Connect with your customers and enhance your marketing

Stampede

Products

Table Management

Guest Wi-Fi

Marketing & CRM

Reviews

Loyalty & Rewards

Gift Cards

Analytics & Reports

Industries

Restaurants

Hotels

Pubs & Bars

Resources

About

Success Stories

Testimonials

People and Promise

Careers - We're Hiring!

Learn

Marketing Scorecard

Free Downloads

Email Campaign Templates

Automation Ideas

Blog

User Resources

Knowledge Base

Supported Hardware

Partners

Pricing

Why are we putting up with Bad WiFi?

We want to keep in touch with friends and loved ones, stay updated and be able to do<img decoding="async" class="" style="width: 320px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" title="Stampede Wifi" src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2735287/Blog/bad-wifi.jpg" alt="Stampede Wifi" width="320" data-constrained="true" /> work anywhere, anytime. But how many times have you found yourself searching around a restaurant or cafe for a WiFi password?
Did you have to ask a member of the staff? Did they even know it? How about the time you had to fill in a seemingly endless form to connect? And then there&#8217;s the Guessing Game &#8211; where you have to hack into the WiFi by guessing the password.
If you do eventually manage to connect, all too often you’ll be faced with poor connectivity. Repeated dropping out and reconnecting, slow loading webpages and having to re-enter a password on every visit which leaves a ‘what’s the point?’ feeling. So we accept bad WiFi and continue to use our data allowance out of pure convenience.
<h3>Spending Our Data Allowance</h3>
But what about the times when we can’t use our data allowance, such as when we are on holiday, or in a basement bar? How many times have you found yourself having to leave a bar or club late at night to stand in the cold and rain just to get some phone signal, to book a taxi or arrange to meet friends for example? It’s simply crazy that we have to do that. Hunting for data and feeling cut off from the world isn’t acceptable, is frustrating and can be anxiety provoking.
I think we’d agree that having access to Guest WiFi is essential in most public places &#8211; <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/wifi-in-action#transport">such as public transport</a> &#8211; but why are we accepting such a poor quality experience? All we want is for the WiFi to just work, but it is associated with hassle and disappointment &#8211; our expectations are not high.
<h3>Why don’t we demand better?</h3>
We need to spread the word that Guest WiFi can do more than just work &#8211; it can provide users and businesses with an epic experience, where we enjoy <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/how-it-works#marketing">once in a lifetime login and promotional offers</a> just for using the Guest WiFi as we normally would.
A seamless WiFi experience and discounts on favourite drinks and food at places we visit is a huge win-win for us as customers. Who doesn’t want a free drink on their birthday? Or a discount on their next visit?
It’s about telling businesses where we think they can do better. We as customers don’t need to suffer poor quality Guest WiFi when there are easy to set up, cost effective solutions available which can be set up in your <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/wifi-in-action#coffee">local independent coffee shop</a>, <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/wifi-in-action#hospitality">national restaurant chains</a> or <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/wifi-in-action#hotels">multinational hotels</a>.
<h3>Tell Us About Your Bad WiFi</h3>
Why not have something which exceeds our expectations? Have you ever been through a really bad WiFi experience? Maybe the signal was almost non-existent, the speed was slow as a snail or it was just not safe at all?  Feel free share your experience on the comments section below.
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

post

Bad WiFi: Is This As Good as It Gets?

Whether it’s in <a class="" href="https://www.stampede.ai/wifi-in-action">retail, a hotel, cafe or restaurant</a> the presence of fast and reliable <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/getting-started-with-guest-wifi/">Guest WiFi</a> at your venue is becoming a major factor for potential customers deciding where to take their business. But providing Guest WiFi does not come without potential risks to your business. 



So, you want to provide Guest WiFi at your venue? What’s wrong with handing out a password to your existing network?



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2735287/Blog/guest-wifi-risk.jpg" alt="guest wifi risk"/></figure>







Because handing out the password to your WiFi could be as bad as handing over the keys to the building. Giving out the password to your WiFi network allows any guest with a small amount of technical knowledge to easily sniff everything on the network including point-of-sale systems (POS), printers, credit card machines and back-office systems. In addition to this, they can “see” other guest devices connected to the network. Most off-the-shelf or ISP provided WiFi equipment is not designed for guest access and hence, is extremely insecure.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-has-this-happened-before">Where Has This Happened Before?</h4>



The so-called &#8216;DarkHotel&#8217; group is an example of malicious individuals that take&nbsp;advantage of these weaknesses in public networks. They have been active for over a decade, with a signature brand of cybercrime that targets <a class="" href="http://www.zdnet.com/article/traveling-business-executives-targeted-through-luxury-hotel-wi-fi/">business travellers with malware attacks</a> using the WiFi in luxury hotels across the globe.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-can-happen-to-you-too">It Can Happen to You, Too</h4>



Renting your flat out while you&#8217;re away is a great way to make extra cash on the side with services like <a href="/blog/articles/airbnb-wifi">AirBnB</a>. But what happens when your guests don&#8217;t exactly take everything with them when they go?



By giving your house WiFi password out to AirBnBers, you&#8217;re also giving them keys to the network. A talented (and even not so talented) hacker could easily slip a trojan or listening programme onto your network before they leave. And with the recent breaches discovered in the widely used <a href="/blog/wpa2-breach-is-your-wifi-safe">WPA2 WiFi encryption</a>, your network could be even less secure than you think.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-but-there-s-a-better-way">But There’s a Better Way!</h4>



By making your guests login through a <a class="" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captive_portal">captive portal</a> using their e-mail or social plugin you can gain powerful insights and value through a Guest WiFi network whilst keeping your business secure. A captive portal is a web page that the user of your network is obliged to view and interact with before they can access the internet. This is more secure than a password but will not allow malicious users to view anything else on the network. A branded login page will also make it a lot harder for hackers to imitate your network and cause customers to connect to them which will fully expose them to possible attacks.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-stampede-can-help">How Stampede Can Help</h4>



Stampede can integrate with a <a class="" href="https://www.stampede.ai/how-it-works">wide range</a> of existing hardware or we can supply our own range of routers which you can plugin and instantly start supplying better, secure Guest WiFi. It only takes 5 minutes to set up, with no technical knowledge required!



With Stampede you can create two separate networks: one for your customers and another for your back office business activity. This greatly reduces the risk of a malicious user on your guest network breaking into your critical business systems.



Instead of entering a password, guests login through a <a href="/blog/press/marketing-with-wifi">fully branded captive portal</a>&nbsp;by entering their e-mail or logging in through Facebook. You can also ask marketing questions &#8211; such as postal/zip code, age or favourite drink &#8211; turning a security risk into a value-adding part of your business with much more personalised customer experience.&nbsp;



&nbsp;So what are you waiting for?&nbsp;



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

Take the Risk Out of Your Guest WiFi

In order to turn your followers into actual customers, you have to get them to know and trust your brand. As a restaurant business owner, you know that selling the benefits and value of what you do is how you attract customers. Since the beginning of time, storytelling has been a way that humans have communicated with each other. How can you use storytelling for your social media posts for your restaurant?







Storytelling through social media allows your customers to form that all-important digital connection with your brand. Instead of simply posting bland marketing material, <a href="https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-tactics/">storytelling interacts with your customers on a much more personal level</a>. In turn, this helps create familiarity and loyalty with your brand. This will make your customers a lot more likely to do business with you in the long run.



So, if you are new to the concept of storytelling or want the best ways to implement it within your social strategy. Here are our top tips. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-storytelling-doesn-t-have-to-be-personal">Storytelling doesn&#8217;t have to be personal</h4>



We&#8217;re not all natural storytellers, and for some people, they can struggle to share personal stories through lack of experience or wanting to keep things private. When it comes to connecting with your customers, it&#8217;s not necessarily about sharing personal stories. Rather <a href="https://www.social4retail.com/the-importance-of-storytelling-on-social-media.html">sharing stories that mean something to us personally</a>.



Stories can come from customer interactions, casual conversations or experiences. For example, if your produce is grown locally and you’re proud of it. Why not take pictures of the farm and talk about the growers? Or, perhaps you have a dish that your restaurant is most famous for. Why not share the secret of how it’s made? In many cases, storytelling simply conveys the culture of the brand, in an easy to digest format.&nbsp;



There’s no set formula when it comes to your storytelling. The key is keeping in mind the details that are likely to strike a chord with the person reading it. Social media is a sociable place after all, so imagine it almost like a real conversation.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-share-behind-the-scenes-action">Share behind the scenes action</h4>



We’ve established that storytelling is about building a connection with your audience. One of the easiest ways to do this as a company <a href="https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/15-behind-the-scenes-content-ideas-to-share-on-instagram-infographic/623452/">is to share some behind-the-scenes info.</a> Perhaps you have a new chef starting at your restaurant. Why not upload a picture and a few lines about them, and what they are looking forward to in their new role? 



Or, say Valentine’s day is coming up. Why not share a sneak preview of the dishes or special event you will be putting on, to perk interest among your followers? You could even share news about an expansion or other news related to your company. If your followers are likely to be interested, then it helps build a more personal relationship with your restaurant, that goes far beyond them just coming in to eat.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-user-generated-content">User-generated content</h4>



As a social media account owner for your business, you likely see countless positive reviews, pictures and videos left across your feeds. <a href="https://wedevs.com/141859/user-generated-content-campaigns/">User-generated content is a powerful marketing tool</a>. It is perceived as being more genuine than if a brand toots its own horn instead. If someone is tweeting you to say they had the best meal out they’ve ever had, why not share this with your audience too?



You can use user-generated content in your social media storytelling too. For example, say a customer has their engagement party in your restaurant, and tags you in the photos saying what a wonderful event you created. With their permission, you can then use this across your feed. Maybe add a comment saying how it was your pleasure etc, as well as leaving contact information about how other people can book the same. It’s quite a simple strategy, but one which connects with people on a really effective level.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-save-the-waffles-for-your-dessert-menu">Save the waffles for your dessert menu</h4>



When writing a caption for your social media, it&#8217;s easy to go off on a tangent. While there&#8217;s no real crime against lengthy posts, it&#8217;s important that each sentence moves the story forward. Wordy or unnecessary sentences are unlikely to be read by your followers. And for some, it could even appear as spam.



In some cases, storytelling can literally be done in just a couple of sentences. Wherever possible, allow the <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/4-tips-for-an-outstanding-email-design/">image or video to do most of the storytelling</a> for you. As this is much easier to react with versus reams of text. The key is always to engage the viewer and provoke an emotive response, that allows them to get to know your brand in a way they haven’t before.&nbsp;



If you’re stuck for ideas, <a href="https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/3-brands-who-sell-their-culture-through-social-media-storytelling/518335/">there are a lot of resources you can access for free</a>. Showing some of the most successful examples of brands using storytelling within their social media. The more you educate yourself on this, the easier it will be to pick up and implement within your restaurant campaigns.



Further read: <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-effectively-design-social-media-posts/">https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-effectively-design-social-media-posts/</a>



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



Storytelling is a method of communicating with your customers. When done effectively will strengthen the bond between them and your brand. It goes far beyond general marketing and instead paints a picture of the kind of experience they are likely to have when dining in your restaurant, and the unique story behind it. 



However, to be able to story-tell with your customers effectively, you need the story of who your customers actually are. Here at Stampede, our software allows you to capture your customer data in a way that’s GDPR compliant. As a result, you can create <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-marketing-with-wifi-benefits-your-business/">tailored and highly personalised marketing campaigns</a> that speak to your customer directly.



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





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



By combining storytelling within your social media alongside intuitive marketing campaigns, you can communicate with your customers on a truly insightful level.

How Restaurants Can Use Storytelling for Social Media

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 class="wp-block-list">
<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

For hotel managers, increasing profits is a never-ending endeavour. You need to know how to promote your hotel to new customers. You need to make your customers come back for another stay. Email Marketing is reportedly the best solution to manage this. 



Whereas with social media the results can be mixed, if you have a robust email marketing strategy you are likely to get better results. Read on to find out about a few tips every hotel running an email marketing campaign should know!



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">How to Get New Contacts</h3>



The first thing you need to do is <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-build-an-email-list-for-a-non-digital-business/">build a contact list</a>. This can be done using your website. Just asking people to subscribe to your newsletter with an annoying pop up won’t do. 



Subscribers want to know how you can add value to their vacation experience. So, why not ask something along the lines of “Would you like to be part of our VIP list and get exclusive offers?” This type of question makes your customers feel like they’re gaining access to something exclusive. Something other guests wouldn’t have access to. 



Your customers are out looking for <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/infographic-how-likely-are-people-to-act-on-promotions/">deals</a>; they don’t want to receive the same offers anyone could get. Make sure you nurture these contacts by sending them genuine exclusive offers &#8211; discounts or special packages are just an example.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Getting Contacts From Your Guests</h3>



Most guests arriving at your hotel will have used OTAs to get a good deal on their stay. You’ll want to get their contact details, especially now that they’ve been to your hotel and had a wonderful experience. It’s essential to get your guests’ details so they’ll return to your hotel again, <a href="https://www.happybooking.fi/en/blog/october-2017/9-reasons-to-grow-the-share-of-direct-bookings-for-your-property/">without using the OTAs.</a> 



Return customers are a big part for every hotel. Guest WiFi is a reliable way to get those valuable contact details and more relevant information. More on this later. 



If you don&#8217;t offer <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/getting-started-with-guest-wifi/">Guest WiFi</a> we can help you. Why not also check out our eBook on how to avoid common mistakes.



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





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



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Sending a Confirmation Email</h3>



It’s important to send a confirmation email to anyone who asks to be part of your mailing list. This way, you get people who are notably engaged in your services. More engaged customers are more likely to open your emails and click-through. 



