facts. 







During the research process, in particular about products and companies, online <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.stampede.ai/blog/5-star-review-google-form" target="_blank">reviews will pop-up</a>. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as they tend to help shoppers with their decision-making. Though, online reviews are one of those tricky things, can be a real blessing for your business, but can also have a major negative impact on your revenue.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">A sense of legitimacy</h4>



Before we were able to find everything on the Internet, we were still reliant on recommendations of friends and family. Just to give you an idea of how immense the impact of online reviews really is, think about this fact.



 90% of shoppers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. In other words, the Internet replaced personal recommendations as the most powerful way of referrals. Impressive right?



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Don’t panic!</h4>



Adding this extra layer to online reviews and referrals is not necessarily the end of the world. However, being aware of its magnitude and extent is crucial for discovering new opportunities. 



Websites like TripAdvisor, Google reviews or Facebook reviews see millions of visitors every month and being present on those online review pages is an absolute must today. But presence alone might not be enough. Control is what you need.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<div class="wp-block-media-text" style="grid-template-columns:35% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="600" height="600" src="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300.png" alt="" class="wp-image-12864" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300.png 600w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-300x300.png 300w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-150x150.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-96x96.png 96w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-560x560.png 560w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-16x16.png 16w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-592x592.png 592w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-100x100.png 100w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-60x60.png 60w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img-reviews_300-90x90.png 90w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
Looking to take more control over your reviews?



<a href="https://stampede.ai/reviews/">Check out our Reviews tool.</a>
</div></div>



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<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Let’s walk through that open door</h4>



In the latest Stampede eBook we put together very interesting stats, concerning online reviews. You will learn why online reviews are important and how they directly impact your business. Download your eBook right and see how reaching your customers, building your brand presence and increasing your revenue is made easy.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>





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From time to time the unpreventable might happen. Someone leaves you a negative review. Good news, there are ways to deal with them in a more efficient way. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">How to deal with negative online reviews</h4>



As we all know, not all reviews will be positive. Even though you might have done your best to satisfy your customers during their visit. Fast service, good food and drinks, always responsive to their needs. But they&#8217;ve complained about the lack of decoration in your Cafe. 



Well, sometimes you just cannot prevent a negative review from getting online is what you might think now. I&#8217;ve done everything I could, what else am I supposed to do? We might have a <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-respond-to-positive-and-negative-customer-reviews-online/">solution.</a>



Our solution does not only help you to <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-wifi-can-help-boost-guest-reviews-of-your-venue/">get more reviews</a>, even better allows you to filter out the negative ones coming in. That way, you&#8217;re able to deal with them behind closed doors first. I.e. get back in touch with the customer and do some follow-up. You might even be able to turn that &#8216;lost&#8217; customer into a repeat one. 



Sounds too good to be true? Why not sign-up for a free trial today and experience it yourself?



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>





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Alternatively, get in touch with us directly and we&#8217;ll set you up with our online Reviews Feature in no time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="#schedule-demohttps://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a></h2>

The Importance of Online Reviews for Your Business

Apple ID is now available as a login method to <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/wifi/">Stampede Guest WiFi</a>. This latest addition to our captive portal further enhances the user experience for Apple device users.&nbsp;



The one-time login process with Apple ID is faster than typing (faster than we can type anyway). It comes with all the expected security features that go hand in hand with Apple ID. A user can login using Apple ID and remain anonymous to the network owner with just the settings in their profile. Additionally, if the user wants to receive updates and offers from the venue, they can enable this while still keeping their information private.



These new login features are exclusive to the Stampede Guest WiFi solution and are the first of their kind to be used this way.



There are also benefits to the businesses using our Guest WiFi who choose to enable Apple ID login. The number of customers using the Guest WiFi will increase with a faster, easier and trusted login. More customers using their Guest WiFi grows their database. This results in more people to contact via email and more reliable analytics data. The familiar “Sign in with Apple” button will be a welcome sight to many consumers, and following this facial recognition or biometrics &#8211; like fingerprint &#8211; can log you in.



This new login process for our captive portal solution adds to the current options of <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/the-ultimate-beginners-guide-to-wifi-jargon/">social WiFi</a> (logging in using a social network profile such as Facebook) and more traditional data capture fields (such as email address and phone number)



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Setting Up Apple ID Login</h2>



To enable Sign in with Apple on your Stampede Guest WiFi, head to “Login Design” in left-hand navigation. Under the “Capture” tab you will find the slider button to activate Apple ID login at your venue(s). The button will only show to users attempting to connect on an Apple device.



Not sure how many people use Apple devices in your venue right now? Head over to “<a href="https://product.stampede.ai/analytics/devices">Analytics</a>” then to the “<a href="https://product.stampede.ai/analytics/devices">Devices</a>” section. Here you will be able to see a breakdown of venue visitors based on device, operating system and browser. By exploring “Devices” for Apple products or “Operating Systems” for iOS or OSX you’ll be able to understand the volumes of customers likely to use Apple ID login.

Apple ID login now available for Stampede Guest Wifi Solution

Apple ID Login – New Feature

A new kind of marketplace for hospitality apps

October Update – 3x Faster Guest WiFi and more

New Features & Updates – September 2023

Feature Update – Improved campaigns, reporting and imports

How To Make The Most Of Your Restaurant Outdoor Seating Space In Summer

A Quick Guide On First-Party Data Strategy For Hotels

4 Ways To Optimise Your Hospitality Business With AI

The Pros And Cons Of Using AI In Hospitality

In this digitally focussed world, the website may well be a person’s first impression of your pub. It could be argued that having a professionally designed website is just as important as <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/running-a-pub-or-bar-add-guest-wifi-to-the-menu/">delivering top-notch customer service</a> and serving the finest ales. However, we appreciate that your skills may lie in everyday bar management rather than website creation and optimisation. It’s for this reason that we’ve created this helpful guide to the building of your pub website.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Choosing The Domain Name</h4>



In the ideal scenario, you would time the selection of a suitable domain name to coincide with the naming of your pub. However, it’s more than likely that you domain name availability wasn&#8217;t top of your priorities when naming your pub. Either way, we recommend choosing a relatively short and easily memorable domain name. This will ideally tie in with your pub’s name and branding. As an example, the popular Magna Carta of Lincoln has the domain name <a href="http://www.magnacartapub.co.uk">www.magnacartapub.co.uk</a>. 



It would be worth spending some time brainstorming a few possibilities before using an online domain checker such as 123 Reg or Go Daddy.&nbsp; You will discover that .com domain names are generally the most expensive. However, you can choose from alternatives such as .co.uk or .biz. There’s even the option of <a href="https://uk.godaddy.com/help/about-pub-domain-names-9208">registering for a .pub domain</a>.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Arranging website hosting</h4>



It will be necessary to arrange hosting prior to your website going live and being accessible to anyone on the internet. Thankfully this is a pretty straightforward process, with the majority of internet service providers offering website hosting packages. The suitable choice of provider will depend on factors such as the amount of website traffic expected, the featuring of images/videos, and the need to keep your website live at all times. 



