The Tools: Finding the right platform
There is no shortage of options when it comes to CRM tools. INFACT, there are tons! INFACT, there are so many out there now that a quick search online might make you feel dizzy. And of course, you want to make sure you choose the right one, thus avoiding any time wasting switcheroo exercises further down the line.
Fancy some unsolicited advice? Do your research and understand what it is that you need – consider the following:
What are your goals?
What functionality is required?
How big is your database?
What is your budget?
In all likelihood, the platforms with the most features and most advanced tech are going to be the most expensive, but not all businesses need these features. So, have a solid understanding of your specific needs before you go shopping.
There are plenty of hospitality specific CRM systems available. These have been developed with restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, and nightclubs in mind – and these will likely meet most of your needs when it comes to business to customer marketing. Platforms like Airship and Atreemo are popular right now because of their automation and personalisation functions.
Growing your database: Sources and integrations
So you’ve found your CRM tool, you’ve played around with it, and now your need some customers to spam. The first thing you’re going to want to do is:
1. Locate your data sources – where can you extract customer data? Consider your platforms where customers are likely to be, and where they provide their personal information? Website signup forms and checkout forms, WIFI signups, booking platforms are all typically considered core data sources. Go one step further, for example, are you using a digital feedback form, and can you extract data from this form?
2. Establish integrations with the data sources – once you’ve located all your data sources, you’re going to want to setup integrations with your CRM, so your data can flow seamlessly into your CRM.
3. Test the data-flow – now you’ve successfully integrated your CRM with your data sources, you’re going to want to run some tests. Try signing up using a test email address and see if you can find a record of these registrations in your CRM database, and fire off an email.
Segmentation: The key to CRM success
Growing your recipient list is vital for any healthy database, however, equally important is how you maintain it. This is where your retention strategy comes in play – a set of planned actions and initiatives to retain existing recipients. A good retention strategy requires a good level of segmentation. In other words, creating distinct groups by shared characteristics, demographics, preferences and behaviours. By segmenting your database in this way, you’re able to create targeted marketing communications, thus ensuring your customers receive information that is relevant to them and minimising unsubscribes. Relating this subject back to hospitality, think about what makes your customers tick. For example, how can you separate and target your low-spend/deal crazy customers, from your brand fans who visit frequently and like to spend more? Read a short case study about the work we did on this for Gaucho HERE.
Encouraging engagement: Personalisation and automation
In an age where people are constantly being bombarded by marketing messages, it’s import to stand out and cut through the noise. We (people) desire authentic connections more than ever and brands that don’t put the effort in to know they’re customers and personalise they’re email campaigns, simply won’t stand a chance. By today’s standards, it’s vital that you:
Personalise messaging Ex. using first names
Tailor your newsletter content to specific customer types
Adapt your tone of voice
Be authentic
Nobody wants to feel like they’re being sold to by a business, so make sure you’re giving your readers something they want to hear about. Not every email needs a hard sell strategy. What might your customers want to hear about outside of the usual discounts or promotions?
Data Discovery: Data driven decision making
Data discovery is the process of exploring and analysing raw data to uncover valuable insights, patterns, trends, and relationships. The process of data discovery will require you to sift through large datasets and identify relevant information, which will give you a better understanding of the data's structure and meaning. This process is vital for any true marketeer, because it allows you to make informed decisions and get meaningful knowledge that will steer your overall CRM strategy. For example, If the data shows your that your unsubscribe rate is high for a certain campaign, then you should consider why this might be. Is your content relevant? Is the tone of voice appropriate? And so on…
Stay tuned for the next edition of the Savvy blog series, where I discuss the secret to a winning restaurant website.
Need help with CRM? Get in touch HERE.
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