This automated confirmation email should have some useful info on it already. Maybe mention some of the advantages of staying in your hotel. For example, if your hotel has a great view from your rooftop, make sure to include a picture. It will be a visual treat for people to remember you.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Use Appropriate Segmentation</h3>



Once you have a contact list growing, it’s important to know how to make good use of the data you’ve got from them. You can segment, as an example, people who visit your hotel for business and people who visit for vacations or simply segment them by age and gender. 



You can use whatever data you’ve captured to segment your audience. This will mean different marketing emails for each segment. Personalisation based on this segmentation makes your email marketing relevant to your guests’ at a deep level and delivers strong interaction. But also affects their <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/engaging-customers-through-wi-fi-marketing/">loyalty</a> towards you. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Types of Segmentation</h3>



For business travellers, you could focus on advertising conference and meeting room hire. Perhaps add a little bit about bars and restaurants in the area where your business customers could relax after a long working day.



For the holidaymakers, put the focus on the sighseeing aspect. You can even add a map for your city.&nbsp;But also use the chance to share some of the amenities in your hotel as well, restaurants, bars, spas and fitness clubs etc. 



Again, knowing and understanding what your customers want is essential to deliver an experience that’s especially tailored to them. The importance of segmentation lies in making sure you’re taking care of each guest’s interests and motivations. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">When to Email Your Customers</h3>



Another useful piece of information is your customers’ date of birth. Having that, you can send them a special offer for their birthday. 



You can also send some emails in the lead up to Spring and Summer, or before Christmas and New Year. It’s important that these emails showcase special offers that your customers wouldn’t get just by booking through an OTA. You want them to book on a landing page that’s linked through from your emails.&nbsp;



&nbsp;<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-set-up-your-first-email-campaign-guide-2019/">The success of email marketing</a> is determined by your guests. They’re the ones who choose to read your emails and click through. 



You have to make sure that your email subject will be appealing and stand out from the rest of the offers they receive in their inbox. After your customers open the emails, you need to know how to make sure they’ll read on. You can put a special offer at the top to capture their attention, or use a nice picture of the closest beach. 



Be enticing, be urgent, and your customers will respond to your email marketing and book through your landing page.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Emailing Guests Who Have Booked at Your Hotel</h3>



If a guest has booked a stay at your hotel, you should email them straight after they make their reservation. Show them what they can do at your hotel and nearby. Offer to be available in case they have any questions or special requests for their booking. Make sure your email makes your customers feel special &#8211; remember what we said about personalisation.



It’s also important to send your guests an email a few days before their booking date with more information. Especially, how to get to your hotel and what they can do while in the area. Once again, personalisation is key &#8211; you need to pay attention to the information they’re providing in your form and segment your guests so that each one of them can get the best out of your hotel.



Then,&nbsp; email your customers after they leave the hotel so that they can tell you what they thought of the experience. This is of the utmost importance. It helps you see if there’s room for improving or if any hiccup in their stay could have been prevented. Swift responses to complaints can help prevent those <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-respond-to-positive-and-negative-customer-reviews-online/">reviews</a> going on pages you can’t control.



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



These are our main tips for an effective email marketing strategy. 



Remember, <a href="https://stampede.ai/">Stampede</a><a href="https://stampede.ai/"></a> also offers you an easy way of getting emails for your contact list. Stampede is a tool you can use at your hotel, providing a connection to your guests without affecting your hotel’s services. We offer all the technology you need for setting up a Guest WiFi, getting customer contacts and more. 



We also are GDPR-compliant, which means you’ll never have to worry about the contacts or data you get from our platform. <a href="https://stampede.ai/contact/">Contact us</a> for more information and… happy emailing! 



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





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

Effective Email Marketing Tips for Hotels

Empowering Brands to Harness User-Generated Content



In the age of social media and digital connectivity, user-generated content (UGC) has emerged as a powerful tool that is reshaping marketing strategies. UGC tools are designed to help brands effectively curate, manage, and leverage user-generated content. These tools provide a range of functionalities, such as content discovery, moderation, rights management, and analytics. By using <a href="https://www.ttagz.co.uk/">UGC tools</a>, brands can easily identify and collect relevant UGC related to their products or services. 



They can also engage with their audience, encourage content creation, and amplify the reach of UGC through various channels. With the help of UGC tools, brands can streamline their UGC strategies and make the most out of the content generated by their users.



Customising UGC Experiences for Brands



UGC software takes the concept of UGC tools a step further by offering more advanced features and customisation options. This software allows brands to integrate UGC into their websites, apps, or other digital platforms seamlessly. They provide templates and design tools that enable businesses to create visually appealing UGC displays that align with their branding.



<a href="https://www.ttagz.co.uk/">UGC software</a> also often includes sophisticated moderation algorithms and AI-powered filters to ensure that only relevant and appropriate content is displayed. By leveraging UGC software, brands can create immersive user experiences and drive higher levels of engagement with their audience.



Centralised Hubs for Discovering and Showcasing UGC



In addition to UGC tools and software, user-generated content platforms have emerged as centralised hubs where brands can discover, curate, and showcase UGC from various sources. These platforms aggregate UGC from social media platforms, review sites, and other online channels, allowing brands to easily find and display relevant UGC. <a href="https://www.ttagz.co.uk/">UGC platforms</a> often provide built-in moderation and rights management features, ensuring that brands can maintain control over the content they use. 



By leveraging UGC platforms, brands can tap into a vast pool of authentic content created by their customers and build stronger connections with their target audience.



The Impact of UGC on Marketing Strategies



The rise of UGC has had a profound impact on marketing strategies. Traditionally, brands relied heavily on their own content creation efforts to convey their messages and promote their products. However, with the UGC revolution, consumers have become brand ambassadors, sharing their experiences and opinions organically. This shift has created a sense of authenticity and trust that is difficult to achieve through traditional marketing methods.



UGC allows brands to harness the power of social proof. When potential customers see UGC showcasing positive experiences, they are more likely to trust the brand and make a purchase. According to studies, <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190220005302/en/Stackla-Survey-Reveals-Disconnect-Between-the-Content-Consumers-Want-What-Marketers-Deliver">UGC is trusted by 92% of consumers</a>, making it a highly influential factor in purchasing decisions. By incorporating UGC into their marketing strategies, brands can tap into this trust and leverage it to drive conversions and build brand loyalty.



UGC also enables brands to foster a sense of community and engage with their audience on a deeper level. By encouraging users to create and share content, brands can create a two-way conversation, fostering a sense of belonging and co-creation. This not only strengthens the relationship between the brand and its customers but also generates valuable insights and feedback for product improvement.



Conclusion



In conclusion, user-generated content is reshaping marketing strategies and revolutionising the way brands connect with their audience. UGC tools, UGC software, and UGC platforms are essential resources that enable brands to harness the power of UGC effectively. By embracing UGC, brands can leverage social proof, build trust, and foster a sense of community. The UGC revolution is here, and brands that adapt to this shift will have a competitive edge in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

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

Marketing your business can be hard. And expensive. And time consuming. But when you get it right it can give incredible results.



We want to hear about your best marketing efforts. Tell us in 300 words or less about your best marketing campaign for a chance to win a £1,200 subscription to the Stampede marketing platform. 



We&#8217;ll be judging the entries on creativity and return-on-investment, so make sure to include some numbers. Entries must be submitted by 30th November 2019!



The winner will receive a free subscription to our All-In package which includes Marketing Automation, Reviews and Stories. Make sure you tick those contact boxes so we can tell you if you&#8217;ve won. 


[contact-form-7 id=&#8221;13310&#8243; title=&#8221;Free Subscription Comp Entry&#8221;]



Terms and Conditions



One entry per registered U.K. business. U.K. registered businesses only. No cash alternative available. Additional wireless access point hardware may be required. The winning business must make remote access to the hardware accessible to Stampede in order to install the software. Competition entries must be submitted by 30th November 2019. Judging and decision on winner will be carried out internally. The winner will be notified by 15th December 2019. Captive ltd. t/a Stampede reserve the right to cancel or alter the terms and conditions at any time. No purchase necessary. No refunds available if winner chooses to cancel the subscription. Personal data collected from entries will not be shared with any third party. Competition entries the &#8220;marketing efforts&#8221; will not be publicised without prior notification and agreement from the submitting party.

Win a Free Subscription to Stampede.

The Easter countdown is officially on. Time to get your digital assets and marketing promotions Easter ready to&nbsp;bring in some extra revenue.



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



Many businesses will opt for a traditional brunch or roast lunch offer. Take a twist this year with a new approach to some traditional dishes. What about <a href="https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/hot-cross-scones/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hot cross scones</a> for your brunch menu? Or introducing customers to some <a href="https://www.thespruceeats.com/traditional-easter-foods-from-around-the-world-4161077" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dishes from other countries</a>?



But there is more you can do to create an Easter experience your customers will remember&#8230;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-easter-marketing-elements">Easter marketing elements</h4>



Sprinkle some&nbsp;Easter themes on your digital assets&nbsp;to build your customers&#8217; excitement.&nbsp;Seasonal elements, illustrations and images&nbsp;are the quickest way to get started.



Easter and Spring is all about vibrant and cheerful colours, so focus on using <a href="https://icolorpalette.com/palette-by-themes/easter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pastel colours,</a> including pinks and yellows, to make your Easter marketing instantly recognisable.



Ready-made <a href="https://unlayer.com/email-templates/easter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Easter templates </a>can help you save lots of time when it comes to designing email campaigns too



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">8 Easter social media ideas</h4>



Easter offers lot of great opportunities for fun and engaging social media campaigns too.&nbsp;Mix and match different formats&nbsp;(posts, stories and reels) to reach a wider audience.



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li>Caption this &#8211; use&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.countryliving.com/life/a30717299/easter-puns/" target="_blank">Easter egg puns</a></li><li>Share fun Easter memes</li><li>Host a virtual egg hunt across your socials and website</li><li>Share your staffs’ Easter traditions, favourite meals …</li><li>What’s on your Easter brunch table</li><li>Short video/reel &#8211; make your own DIY Easter decoration</li><li>Easter sneak peak &#8211; coming up at your venue</li><li>DIY bunny ears competition</li></ol>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">8 Easter in-venue event ideas</h4>



Easter-related activities are not exclusively for kids, grown-ups can have a lot of fun as well. Get the whole family involved:



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li>Egg hunt or scavenger egg hunt</li><li>Egg and a spoon race</li><li>Competition &#8211; egg decorating</li><li>Guessing game &#8211; jar filled with easter eggs</li><li>Host an <a href="https://quiz-questions.uk/easter-quiz-questions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Easter-inspired pub quiz</a></li><li>Easter baking class</li><li>Team up with a local florist for a wreath-making workshop</li><li>How to set your Easter table &#8211; decoration ideas</li></ol>



Easter marketing content ready but not sure how to set up your email campaign? <a href="https://stampede.ai/company/#contact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get in touch</a> with our team who are happy to help.

16 Rapid Ideas For Successful Easter Marketing Campaigns

The hospitality industry has evolved rapidly in recent years and AI technology is playing an increasingly vital role in improving key areas of the customer experience.&nbsp;



With its scalable and flexible capabilities, AI can significantly reform the way businesses operate. It can help save time and money while driving long-term customer loyalty.



In this blog post, we&#8217;ll explore 4 ways that AI can be used to further enhance your hospitality operations.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-operations">1. Operations</h2>



Advances in technology have been paving the way for new and exciting opportunities in business operations.



One of the latest AI tools to emerge on the scene is the chatbot. A virtual assistant that provides responses based on customer queries by scanning common keywords and related answers. It offers valuable support to staff by taking over routine tasks. 



On top, chatbots are available 24/7, so they ensure customer service standards are held up even outside of traditional business hours.



Hotels commonly use AI tech for contactless check-ins and virtual assistants acting as concierges. With these technologies, guests get the most out of their stay as it simplifies many aspects of hotel services. 



In the same way, self-serve kiosks are becoming a fixture in restaurants, allowing customers to place orders with ease and freeing up staff time.



Finally, <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-get-maximum-value-from-customer-review-sentiments">AI-powered sentiment analysis</a> can help companies track trends and issues related to customer feedback. This enables them to make data-driven decisions and continuously improve their service.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-marketing">2. Marketing</h2>



AI can vastly support marketing strategies by gathering more relevant data and customer insights. From this, marketers can create hyper-targeted and personalised campaigns that matter to customers and therefore have a higher chance of converting.&nbsp;



Using AI automation, marketers can easily automate repetitive tasks, such as uploading data using spreadsheets. This allows them to focus their time and attention on other parts of the business.&nbsp;



Another example of automation is <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/increase-sales-with-your-crm-and-marketing-automation">trigger-based campaigns</a>. They are based on previous customer interactions. I.e. Send a discount to customers who haven’t been at your venue for a while.



AI can also support digital advertising by taking over jobs such as audience and campaign optimisation. And finally, social media monitoring across channels for brand mentions and engagement is made easier with AI.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-sales">3. Sales</h2>



Sales is a challenging and complex area for any business but with the help of AI, hospitality operators can get some significant assistance.



Hotels, for example, are now able to apply a <a href="https://hoteltechreport.com/news/dynamic-pricing-hotels">dynamic pricing strategy</a>. Room rates are adjusted in real-time to reflect demand patterns and rates are optimised depending on seasonality. Whilst ensuring that customers are getting the best prices when booking direct.&nbsp;



Additionally, AI can offer valuable insights into customer interactions and purchasing behaviour. This way operators can quickly identify potential opportunities for upselling and cross-selling to boost their revenue.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-data-analytics-and-reporting">4. Data analytics and reporting</h2>



Data analytics and reporting are invaluable tools for hospitality businesses seeking to gain insights into customer behaviour and improve decision-making. With the usage of AI, these processes have become even more streamlined.