The digital marketers at UK Centric have produced a helpful beginner’s guide to <a href="https://www.ukcentric.com/hosting/beginners-guide-to-web-hosting/">web hosting</a> &#8211; well worth reading.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Developing The Pub Website</h4>



There are two main options when it comes to the development of your pub website; either do it yourself or hire somebody to do it for you. If you’re on a tight budget and have some confidence in your design skills (or someone you know) then the DIY option may be best. 



Thankfully there are a wide variety of website building tools guaranteed to simplify the process. Popular website builders such as Squarespace and Wix offer a variety of templates ideal for pubs. However, you might be frustrated by the lack of customisation options and the ability to make such a website fit your own style. Of course, it’s your choice whether to build a completely distinctive web presence. In any case, you should consider the impression made on prospective visitors.



Take a look at these bar websites for a bit of inspiration:



<ul><li><a href="https://www.kerridgesbarandgrill.co.uk/">Kerridge’s Bar &amp; Grill</a></li><li><a href="https://felixchs.com/about-restaurant-cocktail-bar/">Felix Cocktail Bar</a></li><li><a href="https://www.badluckbar.com/">Bad Luck Bar</a></li><li><a href="https://www.burrobarboston.com/">Burro Bar</a></li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Hiring A Web Designer</h4>



There are plenty of choices when it comes to the professional development of your pub website. Hiring an independent, maybe even local expert might be the best bet if you want keep costs down. However, there is also the option of paying for agency services, which may include Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and promotional copywriting. These are services that can make your pub website much easier to find on search engines like Google and Bing.



If you’re in any doubt as to the best professional choice then it would be worth having a look for online reviews. You might also ask friends and other local business people for their recommendations.



These factors should be considered when choosing and comparing web designers:



<ul><li>Types of website design experience</li><li>Record of building successful pub websites</li><li>References and recommendations</li><li>Pricing and availability</li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Producing The Content</h4>



You should carefully consider the arrangement of content like images and text on your pub website. Details such as the location and opening hours will be essential. You should also ensure that the content matches up with your pub theme and style. This would include the colour scheme and even the written tone of voice of your pub.



Consider the types of customers that you are appealing to when making choices on everything from the featured menu design to the inclusion of pictures and videos. You might entice visitors with tantalising images of your classic pub dishes and events. Again you have the option of drawing on professional assistance when it comes to the writing and curation of content for your pub website. 



Some ideas for content on your pub website:



<ul><li>Lists of upcoming events</li><li>History of the pub if it is long standing</li><li>Inspiration for the pub theme</li><li>Description of features like live sports, craft beer, whisky selection</li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Previewing &amp; Testing</h4>



It is important that you take the time to preview and test the different pages of your website before they are published for the world to see. Remember the importance of making the best possible impression, reviewing and making changes to everything from the grammar to the visual layout as necessary. 



Ensure that your website has the ideal visual quality and functions as expected on desktop computers, laptops, and handheld devices such as the smartphone. If there’s any doubt then ask for a second opinion.



Check these elements before your website goes live:



<ul><li>Contact page details (easy to find and correct)</li><li>Page loading speeds (slow page loading annoys people)</li><li>Website links (no 404 error messages when clicked)</li><li>Legal terms and conditions</li><li>Security (remember to register for an <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-is-ssl">SSL certificate</a>)</li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Keeping Your Website Updated</h4>



If you want to attract more web visitors than other pubs in your local area and ensure the best possible experiences then you must keep your website updated. This might involve making basic changes to your contact details or featured menus as and when required. Regular blogging is also recommended for the purpose of keeping your website fresh and achieving top Google search page rankings. 



You could share reviews of your finest beverages, customer stories, and details of upcoming events for the purpose of attracting more people to your pub. You can also raise your pub profile and keep your customers involved via popular social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter.&nbsp;



Here are some <a href="https://99social.co.uk/social-media-tips-for-bars/">social media tips</a> for bar owners:



<ul><li>Snap pics of dishes</li><li>Talk about drinks</li><li>Shout about events</li><li>Get people involved</li><li>Add a personal touch.</li></ul>



Additional social media recommendations can be found on the <a href="https://cask-marque.co.uk/promote-your-beer-and-pub-on-social-media/">Casque Marque</a> website.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



Need some more inspiration on how to get your Guest WiFi up and running in your Pub? 



Have a read here <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/5-tips-for-setting-up-wifi-for-your-restaurant-or-pub/">https://stampede.ai/blog/5-tips-for-setting-up-wifi-for-your-restaurant-or-pub/</a>



Or why not give our Guest WiFi solution a try in your Pub? 



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>





<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>

Easy Steps To Make A Great Website For Your Pub

Did you know that over&nbsp;<a href="https://www.redeye.com/resources/sms-marketing-vs-email-marketing-who-wins-the-battle-for-effectiveness/">97% of SMS messages are read within 15 minutes</a>?



Let’s assume that you’ve got a last-minute cancellation at your venue and want to fill in the empty space in the evening.



If you send an email to your customers at lunchtime, there’s only a small chance you’ll fill that cancelled booking.&nbsp;



However, if you use SMS and combine it with an enticing offer, your chances are much higher.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-increase-sales-with-sms-marketing">Increase Sales With SMS Marketing</h5>



A while ago, we shared some SMS marketing tips and how SMS can generate a better response compared to email alone.



Read the full article <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-sms-marketing-drives-10x-more-revenue-than-email/">here</a>.



Here are&nbsp;5 key takeaways&nbsp;from the article:



<ol><li>Quick set up &#8211; short text, no images</li><li>Immediate delivery and higher engagement &#8211; reach customers where there are</li><li>For best results: keep your messages simple and follow ‘what-where-when-how’ (get 10% off this Friday, simply show this CODE to our staff)</li><li>Ideal channel for promotional boosters and reminders</li><li>Always include a call-to-action and URL to a landing page, i.e. booking platform</li></ol>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">The Combined&nbsp;Power of SMS &amp; Email Marketing</h5>



The most important takeaway, however, is that it’s not a question of email vs. SMS marketing. It’s about&nbsp;using them in tandem&nbsp;to get the best out of both channels.



There are some factors to consider when picking the right channel: the&nbsp;type of campaign, the timeline for your promotion and your audience.&nbsp;



For example, SMS campaigns are very effective for&nbsp;time-sensitive messages. Such as the last-minute availability offer that you could send to your local and regular customers.



If you want to&nbsp;keep customers updated&nbsp;about what’s going on at your venue, email, of course, is the medium to go for.



