An Effective Marketing Channel in Challenging Times
Social distancing is not your friend if you own or run a traditional sit down restaurant. This is a terrible tragedy for those employed in the industry, as well as many of us who enjoy dining out with our friends an families. Somehow we will get through this, and will persevere. Many have closed as a result of the State of Emergencies proclaimed by many state & local governments. Those that are able to remain open will be best positioned for recovery when the crisis passes.
Multichannel Marketing Strategies
What's the best way to inform your customers and neighborhood that your still open? Given our interconnected world, your customers expect you to reach out to them in various ways. While digital is a necessary, cheap and easy channel to employ, too often the message is blocked or lost into the Junk or Spam folders. Campaigns that effectively include both digital and direct mail receive 39% more attention than a digital-only campaign. Research shows messages delivered via direct mail can be powerfully motivating, with 92% of people driven to digital activity (i.e. your website or delivery service!) and 87% influenced to make an online purchase. You need those orders!
“Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch.”
― Orson Welles
Proclaiming Pickup & Delivery Effectively
Currently these are your only options. Hopefully this will change soon, but in the meantime - How to communicate this effectively with direct mail? Here are a few thoughts to maximize your returns -
Keep It Personal - This is a powerful tool. You can alter copy, offers, and even images, based on each person in your list. There are even ways to utilize more information, such as demographics or behavior data to go beyond a regular piece to a truly specialized one.
Testimonials — Real reviews from real people make a big difference. Be sure to use reviews that are clear and specific, as they are more believable.
Clear - Keep It Simple! Too much info will lose the attention of your audience quickly. Bullet points and highlighting will help emphasize the most important information.
Content — Be direct and specific with your headlines, calls to action, and copy. Be realistic with your statements and promises.
Fonts — Your choice of fonts matter. Fonts that are hard to read or super small sizes elicit suspicion. Use easy-to-read fonts.
Images — Using images where people are using your products works best. People relate to other people; make sure that you use images that include people when possible.
People buy from people
Honest, clear and compelling messaging is necessary to make the right impression. You only have a few seconds before you may end up in the trash. Your message is your brand promise; it cannot be vague and open to interpretation.