One of the most significant benefits of AI is the ability to automatically generate customised reports and dashboards. This covers especially time-consuming, manual tasks that were often prone to errors.



Additionally, AI can help to better manage data and identify the most valuable customer segments. Those can be applied to create personalised marketing campaigns.&nbsp;



Resources and inventory are also much more efficient and easier with AI&#8217;s ability to make suggestions as well as forecast market and business trends.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-takeaway">Takeaway</h2>



AI has revolutionised the hospitality industry. Demonstrating its undeniable potential in optimising operations, improving marketing strategies, increasing sales and becoming more data-driven.



New technology continues to be mixed with traditional methods and offers an unprecedented level of customisation. This can advance the bottom line and improve the overall customer experience.



The ultimate aim of integrating AI into hospitality roles is to create a system which runs smoothly while allowing employees to focus on personalising services. 



When interacting with customers becomes easy and efficient, brands will be able to build stronger customer relationships and loyalty leading to greater business growth opportunities.



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.

4 Ways To Optimise Your Hospitality Business With AI

<a href="https://learn.g2.com/customer-reviews-statistics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">73% of customers</a> place more value on the written review, rather than the star rating.



The number speaks for itself. Reviews are not only about the star rating anymore. High-star reviews certainly help you attract customers to your venues. Though the real value is found in the words rather than the score.&nbsp;Reviews sentiments are a powerful tool all businesses should make use of.



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



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-written-reviews">The Power of Written Reviews</h4>



For some customers, it won’t take much to draw out a 5-star review. Others rarely rate any business with 100% despite being completely satisfied. Written reviews on the other hand tell a story on which potential new customers will base their opinion on.&nbsp;



Potential customers will pay attention to all sorts of details that give them a hint of what to expect when going to your venue. For example, any common problems or complaints that came up and if they&#8217;ve been handled.&nbsp;



Written reviews not only provide insights for your customers but more so, they allow businesses to capture the emotions behind the rating and can help you to find out what&#8217;s really going on.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Sentiment Analysis</h4>



How do you extract real value from your reviews then? A sentiment analysis will give you those insights. This technique is used to determine whether words in a text are positive, negative or neutral and are grouped respectively. It’s a great tool that helps you monitor your reviews and points you to potential (common) issues you should address.



But before you fire up a spreadsheet, ready to get started and manually sift through your reviews, there is a better way! Let a review sentiment software do the heavy lifting for you and make the process much more efficient.



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



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



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Social-Media-Posts-2-14.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://image.stampede.ai/fill/1024/579/ce/0/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGFtcGVkZS5haS93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMS8wOC9Tb2NpYWwtTWVkaWEtUG9zdHMtMi0xNC0xMDI0eDU3OS5wbmc=" alt="" class="wp-image-20300" width="437" height="246"/></a></figure>



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



The above example showcases how sentiments are automatically captured from the written reviews and tagged in a summary dashboard.



What’s more, common themes are tracked and counted together. So that you can quickly determine which matters urgently need your attention.&nbsp;



The system can also flag negative reviews for you, le easily see which reviews you still need to reply to.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Best Practice Advice &#8211; Irony &amp; Sarcasm</h4>



Bear in mind that some words, even though they are positive words, might not be meant like that in a certain context.&nbsp;



“We had to wait for 15 min to get to our table. Great start into the evening.”



This is clearly not a positive review. Though “great start” might imply so, which can result in a positive flag. The good news, technology has evolved a lot recently and systems constantly keep learning and improving.&nbsp;



If you’ve got any questions about reviews, sentiment analysis or emailing customers then <a href="mailto:contact@stampede.ai?subject=&amp;body=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">get in touch</a> with one of our team. We’re here to help on all things digital.

How to Get Maximum Value From Customer Reviews Sentiments

Love it or loathe it, we live in times where mobile devices are everywhere. 
In our <a class="" href="https://www.stampede.ai/blog/press/boost-sales-with-smart-wifi">previous blog</a>, we offered up some great tips for using Smart WiFi to give your customers a great WiFi experience while visiting your business and at the same time boost your bottom line. Whether you are a café, pub, bar or restaurant, offering free WiFi gives you a competitive edge by providing fast and reliable internet access to your customers for social networking, checking emails, online shopping, and surfing the internet at all times. This can have a direct influence on building customer loyalty, resulting in increased sales.
So, here are another three reasons why offering free Guest WiFi to your customers can help your business.
Customers will spend more time
One of the biggest advantages of offering free WiFi to customers is a no-brainer, <img decoding="async" style="width: 320px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" title="Stampede Phone Pub" src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2735287/Blog/phone-pub.jpg" alt="Stampede Phone Pub" width="320" data-constrained="true" />increased time spent in your store. WiFi access helps customers stay productive and connected, giving them no reason to rush the shopping process. According to <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com">Business Insider</a>, more than 62% of businesses reported that customers spend more time on their premise when WiFi is offered. Instead of examining the scenario as customers simply hanging around, consider using the opportunity to engage new customers and discover their needs.
Increased foot traffic
The fastest way to drive foot traffic is putting up a sign that brings awareness of free WiFi. This allows your business to attract new customers while enticing existing customers to come back. In addition to visual recognition, most consumers use apps like <a href="https://www.yelp.com">Yelp!</a> and <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/maps">Google Maps</a> to find businesses, selecting venues that offer amenities like free WiFi.
Mobile Marketing
Stampede’s WiFi solution allows you to promote your business before customers even sign in on their smart devices. You can customise the landing page to attract customers and share special offers. Typically, there is an opportunity to brand your network with a creative, custom name, like “Bob’s Awsome Bar – Enjoy Free WiFi.” Additionally, in the age of social media influencers, customers can do marketing for you through social networking. By allowing customers to “check in” at your business, they can spread the word about your business in real time.

<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

How to boost sales with Smart WiFi in your business – Part 2

Heat, Light, Water and&#8230; WiFi?

As a business owner, the above utilities are essential services to a growing brand.
If you run a restaurant, bar, café, club or pub, then you have to consider WiFi as the 4th most important utility to offer your customers, after, heat light and water (….or wine).
It seems obvious to say but offering a great guest WiFi experience is just as essential to the customers as the environment and the quality of food and drinks you serve. The whole experience keeps customers on your premises longer, increasing your customer base and revenue.
Many businesses already give WiFi access to their customers by either leaving their WiFi connection &#8216;open&#8217; or by giving out the password at the bar or writing it on a menu board….(sounds familiar?)
<img decoding="async" class="wp-image-4277 alignleft" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right; width: 234px;" title="Stampede WiFi Fourth Service" src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2735287/Imported_Blog_Media/6f0dbdc5df34cb2c4a312eb7cf0ff867.jpg" alt="Stampede WiFi Fourth Service" width="234" data-constrained="true" />
Whichever of these options you choose, each comes with a number of problems.
Firstly, if the Internet connection is critical for day to day running of their business to process card payments, run POS systems etc, there is a real danger that customers will potentially have access to sensitive information.
Secondly, unless the default login details to the WiFi router are changed, anyone could login to the router and make changes. This could range from wiping out internet connectivity completely or changing the network name to something obscene reflecting poorly on your brand.
Thirdly, by leaving the connection open or freely giving out the password, people from outside or nearby may be using the WiFi, reducing their chances of coming inside and increasing your chance of a hefty internet bill.
If the network password is openly displayed, hackers can use a number of free tools available on the Internet to &#8216;sniff&#8217; traffic sent over a WiFi network. This means they will be able to see all the information, including usernames and passwords sent over the network. Customers of yours could have their accounts breached with no consequence to the culprit. Reflecting terribly on your brand.
Offering Wi-Fi greatly improves the guest experience and definitely builds customer loyalty.
<img decoding="async" class="wp-image-4272 alignright" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 410px;" title="Stampede The pack Branding" src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2735287/Imported_Blog_Media/the-pack.jpg" alt="Stampede The pack Branding" width="410" data-constrained="true" />
You should consider a self-branded splash page; this is a great way to make it super easy for guests to connect and it’s also an opportunity for you to talk to your customers. Personalize their experience and get them speaking to their friends about how great your business is. You can easily identify if any users are up to no good and block out any non-child friendly websites. All this, as well as complying with all the legalities associated with offering guest WiFi in your venue, is covered by us.
If Stampede sounds like something you might be interested in, get in touch!
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

Guest WiFi – The 4th Emergency Service?

<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-on-this-week">What’s on This Week</h4>



It’s a doubleheader Monday this week, closely followed by the opening of the first advent calendar door on Tuesday.



Let’s dive into this week’s ideas.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mon-30th-nov-cyber-monday"> Mon 30th Nov &#8211; Cyber Monday</h4>



Black Friday’s lesser-known sibling is an extension of the sales event that kicks off Christmas shopping season. Use it to keep the momentum up your Black Friday promotions or as a chance to switch things up a bit with a variation of last week&#8217;s offer.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mon-30th-nov-st-andrews-day">Mon 30th Nov &#8211; St Andrews Day</h4>



Scotland’s National Day and a chance to celebrate all things Scottish. When it comes to food and drink there is a myriad of choices: Haggis, whisky, smoked salmon, Stornoway black pudding, stovies, tablet and we only deep fry two of those&#8230;



 If Cyber Monday isn’t for your brand, some visual content about the diverse Scottish larder will go down well today on social media. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tues-1st-december">Tues 1st December</h4>



The start of December is the start of Christmas for many. Use it as a chance to remind customers and fans of Christmas offers and booking availability, or implement a Christmas social media theme such as an advent calendar or 12 days of Christmas with topics relevant to your business.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fri-4th-dec-bartender-appreciation-day">Fri 4th Dec &#8211; Bartender Appreciation Day</h4>



Falling on the first Friday of December, this a day to say thanks to all the bartenders out there. Thanks for all the extra tasks they’ve undoubtedly taken on this year, all the time and effort they’ve taken to keep customers safe and happy in a difficult working environment.&nbsp;



 Grab a picture of your bar team, or dig one out of the archive for social media this Friday, giving your fans a chance to say thanks or share stories of great experiences they’ve had thanks to the bartending team.



That&#8217;s all for this week, time for a Tunnocks Tea Cake and a glass of Irn-Bru.



 If you need any help with setting up Christmas promotions and campaigns, please <a href="https://stampede.ai/company/#contact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">get in touch</a> with one of our team.

Fresh Content Ideas To Fuel Your Marketing

How to Set Up a Coworking Space in Your Coffee Shop

The use of social media to market hospitality businesses has been gaining traction over the past few years, and with good reason. According to <a href="https://blog.hootsuite.com/simon-kemp-social-media/">Hootsuite</a>, 2019 set the record for signing up 3.48 billion social media users (that’s 9% more than the previous year). With a figure such as this, it’s no wonder that businesses are flocking to present themselves to the massive audiences found on social media platforms.&nbsp;But which is the right social media channel for your hospitality business?







The first step towards a successful social media marketing campaign, however, is to choose the correct channels for your business. To kickstart this article, we will raise a few questions that will help you to determine which platforms will benefit your venue. Thereafter, we’ll delve into mentioning our favourite platforms and how they can work for you. &nbsp;



Questions That Will Help You to Find the Best Social Media Channels for Your Hospitality Business:



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Who Is Your Target Audience?</h4>



The first step in any marketing campaign is to determine who you want to connect with. For instance, is your hotel family-friendly? Or does it prefer to host corporates? Does your venue feature a restaurant? Does it welcome day visitors? When you know who you need to reach out to, then its easier to find the right audience.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Where Are Your Competitors Investing Their Time?</h4>



It never hurts to do a quick investigation into where your competitors spend their time. Do your research and see which social media platforms you can find them on as well as where they are receiving the best type of engagement. This may help you to refine your own social media channel choices. &nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">How Seriously Do You Take Your Business’s Photography?</h4>



Are you taking quality photos of your hotel or restaurant? Hi-res and professional images are important if you plan on using image-focused channels such as Instagram and Pinterest.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">How Much Time Are You Willing to Invest in Your Campaigns?</h4>



Whilst any type of successful marketing takes a huge investment of time, the nature of certain channels may require more dedication than others. For example, to maintain engagement, you will need to post more often on a platform such as Twitter than you would on Facebook (where one daily post is repurposed).&nbsp;



Remember, an inactive and unattended social profile gives a cold first impression. And we’re sure that you do not want this to be a reflection of your customer services. &nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">What Is Your End Goal?</h4>



This is quite possibly the most important question. Let’s add a sub-question here too: Why do you feel it’s necessary for your hospitality business to have a social media presence?&nbsp;



From communicating with your customers effectively to putting yourself “out there” so that people know you exist, social media provides a hive of activities that could benefit your business.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Favourable Social Media Platforms for the Hospitality Industry</h4>



Now that you have a good idea of who your audiences are and what you expect from your social media presence, the next step is to select the social media channels that you feel will be most favourable for your hospitality venue.



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



In this section, we will mention a few of the most popular social media platforms. We will give a brief insight into how each one works as well as how it could promote your hospitality business.&nbsp;



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



A good Facebook marketing campaign will help you to solidify your brand. By creating a page for your hotel or restaurant, you can post images, videos, and polls – giving you a variety of fun marketing strategies to work with. You also have the option to boost posts and run paid ads, which means you can increase your levels of engagement.&nbsp; Facebook is a great place to build a community of customers or “fans”. Within this community, you can build trust, encourage “shares” and referrals, and work on your online reviews.&nbsp;



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



Tweets may have a short shelf life but it’s a great way to get your messages, company news and promotions out to the masses. You can also use this channel to chat with guests, handle queries, and attend any complaints. Many hotels use Twitter to connect with travellers whilst building a brand presence.&nbsp;



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



Corporates love LinkedIn and if you if your venue is a great place for businessmen to congregate, then an active page on LinkedIn could be to your benefit. You can use this platform to share achievements, make new announcements, and highlight good reviews. Use this medium to establish your hotel’s leadership within the hospitality industry.&nbsp;



But bear in mind, LinkedIn is representing your company from the professional side, so plan your posts accordingly. It&#8217;s also always a good way to attract new employees.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Google+&nbsp;</h4>



Having a profile on Google+ will get you onto the ultimate map i.e. Google Maps! Apart from increasing your chances of being found on search engines, this channel ensures that any comments from guests or patrons will also appear in search results defined on Google Maps.