SMS can do more than just reminders and booking confirmations. Stay tuned for <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/3-clever-ways-to-use-sms-campaigns-to-scale-up-your-marketing-roi/">part two of this series</a> to get additional converting SMS campaign ideas.



In the meantime, if you want to start sending your first&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/marketing/#sms/?utm_source=zoho&amp;utm_medium=email" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SMS campaign</a>, our team is happy to give you a hand if needed.

Email vs. SMS Marketing – Which One To Choose?

For many hospitality businesses, the upcoming&nbsp;Six Nations&nbsp;(<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/fixtures/" target="_blank">5th Feb &#8211; 19th Mar</a>) rank lower than other sports events they tend to focus on, as they don’t see much value coming from it. However, according to research by MatchPint and KAM Media&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2022/01/11/Where-can-I-watch-Six-Nations-2022" target="_blank">44% actually want to watch the Rugby Six Nations live in a pub this year</a>. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-capture-big-revenue-from-big-sports-events/">boost your Six Nations promotions</a> and get sports fans through the doors this February.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-increase-revenue-with-pre-booking-promotions">Increase revenue with pre-booking promotions</h4>



Start promoting your events now. Create some sense of urgency and give your customers reasons why they should watch the games at your place. What makes your venue special?&nbsp;Feature your in-venue highlights&nbsp;like big screens, sound system, private booths, a wide selection of beers, etc.



To further encourage more bookings, offer a pre-match menu with limited availability only and/or pre-order meal and drink packages.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Create tailored email &amp; SMS campaigns</h4>



Send out a first overview&nbsp;email with all upcoming events&nbsp;(including the match schedule) and highlights around the Six Nations. This should be followed by individual&nbsp;game-related booking reminder comms, as well as last-minute availability text messages. And don’t forget to include your “book now” call-to-actions.



Always give customers the&nbsp;option to opt-out&nbsp;from any sport-related communications in the future. This will help you to segment your database better in future, to improve the performance and conversion of other sports event campaigns (e.g. World Cup 2022).



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Boost fan engagement on your socials</h4>



Sports events are great to engage with fans on your social channels. Which team are you? Match day guesses, etc&#8230; It definitely is the easiest way to&nbsp;keep customers updated&nbsp;on your in-venue events. Plus, socials are ideal to promote any&nbsp;last-minute bookings&nbsp;and your special menu items (via Stories, Reels etc).



Why not come up with your&nbsp;own hashtag #[company]fanzone&nbsp;to create a real community feeling. Encourage customers to use it when sharing their match day experience with their network.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Drive more customers through your door</h4>



Even though the match itself is in the focus, you should aim to make your overall customer experience memorable. This is your chance to attract and&nbsp;turn all those rugby fans into fans of your venue&nbsp;and make them come back on a regular basis.



We’ve gathered some ideas on how to make your venue stand out and also how you can cater to those who prefer to stay at home.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">In-venue highlights</h5>



<ul><li>Dedicated fan zone</li><li>Additional entertainment &#8211; after game gigs, pub quiz</li><li>Special group packages and deals</li><li>VIP package for larger bookings &#8211; private space&nbsp;</li><li>Create themed dishes and/or drinks based on the nations playing</li><li>Offer sharing platters (<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/newlynsfarm/p/CLuGw8Or7Rv/" target="_blank">Six Nations cheeseboard</a>) or beer buckets</li><li>Game time happy hour, e.g. 2-4-1, discount between start/end of the game</li><li>Pre-meal deals</li></ul>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">At-home experience</h5>



<ul><li>Order a selection of bottled beers</li><li>Your all-time favourites as little tasters</li><li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/big-match-recipes" target="_blank">Party/finger food</a>&nbsp;specials</li><li>Discounts for bigger orders</li><li>3 course rugby-inspired meal</li></ul>



If you need some help ramping up your Six Nations promotions to increase revenue,&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request" target="_blank">reach out to our team</a>. We’re happy to help.

How To Score Extra Revenue With Six Nations Promotions

We’re working hard towards January&#8217;s Beta release of Connect 3.0. What does this mean to you? It means you can register to be one of the first testers!

So what&#8217;s coming up in Version 3.0? Man &#8211; you are just full of questions today, aren&#8217;t you? No worries. Happy to let you know what&#8217;s coming up.  Just take a look at some of the goodies we&#8217;ve packed into version 3.0:
<h3>Version 3.0 Changelog</h3>
<ul>
<li>Connect Account Login via Google</li>
<li>Simplified interface</li>
<li>Zapier Integration &#8211; New zap &#8216;Unvalidated Registration&#8217;</li>
<li>UniFi Integration &#8211; Enter details once, stay in sync forever
<ul>
<li>Email validation timeouts now work on UniFi</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Meraki Integration &#8211; Simple integration with the Cisco Meraki platform</li>
<li>PayPal Integration &#8211; Enter details once, rather than site by site basis</li>
<li>Notification Center &#8211; e.g. email alerts for invoices, insight reports and much more!</li>
<li>Advanced device management of user payments/devices</li>
<li>Marketing
<ul>
<li>Setup wizard</li>
<li>Templates</li>
<li>New &#8220;Not seen in Audience&#8221; segment</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Beyond</h3>
After Beta moves to Golden Master Release; there will be more big changes coming up, including the refactoring of the way we offer content filtering and major under-the-hood changes which should make some of the other features you’ve been requesting at our <a class="" href="https://feature-vote.stampede.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Feature Vote</a> easier to implement (dual daily schedules for example).
<h3>Want to Try the Next Generation?</h3>
You can register to become part of our Beta testing programe and try out new Connect 3.0, with all its new features, by simply sending us a request through the button below:
{{cta(&#8217;16b1f36f-18b6-4053-8d18-8acaf0bece0f&#8217;,&#8217;justifycenter&#8217;)}}
NOTE: Connect 3.0 has undergone our normal stringent internal testing. However, as it is in Beta, some bugs may still be present. If you come across any, please report them <a class="" href="mailto:beta@stampede.ai?subject=Beta%20Bug" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.
Releasing an update of this magnitude as a Beta is a first for us&#8230; and we&#8217;ll keep doing this going forward as we can get feedback from you  and implement incremental changes quicker.
Connect 3.0 will be in Beta for approximately one month in order to ensure all bugs have been ironed out. It will then be rolled out to all customers.

