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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;

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

This final week of November looks like it’ll be a busy one but just before we dive in, November is coming to a close soon so it’s the last few chances to show off those mo’s to help raise awareness for the Movember cause. Don’t forget to share the donation links of any staff or customers, along with those epic face fuzz photos!



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Here are our top picks for this week:



Mon 23rd Nov &#8211; Espresso Day



The perfect way to start a fast-paced week: today is Espresso Day! The high-powered drink is often enjoyed by itself and of course, makes up the coffee foundation of many other popular cafe favourites.



It’s even adapted into a popular evening drink &#8211; the espresso martini.



The espresso itself is perhaps overlooked in favour of what else it becomes, so let’s make the tiny caffeine cups the star of the show today.



Share some coffee history or interesting facts about it such as that 14 billion espressos are consumed every year in Italy!



Thu 26th Nov &#8211; Thanksgiving



Despite Thanksgiving being a U.S. holiday, it still has a decent presence in the U.K. given the U.S. population living here and the influence they have on close friends. Plus, American-style dining has been on the rise here for a while too.



A simple Happy Thanksgiving message on social media is a great place to start. If you know your customers will be receptive to it, a special menu option for the day is worth exploring for takeaway/delivery/collection.



Last but not least, are always recipe ideas and how-to videos for any number of the well-known thanksgiving foods to benefit those home cooks getting involved too. These make for great social and email content.



Fri 27th Nov &#8211; Black Friday



Typically more of a retail-focused day, but with the power of online tools hospitality businesses can get some of the benefits of this annual sale event.



We’ve mentioned online discount codes before &#8211; many webshops and online ordering systems have the capability for these built-in. Reign in some extra business with your own Black Friday offers using these mechanisms and some email and social media promotion. 



It’s also a good opportunity to do a flash sale on gift cards or vouchers. Head back to Friday’s email for more details.



If you’ve got some branded merchandise for sale online it goes without saying that a Black Friday discount on these can help make room for some new designs next year.



As ever, if you’d like any help getting your content out to your email database <a href="https://stampede.ai/company/#contact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">please get in touch</a>&nbsp;with one of our team.

What’s On This Week? – 23/11/2020

Are you thinking of opening a prohibition styled speakeasy serving custom-crafted cocktails flavoured with the latest Scottish gins? Or are you starting a pop-up cafe specialising in the latest trend? What about bucking all the hype serving up good old fashioned diner grub? No matter what type of food or drink you plan to serve your customers. There’s going to be one thing that your customers demand as soon as they enter your place: <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/wifi/">WiFi</a>. 



As a matter of fact, a recent survey showed that the most <a href="https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/restaurant-management-statistics">important technology feature for customers is free WiFi</a>. It&#8217;s a vital part of their overall experience and can influence their decision to come back or not. 







In order to give your customers the best guest experience, you need to get everything right. Including your decor, your staff, your food and, yes, your WiFi. With that in mind, here are our top five tips on how to set up WiFi for your restaurant or pub.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-use-professional-wifi-equipment">Use Professional WiFi Equipment</h4>



You’ve poured your heart and soul into your new business. So are you going to let your customers sign in to the same crappy WiFi router that your internet company gives to pensioners downloading pictures of their grandkids? No. It’s time to put on your big boy pants and pay for a decent router. But buying the best doesn&#8217;t necessarily mean you&#8217;ll need to empty your bank account.



Our top <a href="https://stampede.ai/supported-hardware/">hardware recommendations</a> for seamless integration with Stampede include popular brands like:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>TP-Link</li><li>Ubiquiti UniFi</li><li>Cisco Meraki</li><li>D-Link</li></ul>



The <a href="https://www.netspotapp.com/blog/wifi-security/explaining-wifi-standards.html">standard that WiFi</a> uses for connections is called 802.11, appended with letters to reflect the WiFi generation. For example, when WiFi was first released to the public, way back when in 1999, it was known as 802.a. As of 2022, the most widely used standard is 802.11ax or WiFi 6, coming with an even greater data transfer speed. 



But don’t sit around waiting for the latest standard to come out before you purchase your equipment. Since WiFi devices are backwards compatible, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting outpaced by technology.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-place-go-mesh">Big Place? Go Mesh</h4>



If you&#8217;ve got a large pub or restaurant with lots of hidden nooks and crannies, then you&#8217;re going to want to go with a mesh network. The idea behind mesh networks is to provide all-around coverage for your pub or restaurant. Even better it eliminates any WiFi blind spots. A mesh network typically consists of a number of WiFi separate broadcast units. Usually, between two to four, that seamlessly integrate into one network. 