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



Remember we asked if you are willing to put effort into your photos? If your answer is “yes’, then Instagram is a great place to showcase your venue. This channel is a <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-take-perfect-food-image-for-instagram/">visual paradise</a> and for the best effect, images must be accompanied with appropriate hashtags. <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/rock-your-restaurant-with-wifi-and-instagram/">Instagram is one of the fastest-growing social media marketing channels</a> for businesses because it keeps things simple and appealing.&nbsp;



Instagram stories are another quick way of showing off your venue and boosting interaction. You could give your guests a sneak behind the scenes. Or why not use it to promote short-term deals to create a sense of urgency. 



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



Like Instagram, excellent photos are a must for Pinterest accounts. The aim is to get your images re-pinned by other users and to gain a fan following.&nbsp; This channel requires a little less maintenance – although the audiences are not as huge as some of the other platforms. &nbsp;



When a hotel or restaurant’s social media strategy is refined, it can give a massive boost to revenue and brand presence. Here at Stampede, we use <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-marketing-with-wifi-benefits-your-business/">WiFi marketing</a> as a strategy to redirect customers to your social media pages, thus increasing engagement and brand awareness.&nbsp;



 To increase your effectiveness on your social media channels, get in touch with us.



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





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

How To Find the Right Social Media Channel for Your Hospitality Business

What&#8217;s the first thing that comes to your mind when visiting a hospital or emergency waiting room? A clean, well lit, area to sit? Access to staff? How about WiFi?

Access to WiFi in waiting rooms is one of the recommendations in a <a class="" href="http://www.rcem.ac.uk/RCEM/News/News_2017/RCEM_asks_Emergency_Departments_to_meet_50_standards_to_ensure_quality_emergency_care.aspx">report justreleased by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine</a>. WiFi in hospitals and patient waiting rooms is categorised as a &#8220;Developmental&#8221; standard in the RCEM report. Services in this category aren&#8217;t required for patients and staff but serve as goals over and above services in the &#8220;Fundamental&#8221; category, such as access to a TV and a properly staffed waiting area.<img decoding="async" class="" style="width: 700px;" title="Stampede Hospital wifi" src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2735287/Blog/hospital-wifi.jpg" alt="Stampede Hospital wifi" width="700" data-constrained="true" />
As Dr. Taj Hassan, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, explained when the report was released: “We have also suggested some initiatives and ideas for departments to develop for patients, that we hope will add just that little bit extra to patient experience.”
By combining their Guest WiFi experience with a <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/how-it-works#analytics">WiFi analytics tool,</a> hospitals and waiting rooms can go even farther in enhancing the patient experience. What&#8217;s the average wait time a user spends in a waiting area? What&#8217;s the gender breakdown? Are users accessing the WiFi on mobile, tablets or laptops? This last insight would further enhance the waiting room experience. For example, if a hospital noticed that more guests are <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/blog/articles/wifi-in-hospitals">accessing hospital WiFi</a> over mobile or tablets, USB sockets for recharging would be a simple and quick waiting area upgrade, leading to an enhanced patient experience. How about a quick survey on a branded splash page before users log in? Helping hospital and waiting room staff understand their patients and their families needs.
Work for a hospital and want to improve your patients experience?
Do you have any experience you would like to share? Please leave it on the comments below.
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://stampede.ai/get-started">Click here to get started.</a>

WiFi in Hospitals – Improving the Patient Care Experience

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? 



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





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



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

This article was written by Tom Saxon. Tom is the co-founder of <a href="https://www.batchcoffee.co.uk/">Batch Coffee</a>. He has been working in the speciality coffee industry for over 10 years throughout the world and in many parts of the supply chain.



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



I personally love working in the hospitality industry and can’t encourage people enough to consider a career. The workforce is typically young and energetic which coupled with constantly making customers happy is why working in hospitality is a fulfilling and rewarding career. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Working In Hospitality &#8211; The Coffee Shop Industry</h4>



My day does start early as you’d expect in the coffee industry. The 6 am alarm is always met shortly afterwards with a delicious coffee though &#8211; one of the many perks of working with <a href="https://www.batchcoffee.co.uk/stories/best-speciality-coffee-beans-uk">speciality coffee beans</a>.



Opening up the roastery and cafe takes about 30 minutes. It involves dialling in coffee machines and preparing for customers. As they arrive each one is met with a small conversation &#8211; especially the regulars whom I would now class as friends.&nbsp;



The morning rush comes and goes quickly and I always feel pumped afterwards. The coffee industry is great as people are so thankful for their morning coffee and especially customers who dine in, their energy after they are fully caffeinated is contagious.



My responsibilities; first and foremost customer service. It&#8217;s so important that our customers leave happy and hopefully in a better mood than when they entered. Making coffee and ensuring the place is clean and tidy, stock control and various small jobs like checking the toilets every hour or so make up the rest of the day.&nbsp;



The days are quick and finishing at 4 pm means that I still have an evening to do whatever I’d like.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-tech-makes-working-in-hospitality-easier">How Tech Makes Working In Hospitality Easier&nbsp;</h4>



Working in a busy coffee shop can be occasionally stressful, especially behind the coffee machine where there is a finite number of coffees one can make per minute contrary to the odd customer&#8217;s opinion.&nbsp;



Add to this the fact that you are customer-facing, so while the orders stack up and you’re frantically trying to pull 18 shots of espresso and split a litre of steamed milk into 6 different milk-based espresso drinks you have to keep a smile on your face and appear unphased.&nbsp;



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">1. Ordering App</h5>



A really useful tool that has helped many <a href="https://baristaandco.com/">baristas</a> all over the world is an app where coffee can be ordered before a customer arrives in the coffee shop.&nbsp;



This means that the transaction takes place on the customer&#8217;s phone so there is no waiting in line and there is no time wasted serving the customer. This completely streamlines the process of ordering the coffee for the customer and the barista can immediately add the order to the queue.



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">2. Customer Loyalty App</h5>



Another useful app that we use that involves the <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/the-paid-loyalty-scheme-that-works-a-treat/">customer&#8217;s experience is a loyalty app</a>. Stamp cards are now becoming a thing of the past, although they do work as a physical representation of how many coffees you have left before you receive a free one, the practicality of them from a barista&#8217;s point of view is a bit wasteful.&nbsp;



Today when customers place an order through their app they receive an e-stamp that can be visualised as a<a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/bring-more-customers-back-with-a-loyalty-program/"> </a><a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/bring-more-customers-back-with-a-loyalty-program/">loyalty card</a> on their phone. If the customer orders in the coffee shop they are able to scan a QR code that appears after the purchase on a screen facing outwards from the register which again adds another e-stamp to their virtual loyalty card.&nbsp;



This again streamlines a process that in reality saves only a matter of seconds per customer, but when looked at on a larger scale saves not only hours of staff time but crucially frees up a staff member during peak hours so the wait time is reduced which keeps current customers happy and entices new customers into the cafe.&nbsp;



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">3. Staff Scheduling App</h5>



Technology is now used in all areas of hospitality and one of the most efficient pieces of technology from a manager&#8217;s point of view is a roster application.&nbsp;



Back in the day, weekly rosters would be stuck to the wall in the form of a piece of A4 paper with an excel style table where employees could read their shifts and see when their colleagues were also working.&nbsp;



Albeit a physical representation, it was also messy as by the end of the first day the roster was published it had already been annotated with shift swaps.&nbsp;



Today, all of the shift organisation is completed via an app where managers can publish weekly rosters months in advance if they wish.&nbsp;



Colleagues can liaise directly through the app and request shift swaps with the authorisation of a manager needed and the new roster is then automatically updated. Staff can add holidays up to a year in advance so when the manager sits down to plan the roster they know exactly who is available for the forthcoming week.&nbsp;



The app usually has a singing-in system too, so gone are the days of more A4 prints on the wall or punch cards. Just tap start and finish at either end of the shift on the app which then records each staff member&#8217;s weekly hours.

Working In Hospitality: Harnessing The Efficiency Of Tech

5 Gamification Ideas To Take Your Loyalty Scheme To The Next Level

How Hospitality Operators Can Use Data To Reveal Loyal Customers

4 Steps To Master Customer Retention and Loyalty With Data-Driven Marketing

2 Ways To Keep Your Footfall Up With Customer Loyalty

What is Real-Time Marketing in Retail?

3 Steps to transforming the customer experience in retail

Guest WiFi in the Retail Industry

New service keeps spontaneous pub trips alive while supporting track and trace

The Power of Reviews and Recommendations

People around the world have had to adapt to sudden changes in routine. Many of us, for instance, have found ourselves at home with hours of free time at our disposal. Is this you?



You’ve done the relaxing thing and caught up on sleep, you’ve updated your website and social media accounts, you are ready and waiting to implement new marketing ideas, and you have cleaned your home and venue from top to bottom. Now what? &nbsp;



Now’s the time to find alternative ways of being productive. It’s time to upskill during downtime! It’s time to take coronavirus by the horns and show it that it’s not going to get the better of you. You’re going to improve your knowledge and your insight so that your brand is stronger and ready to take on the market during the toughest of times.&nbsp;



Let’s do this!



But how?



One way to use your time constructively is to learn new skills. This way, you can gain or maintain certification while differentiating yourself or your hospitality business moving forward. With on-demand modules and other online options such as webinars, home-study courses, educational podcasts, and endless video tutorials, the opportunities to learn remotely, safely, and in your own time are seemingly endless. Allow us to point you in the right direction.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">10 Online Tools that Can Help You to Improve Your Skills for the Hospitality Industry</blockquote>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">1. <a href="https://www.udemy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Udemy</a></h3>



Udemy has something for everyone. Whether you want to learn more about online marketing, perfect your customer service, or up your knowledge on health and safety in the hospitality industry – this is the go-to platform for quick certificate courses. The courses vary in price but are mostly easy on the pocket (look out for specials). You can also download the Udemy app so that you can up your skills while on the move.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. <a href="https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/digitalgarage/courses" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Google Digital Garage</a></h3>



Looking to brush up on the fundamentals of online marketing? The Google Digital Garage is a platform that has been created for those who are eager to take their business online and enjoy all the benefits. What we love about this platform (over and above the fact that it’s free to access) is that it delivers thorough digital skills courses. It teaches users by giving relatable examples of how different types of businesses can use digital channels in different ways. Once you have completed your online course, you’ll receive a certificate endorsed by Google and the IAB Europe.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. <a href="https://www.duolingo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Duolingo</a></h3>



Hotel and restaurant owners understand the importance of speaking a second (or third) language. This skill can keep you a step ahead of your competition and it also makes you look more professional (not to mention cool). And that’s where Duolingo steps in. The app allows you to learn foreign languages easily. You can also set weekly goals for yourself and track your progress. Best of all, it’s free.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">4. <a href="https://www.skillpill.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Skill-Pill</a></h3>



Skill-Pill is an app that helps you to be the teacher. By mastering the app’s modules and functionality, you can learn how to create courses and training videos that can improve the skills of your employees. From bettering your customer service to learning how to improve your sales and marketing techniques, you will be able to customise the learning experience for your employees so that information is easily absorbed.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">5.<a href="https://moodle.com/app/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Moodle Mobile</a></h3>



This nifty app has many diverse settings and has been designed so that users can access their course material even when they go offline. Apart from having access to a plethora of different learning material, you will also be able to use the app to view your course grades and socialise with users who are studying the same or similar skillsets. Did we mention that it’s free?



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">6. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://itunesu.itunes.apple.com/coursemanager/" target="_blank">iTunes U</a></h3>



iTunes U is an open learning channel that features educational audio and video files from universities, museums, and media organisations around the world. The resources are endless, and you can search, download, and play the educational content the same way you would manipulate a song or a podcast on iTunes.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">7. <a href="https://moz.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moz</a></h3>



<a href="https://www.business2community.com/youtube/8-best-business-youtube-channels-to-sharpen-your-entrepreneur-skills-02254474">Business 2 Community[1]</a> refers to Moz as a “technical prowess”. It’s also a good resource to have when you are looking for user-friendly content to learn from. Specifically focusing on educating business owners about the ever-changing world of SEO and inbound marketing, here you will find up-to-date tutorials on the latest in digital online marketing. No misinformation here.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">8. <a href="http://www.hipsterceo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hipster CEO</a></h3>



We’ll admit, it was the name that first drew us to this mobile game. Yup, this is a sim game instead of a traditional set of courses. When looking into the dynamics of this application, however, we were more intrigued by its ability to help users brush up on their business skills whilst having fun. With a tagline “Build a killer start-up. Or whatever” the aim of the game is to select the industry which you want to start in, hire employees, and go through the ropes to ensure that your “business” is a success. In short, it’s a simulation game that allows you to give those “what if” ideas a test run.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">9. <a href="https://www.yourprimer.com/?force_layout=True" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google Primer</a></h3>



This basic app allows you to pick a business topic or skill – and then you get to enjoy interactive activities around the set topic. It’s the perfect tool to use if you only have a few minutes a day to brush up on your hospitality skills. Whether you are new to business or want to learn about the best digital marketing strategies, this is a great user-friendly offline and online learning aid.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">10. <a href="https://smallbusiness.withgoogle.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google Small Business</a></h3>



Yes, we’re mentioning Google for the third time. This is only because it provides amazing business learning tools. <a href="https://smallbusiness.withgoogle.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google Small Business</a>, for example, is one of the company’s more recent initiatives, but it’s a powerful learning portal despite its infancy. Essentially, the site helps you to learn how to master the art of marketing yourself on Google. It’s free, the content is easy to absorb, and the information will be extremely valuable to your business.&nbsp;



Want to learn more about Wi-Fi marketing? <a href="https://stampede.ai/company/">Contact Stampede</a> so that we can help you to up your knowledge on one of the hospitality industry’s fastest-growing marketing tools.



