George Drever
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
A quick word from the author... Welcome. This book is a practical, no-fluff guide to setting up and building a profitable marketing database for your restaurant. It shows you how to do it with minimum effort and cost. No technical knowledge is needed, and you’ll be shown how to stay legal too. This leaves you free to get on with the reason you became a restaurateur in the first place - to give fantastic food and service to satisfied customers who come back again and again. I recommend you first read the book from cover to cover to get a good overview. However, if you really want to dive straight in, go to Section 2, page x and work through the Master Checklist. If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch! Best wishes
George Drever
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Contents (Click to go to the page)
PART 1 - How to find and capture customer data Why building a customer database may be the most important marketing decision you ever make Why you should stay in touch with your customers The 7 steps to creating a marketing database: · · ·
Decide which bits of data you want to record Gather existing customer data, making sure it’s legal to use Find sources of new customer data Customer Contact Points (CCPs)
·
Set up ways to capture customer data Capture card/tent card PC electronic form Website sign-up form Paper voucher/coupon Collect business cards Online customer survey QR codes Buying customer data
·
Use incentives to encourage customers to join Running a prize draw
·
Check you’re complying with the law Data Protection Act
· ·
Process and manage the data Segmentation and filters Introduction to Formstack Manually processing data Using customer dates
PART 2 - How to set up and manage your database quickly and easily Master checklist Creating an online data capture form
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Plan your marketing campaigns for the next 12 months Is your planned campaign any good? Try the Telephone Test Working with customer data - three example marketing scenarios Final words - the 4 golden rules of database marketing
APPENDICES Capture card pro forma Tent card template 1 Tent card template 2 Tent card template 3 Suggested terms & conditions for a prize draw Quick compliance checklist for the Data Protection Act The Quick and Easy Guide to Choosing the Best Email Marketing System for YOUR Business
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
LEGAL DISCLAIMER - The information and opinions within this document are for information purposes only. They are not intended to constitute legal or other professional advice, and should not be relied on or treated as a substitute for specific advice relevant to particular circumstances. The author shall accept no responsibility for any errors, omissions or misleading statements in this document, or for any loss which may arise from reliance on materials contained in this document. Certain parts of this document link to external internet sites, and other external internet sites may link to this document. The author is not responsible for the content of any external internet sites. While every effort is made to keep this document up to date, we cannot guarantee that the information is the most currently available. No mention of any organisation, company or individual, whether on these pages or on other sites to which these pages are linked, shall imply any approval or warranty as to the standing and capability of any such organisations, companies or individuals on the part of the author.
COPYRIGHT - The author retains copyright in all of his material on this document; permission must be sought from the author before such material may be used for any other purpose. V1 1 October 2011
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Part 1 How to find and capture customer data
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Why building a customer database may be the most important marketing decision you ever make Coming up with great ideas for events and promotions is relatively easy, creative and fun. The hard part is telling your customers about them, quickly and affordably. That’s where a customer database pays dividends. Having a customer database means you: · Have a list of customers who have told you they WANT to hear from you. BENEFIT - better response; more efficient use of your marketing budget. · Can split your customers into groups and send them highly relevant marketing. BENEFIT - better response · Can chop and change how you send the message to them - email, text message, mail, phone. BENEFIT - variety; cost-efficiency · Have a direct line to your customers. BENEFIT - more control over your marketing; more efficient; reduce marketing costs
Customer Database = Repeat Sales Why you should stay in touch with your customers It’s easier and cheaper to bring customers back than find new ones Customers who have already enjoyed eating in your restaurant are much more likely to return. Sometimes all they need is a little nudge from you, such as a special offer or event, even just a reminder that you’re there.
To reward them Think Tesco Clubcard. Rewarding customers helps develop a long-term relationship by making them feel valued and special. It builds brand loyalty and creates a habit of doing business with you.
To position yourself as a trusted expert People who regularly eat out often like to cook too. You and your team are experts in food and drink, so why not share that knowledge and expertise? Giving away information like recipes will make your customer communications more valuable, reduce or even remove the hard-sell from your copy, builds your brand, and you can use it to incentivise new customers to join your database. It’s a fantastic low-cost alternative to just giving away discounts and freebies.
