The 2020 holiday season looks a lot different than those of the past but that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative to bring customers in. From Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Years, we’ve put together a list you can use throughout the season to keep your audience engaged and returning to your restaurant.
Add a Seasonal Twist to Your Menu:
This is a short and simple one that seems obvious, but seasonal menus are always a fun twist that can reignite a customer’s interest. No need to do anything crazy, just add a few festive additions to your existing menu and voila! Don’t forget to take a look at your takeout menu and to-go cocktails list as well! You want to inspire as many orders as possible from your take-out and dine-in audiences.
Holiday Promotions that Keep Giving:
From gift cards to promotions that will bring customers back in the new year, it never hurts to give them a little nudge to return.
Many individuals are striving to support more local businesses this year and likely more gift cards will be given than ever! Your restaurant may not be able to offer a certain amount of money if you buy “x dollars” on a gift card, and that’s okay. Just promote the fact that you have gift cards as an easy gift option! If you want to give your gift card program an added boost, don’t forget to try a Honeycomb Loyalty Bond.
Maybe peekaboo promotions (giving customers a sealed envelope when they dine in December, they bring the envelope back when dining in January for some sort of prize) used to always be a part of your holiday marketing plan. If you used to have large ticket items as prizes, consider switching them up and extending the program to your takeout orders as well. That way more people feel like they can take advantage of the promotion your restaurant isn’t able to offer dine-in. Or, if you prefer to push dine-in only, that could incentivize customers to physically come into your establishment. Either way you can accomplish the goal of getting them to have a few meals with you over the next couple months!
Double as a Holiday Caterer:
This year has been a wild ride and many of your customers probably just want to relax and take in the holiday with as little stress as possible. No matter the holiday, offer a catered meal to-go or a meal kit that people can purchase and heat up/make together at home! Regardless if they grab the finished meal or the ingredients, they’ll enjoy the simplicity of cutting out the cooking or the hassle of grocery shopping.
Festive Outdoor Dining for Groups:
COVID-19 may be pumping the brakes on the packed Christmas-themed bars, but you can still offer some festive solutions that can still create a memorable experience for customers. Obviously, you want to bring people in but in a socially-distant and safe manner that protects them and your staff.
If your restaurant uses an outdoor dining tent or pods to keep social distancing up, decorate them and create a little winter wonderland in each. Come up with a theme (Santa’s workshop, little igloos, Whoville, etc) and create a unique dining experience your guests will enjoy. If it becomes popular, offer a reservation system so the maximum number of people can experience it throughout the season while also being safe.
Continue/Increase Social Media and Email Marketing:
With fluctuating COVID-19 cases and ever changing regulations, the best way to stay connected with customers is still social media and email marketing.
Whether it’s sharing new menu items or creating events for upcoming happenings, social media continues to be a great method of having a dialogue with your customers. Although more monologue in nature, email marketing is ideal for disseminating important information to your customer base. Like social media, email marketing is a great way to let your customers know of any promotions, change in operations, or advertising your takeout/delivery program but in a static, easy to reference way.
Just like any other brand this holiday season, you’ll want to keep up the consistency. Make sure you are continuing to use these tools frequently to engage your customers and stay at the top of their minds. Schedule posts and emails to get the ideas stirring so when it comes to ordering takeout, getting delivery, or dining in, they think of you!
What is your restaurant or bar doing differently this upcoming holiday season? Let us know below!