Hooking up mesh networks isn’t as difficult as it sounds. The router software usually takes care of the integration for you. Even though you may have up to 4 devices bouncing a signal around your business, customers only have to worry about connecting to a signal network. <a href="https://www.techadvisor.com/test-centre/network-wifi/best-mesh-wi-fi-network-systems-3661110/">This article in Tech Advisor </a>is a quick read and gives you a nice overview on some of the best mesh routers out there.



Here&#8217;s a <a href="https://stampede.ai/resources/bar-tonic/">case study we did with Bar Tonic</a>, one of our customers who rely on a good WiFi signal due to their special location.



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



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Succeed with Stampede - Bar Tonic" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SVpZWzhhNBY?start=4&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



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



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-setup-a-captive-portal">Setup a Captive Portal</h4>



Alright, so you’ve got your network all set up and broadcasting. You’re getting a great signal from every location in your place of business. Even in the most distant bathroom stall. Now all you need to do is write up your network password on all the walls so your customers can connect, right? WRONG. 



You’ve just spent some bucks paying for a professional WiFi network for your business. So why give it away for free? By using a software product like Stampede, you can set up what is known as a <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/wifi/">Captive Portal</a>, to give your customers access to your shiny new WiFi network.



Here&#8217;s how it works: After a customer connects, they’re prompted to register for your network with their email address or using their social media account. Once they’ve verified their email, they’re logged in. No passwords to remember and no chalkboards on the wall. Just a much smoother customer WiFi experience.



The other cool part about a captive network is that it will <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/get-your-customers-to-login-once-keep-them-always-connected/">automatically re-connect your customer</a> next time they pay you a visit. No more logging in! And the best part &#8211; at least for your business? You now have your customer’s email address that (with their permission, of course) you can use for our next tip &#8211; automated marketing.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-use-automated-marketing">Use Automated Marketing</h4>



You’re providing free WiFi for your customers and, in return, you’re getting their data. So use it! When you have a customer login to your WiFi with Stampede, in addition to an email address, you can ask for other details on the <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/wifi/#portal">Captive Portal login screen</a>. Name, age, gender &#8211; anything you can think of. You can even add custom questions. This is a great place to ask your customer opinions about new menu items or specials you’re thinking about offering. And not to forget about the fact that you can customise the log-in screen to your own branding.



Once registered, you can import your customers&#8217; email into mailing list software like Mailchimp. Use software like Zapier to do thousands of different tasks, like importing emails into a Google Docs spreadsheet. 



Or, you can save time and have all your data conveniently in one place with <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/marketing/">Stampede Marketing</a>. Automated text or SMS messages are a great tool for <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/a-5-step-recipe-that-creates-profitable-personalised-marketing-part-1/">personalised marketing campaigns</a> to bring customers back. Want to reward <a href="https://stampede.ai/resources/8-tactics-to-increase-customer-spend/">loyal customers</a>? Send them a message with a <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/new-stampede-marketing-feature-unique-voucher-codes/">voucher</a> for a dessert on their third visit. Haven&#8217;t seen a customer in a while and want to get them back? Drop &#8217;em a coupon for a free drink &#8211; who can resist that?



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-get-social">Get Social</h4>



So you’ve got an awesome WiFi network with a Cative Portal set up in your pub or restaurant and your customers are loving it. Now it’s time to spread the word! Put your Instagram, Facebook and TikTok handles EVERYWHERE &#8211; menus, the walls, even on your receipts. Encourage your customers to share their experience and, more importantly, their photos. 



Take it one step further and use automated marketing to gather customer feedback with ease. Reviews help you build trust and attract new customers. With <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/automations/#reviews">Stampede Reviews</a> you can send an automated message after your customers have left the venue and ask them to leave you a review and write about their experience. What&#8217;s even better, you can access all major review platforms (Tripadvisor, Facebook and Google) from one dashboard, allowing for a much easier reputation management.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-awesome-wifi-in-your-restaurant-or-pub-set-up">Awesome WiFi in Your Restaurant or Pub Set Up</h4>



Now you&#8217;ve got awesome WiFi that your customers love. They&#8217;re spreading the word about you all over social media and you&#8217;re keeping them loyal with automated marketing. That wasn&#8217;t so hard now, was it?