It makes your marketing budget go further Traditional advertising relies on hoping that people see your advert in the newspaper or hear it on the radio and then act. Having a database means your marketing is much more pro-active, delivering information direct to the in-box/mobile phone/letter-box of YOUR customers. Having an up-to-date database that’s split into groups (segmented) means you tailor your marketing to suit the recipient, and focus the message with precision. Net result? Lower costs, more sales, happy and loyal customers.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
The 7 steps to creating a marketing database Decide which bits of data you want to record
Gather existing customer data, making sure it’s legal to use Find sources of new customer data
Set up ways to capture customer data
Use incentives to encourage customers to join
Check you’re complying with the law
Process and manage the data
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Decide which bits of data you want to record A good starting point for a basic marketing database would be to include some of the following:
Item to record
Why
Type of marketing
Name (can include title, first name and surname)
To personalise messages
Email, postal, telephone
Address
To deliver non-electronic marketing campaigns
Postal
Telephone number
For telesales campaigns
Telephone
Mobile phone number
For text campaigns
Text message
Email address
For email campaigns
Significant date (eg birthday or anniversary)
To bring in the customer on or near the date
Email, text, postal, telephone
Possible customer groups (segments) Gender
Business or private
With/without family
To split the database into groups and make the message highly relevant to the customer
Email, text, postal, telephone
Other customer characteristic that you choose...
Tips · · ·
Don’t overload yourself with data that you’ll never use. It creates unnecessary work, and asking for too much information can scare off customers. The email address is likely to be the single most important item of data, and may be all you need. Don’t stress over choosing customer segments. While they can be extremely useful, lots of marketers manage perfectly well without them! There’s more about segmentation later.
Think about the end marketing and work backwards, eg if you’re NEVER going to use mailshots, don’t capture the address.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Gather existing customer data, making sure it’s legal to use You may already have customer data within your business to start your database. Booking forms, enquiry sheets, guest registration forms, invoices, entry forms for past promotions or prize draws, feedback surveys etc. Even suppliers could be treated as potential customers. Next, let’s check that you can legally use it for marketing purposes. We’ll start with email and text message marketing.
Email and Text Message marketing The law that governs the use of data for electronic marketing is the EU Privacy & Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) 2003. It states that: It is Illegal to send an unsolicited marketing message electronically to an individual unless their contact information was acquired in the course of a sale or negotiations for a sale. There are two further conditions:
·
the messages must relate to similar products or services; there must be an option to opt-out of future marketing when the data is first collected and on each occasion you send out a marketing message, and it must be a simple means to do so.
In plain language, this means that if: 1 2 3
Someone buys something from you, or enquires about buying something from you You get their email address, mobile number or personal telephone number in the process You give them the chance to opt-out of receiving marketing and they don’t take it
...you can send them marketing emails, text messages or telesales calls. Step 3 is known as the "soft opt-in". Use the flowchart on the next page to check your data for compliance.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
YES
Did the customer volunteer to join your database, fully aware they’ll receive email and text message marketing from you?
YES
Was the customer given the clear choice to opt-out (and not take it?)
NO
YES
NO
Did you get the email address or mobile number when making a sale or negotiating for a sale?
NO
YES
Is the customer a limited company, LLP, government agency or other public body, or a partnership in Scotland?
NO
YES
Did you buy or rent the list from a reputable supplier, with clear evidence that the customers voluntarily opted-in to receive 3rd party marketing?
NO
Perfect! You’re fully compliant. Start marketing.
Although technically you comply with the law, proceed with caution
You don’t appear to comply with the PECR and may breach them if you proceed.
Green Aim for all your customer data to fall into this category. You’ll avoid breaking the law, AND enjoy a much better customer response to your campaigns. Amber While you may not be breaking the law, many of your customers may strongly object to being emailed without their express consent. Red If your data falls into this category, you will technically be sending spam (that term applies to both email and text messages) and face fines of up to £5000. YELLOW BOX - Important to note here that if customers are given the chance to opt-out but don’t take it, then you can email them. This is known as the soft opt-in. It could be a box that customers tick or select if they don’t want to opt-in.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
What are ‘Negotiations for a sale’? This could be a grey area and vary from one business type to another (based on what constitutes a negotiation). Obvious situations such as a customer emailing you to ask your opening hours would almost certainly NOT be a negotiation for a sale. Can you send emails to businesses? As you can see from the flowchart, sending uninvited marketing emails or texts to certain types of business is permissible. However, you CANNOT send them to partnerships and sole traders in England, and sole traders in Scotland. In other words, the law treats those business types in exactly the same way as a private individual.