ANNOUNCING Connect 3.0 Beta

4 Quick Wins for Your SMS Marketing Campaigns

How SMS Marketing Drives 10x More Revenue Than Email

Consumers now have expectations of being able to enjoy a free WiFi service wherever they may be. Not only is it expected to be <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/take-the-risk-out-of-guest-wifi/">secure, and comply with data protection laws</a>, it is also expected to be of good quality. The expectation of free and accessible WiFi can be incredibly beneficial to your business in more ways than you might imagine. Data obtained from WiFi analytics can help you understand your customer’s habits and preferences. Knowing this can help you, as a retailer, determine when your busiest hours are, what stock sells better, and even can help you determine the hours you will need more staff on site. However, its strength lies in its great marketing potential. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"> The Benefits of WiFi analytics</h3>



 At this stage, it is important to understand the difference between “analytics” and “analysis”. In short, “analytics” provide a What If thinking to larger problems that would be inflexible otherwise. Whereas “analysis” is used for well-understood problems. This What If mentality can help business asses who will be passing by their shop at what time, can help understand which of their products are the most popular, and thus, need to be most stocked and also help determine how many members of staff are going to be needed at any given period. One good example is a major shopping mall in Finland, which uses WiFi analytics to boost tenants and negotiate rental rates because it can prove which demographics pass where in the mall and at which time. However, WiFi analytics goes beyond negotiating rents and helping your business run smoother. It can be a great way to bring you closer to your customers. It allows you to offer your customers new services. Take for example Wetherspoons, which now offers an app where you can order food and drinks without leaving your table. This service can then lead to targeted marketing. The data collected from these analytics can help you understand what marketing campaigns are working and drawing in customers to your business. Knowing a customer’s spending habits and preferences means you can market a product or service that is catered to them. Many free WiFi hotspots require the user to sign in or register, which gives you access to their email address and a gateway into marketing.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Marketing with WiFi Analytics</h3>



 There are two main ways to use WiFi analytics to market your brand. Both are great for any type of company or business, and will help your brand increase repeat sales, customer numbers and make your name the first on everyone’s mind. Customer Identification allows you to use your WiFi analytics data to identify those customers most likely to return. From this data, you can design marketing campaigns, using techniques that have proven to have worked in the past. One example is this: if you are running a hotel and offering free WiFi, you can identify which guests come more often and tailor your campaign to get them to keep returning to your hotel. This method of marketing gives you the opportunity to build long-term relations with your customers. If you are able to offer them discounts and offers for returning, they are more likely to chose you over the competition. It is a great way to build a loyal customer base. Buyer Personas are a great way to target a specific audience. Marketing your business constantly is the best way to ensure you don’t become a one sale business and ensure a constant stream of new and repeat customers. Using WiFi analytics you can identify age, gender and location of your customers and therefore, create your own buyer personas and target your marketing campaigns. If you know, thanks to the data, that your most frequent consumers are male between the ages of 25 and 35 you can create advertisements to entice them to keep coming back. This also works if you have a smaller demographic of say, women aged 40-50, but want to increase it. Again, with that data you can then use your proven marketing techniques to entice more of that demographic to your business.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Sensitive information</h3>



 While WiFi analytics are great to help your business grow, there is reason to be cautious. Some information shared to gain access to your free WiFi, such as an E-mail address, must be treated with caution and the person logging in must be aware that their information will be used for marketing purposes. Be sure to have a good understanding of the data protection laws for your area.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"> Wrapping Up</h3>



 When done correctly, it can be argued that WiFi analytics data is your best marketing device. It can help increase the interest of demographics you wish to attract to your brand. Marketing is constantly evolving in the 21st century and it is important to keep up with the times for your business to expand. The way society <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/vertical-the-future-of-video-content-for-digital-marketing/">uses their mobile phones is changing</a>, being on top of that with such aids as WiFi analytics will help you better understand your consumer, and thus, be able to offer high-quality, catered marketing targeted towards the demographic of your choice. WiFi analytics can greatly improve your business with insightful information. And can also help you think out of the box for catered marketing campaigns, offers and services. Being able to build long-term relations with your customers or create buyer personas are essential to successful marketing. It might seem that this is only accessible to large companies who can afford to spend time and money on investigating the data. That is no longer the case. 



Using Stampede can help your business grow with high levels of customer insights and marketing automation at affordable prices. Make sure you find out more and begin growing your business with quality marketing targeted at the demographics that already help your business succeed.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>





<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>

The Marketing Power of WiFi Analytics [2019]

Love it or hate it, we all had some time now to form our own opinion on AI-generated content such as <a href="https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt/">ChatGPT</a> from OpenAI.&nbsp;



One thing is for sure, it is definitely causing one of the biggest uproars in the marketing world at the moment. You can’t escape it and it’s hard to keep up with the pace of its change.&nbsp;



With <a href="https://stampede.ai/connect">&#8216;.ai&#8217; in our web address</a> and a penchant for all things technology, we had to follow the hype and did some playing around with it to test it for you.



With every new thing, there’s the good, the bad and the ugly. So here’s our take on the latest craze of AI tools.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-take-it-with-a-pinch-of-salt">Take it with a pinch of salt</h2>



One of the great fears is that you might end up with plagiarised content. Such content could harm you in the eyes of Google (and others) in terms of search engine optimisation.



We’ve run some AI-generated content that we had written against a plagiarism checker and well, the outcome wasn’t looking good, hitting above the 90% mark. So this is something some of the platforms still need to work on.



Besides the originality of content, you also want factually correct information. There have been a good amount of examples floating around (see example below) showing incorrect output which might lead to misinformation spreading unwantedly.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="950" src="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screenshot-2023-02-10-at-06.55.41-1024x950.png" alt="AI-generated faulty content" class="wp-image-22938" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screenshot-2023-02-10-at-06.55.41-1024x950.png 1024w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screenshot-2023-02-10-at-06.55.41-300x278.png 300w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screenshot-2023-02-10-at-06.55.41-768x712.png 768w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screenshot-2023-02-10-at-06.55.41-150x139.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screenshot-2023-02-10-at-06.55.41.png 1102w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Platforms have always made it clear though, that the emphasis is mostly on creativity, not on factuality. So make sure to always double-check the output and apply some common sense.



And now, the biggest question of all: will it replace the human writer?&nbsp;



No.&nbsp;



AI is a tool, like any other we use in marketing, i.e. design tools, keyword research platforms, etc. A tool that can make our daily jobs easier, quicker and more efficient.&nbsp;



It’s more like your new writing assistant than a fully-fledged digital ghost author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The tricky bit</h2>



Getting the input right is by far the most important yet most difficult bit when generating AI content.



You might not need to write the entire content yourself but you still need to figure out how to get high-quality content or the ideal structure of a piece.



So at least at the beginning, you will spend a decent amount of time on the AI tool. It’s about trying and testing different input styles to get it where you want it to be and in line with your brand voice.



Our tip: aim for simple instructions. How would you explain this to a friend?&nbsp;



It’s also essential to read the manual. You need to be able to speak the instruction language that the tools understand. They use different jargon to how you would ask for something naturally.