References:



<a href="https://www.business2community.com/youtube/8-best-business-youtube-channels-to-sharpen-your-entrepreneur-skills-02254474">[1] Business 2 Community. 8 Best Business Youtube Channels to Sharpen Your Business Skills</a>

Upskill in the downtime - where to learn new digital skills

Where To Upskill During Downtime

On a hot, sunny and &#8211; more importantly &#8211; windy day in July, I had the pleasure of visiting <a href="http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/chesters-roman-fort-and-museum-hadrians-wall/">Chester’s Roman Fort</a> in Northumberland. The site excavated by John Clayton gives a fascinating insight into the lives of a garrison of 500 cavalry troops who lived on the site for about 300 years.

In celebration of this year&#8217;s major wall-wide exhibition, Hadrian&#8217;s Cavalry, there&#8217;s a brand new sound installation at the fort, which is a first for English Heritage. Once you&#8217;re there, follow your ears to find &#8216;<a href="http://www.seeneon.com">Cavalry 360</a>&#8216;, a huge musical instrument standing 3.5 meters high and 12 meters across. This extraordinary installation uses 32 wind turbines to create the sound of 500 cavalry warriors thundering towards you.
That said, being so impressed by the site, I wanted to send a picture to my family, but, alas &#8211; no mobile signal. I enquired at the office if there was WiFi on the property and was told that it was not possible, due to the poor quality of the WiFi broadcast range.
<h3>No WiFi , Slow WiFi, Limited Marketing Budget</h3>
Later on, I overheard staff members discussing how they could get the message of this event across to a larger audience. Due to their small budget, their marketing choices were limited to blogging and website engagement. When I heard this, I was shocked.
<a href="http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/">English Heritage</a> is one of a group of charitable organisations in the UK, which cares for and maintains sites of significant historic interest. They alone have 400 sites, the <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/">National Trust</a> has 350 heritage properties and <a href="https://members.historic-scotland.gov.uk/places">Historic Scotland</a> has 300 properties. These organisations are struggling to find resources to keep our heritage alive.
It seems obvious that when it comes to WiFi, they are missing a trick; with WiFi comes intelligent reporting. Every person who visits a specific site could be a potential visitor at any of the other sites &#8211; if only they knew what was going on. Although these organisations have websites, not everyone visits the website and, if they do, they probably don&#8217;t login for news updates.
By combining Guest WiFi with a <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/how-it-works#analytics">WiFi analytics tool</a>, Historic properties can go even further in enhancing the visitor experience. The organisation could at last begin to understand their audience, how often they visit and what they use their devices for. Bolt-on <a href="https://stampede.ai/marketing/">Marketing</a> capability could be rolled out, reaching out to all registered users with news of events such as Cavalry 360, ultimately increasing the visits to venues in the group and ultimately revenues.
Do you work for a historic site or heritage organisation and want to improve your visitor&#8217;s experience?
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

Historic Properties Missing the Marketing Opportunity of a Lifetime

If you are a small business owner, then you are very likely looking for strategies to get your leg up on the competition. You want your business to succeed, despite your limited marketing budget. The good news is that you do not have to fork out a fortune to get your services or products “out there”- you simply have to know which free marketing tools are available and how you can use them to their maximum potential.&nbsp;



In this article, we will mention various tools that can boost sales, make life easier, and empower you to get the most out of your investment. With these tools, you do not need to outsource your marketing – you don’t even have to have in-house marketing staff. As an owner of a small or new business, you can manage these tools yourself and we will give you insight into how, when, and why.&nbsp;



Here are 5 free marketing tools that can help you to increase your resources and do more for your business:



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



When it comes to creating visually appealing marketing material, then Canva is fast becoming the most popular free graphic designing tool. Whether you are looking to design a logo, a brochure, an infographic, a sales proposal or a social media post, this platform allows you to easily design visually appealing content.&nbsp;



What we like most about this platform (apart from it being extremely user-friendly) is that it gives you templates, ideas, and suggestions to draw inspiration from. So, even if you don’t have a creative bone in your body, you can still produce something that looks both professional and attractive.&nbsp;



Canva pretty much works using a “drag and drop” approach. You simply move your images, text, and elements around until you are happy with the layout. It also has a massive library of free fonts and stock images you can use.



With visual content becoming an increasingly important form of marketing collateral, a tool such as this could become indispensable to your business.&nbsp;



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



When considering email marketing campaigns, then know that MailChimp has your back. This platform currently has an average of 12 million users and with this type of support to back up our claim, we can confidently say that this software remains one of the best free email marketing tools out there.&nbsp;



What’s important to note is that this software only remains free for those who have less than 2000 subscribers. As a new or small business, however, it’s safe to assume that you have not yet built such a huge contact list where your customers are willing and happy to be added as recipients.&nbsp;



The software is simple to use and with tons of templates to choose from, designing an attractive newsletter, an advert, or even a survey is hassle-free. Emails can also be set-up to be sent automatically at your preferred times or you can batch emails according to your different target audiences.&nbsp;



Did you know that according to <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/email-marketing-stats">Hubspot</a>, 80% of business professionals believe that email marketing increases customer retention? 59% of marketers also say that email is their biggest source of ROI<a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/email-marketing-stats">[1]</a>.



Learn more about email marketing and how it works <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/learn-how-to-boost-your-business-with-sms-and-email-marketing/">here</a>.&nbsp;



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



Few things are as off-putting to your audiences as badly written content that hasn’t been revised adequately. When you are trying to draw audiences in and impress them so that they stick around for more, then be advised that blatant spelling mistakes and grammar issues can create a huge barrier.



Enter Grammarly. This software helps you to avoid critical mistakes without much effort from your side. Simply copy and paste your content into the relevant site section and then the programme will review your work and give you editing suggestions. If you use Microsoft Office to do your writing, then you can also use the even more convenient downloadable version.&nbsp;



Some food for thought –



58% of marketers claim that “original written content” is their most important digital asset <a href="https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/04/17/content-marketing-stats">[2]</a>.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">4. Hootsuite</h4>



Hootsuite is a tool that works really well for marketers who want to tap into a central social management platform and streamline the posting of content. It’s a programme that helps marketers to create a consistent voice for multiple audiences with ease.



Hootsuite allows you to schedule social media posts in advance and can free up tons of valuable time. It also manages social media profiles for more than 30 platforms (just imagine having to post the same content 30 different times on 30 separate platforms). To add, you can also reply to comments and mentions through the dashboard without, once again, having to open up different platforms on your browser.&nbsp;



This social media marketing manager works extremely well at automating social media content. It can be a little tricky getting used to the functionality but once you have a firm grasp of the ropes, this tool makes marketing online a breeze!&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">5. Bit.ly</h4>



Bit.ly has gained quite a positive reputation among marketers and it is also extremely easy to use. The main purpose of this programme is to shorten links, so it’s helpful anywhere you don’t want a URL that goes on for a whole mile.&nbsp;



But while Bit.ly makes your links look more attractive to readers, its purpose is far more powerful. It’s also an amazing online marketing tool that can follow clicks, view site referrals, and generate an idea of which geographical areas most clicks are emerging from. These features are very useful when you want to collect data on how your marketing strategies are performing. This data can then be used to refine your techniques &#8211; resulting in more customer conversions.&nbsp;



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



We understand how frustrating it can get when you are a small business trying to compete with bigger fish who have marketing budgets beyond measure. The good news is that with these free marketing tools (and the many others found online), you have the opportunity to get your feet wet and who knows – you too could soon be swimming along with your competitors at the very same level.&nbsp;



References:



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li><a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/email-marketing-stats">Hubspot Marketing Statistics</a></li><li><a href="https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/04/17/content-marketing-stats">Tips and Tricks for Online Advertising</a></li></ol>

5 Useful Free Marketing Tools That Anyone Can Use

The Ultimate Beginners Guide to WiFi Jargon

Instagram Stories vs. Reels. Here’s how and when to use them

Vertical: The Future of Video Content for Digital Marketing

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

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

The Return of Travel &#8211; Cutting Through the Noise [Hotel Insights 2021 Report]



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



What are the key trends for hoteliers that have an impact on a successful recovery?



This is the main question of the newly released hotel industry report from our <a href="https://twitter.com/stampede_speaks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">#PrepStartsNo</a> Partner <a href="https://www.eighty-days.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">80 DAYS</a> and their sister company <a href="https://www.hotelbenchmarking.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hotel Benchmark.&nbsp;</a>



80 DAYS has analysed data from more than 500 hotels and additional travel data from Google to work out the key trends influencing the recovery of travel in 2021.



Here’s a summary of the key takeaways to help hotel operators to grow their hotel and be best prepared for the months ahead.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-travel-market">Travel Market</h4>



As expected, the trend for this year will go towards domestic travels and staycationing. Only 12 % plan to travel internationally within the next 9 months (if they can).



For hospitality businesses, this means a clear focus on local marketing and advertising.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-booking-trends">Booking Trends</h4>



Organic search will remain the most popular booking channel. Over a third accounts for website traffic. Within this, mobile remains the primary source for website traffic (65 %) with mobile booking transactions rising by 27 %.&nbsp;



Therefore a well-optimised hotel website (for mobile and desktop) and SEO strategy are critical to maximise bookings.&nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-medium"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screenshot-2021-04-14-at-12.40.44.png"><img decoding="async" src="https://image.stampede.ai/fill/300/171/ce/0/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGFtcGVkZS5haS93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMS8wNC9TY3JlZW5zaG90LTIwMjEtMDQtMTQtYXQtMTIuNDAuNDQtMzAweDE3MS5wbmc=" alt="Booking Channels by %" class="wp-image-19888"/></a></figure></div>



The majority of the bookings still come through 3rd parties, although direct bookings have increased by 17% during the pandemic.



Due to market uncertainty, people prefer to book direct to benefit from more flexible booking conditions.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-medium"><a href="https://stampede.ai/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screenshot-2021-04-14-at-12.36.38.png"><img decoding="async" src="https://image.stampede.ai/fill/300/192/ce/0/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdGFtcGVkZS5haS93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMS8wNC9TY3JlZW5zaG90LTIwMjEtMDQtMTQtYXQtMTIuMzYuMzgtMzAweDE5Mi5wbmc=" alt="Direct Bookings Trend" class="wp-image-19887"/></a></figure></div>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-action-points-for-hotels">Key Action Points for Hotels:</h4>



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li>Implement an agile strategy with multi-scenario planning</li><li>Communicate safety measures in place&nbsp; (96% have rated cleanliness &amp; hygiene as vital/important)</li><li>Adopt messaging &amp; imagery &#8211; make it relevant to the current situation (avoid showcasing crowds, big events etc.)</li><li>Clear brand positioning &#8211; adapt to changing customer needs and expectations</li><li>Targeting &#8211; individual messaging for each customer segment</li><li>Support direct bookings &#8211; highlight the benefits</li><li>Keep engaging with customers through various channels</li></ol>



There are many more interesting stats and findings in the report.



<a href="https://assets.stampede.ai/magnets/80-days-cutting-through-the-noise-the-return-of-travel.pdf">Get the full Hotel Insights 2021 report and start growing your hotel for a successful recovery. </a>

Grow Your Hotel Revenue Faster With These 7 Key Actions

Feature Update – Improved campaigns, reporting and imports

New Integration With Storekit

5 Tips to Make Your Restaurant More Instagrammable

Turn Customers into Fans with Merchandise for Hospitality

Staycations: 6 Ways To Get Your Business Noticed

Marketing to track and trace customers in hospitality

Can You Market To ‘Track and Trace’ Customers?

5 Technology Tools for hospitality businesses to reopen with after lockdown

5 Technology Tools to Help Hospitality Reopen After Lockdown

How to Set Up a Competition on Social Media Channels

3 Time-Saving Newsletter Tips to Keep People Engaged

You&#8217;ve just returned to your property after letting it over a long holiday weekend. Checking around, it looks like everything is in the right place &#8211; garbage emptied, no spills on the cushions and your guests have even thoughtfully stripped the bed. The only problem is that they didn&#8217;t exactly take everything with them. They left something behind. Something that you&#8217;ll never be able to spot. Because it&#8217;s all digital. What your guests left behind is a trojan sitting on your Guest WiFi network in your Airbnb, silently gathering all the personal information that you&#8217;re sending out through the internet.







And it might take you months to find out. Sounds scary? <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/aug/05/airbnb-wifi-security-threat-risk-travel" target="_blank">It&#8217;s totally possible</a>.



But don&#8217;t let that put you off from offering Guest WiFi to your Airbnb guests. Travellers love WiFi. So much so, in fact, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.tripping.com/industry/trends/most-important-vacation-rental-amenities-tripping" target="_blank">that guest WiFi is the number one amenity</a> that guests look for now when travelling.&nbsp;So you&#8217;re left with the question &#8211; how to offer <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/take-the-risk-out-of-guest-wifi/">safe and secure WiFi</a> to your Airbnb guests while keeping your home networks safe?



We&#8217;re more than happy to give you the answer &#8211; enter Stampede.