Tip If you plan to use email marketing, you must check if your data will be accepted by the email delivery service you’ve chosen. US-based systems do not allow the use customer data that has been gathered using the soft opt-in. They want every contact to have opted-in voluntarily, and often ask for physical proof such as a copy of your sign-up form. Go to Appendix x and download our FREE Guide to Choosing an Email Delivery System to find out which systems you CAN use soft opt-in data
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION You’ve collected email addresses from customers who have bought from you, but you didn’t give them the chance to opt-out. Is there any way to use these email addresses for marketing without breaking the PECR? ANSWER Technically, using these email addresses would breach the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. Even though you did get the email addresses as a result of a sale, you didn't provide the opportunity to opt-out of marketing (and therefore you didn't get the soft opt-in). Would you be prosecuted? Well, here's what the Information Commissioner's Office advised us in early 2011 about these very circumstances: "In respect of the likelihood of enforcement action, this would depend on whether we receive any complaints about the marketing, and whether our Enforcement department believes regulatory action is appropriate" It's therefore your judgement call. You might decide to go ahead and may well get away with it. Then again, you may not... Be sure to change your data collection methods, though, and include the opt-out from now on.
Customer Telephone Numbers In 2004 the PECR was extended to include marketing phone calls to business and private telephone numbers.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
In summary, if the customer voluntarily opted-in to receive your marketing telephone calls, you’re ok. If not, you must check if the number is registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS). It’s illegal to make an unsolicited marketing call to any number (business or personal) that appears on the TPS list, unless they have voluntarily opted-in to receive your marketing calls. Go to the TPS website for companies who will screen numbers against the list.
Customer Addresses Direct mail differs from email, text message and telephone marketing. There is no legal requirement to have the customer voluntarily opt-in to receive marketing mailshots. However, you should still check if the address is registered with the Mail Preference Service (MPS). While not illegal, it would be bad practice to send an unsolicited marketing mailshot to a private address that appears on the list. Business addresses cannot register with the MPS, and you are free to send direct mail to any business. Go to the MPS website for companies who will screen private addresses against the list.
Tip It’s definitely good practice to check the legality of your customer data. However, the very ultimate to aim for is to have customers CHOOSE to join your marketing database. Simple, but VERY important. The benefits are: · · ·
You comply with the PECR for email, text message and telephone marketing It overrides registration with the TPS and MPS You’ll have a much higher response rate to your marketing
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Find sources of new customer data This is the key to successful database marketing. The more contacts you have on your database, the better the response rates and the greater the sales and profit from each campaign. You will always have some customers who – despite your best efforts - don’t respond to any of your marketing, or choose to unsubscribe. So, you must have a steady stream of new, fresh data to replace those lost contacts.
Customer Contact Points Customers encounter your business in numerous different ways. We call these Customer Contact Points (CCPs). A CCP is: A point at which a customer or potential customer comes into direct or indirect contact with your business. Gathering new customer data is a two step process: 1. 2.
identify all the CCPs of your business; Find ways to capture customer contact data at CCPs
These steps are absolutely crucial to building a successful database. Make it the mission of you and your staff to try to capture data at every CCP. Here are some example CCPs: · · · · · · · · · ·
A potential customer visits, phones or emails your restaurant with a general enquiry Someone browsing the internet comes across your website Your mailshot or leaflet drops through a letterbox Someone reads your newspaper or magazine advert or reads a review A potential customer is looking for a restaurant and sees your ad in a business directory such as Yellow Pages or Thomson A pedestrian sees your poster, advertising hoarding or bus ad Delegates attend an event or seminar sponsored by you A crowd sees your business name on the shirts of the local football team You host or attend a networking event. Even better - you give a presentation You contact customers after-sales by email, phone or letter to ask for their feedback
Notice that some of these CCPs involve you or your staff coming into direct contact with the customer. Others, especially the advertising, operate without you or your staff being present. In other words, someone might never have heard of you before, but when they see your advert on the side of a bus they’ve come into indirect contact with your restaurant. That’s a CCP.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Set up ways to capture customer data The following table has different Customer Contact Points, and suggests ways you might capture customer data at each one.