So, if you&#8217;re thinking about taking the plunge and opening up the restaurant or pub of your dreams, and see the importance of offering awesome WiFi. Why not give us a try? <a href="https://h.stampede.ai/meetings/stampede/demo">Get in touch</a> to find out how this could easily be implemented at your venue.

5 Tips for Setting Up WiFi for Your Restaurant or Pub [Updated for 2022]

Introducing AI Segments for Marketing

A more effective ways to run Meta ads for hospitality

4 Ways CRM Data Can Be Used in Day-to-Day Service by Your Staff

How to Use Segmentation to Increase Guest Engagement in Hospitality

Introducing Quick Campaigns

Snap Box – Stampede Network Application

Stampede-Meta Audience Connect: Simplifying multi-channel marketing strategies

A new kind of marketplace for hospitality apps

October Update – 3x Faster Guest WiFi and more

New Features & Updates – September 2023

<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.thecaterer.com/news/hospitality-staff-poaching-rise-restaurant-worker-shortage" target="_blank">The Caterer</a>&nbsp;recently reported about&nbsp;staff poaching becoming a new tactic&nbsp;to nick employees from competitors in the run-up for the festive season. This news raises two main questions. How do businesses&nbsp;increase employee retention? And, can it be done without pay rises? That’s when&nbsp;internal communication&nbsp;comes in.



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



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-internal-communication-matters">Why internal communication matters</h4>



Internal communication is about&nbsp;creating engaged and loyal employees, which forms the basis for a long-term work relationship. It helps to build a community feeling and shows that you care about your staff the way you do about your customers. Ultimately it can also&nbsp;increase revenue and decrease training and recruitment costs.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Why you should implement a internal staff newsletter</h4>



It might be challenging to physically gather everyone around for a regular catch-up due to different shifts, etc. So, the easiest and most effective way to communicate with your employees is by sending out staff newsletters by email.



3 main benefits of an internal newsletter:



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">1) Streamlined communication</h5>



Internal communication will be key to ensuring&nbsp;smooth operations&nbsp;during the busy times ahead. Email newsletters are probably the easiest way to update everyone on what’s going on and coming up in your venue.



Compared to other communication tools like WhatsApp or Slack, you can also keep track of who has read it already and it doesn’t get lost in a feed of future messages.



Plus, you can also include your investors and advisors in your mailing list to keep them informed as well.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">2) Simplified &amp; organised onboarding process</h5>



Many businesses will hire temporary staff to help them out during the festive season. A newsletter is a&nbsp;quick way to get those up to speed&nbsp;with all the basic information they need week-to-week.&nbsp;



Besides, as newsletters help build engagement, you might be able to turn your temporary workforce into fixed employees.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">3) Motivational booster</h5>



A newsletter is a great way to motivate your staff by&nbsp;recognising all the hard work they’re doing. Let them be part of your achievements over the past months. But also motivate them for what’s coming up.



For more engagement, turn your newsletter into a two-way channel. Use it to&nbsp;gather feedback and ideas&nbsp;from your employees.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">How to set up a internal staff newsletter?</h4>



The best part of a staff newsletter is that you don’t need any extra tools to get started. Take what you’ve got already to hand and&nbsp;use your existing customer marketing tool. This way, you get even more value out of it.&nbsp;



Basically, you&nbsp;approach your internal newsletter the same way you would with a customer one.&nbsp;Mix informative and engaging content and include lots of visuals. Your staff are busy, so you need to make it worth a read.



Here&#8217;re some quick steps and tips when crafting your internal newsletter:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Upload all your staff email addresses to a new “staff segment”</li><li>Create a branded “staff template” with recurring sections that you can reuse</li><li>Make it a regular thing &#8211; every fortnight or even monthly is probably enough</li><li>Curate different content ideas (more in part 2 of this article!)</li><li>Reduce your workload and turn it into a rotating task &#8211; get all your employees involved</li></ul>



Stay tuned for the&nbsp;second part of this article, where we’ll provide you with tons of content ideas for your next staff newsletter.&nbsp;



Need a hand with setting up your <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/marketing/#email">first internal newsletter</a>? <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="mailto:contact@stampede.ai?subject=&amp;body=" target="_blank">Get in touch</a> with our team.

