6 Steps to Launching an Omni-Channel Engagement Program

Who among us isn’t up for trying out the latest restaurant or bar?  It’s an adventure. The big question is will we come back? Even with good food, service, and experience, turning a first visitor into an engaged guest, doesn’t often happen overnight.  A best-in-class customer engagement program requires reaching customers on their terms.  And this takes work – across a variety of channels.
At Fishbowl, we always remind restaurant clients that not everyone is going to jump into being a loyalty customer at the first visit.  Smile.io reports that the average consumer is active in 6.7 different loyalty programs so competition for one more is fierce.  So what’s the secret to getting repeat visits and then turning these repeat guests into loyal customers?  Taking an omni-channel approach towards guest engagement can be one of your most powerful tools.  We like to boil it down to a few steps.
#1 Communicate with as many guests as possible.
Growing a “contactable” database is critical to your success.  You want to get guests into your eClub using as many channels as possible – from in-store sign-up slips to online ordering and more.
#2 Develop a multi-channel strategy for converting your eClub members into Loyalty members.
Your best Loyalty prospects are your eClub members. They’re already engaged.   Clients who have communicated the benefits of their Loyalty program to their eClub members have seen conversion rates above 30%.
#3 Avoid message collisions.
What, when and how you say something matters.  A well-planned communication roadmap ensures that you are always communicating the right message at the right time, based on a given segment. For example, why send a Loyalty “join” offer to an eClub member who hasn’t engaged in any of your content18 months – perhaps a reengagement offer is the better option.
#4 Segment Your Data for Greater Message Relevancy.
There are so many ways to segment your data based on activity such as opens/clicks, survey data, purchase history.  By segmenting your data this way, you can deploy messages that are better tailored to members’ interest, helping reduce list fatigue.
#5 Automate Your Messages.
The more you learn about your eClub and Loyalty members, the easier it is to send communications based on triggers such as Expiring Points or “New Rewards Level Reached.”
#6 Turn Insights into Action.
Once you understand “how” to approach omni-channel engagement, you can develop the plan for deployment.
Want to start implementing an omni-channel approach at your restaurant? Download the Omni-Channel Playbook here >>
This blog was written by Fishbowl’s Marketing Director, Heather Lawrence.