Below is a quick Jasper command example.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="458" src="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Jasper-command-1024x458.png" alt="Jasper commands" class="wp-image-22932" srcset="https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Jasper-command-1024x458.png 1024w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Jasper-command-300x134.png 300w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Jasper-command-768x343.png 768w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Jasper-command-1536x686.png 1536w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Jasper-command-1200x536.png 1200w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Jasper-command-150x67.png 150w, https://website-backend.stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Jasper-command.png 1696w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Make AI-generated content work for you</h2>



No doubt, there is a lot you can do with AI, especially in marketing where we spend much of our time producing new content.



Here are 10 quick ways AI tools can take some workload off you:



<ol>
<li>Brainstorm on certain topics/keywords</li>



<li>Generate subject/headlines</li>



<li>Create and improve headlines for ads</li>



<li>Produce long-form content, like blog articles</li>



<li>Get instant social media posts</li>



<li>Produce SEO-relevant content</li>



<li>Create sales emails &amp; workflows</li>



<li>Do keyword research&nbsp;</li>



<li>Optimise FAQs</li>



<li>Summarise content into bullet points</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Takeaway</h2>



It’s fair to say that AI is at a starting point. With time those tools will learn and improve and ultimately get better.&nbsp;



Savvy marketers will figure out pretty soon how to leverage it to their full advantage. And sooner or later, AI will probably become a part of our tech stack.&nbsp;



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Stay tuned for <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/chatgpt-vs-jasper-the-two-most-popular-ai-tools-compared">part two of this series</a> to find out more about how ChatGPT and Jasper, two of the most used tools compare.

AI Tools for Marketers: An Insider’s View

Firstly we’d like to thank everyone who has been in touch already to find out more about using us to help with the contact detail collection.



As promised yesterday, we’d like to share <a href="https://marketing.stampede.ai/in-browser?message_id=mkm_ecac3cea89f5fef728f618e77581decc&amp;profile_id=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">an example</a> of a fantastic reopening announcement email sent by The Waterway restaurant in the last couple of days. It’s one of the first reopening emails that we&#8217;ve seen but it really stood out.



 It starts with giving customers a taste of what to look forward to when returning. Then goes on to a six&nbsp;point breakdown of the measures they’ve taken to keep everyone safe, followed by a neat list of nine important updates to how things will operate at the restaurant.



 The list is extensive but not overly long. It covers ordering and paying, access to the venue, reservations, data collection and more. Everything that customers will need and want to know in advance.



 We especially like the picture of a staff member in a branded face mask for The Waterway!



 The email is a great showcase of how to reassure customers and generate demand at the same time at the start of your reopening communications. You can view the email in full <a href="https://marketing.stampede.ai/in-browser?message_id=mkm_ecac3cea89f5fef728f618e77581decc&amp;profile_id=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here.</a>



 If you’re looking to create something similar, <a href="https://stampede.ai/company/#contact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">get in touch</a> and we can give you a short demonstration of the email builder, including our new preset template about reopening.

Client Spotlight: The Waterway

With over <a href="https://www.constantcontact.com/blog/email-marketing-research-and-statistics/">4.2 billion email users worldwide</a> and the worldwide email marketing sector expected to be worth $17.9 billion by 2027 – email can be considered the number one communication channel for businesses.



In fact, people check their emails multiple times during a day and around <a href="https://blog.salecycle.com/stats/18-essential-email-marketing-statistics/">59% of users</a> say that marketing emails have an impact on their purchase decisions.



And the best part is that this medium is just as useful for non-digital businesses like cafés, restaurants, hotels, etc. as it is for digital ones.



So if you’re not yet using email marketing to market your business, then you’re missing out on the chance to engage your leads and nurture your customers – at scale.



To help guide you through your first email campaign, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the steps you can follow. &nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-set-up-your-email-campaign-in-6-simple-steps">Set Up Your Email Campaign In 6 Simple Steps</h4>



Before you start writing and sending emails, here is what you need to know.&nbsp;



<a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/marketing">Email marketing</a> is extremely cost-effective and affordable. In other words, even small businesses with a limited budget can set up and run successful campaigns.



But simply sending multiple emails to your subscribers is not enough. You need to send meaningful, personalised emails in order to connect with your audience and avoid spam filters.



Here are six steps to creating your first email campaign:



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-chalk-out-your-objective">1 &#8211; Chalk Out Your Objective&nbsp;</h5>



Before you design your campaign, ask yourself:



<ul>
<li>What is the purpose of this email? Education? Promotion?&nbsp;</li>



<li>What is my target audience?&nbsp;</li>



<li>Will the content of this email appeal to my audience?&nbsp;</li>



<li>What’s my CTA? Go to my website? Find me on social media?</li>



<li>How will I measure the success of this campaign?</li>
</ul>



You will find the foundation of your marketing campaign in all the questions mentioned above. Once you have the answers, your objective will become clear automatically.&nbsp;



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-choose-a-reliable-service-provider">2 &#8211; Choose A Reliable Service Provider&nbsp;</h5>



Picking a service provider that meets your requirements is an extremely crucial step.



Gmail, Outlook or Hotmail aren’t recommended for sending emails at scale as they have limited to no template libraries, contact segmentation or reporting. All of which play an important role in meeting your KPIs.



Use platforms like Mailchimp or Campaign Monitor as these are specifically designed to meet your email marketing needs and give you maximum mileage out of your campaign. 



With these providers, you can enjoy a range of features such as:



<ul>
<li>Templates customized to your brand</li>



<li>High deliverability rate</li>



<li>Comprehensive performance reports</li>



<li>Scheduling options</li>



<li>Options to set up trigger-based emails (e.g. welcome emails)</li>



<li>Extensive library of resource etc.</li>
</ul>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-build-a-list-of-subscribers">3 &#8211; Build A List Of Subscribers&nbsp;</h5>



You should be able to plug in a signup form on your website – or landing pages – with the help of your email service provider mentioned above.&nbsp;



<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-build-an-email-list-for-a-non-digital-business/">Other ways</a> of capturing customer information for building a list is through <a href="https://stampede.ai/customer/brother-marcus">branded Wifi portals</a>, a brief section on your feedback forms (physical or digital) etc.



An important thing to remember here is: keep your database as organic as possible. Update your list regularly to add in customers who’ve filled in physical opt-in forms and only email subscribers who have given you the green signal to approach them.&nbsp;



Remember, permission-based campaigns have <a href="https://www.campaignmonitor.com/resources/guides/permission/">30-40% open rates and around 20% click-through rates</a> on average. Comparatively, if you email people who haven’t given you permission (as in the case of paid emails lists), your open and click-through rates could drop to 2% and 0.2% respectively. 



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-structure-your-email">4 &#8211; Structure Your Email</h5>



Once you have done all the prep, it’s time to start writing your email. Below is a checklist of the key elements that your message should have.&nbsp;



<ul>
<li>Strong Subject Line</li>
</ul>



Your subject line should be powerful enough to compel the recipient to open your email. It&#8217;s a good idea to highlight the benefit of your email here such as; 50% discount, Christmas offers etc.