With Stampede, not only can you offer your guests WiFi, you can use collected customer data to run automated marketing campaigns enticing your Airbnb guests to come back. And safety? Because Stampede uses email addresses to authenticate users, you&#8217;ll have an instant, easy to access record of everyone who&#8217;s ever used your WiFi. All GDPR compliant. 



So how to get started? Couldn&#8217;t be easier. There&#8217;s a couple of options here. It depends on whether you have your own WiFi hardware (which may be the case for larger Airbnbs with multiple rooms) or not (most common for smaller Airbnbs).



Let&#8217;s take a look at how these two break down.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Own Hardware</h4>



If you&#8217;re running a larger Airbnb with multiple access points, you might already have the required hardware and don&#8217;t need anything else to get started. Currently, Stampede&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.stampede.ai/how-it-works#integration" target="_blank">integrates with hardware</a> from leading WiFi manufacturers like UniFi, Open Mesh, IgniteNet, Cisco, MikroTik and more! 



In order to get going with awesome WiFi, simply sign up for a free trial,&nbsp;log in to your dashboard, adjust a few settings and you&#8217;re good to go!



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





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



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">No Hardware</h4>



This is typically the case for smaller Airbnb&nbsp;owners. Most likely you have an apartment or house with a cable modem/WiFi router. You&#8217;ve got the password tacked up on the wall or, even worse, you&#8217;re still using the default password that came with the router. That&#8217;s bad &#8211; but we won&#8217;t be too angry. At least you&#8217;re taking a step in the right direction.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Setting Up Your Home Network</h4>



First of all, change the default password on your router. This is typically done through a web-based interface for your router, the web address of which came with your setup information or &#8211; in all likelihood &#8211; on a sticker on the bottom of the router. We&#8217;ll call this your Home Network.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Setting Up Your Guest Network</h4>



Here&#8217;s where the magic comes in. What you&#8217;ll need for this setup is a Guest WiFi router. This will set up a second WiFi network, entirely separate from your Home Network for use by your guests. And where can you get one of these routers? Glad you asked because we&#8217;ll be more than happy to provide you one. We&#8217;ve got routers in all shapes and sizes. Head over to our <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://signup.stampede.ai" target="_blank">contact page</a>, sign up for a free trial and one of our helpful tech support representatives will be in touch to ensure you get the exact right router for your Airbnb location.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Configuring Your Guest WiFi&nbsp;</h4>



Once you&#8217;ve got your WiFi router from us, the setup couldn&#8217;t be easier. Don&#8217;t believe us? Just take a look at this video.



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



<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"/>



And that&#8217;s it! You&#8217;re good to go!



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Customising Your Guest WiFi&nbsp;</h4>



Whether you have your own hardware or a handy piece of equipment (and that spiffy sticker) you received from us, set up for both options is the same. Now it&#8217;s time to get creative! 



Login to your Stampede portal and, under the marketing section, you can upload your guest house logo (you&#8217;ve got one of those, right?), a picture of your location, or whatever comes to mind. This will be the screen that your guests see when logging in, so make it memorable and unique to your venue.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Gathering Data</h4>



Now comes the really cool part. You can have your Airbnb guests confirm their account in a couple of different ways.



Either by verifying with an email address or with a Facebook check-in. Both have their advantages. 



With a Facebook check-in, guests can gain access to the WiFi quickly, and you can then redirect them to your Facebook page where they can easily review and rate your venue and be seen by their friends. An easy word of mouth marketing victory! 



But if you want to get to know your customers a little better, you can ask questions like their name, age, gender, postcode as they register. Even better &#8211; we&#8217;re aware that in some countries you will need to get your guests&#8217; passport details, so in cases like this, you can just add a &#8220;Passport Number&#8221; field to your capture page. How&#8217;s that for efficiency?&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Automated Marketing Campaigns&nbsp;</h4>



Did we say that gathering data was the cool part? Ok yeah, it&#8217;s kinda cool but it&#8217;s not the REALLY cool part. 



No, what&#8217;s really neat is all the ways in which you can use this shiny <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/the-marketing-power-of-wifi-analytics-for-your-business/">new customer data</a>. Like how? Well, how about importing your guest email addresses into your newsletter email list? Or, even better, sending <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-marketing-with-wifi-benefits-your-business/">automated marketing messages</a>. 



Let&#8217;s say one of your previous Airbnb guests has a birthday coming up &#8211; send them an automated email or SMS message saying &#8220;Happy Birthday&#8221; and offer them a discount on their next stay. Did a guest drop out at the last minute and you&#8217;ve got an opening? Send an email or SMS blast to some of your best guests letting them know your place is available.



Did someone say video? Because we&#8217;ve got another video which gives you a quick walkthrough of how to get going with Marketing in Stampede.&nbsp;



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



<figure><iframe loading="lazy" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/uX-Vy3m0dcg" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure>



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



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Don&#8217;t Forget the Reviews&nbsp;</h4>



We all know that customer reviews on Airbnb are important and are one of the first things that guests are going to see when considering your property. Good <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/how-to-respond-to-positive-and-negative-customer-reviews-online/">reviews</a> can also push your site up in the Airbnb rankings. And bad reviews? Let&#8217;s put it this way &#8211; there&#8217;s an entire site called Airbnb hell <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.airbnbhell.com/airbnb-guest-stories/" target="_blank">filled with Airbnb horror stories</a>. 



So, while the experience is still fresh in your guests&#8217; mind, use the automated marketing feature in Stampede to send an email or SMS reminder to review your Airbnb. Even easier &#8211; <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.stampede.ai/blog/133-character-limit-the-shorter-the-better" target="_blank">include a link so they can leave a review right from their mobile</a>.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Awesome Airbnb Guest WiFi&nbsp;</h4>



See &#8211; that wasn&#8217;t all that hard now, was it? You can now rest easy knowing that you&#8217;re offering fast, safe and secure Guest WiFi to all your Airbnb guests. Even better, you&#8217;ll be able to automatically target them with promotions or specials enticing them back to your location.



Don&#8217;t keep your guests waiting!&nbsp;



<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>

Setting Up Your Airbnb for Guest WiFi today

Between peak times are probably the most challenging ones in the hospitality industry. What can venues do to&nbsp;fill up empty seats and keep the customer flow running&nbsp;evenly throughout the day? How can you give your off-peak times a proper boost?



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



To bring people in during those quieter times you have to give them a stellar reason, 2 meals for £20 deals that run every week aren&#8217;t enough. You have to create some proper buzz to make those quieter times interesting again.



There are two main ways to look at that can help you&nbsp;make every time a busy time at your venue and boost your off-peak times.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-check-out-your-area">1. Check out your area</h4>



It is all about your location. Plus, the fact that people are out and about again. Check out your own local area to find out what is going on during the day and use this to your advantage.&nbsp;



The idea is to&nbsp;target those specific customer groups&nbsp;and get them through the door with offers tailored to their needs.



Some places to watch out for:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Theatre, concert hall&nbsp;&#8211; pre/post-show meal deals</li>



<li>Sport venue&nbsp;&#8211; pre/post-match meal deals</li>



<li>Cinema&nbsp;&#8211; movie-inspired snacks to-go</li>



<li>Gym&nbsp;&#8211; healthy snacks, shakes and smoothies</li>



<li>University, college&nbsp;&#8211; after lecture meal deals</li>



<li>Nursery&nbsp;&#8211; playgroup offers with snacks for kids</li>



<li>Hairdresser, spa&nbsp;&#8211; treat yourself after your treatment offers&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



Think about providing&nbsp;quick fixes&nbsp;for takeaway, some light snacks in the form of sliders or special meal deals during those times.&nbsp;



You can also introduce an&nbsp;early bird fixed-priced menu&nbsp;before 7 pm. This is a great offer for families that prefer to have an early dinner.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">2. Check out current events</h4>



If you&#8217;re showing sports events in your venue, like the upcoming Rugby Six Nations (<a href="https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/fixtures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">see timetable</a>), here are some ideas on how to stand out and attract more mid-day traffic.



What about a rugby-inspired afternoon tea including beer as a drink of choice and with a focus on rather carb-heavy snacks? Get some inspiration from&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/meat-heavy-afternoon-tea-designed-21926764" target="_blank">Brewski’s non-traditional afternoon tea offer</a>. In addition, you could come up with some handheld, hearty snacks and sliders that people can easily enjoy whilst watching the game.



Sports events are best enjoyed with some drinks, so introduce an&nbsp;early happy hour&nbsp;around match times. Also, consider a beer pack offer for bigger groups.



And if that’s not the style of your venue, then position yourself as the opposite. Promote your venue as the place that doesn’t have the sport on and where people can enjoy TV-free drinks and meals in a quiet atmosphere. 



Pro tip: Social events apps like <a href="http://getonbloc.com">Bloc</a> allow you to promote your venue and your offers to local customers using geolocation.



Need a hand with promoting and boosting your off-peak offerings via email and SMS?&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="mailto:contact@stampede.ai?subject=&amp;body=" target="_blank">Get in touch</a>&nbsp;with one of our team.

2 Ways to Boost Your Off-Peak Times [Updated 2023]

Modern marketplaces are driven by consumers – and merely meeting their expectations for quality and service is no longer enough. Businesses must go above and beyond to ensure complete customer satisfaction.&nbsp;Hereby, pricing and promotions play an important role. 



In other words, the only way to differentiate your business in today’s hyper-competitive atmosphere is by understanding and anticipating the needs of the customer.&nbsp;



Consider this: <a href="https://tracyfox.net/stocking-sales-statistics-new-entrepreneurs/">30% of people</a> buy things to gain somethin.g. The other 70% do it because it helps them solve a problem.&nbsp;



Another way to stand out is to offer great promotions and discounts. They make your product seem like a good deal and make people feel good about buying from you.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Leveraging Price To Make Customers Happy&nbsp;</h4>



Pricing and promotions are two of the most critical factors that contribute to customer satisfaction.&nbsp;



Pricing hides an important message about your brand as it affects the customer’s perception of the products being sold.&nbsp;



Research shows that consumers often <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220091">associate discounted products</a> with a deficiency in quality or performance. For example, Dunkin’ sells the same amount of coffee a lot cheaper than Starbucks. And despite this pricing advantage, they only sell <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/3034572/dunkin-donuts-and-starbucks-a-tale-of-two-coffee-marketing-giants">1.8 billion cups of coffee</a> each year compared to the 4 billion cups sold by Starbucks.&nbsp;



It is essential to understand that when it comes to pricing, people do indeed love a good deal. But brands must be smart about their strategy. If you are offering a discount, make sure you give your customers a good reason for it as well. For example, a seasonal sale that makes sense to them.&nbsp;



According to a <a href="http://www.solvay.edu/sites/upload/files/CEB/CEB_WorkingPapers/LastUpdate/wp15008.pdf">study</a> by the Solvay Brussels School, buyers are likely to show their satisfaction when your products are priced realistically. <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/infographic-how-likely-are-people-to-act-on-promotions/">This infographic</a> clearly shows that buyers are more interested in quality discounts and offers (82%) as opposed to free products or free services.&nbsp;



If you want satisfied customers, don’t reduce your prices just because you can; instead, find the sweet spot that maximises your profit but also keeps your customers happy.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Using Promotions To Ensure Customer Satisfaction&nbsp;</h4>



A prepaid discount works well because it looks like you value your clients. In fact, as per this infographic, <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/infographic-how-likely-are-people-to-act-on-promotions/">42% of millennials</a> and Gen Z shoppers prefer an upfront discount.&nbsp;



The good news is that <a href="http://www.statista.com/statistics/240237/coupon-use-in-the-united-states/">93% of all shoppers</a> use discount codes throughout the year when shopping online. Additionally, <a href="https://www.inc.com/peter-roesler/study-finds-deal-hunting-makes-consumers-feel-smart-encourages-shoppers.html">40%</a> say that finding a good deal makes them feel smarter.&nbsp;



A recent survey also found that coupons can alter brain chemistry; an online shopper who gets a $10 off coupon has <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/infographic-how-likely-are-people-to-act-on-promotions/">increased oxytocin levels by 38%</a>. In short, a well-earned, occasional discount is the secret here.&nbsp;



But that’s not your only option when it comes to promotions; joint promotions, vouchers, contests, giveaways, BOGO offers, etc. all can go a great way to keep your buyers coming back for more.&nbsp;



Not having any kind of promotional offer can be bad for business; according to this infographic, <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/infographic-how-likely-are-people-to-act-on-promotions/">32% of buyers</a> have admitted to abandoning online shopping carts because they found a discount code or a better offer elsewhere.&nbsp;



If you want to go a step further, personalised promotions can take customer satisfaction with your brand even higher. Technology is available to help you track customer preferences and their buying history with you. Leverage this data to create offers that resonate with your buyers.



Providing personalised offers based on past purchases and actions can make your customers feel important and catered to. Stats show that this can motivate your buyers to return to the store for subsequent purchases – thus creating loyal and repeat customers.



Additionally, make sure you analyse buying trends by the season and offer promotions on in-demand products. This way, you can maximise the ROI on promotions by delivering deals that boost sales and revenue. Ultimately ensuring that the customers are happy with all you have to offer.&nbsp;



There is plenty of scope in the market. Small businesses speculate that <a href="http://www.biakelsey.com/new-biakelsey-research-finds-38-of-small-businesses-offer-customer-loyalty-programs/">less than 18%</a> of their total income will be generated using relevant promotional tools to acquire new customers. The market is yours, and it’s ripe for the taking.&nbsp;



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



Customer satisfaction is a complex phenomenon, as it is based on various factors such as the quality of the product and their perceived expectations from it. Pricing and promotions are just two pieces of this increasingly complicated puzzle.&nbsp;



However, you can easily create a win-win situation by using pricing and promotions to boost sales and create happy customers that remain loyal to your brand for years to come.&nbsp;



Successfully pricing your offerings will ensure their contentment as they get the full perceived value for a great price. And providing timely and relevant promotions that are personalised to their needs will make them feel like you value their business.



