Understanding Social WIFI: how to use customer data to grow your restaurant business
As a restaurant owner, you know how crucial it is that you use your resources as wisely as possible, generating not only measurable but also successful results.
The solution for that is Data-Driven Targeted Marketing: using customer data to segment your audience into specific groups, and then tailoring your marketing strategy to each of those groups. It is proven that Data-Driven Targeted Marketing is the most effective and inexpensive way to increase your revenue: this is because you’re not wasting time and money bursting out generic messaging in hopes to reach at least some of your customers. Instead, you’ll be sending out specific messaging that will arouse the interest of precise customer groups.
Here’s the key: social WIFI
Customers expect free WIFI wherever they go, and this includes restaurants. So, instead of using their data plans to Instagram their lovely meal, they can log-in to a WIFI network.
Social WIFI is a revolutionary way to turn your WIFI into a powerful data collection marketing tool.
It couldn’t be easier: your customers log in to your branded WIFI easily and quickly, using a social media account or email address. The benefits for guests are obvious: free internet access, simple login process, personalized offers.
In return, you acquire valuable customer data for effective and targeted marketing. Yes, WIFI Marketing is good for you AND your customers – killing two birds with one stone.
What kind of data you get
The captured data depends on your Social WIFI provider; with SO Connect, you find out about the number of logins, gender and age distribution of your visitors, as well as browser and operating system used to log in.
Armed with this comprehensive database of customer data, you can eventually start to craft effective and targeted marketing campaigns for each segment: knowing your guests, who they are and what they want, is the key to creating the perfect product or service. Social WIFI analytics are not just numbers, but powerful information that, if used strategically, can help you gain a competitive edge and align your offer to your guests’ preferences.
Here are 3 ideas to actively apply those insights into your business strategy.
1. Track your busiest times.
With social WIFI analytics, you are able to see logins over time: the days, and even the hours, your venue was busiest. For example, you may discover that on Wednesday evenings your restaurant gets packed, while is virtually empty on weekend afternoons. According to this data, you can decide to only put one waiter on weekend afternoons, and add one staffer on Wednesday evenings. Or, you can also launch events and special promotions for weekend afternoons, so as to increase the guest engagement in those moments and keep your seats from getting dusted.
2. Tailor your events on the language.
You can track the language distribution of your WIFI users. So, if you notice that your guests are 37% English speaking, and only 14% Dutch speaking, consider hosting English-language events, such as live music and comedy nights.
3. Different ages, different needs.
Same as the language distribution, monitoring the age of your customers can help you meet their needs on a more accurate level. If 43% of your guests are between 50 and 65, they won’t probably be responsive to your Hardcore Dj-set nights. Instead, you want to explore different possibilities, such as Bingo on Wednesdays nights.
4. Pull off gender-themed nights.
Another relevant information you get from your Social WIFI analytics regards the gender distribution of your guests. Say you discover that 63% of your customers are female. What about promoting a Ladies Night Out for single, married, busy MOMs?
These are just examples: the possibilities for your business strategy are literally endless. When you get to know your customers’ demographics and behaviors, your ideas will just flow. It’s like millions of marketing research running every day, fully automated, which you can consult any time you want. Interesting, uh?
Sooo…what are you waiting for? Setting up your social WIFI is incredibly effortless – and cheaper than you think.
If you want to learn more, leave your email below and we’ll get in touch with you.