<ul>
<li>Captivating Headline</li>
</ul>



Now that they’ve clicked on the email, grab and keep their attention with a captivating headline that makes them want to scroll further and read the rest of your content.&nbsp;



The online audience has an attention span of less than <a href="https://litmus.com/blog/email-attention-spans-increasing-infographic">11 seconds</a>, so make it count.



<ul>
<li>Business Offering</li>
</ul>



Typically, B2B businesses can get straight to their offering and how it can benefit the other party. As a B2C company, you’ll need to create a little hype around your business.



Add emotional/relatable undertones to your email to encourage impulse purchases and attract customers back to your establishment. For example, <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/establishing-your-coffee-shop-brand-online/">if you’re running a café</a>, then send across coupons for a free coffee with a bagel or other such offers.



<ul>
<li>Text To Image Ratio</li>
</ul>



Keeping a balance between images and ratio contributes to the visual appeal of your message. You don’t want your email to look like a catalogue nor do you want to bore your customers with chunky text paragraphs.&nbsp;



<ul>
<li>Your Brand Assets (Logo, Address, Website Link)</li>
</ul>



Logo, address and website link all add to the legitimacy of the email.



<ul>
<li>Clear And Interactive CTA</li>
</ul>



Okay, now that they’ve read your email, what do you want your reader to do? Whether your call-to-action is a button or a link, make sure it’s clear enough for the recipient to notice and interact with.&nbsp;



Your CTA should also be actionable; state what you want the reader to do. Examples include Book Now, Claim Your Coupon etc.



<ul>
<li>Unsubscribe&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



All businesses should provide an Unsubscribe link or button in their email as part of GDPR compliance. 



This is a permission-based campaign and anyone who doesn’t want to read or engage with your emails is not your prospective client anyway.&nbsp;



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-send-your-email">5 &#8211; Send Your Email</h5>



This stage involves a couple of tests you can carry out to see what day and time gets you the highest CTR.&nbsp;



According to research, many B2C emails have better open and click-through rates <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/3-big-hospitality-email-marketing-questions-answered">over the weekend (Saturday) around 12 am</a>. 



<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-measure-your-success-rate">6 &#8211; Measure Your Success Rate&nbsp;</h5>



Tracking your emails through different metrics is a crucial step for understanding what works and what doesn’t.&nbsp;



While you may have different ways of defining success depending on the objective of your campaign, some common metrics include:



<ul>
<li>Open rate</li>



<li>Click-through-rate</li>



<li>Number of downloads</li>



<li>Registrations to an event, online course etc.</li>



<li>Spam score</li>



<li>Return on investment&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



So there you go! Make sure you keep measuring the success of your campaign and use the insights you collect for your future campaigns.&nbsp;



Most importantly, only email people who have subscribed to your list for optimum results. Not sure how you can do so? <a href="https://stampede.ai/">Stampede</a> is an easy way to collect customer information to build your list of contacts. We offer a simple tool for offline businesses that can help you connect with your guests and turn them into returning clients.

How To Set-Up Your First Email Campaign [Guide 2023]

One major benefit of digital marketing &#8211; that has helped its soaring popularity &#8211; is the ability to track it’s cost and measure the return it is providing . Tools like <a href="https://marketingplatform.google.com/intl/en_uk/about/analytics/">Google Analytics</a> and <a href="https://en-gb.facebook.com/business/learn/facebook-ads-pixel">Facebook Pixel</a> help businesses attribute online traffic to sales and revenue.



However, these tools have always come up short when it comes to attributing what happens in the real world to online marketing.



Which is why we are proud to introduce the Stampede Conversion Tracker



This new addition to the Stampede software allows hospitality businesses to track website visitors to who become in store customers, allowing them to track the impact of online advertising and subsequent web traffic into the real world for the first time.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How It Works</h2>



We follow your customers footprint, matching an online footprint to a pair of sneakers stepping into a bar or a hotel.



It’s like finding a left shoe print in the snow, and finding an identical right shoe print later on down a path. They’re the same person. Now that you know what their footprint is, you can find them elsewhere.



Currently, digital campaigns like pay-per-click advertising, social media, email campaigns measure their success by how much traffic they drive to&nbsp; a website, landing page or booking system.



&nbsp;But how useful is this website traffic?&nbsp; Does it drive people into bars, restaurants and hotels?&nbsp; Most of this online traffic is anonymous to the business. Usually it is tracked with Google Analytics and is simply shown as volumes of traffic or visitors.



At the other end people turn up to venues or premises and this generates revenue. What influenced their choice of location? Linking digital marketing to this is often impossible, or done in some basic way through the redemption of codes or vouchers bought online.&nbsp;



We’re taking the guesswork out of the success of your digital marketing. Anonymous website visitors are no longer anonymous, once they visit the venue and we match the footprints.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Stop Wasting Marketing Spend</h2>



We can help you stop wasting marketing money and allocate to those channels that prove they can generate&nbsp; a return for your business.&nbsp;



You can now target people based on their online activity, offline activity or a mixture of both. Have they been in for a meal last month and back on the website yesterday? Maybe some encouragement to come back this week would get that customer back sooner. An automated campaign to them is now possible.



Likewise, optimising your website becomes easier when you can see what pages and promotions result in actual footfall. You can get more value from your online spaces, knowing it will make a real difference to the bottom line.



Furthermore, measuring ROI is less of a guessing game and more of an exact science. No more comparing graphs of online visitors with footfall numbers and searching for a fleeting correlation.



And this is just for starters. We’ve positive that as our creative and inventive customers begin using this we’ll find more ways for it to help hospitality businesses make more money every day.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Summary</h2>



The Stampede Conversion Tracker works to create a complete picture of your customers’ journey, from online to offline. It gives businesses and marketers unparalleled, accurate measurement of their campaigns’ success.



<a href="https://stampede.ai/contact/">Contact us</a> to find out more about how Conversion Tracker works in your business.

