SMART customer ingagement

By: Tami Catron Profit Source Group & InGage Growth
First, let’s cover the obvious…a spelling error in the title of the article?  Nope – not in our book.  Engagement truly is the investment IN one’s customers.  So, by spelling it this way, we are reinforcing this focus.  In this day and age of multiple marketing channels reaching out to your customer, how do you truly InGage your customer at the point of sale, and Capture information about them?  How do you not waste dollar after dollar, trying to reach a customer that may or may not connect, and may or may not come through your restaurant door?   You as an owner or manager need to become smarter in your marketing tactics, making your marketing dollars work more effectively for your restaurant or business.   Using smart marketing plans, helps you collect data to Analyze customer habits, to ultimately better InGage with them.  So, what is “SMART Marketing”, and how can it relate to increased Growth for your establishment?

SMART Marketing can be both passive (capturing customer information) and active (InGaging your customer at the restaurant level).  There are several different ways a restaurant can incorporate a SMART Marketing Program ™ into their marketing plans.   Here are a few examples of the tools used for SMART Marketing:
Digital Menu Boards or Specials Boards- 70% of customer decisions are made at point of sale. 70%!!!  The use of digital captures your customer’s attention far more effectively than paper or ads.  It allows you to target menu items at your restaurant to that customer, and creates an awareness or need for that menu item or product.  Incorporating a call to action or custom screen messaging will help increase the customers spending, directly encouraging impulse buying.  The screens can be changed from anywhere in the country via your computer.  Customized internal ads, videos, etc. can be pre-scheduled on the system.

Restaurant Sensor- This new type of internal sensor helps you as a restaurant owner gather information on your customer.  It analyzes dwell times within your restaurant, and the best place to internally market to your customer.  It looks at customer InGagement levels, allowing you as an owner to better understand and measure customer InGagement.  It helps you get to know your customer and their habits, helping you better understand your restaurants flow.

Restaurant Beacon- The beacon communicates information to a customer’s phone through an app.  The messages can be pre-scheduled, just as you would pre-schedule ads.   The ability to change messages, and highlight different menu or drink specials that day, reduces your printing costs, and human error of not pointing out Special Menus.   It is a great way to internally promote your specials and happenings.

SMART Marketing is the ability to be able to InGage your customer via customized marketing in house, out of house, online and offline.  To help Convert those customer impluses, to point of sale purchases via coordinated customized digital screens, with the help of call to actions which incorporate movement and graphics to capture the customer’s attention.  Knowing who your customer is, and being able to Analyze their movements and habits, allows you to understand how to market to them for increased sales.  When you can understand your customer, you can better Grow your customer’s average ticket and positively impact your bottom line.   Just as many thought when the Internet, email, and social media began, that it would simply never last, it was a fad, and would not become a part of our marketing practices.  SMART Marketing is here to stay.  The more we understand how to effectively use it within our establishments, the more we begin to truly understand our customer base and how to capture their spendable income.   

For further information, contact an InGage Growth Consultant, at [email protected]. InGage Growth provides SMART Marketing via cutting-edge technology.  Through the founders first company, the Profit Source Group, full service menu design and engineering, along with digital menu boards, general business consulting, marketing services, cost management, food photography, videography, web site & digital marketing services are available. With 50+ years of combined experience, InGage Growth & Profit Source Group is your select partner, to Serve Up More Profit.  www.InGageGrowth.com OR ProfitSourceGroup.com