That right there is the secret to ensuring that your customers are always happy!



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





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

How To Use Pricing And Promotions To Make Customers Happy

[vc_row bg_type=&#8221;color&#8221; padding_top_multiplier=&#8221;&#8221; padding_bottom_multiplier=&#8221;&#8221; bg_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1/6&#8243;][/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2/3&#8243;][fildisi_modal modal_id=&#8221;leave-feedback&#8221;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1/6&#8243;][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Feedback&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][contact-form-7 id=&#8221;2323&#8243; title=&#8221;Feedback&#8221;][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1/6&#8243;][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/fildisi_modal][/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1/6&#8243;][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row bg_type=&#8221;image&#8221; bg_image=&#8221;15599&#8243; bg_image_size=&#8221;responsive&#8221; padding_top_multiplier=&#8221;5x&#8221; padding_bottom_multiplier=&#8221;5x&#8221; columns_gap=&#8221;60&#8243; font_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; el_class=&#8221;try-it&#8221;][vc_column text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1583788662441{padding-top: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;background-color: #1f2888 !important;border-radius: 20px !important;}&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Check out our news&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|font_size:45px|text_align:center|color:%23ffffff|line_height:65px&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][fildisi_empty_space][fildisi_button align=&#8221;center&#8221; button_text=&#8221;Go to Blog&#8221; button_hover_color=&#8221;primary-2&#8243; button_shape=&#8221;extra-round&#8221; button_link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fstampede.ai%2Fblog%2F|||&#8221;][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Now Online

<h2>Service Level Agreement</h2>
<h3>Overview</h3>
This service level agreement (‘SLA’) describes the levels of service that (‘The Client) will receive from Stampede AI Ltd. (‘The Vendor’). This SLA should be read alongside the terms of use (<a href="https://stampede.ai/company/saas-agreement/">https://stampede.ai/company/saas-agreement/</a>) between The Client and The Vendor. Although the SLA covers key areas of The Client’s provided services and support, other contracts may include areas not covered by this SLA.&nbsp;
<h3>Purpose&nbsp;</h3>
The Client’s received service depends on Stampede Software as a Service ( ‘The System’) that is provided, maintained and supported by The Vendor. This SLA sets out what levels of availability and support The Client is guaranteed to receive The System. It also explains what penalties will be applied to Vendor should it fail to meet these levels. This SLA forms an important part of the contract between The Client and Vendor. It aims to enable the two parties to work together effectively.&nbsp;
<h3>Scope&nbsp;</h3>
<h4>Dates and reviews&nbsp;</h4>
This agreement begins on the Effective Date as described in the SaaS Agreement and will run for the&nbsp; Subscription Term. It may be reviewed at any point, by mutual agreement. It may also be reviewed if there are any changes to The Client’s needs or uses.&nbsp;
<h4>Services Covered&nbsp;</h4>
This SLA covers only those services provided by The Vendor to The Client for purposes of monitoring the use of WiFi by end users. This SLA contemplates only those above-named services and makes no guarantees or representations as to the provision or availability of any other service that may be provided by other suppliers.
<h4>Exclusions&nbsp;</h4>
This SLA is written in good faith. The Vendor will always do everything possible to rectify every issue in a timely manner.&nbsp; However, there are exclusions. This SLA does not apply to: •&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Any equipment, software, services, third party or otherwise, or any other parts of the System not listed above.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Software, equipment or services not purchased via and managed by The Vendor.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Additionally, this SLA does not apply when:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The problem has been caused by using equipment, software or service(s) in a way that is not recommended.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The Client has made unauthorised changes to the configuration or set up of affected equipment, software or services.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The Client has prevented The Vendor from performing required maintenance and update tasks.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">&nbsp;The issue has been caused by unsupported mobile devices, equipment, software or other services.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
This SLA does not apply in circumstances that could be reasonably said to be beyond The Vendor’s control.&nbsp; For instance: floods, war, acts of god, civil unrest and so on.&nbsp;
This SLA also does not apply if The Client is in breach of its contract with The Vendor for any reason (e.g. late payment of fees, improper use, violation of terms, etc.).&nbsp;
<h3>Responsibilities&nbsp;</h3>
<h4>The Vendor responsibilities&nbsp;</h4>
The Vendor will provide and maintain the System used by The Client. The Vendor will make the System available through WiFi.
Additionally, The Vendor will:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Ensure relevant software, services and equipment are available to The Client where necessary.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Respond to support requests within a reasonable timeframe.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Take steps to escalate and resolve issues in an appropriate, timely manner.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Maintain good communication with The Client at all times.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h4>Client Responsibilities&nbsp;</h4>
The Client will use The Vendor provided system as intended.&nbsp;
The Client will:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Notify The Client of issues or problems in a timely manner.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Provide The Vendor with access to equipment, software and services for the purposes of maintenance, updates and fault prevention.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Maintain good communication with The Vendor at all times.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h3>Guaranteed uptime&nbsp;</h3>
<h4>Uptime levels&nbsp;</h4>
In order to enable The Client to do business effectively, The Vendor guarantees that certain items will be available for a certain percentage of time.&nbsp;
The System is guaranteed to have a 99.9% uptime.&nbsp;
<h4>Measurement and Penalties&nbsp;</h4>
Uptime is measured over each calendar month. It is calculated to the nearest minute, based on the number of minutes in the given month (for example, a 31-day month contains 44,640 minutes). If uptime for any item drops below the relevant threshold, a penalty will be applied in the form of a credit for The Client. This means the following month’s fee payable by The Client will be reduced on a sliding scale. The level of penalty will be calculated depending on the number of hours for which the service was unavailable, minus the downtime permitted by the SLA.
<h4>Service Credits</h4>
From 1 to 15 hours beyond target, rounded up to the next whole hour.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">2.5% of monthly Charge for the affected Customer Premises per whole hour.</li>
</ul>
More than 15 hours beyond target
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">50% of monthly Charge for the affected Customer Premises.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Important Notes:&nbsp;</h4>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Uptime penalties in any month are capped at 50% of the total monthly fee.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Uptime measurements exclude periods of routine maintenance. These must be agreed between The Vendor and The Client in advance.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">For the avoidance of doubt, Services operating on backup or resilient links, line errors and/or other intermittent faults which do not prevent Service use, would be excluded from the Critical Fault category.&nbsp; Fault resolution times under this section will not apply to any faults that arise during a scheduled maintenance window.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Initially, we will work remotely to resolve all network faults. If, after investigation, we consider that the fault has not been resolved or that a solution does not seem imminent, we may arrange for an engineer to visit the affected Customer Premise, or to provide replacement Company Equipment, unless we deem the fault to originate as a direct result of failure at a Customer Premises of any Company Equipment in respect of which we have no management or maintenance responsibility.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Progress towards resolution within Target Clearance Times may be affected by our inability to access Customer Premise(s) or equipment; clear detail on information requested as part of the fault diagnosis process, or your instruction for us to suspend progress for any reason. Should either circumstance occur, we will pause the incident (stop the clock) until action is taken to allow the incident resolution to be resumed. Overall duration of the fault will have the paused time removed from the calculation.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">We will calculate total fault duration in seconds up or down to the nearest minute.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Guaranteed Response Times&nbsp;</h3>
When The Client raises a support issue with The Vendor, The Vendor promises to respond in a timely fashion.
<h4>Response Times&nbsp;</h4>
The response time measures how long it takes The Vendor to respond to a support request raised via Vendor’s support system. The Vendor is deemed to have responded when it has replied to the client’s initial request. This may be in the form of a chat response, email or telephone call, to either provide a solution or request further information.
Response times are measured from the moment the client submits a support request via The Vendor’s online support system.&nbsp;
Response times apply during standard working hours (9am — 5.30pm) Monday to Friday (May exclude public holidays), unless the contract between the client and supplier specifically includes provisions for out of hours support.&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chat/ phone call &#8211; immediate response</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Email &#8211; within 30 minutes</li>
</ul>
<h4>Resolution Times&nbsp;</h4>
The Vendor will always endeavour to resolve problems as swiftly as possible. It recognises that the client’s use of the System is key to its business and that any downtime can cost money. However, The Vendor is unable to provide guaranteed resolution times. This is because the nature and causes of problems can vary enormously. For instance, it may be possible to resolve a fatal server issue in minutes, simply by restarting the server. But if a server fails due to disk error or a hardware fault (also classed as a fatal issue) it may take much longer to get back up and running. In all cases, The Vendor will make its best efforts to resolve problems as quickly as possible. It will also provide frequent progress reports to The Client.&nbsp;
<h3>Right of Termination&nbsp;</h3>
Vendor recognises that it provides services that are critical to The Client’s business. If Vendor consistently fails to meet the service levels described in this document, the client may terminate its entire contract with Vendor, with no penalty. This right is available to the client if Vendor fails to meet the above uptime or response time levels more than five times in any single calendar month.

Service-level Agreement (SLA)

<h1 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-free-january-february-2023social-media-calendar">Free January &#8211; February 2023 Social Media Calendar</h1>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-no-more-last-minute-panic-brainstorming-for-your-social-media-posts">No more last-minute panic brainstorming for your social media posts.</h4>



Operating a business and at the same time staying on top of your social media content can be tough. Constantly coming up with new and engaging ideas for your next posts takes time you might not always have.



Download your free social media calendar&nbsp;for January and February 2023 now.



Featuring topical post ideas, hashtags suggestions and image inspiration for each month.

January – February 2023 Social Media Calendar

It&#8217;s a problem that many WiFi users are familiar with &#8211; slow loading times, sluggish networks, sites that just aren&#8217;t connecting.  Many of the residents of Market Harborough, Leicestershire were seeing all these familiar symptoms.
But then they received letters from nearby Her Majesty&#8217;s Prison Gartree, once home to notorious criminals such as Ian Brady and the Krays, explaining the network slowdown: their home network bandwidth was being <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4745586/Prisoners-using-wifi-pensioners-homes-watch-porn.html">hijacked by prisoners</a> who had smuggled phones into the prison.

Most of the houses effected in Market Harborough backed right onto the prison, where inmates could access hotspots setup without passwords. Residents, many of whom are retired couples, were urged to have their home internet security checked immediately. Prison officials reported that the inmates were using the internet to contact friends, family and associates outside the walls of the prison and, of course, to watch porn.
And it&#8217;s not just prisoners in the UK who love free porn &#8211; the site IndiaTimes recently reported that <a class="" href="http://www.indiatimes.com/technology/news/indians-are-hooked-onto-free-wi-fi-with-over-33-admitting-to-have-watched-porn-in-public-326149.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">33% of Indian WiFi users</a> have admitted to using free WiFi to watch porn, while officials in Mumbai are spending time chasing <a class="" href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/non-commuters-take-advantage-of-free-wifi-watch-porn-at-railway-stations-in-mumbai/story-fSmKhmXDHssfJle29hSZjL.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">piggybackers out of the stations after hours</a> who are hogging bandwidth to you &#8211; you guessed it, more porn.
If you&#8217;re running a <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/wifi-in-action#coffee" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">cafe</a>, <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/wifi-in-action#hotels" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hotel</a>, or other <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/wifi-in-action#retail" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">business</a>, these stories might scare you from offering free WiFi to your customers. It shouldn&#8217;t. You can easily stop unwanted users and bandwidth hogs by using some common sense security measures with your WiFi offering.
SCHEDULING &#8211; Does your business close at 5pm? There isn&#8217;t a reason to have the guest WiFi on after that, is there? No. An easy solution to this would be to just turn off your WiFi access point&#8230;.but then, are you going to remember to turn it on again the next day? Or will your employees? Especially in the food service industry, there&#8217;s an awful lot of work to get done before the first customer walks in the door. Scheduling your WiFi to turn on and off automatically during business hours is a easy and quick way to keep unwanted users off your network.
FILTERING &#8211; What&#8217;s the best way of keeping out porn sites? Stop them from coming through your router in the first place. Content filtering services keep constantly updated lists of inappropriate content &#8211; from gambling sites, to auction sites and, of course, adult sites &#8211; and stop them from reaching your network.
BANDWIDTH LIMITS &#8211; One person watching a movie can slow down your entire network. Imagine how slow connections were in an Indian train station where over 1/3 of the people were watching porn. Setting bandwidth limits keeps a network WiFi congestion free and fair for all.
Of course, you&#8217;re going to want a guest WiFi solution that combines all of these features. And it just so happens we have one handy &#8211; Stampede wifi. WE offers all the features above &#8211; automatic scheduling, bandwidth limits, and content filtering through our partnership with <a href="https://www.friendlywifi.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Digital Friendly WiFi Scheme</a> &#8211; and MORE &#8211; like <a class="" href="https://www.stampede.ai/how-it-works#insight" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">marketing insights</a>, <a href="https://www.stampede.ai/how-it-works#analytics" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">analytics</a>, and <a class="" href="https://stampede.ai/supported-hardware" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">integrations</a> with popular internet applications like Zapier and Mailchimp to keep your business growing.
And the best part? It&#8217;s easy to get going with Stampede &#8211; you can either use our preconfigured devices, or, if you&#8217;re using <a class="" href="https://www.stampede.ai/partners" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">one of our tech partners like UniFi</a>, get started right away by connect to your devices through our easy to use Connect Dashboard.
Either way you choose, you&#8217;ll be able to offer your customers, safe, secure WiFi &#8211; 100% porn and prisoner free.
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

Porn, Prisons and WiFi – Network Safety Tips

This blog will discuss new opportunities for retail and hospitality venues in today’s era of data capture through <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/getting-started-with-guest-wifi/">Guest WiFi</a>. Focus is on how to leverage this information to generate revenue while strengthening brand loyalty.