Conversion Tracker the latest feature from Stampede

Conversion Tracker – Product Update

[vc_row bg_type=&#8221;color&#8221; padding_top_multiplier=&#8221;5x&#8221; equal_column_height=&#8221;middle-content&#8221; mobile_equal_column_height=&#8221;false&#8221; section_id=&#8221;stories&#8221; bg_color=&#8221;#16183f&#8221;][vc_column css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1631268993216{padding-top: 30px !important;}&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Hospitality tools built to grow your business with ease&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|text_align:center|color:%23ffffff&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;main-page-title&#8221;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;main-page-text&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1631279626658{padding-bottom: 25px !important;}&#8221;]
Retain your customers using hassle-free, intelligent marketing tools that won’t impact your costs.
[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][fildisi_button align=&#8221;center&#8221; button_text=&#8221;Get Started&#8221; button_hover_color=&#8221;primary-2&#8243; button_shape=&#8221;extra-round&#8221; button_link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fstampede.ai%2Fget-started%2F|title:Get%20Started&#8221;][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner mobile_width=&#8221;hide&#8221;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;20722&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1637073665967{padding-top: 20px !important;}&#8221;][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row bg_type=&#8221;image&#8221; bg_image_size=&#8221;full&#8221; bg_position=&#8221;left-center&#8221; padding_top_multiplier=&#8221;2x&#8221; padding_bottom_multiplier=&#8221;2x&#8221; equal_column_height=&#8221;middle-content&#8221; mobile_equal_column_height=&#8221;false&#8221; section_id=&#8221;email&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1/2&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;20721&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221;][/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Email Marketing&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;main-page-title&#8221;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;main-page-text&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1631187987562{padding-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]It’s the most cost-effective and efficient way to increase your revenue. More than 80% of businesses use email marketing as their primary way to retain customers and keep them coming back.
Restaurants, bars and other hospitality venues should be no different.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1/2&#8243;][fildisi_button button_text=&#8221;Get Started&#8221; button_hover_color=&#8221;primary-2&#8243; button_shape=&#8221;extra-round&#8221; button_link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fstampede.ai%2Fget-started%2F|title:Get%20Started&#8221;][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1/2&#8243; el_id=&#8221;intercom_button&#8221;][fildisi_button button_text=&#8221;Read Success Story&#8221; button_type=&#8221;outline&#8221; button_hover_color=&#8221;primary-2&#8243; button_shape=&#8221;extra-round&#8221; button_link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fstampede.ai%2Fresources%2Fcru-holdings%2F|title:CRU%20Holdings&#8221;][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][fildisi_divider line_type=&#8221;custom-line&#8221; line_width=&#8221;144px&#8221; line_height=&#8221;3&#8243; line_color=&#8221;custom&#8221; line_color_custom=&#8221;#edf2f7&#8243; padding_top=&#8221;30&#8243; padding_bottom=&#8221;15&#8243;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;text-includes&#8221;]OUR EMAIL MARKETING INCLUDES:
<ul>
<li>Quick customer segmentation</li>
<li>Easy to use drop and drag builder</li>
<li>Ready-made templates based on real successful campaigns</li>
<li>Accurate conversion tracking with unique voucher codes</li>
</ul>
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row bg_type=&#8221;image&#8221; bg_image=&#8221;20389&#8243; padding_top_multiplier=&#8221;3x&#8221; padding_bottom_multiplier=&#8221;3x&#8221; equal_column_height=&#8221;middle-content&#8221; mobile_visibility=&#8221;hide&#8221; section_id=&#8221;stories&#8221;][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;CRU Holdings&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|font_size:36px|text_align:center|color:%23ffffff&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;main-page-title&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;“Stampede has become such a powerful marketing tool for us at CRU Holdings. It is well designed, flexible and integrates seamlessly with other systems.”&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|font_size:25px|text_align:center|color:%23ffffff|line_height:1.4&#8243; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Montserrat%3Aregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal&#8221;][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row bg_type=&#8221;color&#8221; padding_top_multiplier=&#8221;2x&#8221; equal_column_height=&#8221;middle-content&#8221; mobile_equal_column_height=&#8221;false&#8221; section_id=&#8221;sms&#8221; bg_color=&#8221;#edf2f6&#8243;][vc_column width=&#8221;1/2&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;20720&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;SMS Marketing&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%23fc3a9b&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;main-page-title&#8221;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;main-page-text&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1631187976850{padding-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]Reach your customers where they are: on their mobiles and on the go.
SMS marketing has a read rate of 97% within 15 minutes of message delivery.
Send timely, personalised messages for an immediate response &#8211; bring those customers back to your venue.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1/2&#8243;][fildisi_button button_text=&#8221;Get Started&#8221; button_hover_color=&#8221;primary-2&#8243; button_shape=&#8221;extra-round&#8221; button_link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fstampede.ai%2Fget-started%2F|title:Get%20Started&#8221;][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1/2&#8243; el_id=&#8221;intercom_button&#8221;][fildisi_button button_text=&#8221;Read Success Story&#8221; button_type=&#8221;outline&#8221; button_hover_color=&#8221;primary-2&#8243; button_shape=&#8221;extra-round&#8221; button_link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fstampede.ai%2Fresources%2Flane-7-group%2F|title:Lane%207&#8243;][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][fildisi_divider line_type=&#8221;custom-line&#8221; line_width=&#8221;144px&#8221; line_height=&#8221;3&#8243; line_color=&#8221;custom&#8221; line_color_custom=&#8221;#edf2f7&#8243; padding_top=&#8221;30&#8243; padding_bottom=&#8221;15&#8243;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;text-includes&#8221;]SMS MARKETING:
<ul>
<li>Keep customers engaged and generate repeat business</li>
<li>Support email marketing and increase open rates by 20-30%</li>
<li>Measure repeat visits and track ROI directly</li>
</ul>
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row bg_type=&#8221;image&#8221; bg_image_size=&#8221;full&#8221; bg_position=&#8221;left-center&#8221; equal_column_height=&#8221;middle-content&#8221; mobile_equal_column_height=&#8221;false&#8221; section_id=&#8221;automation&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1/2&#8243; text_align=&#8221;center&#8221;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;20719&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Automation&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;main-page-title&#8221; el_id=&#8221;automation&#8221;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;main-page-text&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1634053990761{padding-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]Keep in touch with customers and build your brand presence, without spending hours on marketing.
Use real customer behaviour to send highly targeted messages that keep customers engaged.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1/2&#8243;][fildisi_button button_text=&#8221;Get Started&#8221; button_hover_color=&#8221;primary-2&#8243; button_shape=&#8221;extra-round&#8221; button_link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fstampede.ai%2Fget-started%2F|title:Get%20Started&#8221;][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1/2&#8243; el_id=&#8221;intercom_button&#8221;][fildisi_button button_text=&#8221;Read Success Story&#8221; button_type=&#8221;outline&#8221; button_hover_color=&#8221;primary-2&#8243; button_shape=&#8221;extra-round&#8221; button_link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fstampede.ai%2Fresources%2Fsignature-pub-group%2F|title:Signature%20Pub%20Group&#8221;][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][fildisi_divider line_type=&#8221;custom-line&#8221; line_width=&#8221;144px&#8221; line_height=&#8221;3&#8243; line_color=&#8221;custom&#8221; line_color_custom=&#8221;#edf2f7&#8243; padding_top=&#8221;30&#8243; padding_bottom=&#8221;15&#8243;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;text-includes&#8221;]USE AUTOMATION TO:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Send your offers at the right time to the right customers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Build a connection with genuinely personalised messages</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Generate repeat visits and bookings without repeated marketing effort</li>
</ul>
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row bg_type=&#8221;color&#8221; equal_column_height=&#8221;middle-content&#8221; mobile_equal_column_height=&#8221;false&#8221; section_id=&#8221;upsell&#8221; bg_color=&#8221;#edf2f7&#8243;][vc_column width=&#8221;1/2&#8243; text_align=&#8221;center&#8221;][rev_slider slidertitle=&#8221;Stories Marketing&#8221; alias=&#8221;slider-3&#8243;][/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1/2&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Upsell&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;main-page-title&#8221; el_id=&#8221;upsell&#8221;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;main-page-text&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1631187966021{padding-bottom: 15px !important;}&#8221;]Design and launch promotions in minutes, without the cost and wait for printers.
We would have statistics here around how hard it is to track response rates on fliers, but those stats don’t exist! Case in point&#8230;[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1/2&#8243;][fildisi_button button_text=&#8221;Get Started&#8221; button_hover_color=&#8221;primary-2&#8243; button_shape=&#8221;extra-round&#8221; button_link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fstampede.ai%2Fget-started%2F|title:Get%20Started&#8221;][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1/2&#8243; el_id=&#8221;intercom_button&#8221;][fildisi_button button_text=&#8221;Read Success Story&#8221; button_type=&#8221;outline&#8221; button_hover_color=&#8221;primary-2&#8243; button_shape=&#8221;extra-round&#8221; button_link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fstampede.ai%2Fresources%2Fcocktail-embassy%2F|title:Cocktail%20Embassy&#8221;][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][fildisi_divider line_type=&#8221;custom-line&#8221; line_width=&#8221;144px&#8221; line_height=&#8221;3&#8243; line_color=&#8221;custom&#8221; line_color_custom=&#8221;#edf2f7&#8243; padding_top=&#8221;30&#8243; padding_bottom=&#8221;15&#8243;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;text-includes&#8221;]UPSELL FEATURES:
<ul>
<li>Increase spend per head and spend per visit</li>
<li>Change promotions and offers fast and easily</li>
<li>Save time and money with fewer fliers and posters</li>
</ul>
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As hospitality marketers, you understand that a successful content strategy is key to getting your message out and engaging with potential customers.&nbsp;