Possible Data Capture methods Capture Card (tent card or similar)
PC electronic form
Face to face enquiry
a
a
Telephone enquiry
a
a
Website sign-up form
Paper voucher or coupon
Collect business cards
Online customer survey
QR code
Customer Contact Points
DIRECT CONTACT WITH CUSTOMER
Email enquiry
a
a
Point of sale
a
After-sales feedback
a
Networking event
a
a
a
a
a a
a
a
a a
INDIRECT CONTACT WITH CUSTOMER Your website
a
Mailshot or leaflet drop
a
a
a
Newspaper advert or review
a
a
a
Poster or billboard
a
a
Bus advert
a
a
Sponsorship
a
a
a
a
Let’s look at each data capture method more closely. IMPORTANT - for customers with a smartphone, you can use a QR code to direct them to a web version of your sign-up form. This automates the whole process and removes the need for you to manually process the data. Much more on this later.
Capture card/tent card A Capture Card is a card or form that sits on table tops, at the bar or is given to customers with their bill.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
A Capture Card is a fundamental basic of building a restaurant database. Whether you’re a simple bistro or a Michelin Star restaurant, if you’re not using any type of Capture Card, you’re missing out on a potential goldmine of repeat sales. Some restaurants think they’re above using a Capture Card because it’s too mass-market. Find a way to make them fit your image. Make it a personal invitation from the proprietor or chef to join a VIP club. Offer exclusive access to cookery demos or priority booking. Designate a competent member of staff to ask customers to join. Do whatever it takes to work for your business, but just do it. ADVANTAGES · · · · · ·
Low tech and simple to set up Low cost They work continuously and automatically for you Target customers who are by-passing other ways of capturing data, eg who are not being processed through a guest registration or point of sale system Generate lots of detailed data on customers, including profiling and segmentation Capture customer data and feedback simultaneously
DISADVANTAGES · · ·
The data needs to be manually processed Not very sexy! Work best when staff are encouraging customers to complete them
To use Capture Cards, you’ll need: · ·
Printed cards (see below) Someone to extract and manage the customer data
See Appendix xxx for a suggested tent card format. See yyy for templates to create your own print-ready design. As you’ll soon learn, a capture card is the perfect partner for use with a QR code.
PC electronic form This could be a spreadsheet or data entry form on a PC or laptop, conveniently positioned so that your staff can quickly and easily enter customer data while the customer is there, eg beside the till or phone. ADVANTAGES ·
Data is processed on the fly
DISADVANTAGES · · ·
Relies on motivated staff asking every customer to join Incentive to join must be strong and easy to communicate verbally to customers Needs constant easy access to a laptop or PC
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
This needs · ·
Spreadsheet software such as MS Excel or Open Office (which is free) OR An online (or offline) sign-up form that feeds the data directly into a database, such as Formstack (more on this later)
Website sign-up form Your website is one of the most important CCPs. You must make it a top priority to try to capture at least an email address from everyone who visits your website. Advantages · · · ·
Customer data can be captured automatically and sent directly to a database system Once set up, it works 24/7 Doesn’t rely on the involvement of your staff Low or no maintenance costs.
Disadvantages · ·
The incentive for customers to join must be strong to overcome the fear of receiving more ‘spam’ Some technical set up may be required
This needs · · ·
Your website designer to build a sign up form OR The sign up form for your email delivery system or CRM system installed on your website OR A sign-up form from Formstack (more on this later)
Paper voucher or coupon Most printed advertising such as a flyer or newspaper advert can include a voucher or coupon. It may feel a little old-fashioned, but they’re still worth considering as part of an overall strategy for building a database. Advantages · · ·
It turns a passive advert into an interactive advert Response rates can be measured, based on the numbers of coupons redeemed You can use a QR code to direct customers to an online version of the form (see later)
Disadvantages ·
Data must be manually processed
This needs ·
A format and wording that complies with regulations (see Appendix A - Capture Card Pro Forma)
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Here’s an example of an email newsletter we created for a client that has a built-in voucher for data capture.