It will be no surprise to you to learn that WiFi has become one of the most important business assets to drive hotel loyalty and profitability. 



Indeed, WiFi is often cited as the #1 desired amenity by travellers and for hotels, restaurants and retail. Therefore, it is fast becoming the most effective way to connect with guests and increase brand loyalty and sales.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">WiFi to Build Brand Loyalty</h4>



Following, this demand creates opportunities for hotels to use the WiFi service to build <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/building-customer-loyalty-with-blackbx/">brand loyalty</a>. It’s estimated that 80% of guests won’t return to a hotel that delivers a bad technology experience. When your brand becomes synonymous with superior, hassle-free technology experience, travellers will seek you out for their next stay.



Think of WiFi as sales and mar­keting tool. It starts with your web portal, where guests first connect with your hotel and continue through to your Guest WiFi Portal. Whereas, your portal can deliver <a href="https://stampede.ai/news/press-releases/blackbx-launches-wi-fi-stories-to-revamp-outdated-guest-wi-fi/">timely information</a> such as the restaurant’s soup of the day. You are more likely to engage guests and create that important connection with your brand.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">WiFi Analytics &#8211; A Tale</h4>



All <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/wifi-marketing-how-to-connect-with-your-customers/">Information</a> coming in from your WiFi service can be invaluable in building a real interaction between your brand and guests.&nbsp; Imagine the benefit of feeding that data into marketing vehicles to <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/engaging-customers-through-wi-fi-marketing/">engage guests</a>. A use case illustrates the impact this could have:



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



Jane checks into a hotel for a sales conference and logs into the Guest WiFi service using her Facebook profile. The data from Jane’s public Facebook profile allows you to personalise her web experience to build loyalty.



Since it’s her first time with this hotel brand, Jane is forwarded to a page to sign up for the loyalty program. She receives premium WiFi free at this visit as an appreciation.



Headed to the conference, Jane receives an SMS on her smartphone welcoming her to the event and offering information about the upcoming keynote.



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



Stampede Guest WiFi can be used to send this relevant information to Jane. This is possible, as it integrates with the CRM/PMS system for ongoing marketing.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">WiFi Insights&nbsp;</h4>



Through Stampede Connect <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/the-marketing-power-of-wifi-analytics-for-your-business/">dashboard analytics</a> about WiFi data usage can be managed on a single dashboard. Even more, if you have multiple hotels, it can show data use across all hotel properties. 



Which of your hotels are the top data users per device? Also, the hotel as a brand may want to understand why hotels have very low data usage per guest or per device. Further, exporting data usage by day allows the hotel to compare numbers of guests logging in against occupancy.



In the past WiFi service management used to be a tool primarily for the IT department. Captive portals were designed to block internet access and make sure that you could charge customers before getting them online. 



All that has changed. Now, Guest WiFi is a business tool. It’s all about getting insights about your guests to better engage with them online.

Guest WiFi: A Sales & Marketing Tool?

Now Online – Highlands and Islands Airports

Creating a&nbsp;personalised customer experience&nbsp;is a straightforward task for online retailers, as they can easily collect and&nbsp;use customer data insights. Thanks to digital innovation over the past two years, the hospitality industry can also now use the same types of customer data for personalisation.



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



 <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/drive-revenue-and-loyalty-with-personalisation-part-i/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In part one of this series</a>, we had a look into why businesses should focus more on personalisation. This second part will dive deeper into how you gain customer insights and how you can use them to grow your business.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-get-to-know-your-customers">Get to know your customers</h4>



By combining all your customer data from various tech tools, you are able to build a unique profile for each customer, which you can then use to create a personalised experience.



There are&nbsp;many data sources alongside your customer journey&nbsp;that allow you to get to know your customers. Some sources are more transactional, others focus on behavioural data.



Here’re the most important customer data sources to seek out and use for personalisation:



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="booking-system">Booking system</h4>



Booking systems mostly provide you with basic customer contact data. On top of that, you’ll also get insights into&nbsp;booking habits.



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Do they book on a regular basis?</li><li>Do they usually book a table for 2 or more?</li><li>Do they have a preferred seating arrangement?</li><li>Did they book for a special occasion?</li><li>Did they book for events?</li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="pos-and-order-pay">POS and Order &amp; Pay</h4>



Those systems certainly come with a lot of&nbsp;transactional data. But they are also rich in more specific insights around individual preferred&nbsp;food and drink choices.



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>What’s their average amount spent per visit?</li><li>High-spender vs. low-spender</li><li>Do they prefer to sit in or takeaway/delivery?</li><li>Do they order the same menu items?</li><li>Do they have a favourite drink/spirit?</li><li>How do they like their favourite dish? (e.g. burger medium…)</li><li>Do they have dietary preferences or allergies?</li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="guest-wifi">Guest WiFi</h4>



Your WiFi data can tell you a lot about your&nbsp;customers’ behaviour. Those insights are really valuable for retention campaigns.



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>How much time did they spend in your venue?&nbsp;</li><li>Was it their first visit or are they a regular?</li><li>Do they have a preferred day?</li><li>Do they have a preferred time of the day?</li><li>Are they coming in for special events? (e.g. football, live music)</li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="loyalty-program">Loyalty Program</h4>



Your loyalty program helps you to find out more about what your most loyal customers have in common (characteristics and purchasing behaviour).



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>How long does it take them to get a full card?</li><li>How long does it take them to redeem their cards?</li><li>How many points/stamps have they left?</li><li>What do they purchase to get a stamp?</li><li>How long have they been a customer?</li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="use-customer-data-to-create-a-personalised-experience">Use customer data to create a personalised experience</h4>



Now it’s time to power your email and SMS marketing with all those customer insights and to start&nbsp;segmenting your database&nbsp;accordingly.



Some proven campaign ideas to increase conversions and spending:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Favourite food &#8211;&nbsp;“We know you love our … Get % off next time you order”</li><li>Birthday &#8211;&nbsp;“Drink for free”, “Get % when you celebrate your birthday with us”</li><li>Event bookers &#8211;&nbsp;“New event coming up, secure your space”</li><li>Re-engagement offer &#8211;&nbsp;“Haven’t seen you in a while”</li><li>Recommendations &#8211;&nbsp;“We thought you might like …”</li><li>Redeem stamp card &#8211;&nbsp;“Only 1 stamp left, come by today to get a free …”</li><li>Loyalty recommendations &#8211;&nbsp;“We’ve got a new coffee flavour for you to try”</li><li>Push loyalty usage &#8211;&nbsp;“Double stamp day today”</li></ul>



Need help sending out 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&nbsp;team who are happy to run you through it.

How To Bring Customers Back Using Customer Data And Personalisation [Part II]

We live in hectic times. Rushing from one appointment to the next, we often forget to take time for ourselves. Remembering to send that vital document to your manager is often times considered more important than finding time for yourself, relaxing and reflecting. In order to give you the refuge you deserve, we are proud to introduce a new product of the constantly growing Stampede family. 

Countless months of preparation, dozens of brainstorming sessions and practical tests were necessary to combine design, bold functionality and visionary genius. Today, we are happy to introduce you to a product that challenges the status-quo with the vision to boost creativity through relaxation.
Let Stampede present you to your personal monastery of silence, your palace of inspiration, the throne you deserve to overlook the world’s chaos:
<iframe loading="lazy" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/vpQ08CA2UeQ" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
The first of its kind, the Stampede&#8211;ST impresses with flawless design and cutting-edge technology. The ST is an intelligent change assistant, aiming at revolutionizing offices and businesses around the world by democratizing data.
Using the toilet has been a taboo for too long and Stampede is here to give employees the confidence back to feel comfortable at the office. Harmful banter and office gossip often leave employees frustrated and afraid to use the bathroom. The times of doubt and guilt are over.
<h2>Analytics &amp; Insights</h2>
Gather relevant information on bathroom users. Identify dwell times, gender and frequency and drill down the collected data and calculate the average time spent on the toilet. These insights let you understand employees’ behaviour and give great indications for future changes. Collected data can be accessed through our real-time dashboard, so you will never miss a pit stop.
<h2>Marketing Automation</h2>
With the collected data, behaviour- triggered campaigns can be set up within minutes. Campaigns are a great tool to establish trust and foster loyalty with employees.
“Hello Doug, you haven’t visited the toilet today. Is something wrong?”
Depending on the employee’s behaviour, the campaign content should vary. This approach guarantees the recipient is addressed personally. This makes it more likely for employees to feel ‘at home’ or comfortable, as someone cares about them.
&#8220;Susan, your last visit was… excessive. Perhaps you should see a doctor? Book now: bitly.com/neargpuk&#8221;
<h2>Benefits for your Company</h2>
Giving employees a silent place entails many benefits for the company. Besides an improved and more relaxed working environment, the enterprise benefits from the Stampede-ST in countless ways. As scientifically proven, higher creativity and productivity levels usually follow immediately after the installation of the smart ST WiFi toilet. Therefore, a clear connection between the use of the ST and the company output, and therefore revenue, can be drawn.
Don’t let this topic be taboo any longer, we are here to support a change in the right direction and give your employees the throne they deserve.
If your business or office is ready for a true movement forward with Stampede, feel free to get in touch with us and learn more about the unlimited possibilities the Stampede-ST offers.
<a class="eut-modal-popup" href="https://calendly.com/stampedeae/stampede-demo-request?month=2020-02">Click here to get started.</a>

Stampede-ST, the world’s first Smart WiFi Toilet

Black Friday is one of the biggest sale events in the world. Some might question its relevance in the U.K. (it’s rooted in U.S. traditions following Thanksgiving), but thousands of businesses here lean into the demand and prepare a range of strong deals and discounts to ‘launch’ the Christmas shopping season.



Despite its strong association with the retail industry, there are ways that hospitality businesses can, and are, using Black Friday promotions to gain some incremental revenue. Something which is all the more important this year for businesses.



Let’s take a look at some ideas:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gift-cards">GIFT CARDS</h2>



We’re going to start with some low-hanging fruit. Every hospitality business can sell gift cards and it’s something that they can sell online, promote easily and create discounts or deals for. They are a reliable source of revenue regardless of restrictions.



Selling online &#8211; Black Friday owes it’s worldwide recognition to eCommerce. This year lends itself to a perfect storm for online sales on Black Friday, including the lead up to it (Black Friday Week) and the following week (Cyber Monday).



For hospitality businesses, the best solution in the face of this is an online gift card selling system. These can be added to almost any website quickly, and some companies even offer to host a gift card transaction micro-site just for businesses using their system. This enables operators to fire up their digital marketing channels to drive traffic to the website for easy gift card sales.



The added bonus of eGift cards is that they&#8217;re totally contactless and you don&#8217;t need to print, post, design or package anything. And you get to grow your email database at the same time.



Creating discounts and deals for gift cards is remarkably simple &#8211; after all, it’s only one product! Two common ways to do this are discounts and added value.



A discount example would be: 20% off, Get a £30 gift card for £24.



An added value example would be: Buy a £50 gift card and we’ll top it up to £75



Essentially they work the same way, it’s just how customers perceive the value. For Black Friday we’d recommend a discount offer, the event is all about big savings.



A lot of people will be feeling like they’ve missed out on visiting their favourite food and drinks businesses this year. Gift cards are a great way to recapture some of that trade.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-merchandise">MERCHANDISE&nbsp;</h2>



From Hard Rock Cafe&#8217;s <a href="https://shop.hardrock.com/en-us">huge catalogue</a> of merch to independent coffee shops selling reusable cups, branded merchandise offers a few opportunities <a href="https://stampede.ai/blog/turn-customers-into-fans-with-merchandise/">that we’ve covered before</a>. Black Friday is an ideal promotion to shift some extra units and make space for a fresh batch of stock and any new designed you had planned.



Thanks to lockdown(s) many venues have now got simple eCommerce shops to sell merchandise, among other things. Simple website plugins like WooCommerce for WordPress or standalone systems like Shopify can be set up quickly. These utilise online payments using Stripe or Paypal that are equally quick to wire in.



Many of these off-the-shelf eCommerce tools offer discount code mechanisms that customers can use at checkout.&nbsp;



Setting up a “BLACKFRI20” code and sending it out by email to your loyal customer database is bound to drum up sales from fans who’ve seen merchandise in store but never quite committed to it.



The above also applies if you don’t just sell merchandise. Meal kits, experience vouchers, ready-meals, anything you’re selling using an online shop is fair game for a Black Friday discount.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-takeaway-delivery-and-collection">TAKEAWAY, DELIVERY AND COLLECTION</h2>



Something that 12 months ago would be quite strange to consider in the scope of Black Friday discounts. But as things have moved online en masse, operators benefit from takeaway, delivery and collection resembling retail in the way that people buy them.



Many online ordering systems work just like online shops at the customer side of things. That includes the discount code fields we mentioned before. Apps like <a href="https://www.hungrrr.co.uk/">Hungrrr</a> (used by Brewdog) and <a href="https://www.flipdish.com/gb/">Flipdish</a> are designed to be familiar to customers. 



This familiarity is your friend. You can use it to launch a Black Friday offer in a way that customers will be able to use.&nbsp;



They’ve already bagged a new TV with a huge saving, why not put that saving to good use on a celebratory meal from their favourite places to eat and drink, with another discount too!



Maybe they just spent a bit too long shopping and forgot to start dinner…



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rounding-up">ROUNDING UP</h3>



The rapid adoption of online purchasing behaviour and technology in the hospitality industry is a portal to new opportunities. Gift cards, merchandise and even food and drink ordered online can all be put in to play to give more businesses the benefit of Black Friday. It’s not all about what you sell, simply how you sell it.&nbsp;