But let&#8217;s face it, creating good content can take up time and energy. That’s where artificial intelligence (AI) comes in. AI has revolutionised the way and speed at which we create promotional and marketing content.



In this blog post, we&#8217;ll provide helpful tips for those seeking to use AI within their strategies for creating compelling content for their businesses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-clever-ways-to-use-ai-for-content-creation">5 clever ways to use AI for content creation</h2>



It can be overwhelming to keep up with the demands of a successful content marketing strategy. Luckily, there are a few ways to use AI to help alleviate some of that pressure.



<a href="https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt">ChatGPT</a>, <a href="https://www.copy.ai/">Copy.ai</a> and <a href="https://www.jasper.ai/">Jasper</a> are only a few examples of AI-powered language tools that can assist in generating content that is engaging and effective.&nbsp;



Hospitality operators can focus on other important tasks while still maintaining a strong online presence.



Here are 5 types of hospitality marketing content AI can generate for you:



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">1. Marketing Copy</h4>



The success of any marketing campaign stands and falls with the right subject line. AI can come up with a wide choice of subject lines for email campaigns and also headlines that are attention-grabbing and tailored to the target audience.



But it doesn&#8217;t stop there, AI can support the whole email content creation process. It provides marketers with inspiration and generates new ideas to fill up the pipe. Plus, by using a different tone of voice, it can iterate different versions that resonate with the customers.



In addition, hospitality marketers can also repurpose existing content quickly by using automatic summarisation or paraphrasing tools. These help convert long-form articles into shorter versions. An efficient way to create sharable content for social media posts, stories and videos.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">2. Social Media Content</h4>



Social media managers as well can save time and reach a larger audience with AI-generated posts and captions. Whether it&#8217;s a basic post, a new product launch or a company announcement, AI can craft the perfect message that resonates with your followers. In case you’re running out of ideas, just ask AI for some input.



Additionally, AI ad copywriting can help generate high-quality ads that are tailored to the audience. Predictive technology optimises ads for clicks and conversions. This will increase conversion rates and ultimately drive sales.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-seo-content">3. SEO content</h4>



To improve your website’s ranking on search engines, it is essential to produce content that perfectly matches your target audience&#8217;s search queries. However, identifying the right keywords and writing optimised content takes time and effort.



AI can analyse your target audience, search trends, and other key factors to suggest relevant keywords. Marketers can then use AI to generate high-quality and SEO-friendly content for their websites to boost traffic. So they get found more often by potential customers.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-website-content">4. Website content</h4>



Hospitality marketers can also utilise AI content for other parts of their websites. For example to produce headlines and write engaging descriptions for their venue outlets and amenities.



Additionally, it speeds up the creation of time-limited landing pages to showcase offers for seasonal events like Christmas or Mother’s Day.



The result is content that is not only search engine optimised but also converting. This enhances the overall online presence and provides its customers with an exceptional user experience.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-restaurant-menu">5. Restaurant menu</h4>



Gone are the days of bland and unimaginative menu descriptions. Every restaurant menu is an opportunity to create an unforgettable experience for customers, and AI is there to support you.



AI allows for unique and enticing descriptions of dishes, highlighting the flavours and textures that diners can expect. Not only that, but it also makes it quicker and easier to update menus whenever needed.



And for special events or seasonal menus, AI can assist in creating the perfect copy to capture the spirit of the occasion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-tips-for-writing-better-prompts-with-ai">3 Tips for writing better prompts with AI</h2>



Writing prompts are an integral part of using AI. It&#8217;s important to make sure they are well-crafted so that you get the desired output.



Here are three tips for writing better prompts with AI:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li>Be clear and concise. Write instructions specifically for the AI to follow and avoid ambiguity.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Use simple and straightforward language. AI has a hard time understanding figures of speech, idioms and complex sentence structures.</li>



<li>Test and iterate the prompts. Keep on revising them until you get the desired results.</li>
</ul>



Example prompt: act as a restaurant marketer who is promoting his newly launched summer menu and suggest 4 promotional email messages to send out to their loyal customers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-summary">Summary</h2>



AI has huge potential to provide hospitality marketers with a variety of time-saving content creation capabilities depending on their individual needs.&nbsp;



With AI, they can create more engaging and personalised experiences for guests. But also improve search rankings, reduce costs and generate various pieces of content better content faster.



Furthermore, as technology advances, AI will continue to get smarter. This means hospitality marketers should always be ready to stay on top of the latest trends and use these developments in AI to their advantage.



Make sure to <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/ai-in-hospitality-marketing-a-complete-guide">check out our full guide</a> exploring AI for hospitality marketing.