Top Marketing Tips For New Openings
There is nothing more chaotic than opening a new venue.
After what feels like months or years of a potential site opening, then suddenly the leases are signed, and it's all systems go. Opening plans from all departments are rapidly a go-go, the people team are on a recruitment drive, operations are frantically getting all the logistics in place and the sales and marketing teams focus switches to driving as many bookings as possible.
## Create a campaign, make it memorable It can be easy for an opening marketing plan to become a checklist, as we all know there is so much involved. However, before you get to that point, think about the glue that will link everything together. What is the thing that you want consumers to connect with at all touch-points? Create a campaign that links it together – tell a story and connect with your audience. Make them intrigued and excited and want to be one of the first to experience it. Treat it as part of your communications plan, meaning it also has the added benefit of increasing your overall brand awareness. ## Throw a VIP party 'Friends and family' is a common hospitality term. To help the teams get used to service, 50% (or more) off is offered as a discount to select guests, on the premise that they give feedback and accept training is in progress. However, once this phase has passed, most places want to create a stir and host a VIP event. Depending on the level you want to go with this, depends on who you want to attract. For local guests and prospects, you may want to host a special evening within your venue with fantastic service, food and drinks and experience. However, if it is media and influencers you want to attract, think about what will make your invitation stand out above the rest. They get invited to all sorts of events and you want yours to be top of the pile. What gives it a USP – is it a collaboration with a well-established affiliate lifestyle brand? Is it a celebrity performer appearing? Do have your PR agency position it as the ‘Party of the year’.
The more you can get the media and influencers engaged with the brand at this stage, the higher the loyalty for future promotion at less or no cost.
Find new reasons to drive people in
As part of your launch plan, consider different reasons to get people to come and try you with different events. It may leas to a new customer who may not have considered visiting you before. For example, you may be opening near Christmas and could host a cocktail and wreath making class, or a fashion exchange, where they donate an item of their wardrobe for a free meal. Remember the younger generation and influencers are always looking for content for their 'Grams' and to show they are living life to the full. If you can tick this box, then it is likely they will want to attend and share the love on social media during or after the event.
Partner with a charity
Localisation is key and ensuring that you are part of the local community can help create raving fans. Find a local charity which your target market connect with and partner with them. It could be a charity night as part of your opening plan, proceeds from a dish on the menu or the team volunteering a few hours a month with them.
Merchandise & linking with sales
If you have a sales team, they will be going hard at getting as many bookings as possible. Depending on the venue this may be table bookings for B2C or event bookings for B2B. Try and help them as much as possible in advance by providing them with the tools to help sell in – scheduled segmented emails, brochures and package PDFs. Try and go the extra mile by providing some outreach kits which give them something to share. Goodie bags, with branded merchandise such as pens, notebooks, invites to VIP events etc, can go a long way and lock your brand in the mind of the consumer.
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