How Internal Newsletters Help You To Retain Staff [Part 1]

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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>
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row disable_element=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;try-it&#8221;][vc_column css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1584018827046{padding-top: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;background-image: url(https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/banner-bg2.png?id=15813) !important;border-radius: 20px !important;}&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Try Stampede for free&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%231f2888|line_height:65px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; el_class=&#8221;full-weight&#8221;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;main-page-text&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1584018887988{padding-bottom: 30px !important;}&#8221;]
Get started growing your business with a 14 day free trial.
[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1/4&#8243;][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1/2&#8243;][vc_raw_html]JTVCY29udGFjdC1mb3JtLTclMjBpZCUzRCUyMjE1NTk4JTIyJTIwdGl0bGUlM0QlMjJGcmVlJTIwVHJpYWwlMjBTdGVwLTAlMjIlNUQ=[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1/4&#8243;][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Book A Personalised Demo&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|text_align:center&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][vc_raw_html css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1657279445758{border-bottom-width: 20px !important;padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}&#8221;]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Marketing

It’s quite rare to find a coffee shop that doesn’t offer free WiFi nowadays. Fact is, customers do expect to have access to WiFi whilst being out and about. If you haven’t yet installed yours in your venue then you are missing out on a very big and very obvious trick. Switch on to the benefits of free WiFi in combination with a captive portal solution to drive more revenue to your coffee shop.



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



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-attracting-new-customers">1. Attracting New Customers</h4>



The offer of free access to fast and reliable WiFi is one of the top priorities for coffee shop customers. Over the last year, the coffee shop has become a popular remote working place for many. According to a report from <a href="https://kam-media.co.uk/remote-working-pubs-restuarants/">KAM Media</a>, 1 in 4 people would work remotely in a hospitality venue. This comes with a huge opportunity to increase footfall during quieter periods of the day. 



The offer of free WiFi is also important for social coffee shop visitors who want to share their experiences with family &amp; friends. If you want to attract new customers then you simply must offer free internet access.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-building-exceptional-marketing-campaigns">2. Building Exceptional Marketing Campaigns</h4>



You can prompt your coffee shop visitors to enter their personal details in return for access to your free WiFi. For this, you have to install a <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/wifi/">Captive Portal</a> solution to sit on top of your coffee shop WiFi. It can be set up to capture your customers&#8217; email addresses, names, dates of birth, and other information. 



What&#8217;s more, it will automatically reconnect customers the next time they pay you a visit. A captive portal is indeed an easy and streamlined way to grow your customer database and boost customer loyalty. 



Take it one step further and use the data you&#8217;ve captured to optimise your customer experiences. For example to create highly targeted and <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/a-5-step-recipe-that-creates-profitable-personalised-marketing-part-1/">personalised marketing campaigns</a> that convert. 



You can send out promotions to customers on their birthdays and other special occasions, which will boost their loyalty. It is even possible to add custom questions in order to find out customer opinions on the quality of service. The possibilities are endless.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-increasing-brand-awareness-and-customer-experience">3. Increasing Brand Awareness And Customer Experience</h4>



Your <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/avoid-these-3-common-guest-wifi-mistakes/">digital customer experience</a> is as important as your in-venue one. There are various ways of boosting brand awareness and customer experience via your WiFi sign-up. One option is a fully branded and easy to navigate splash page which you can create with the <a href="https://stampede.ai/how-it-works/wifi/">Stampede Captive Portal</a>. 



Your log-in page can feature your coffee shop logo, brand colours, photos, and any other information of interest to your visitors. All this will contribute to improved brand recognition.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-building-the-social-media-community">4. Building The Social Media Community</h4>



You can also build the level of digital engagement by redirecting customers to your social channels once they&#8217;ve logged in to your WiFi. By offering free WiFi access, you can then encourage them to share their experience directly on your pages. 



If you want to make the ultimate difference to your coffee shop fortunes then get in touch with<a href="https://h.stampede.ai/meetings/stampede/demo"> Stampede</a> today. We’ll take you through your options and show you how a captive portal can work for your coffee shop. Because good coffee + free WiFi = the perfect blend.

Grow Your Coffee Shop With Free WiFi And A Captive Portal Solution

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 class="wp-block-list">
<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.

How To Speed Up Content Creation With AI In Hospitality