Collect Business cards An oldie, but still a goodie. Invite business customers to drop their business cards in a vase or box strategically placed on your bar/next to till. There’s usually a prize draw as an incentive. Advantages: · · ·
It instantly creates a segment of business customers Costs nothing Very quick and easy to set up
Disadvantages: ·
The data needs to be processed
This needs · ·
Someone to extract the data and manage the customer data Optional - a business card scanner that automatically converts the information on a business card into an electronic format. Try this free mobile app
Online Customer Survey We’ve already seen that your Capture Card could collect customer feedback and contact information. However, it’s much more efficient to move this online and ask customers to give you feedback using a web form. A Formstack form can capture both. Advantages: · · · ·
No paperwork, and no data processing All the data - feedback, contact information - is stored in one place Formstack can analyse and create statistics and graphs from the feedback so you can track trends You can use a QR code to direct customers to an online version of the form (see later)
Disadvantages: ·
None that we can think of!
Tip Ask customers to include a testimonial and use it in your marketing
QR Codes QR codes are an exciting way to automatically capture customer data. QR codes are barcodes containing information about your business that can be scanned by a mobile phone. They enable your customers to quickly and easily visit a page on your website, go to your Facebook
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
or Twitter page, see your video on Facebook, find you on Google maps, compose an email or text message, or simply obtain more information about you. Here’s how it works. Say you have a page on your website with a form for customers to enter their details and join your database (we show you how to do this later). You create a QR code that will take customers directly to that page when they scan the QR code with their mobile phone. They fill in their details, which are automatically added to your database. All YOU have to do then is display your QR code in as many places as possible, persuade/incentivise/bribe your customers to scan it and enter their details. Then, sit back and watch your database grow automatically, all day every day. With NO extra work for you.
A QR Code
...is taken to your online sign-up form...
Customer sees your advert...
...scans the QR code...
...and his details are automatically added to your database
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Buying Customer Data Buying data can be a direct route to a specific market, and potentially offers a quick initial boost to your database. Postal addresses, phone numbers and emails are available. You can be very specific with your requirements, eg men aged under 40 with an interest in golf, or companies in Scotland in the financial sector with a turnover of £5m. Advantages · ·
Much quicker than building your own database The customer profile can be very specific, which means you can send them highly relevant marketing
Disadvantages · · · · ·
The more specific the customer profile, the lower the number of contacts available Response rates are much lower than with your own opted-in database. Cost. Most reputable data suppliers will charge around £200 per 1000 contacts, and often with a minimum purchase value of £500 USA email delivery systems will not permit the use of bought data (see soft opt-in) Personal data is more difficult and expensive to buy, especially email addresses
Low response rates means bought data is usually best for large-scale regional or national campaigns. When buying, ensure that · · ·
You buy from a reputable supplier There are guarantees and refunds available for invalid or out of date contact details The contacts have all opted-in to receive marketing from third parties
Tips ·
DO NOT fall for adverts offering CDs with millions of email addresses. You will find yourself in breach of anti-spam regulations Bought data is no substitute for your own opted-in database
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Use incentives to encourage customers to join Incentives are a crucial part of building a customer database. They have just one purpose: compel customers to CHOOSE joining your database. When customers are deciding whether to give you their precious contact details, they’re subconsciously thinking ‘why should I? WIIFM - What’s In It For Me?’ The better the incentive, the more customers opt in. The more customers opt in, the more profitable your database. Forget limp, non-existent offers. ‘Join our mailing list’ or ‘Sign-up for our e-newsletter’. Why should they? So they can receive more junk mail or spam? ‘Enter a monthly prize draw to win a meal for two’. It’s half-hearted. Make it irresistible. Use some imagination, flair and maybe even a little cash. Treat it as an integral part of your marketing budget. A prize draw to win dinner for two with a limo pick up and drop off, or a night in a nearby hotel. Or, the chef comes to your home and cooks a meal for you and friends (with or without a cookery demo). What’s flavour of the month? An iPad or Wii, a Gucci handbag or Mont Blanc pen, a plasma screen TV, maybe a hotel room for a weekend and the use of an open top sports car. For some businesses, the offer of exclusive regular discounts or 2 for 1 deals may suit better. Or give away valuable content such as recipes, always a very successful option. Here’s an example of a very successful email campaign we created for a client that includes a downloadable recipe. Think about what would work for YOUR customers (you could always ask them!), what would fit your brand and image.
Running a Prize Draw Free entry to a prize draw with a juicy prize is a great incentive. A prize draw doesn’t have to be monthly, but could be six-monthly or annual. One big prize once a year is a better incentive than a small monthly prize, and may not cost any more. It’s strongly recommended you draw up a set of terms and conditions. You’ll not only comply with the law (the CAP Code and Gambling Act), but you can also nail down exactly what your prize draw is - and isn’t - offering. Tips · ·
Use the draw to generate PR and content for your e-newsletter Create a joint venture with other businesses. Put together one prize package that all the businesses can use in their own prize draw
See appendix xxxx for more information and a suggested set of terms and conditions
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Check you’re complying with the law So far, we’ve looked at how to comply with the following: Privacy & Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) This governs the use of customer data for marketing by email, text message and telephone. Telephone Preference Service (TPS) This is where businesses and individuals can register to block marketing sales calls Mail Preference Service This covers the use of customer data for marketing by mail. Not a legal requirement, but compliance is recommended. CAP Code If you’re offering a prize draw as an incentive, you need to comply with this. There’s one more important piece of law to look at - the Data Protection Act. Data Protection Act There are two main issues to consider: · ·
establishing if you are a Data Controller collecting and managing your data in accordance with the Act
Establishing if you are a Data Controller An official Data Controller must register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). How do you know if you need to register? Well, it’s probably easier to define the circumstances in which you DON’T need to register: If all you record is: · ·
Employee information Customer information for the purposes of marketing your own business
...you probably do NOT need to register. However, it’s strongly recommend that you check the specific position of your own business on the ICO website. There is an online questionnaire that will help establish if your business falls within the definition of a Data Controller. Even if you don’t have to register, the Data Protection Act requires you to follow basic, common sense principles. When collecting and managing data, you should: · · · · ·
Identify your company Clearly state the purpose of collecting the data Provide a right of access and allow the data to be corrected/removed by the subject Not put the data to unreasonable/unrelated or unexpected use Not pass the data to others without permission
Your first step should be to use the following tools :
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
·
·
Information Commissioner’s Office online self-assessment questionnaire Appendix xxx - DPA - A Quick How to Com
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Process and manage the data The most crucial part of building a profitable database is having it organized so that it’s easy to access and use. After all, a cardboard box full of business cards isn’t going to make any sales on its own. At the very least you could keep everything on a simple spreadsheet. However, better to use software specifically designed for managing customer data. The generic term for this type of software is Customer Relationship Management, or CRM. It has two important features: segmentation and filters.
Database segmentation & filters Segmentation simply means splitting your database into sub-groups. Segments might be based on: • • • • • • • •
how customers use your business, eg for business or leisure the type of product or service customers tend to buy domestic circumstances age gender geographic location average spend interests
Once your database is split into segments, you can use filters to extract very specific and clearly-defined lists of customers from your database. For example, you might want to send an email campaign about daytime cookery demonstrations aimed at retired customers. Splitting customers like this into different, identifiable groups, means you can cram your marketing email, text message or mailshot with information and offers that’s relevant to them. This means a better response and more repeat sales. Don’t be tempted to have too many segments. Most of your campaigns will be sent to most or all of your database. After all, one of the great benefits of having a database is the ability to cross-sell to your existing customers. However, there will be occasions where it is better to focus on one segment of your database. Here’s a perfect example of a text message campaign we created for a client that uses simple but effective segmentation.
Formstack It’s easy and tempting to get sucked into believing you need a powerful - and expensive - CRM system. That can just complicate matters needlessly, so we suggest starting with a very simple CRM system that doesn’t cost much and is easy to use. We scoured the market for a suitable product and found one that’s almost perfect for restaurants, called Formstack (we’ll tell you why it’s not absolutely perfect later). Formstack is actually a product that creates online data capture forms. So, you can use it to create a form for your website, which is great. But where it really scores big is by automatically
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
feeding the captured data directly into a basic online database, which you can use to segment and filter the customer data. In other words, a mini CRM system. We’re going to show you how you can set up and use just one Formstack online form to cover all your CCPs, and have a constant stream of customer data feeding automatically into your marketing database. We suggest starting with just one simple form, so you can get used to the system, and get your staff into the habit of encouraging customers to use it. Remember, capturing the data is the crucial first step. Once you have it in a computerised system, it can be easily transferred to a more powerful CRM system if you upgrade at a later date. Here are the main advantages of using Formstack: · · · · · · ·
The online sign-up form feeds data directly into a database It can handle multiple contact information - address, phone number, mobile number, email address, customer segments It can collect customer feedback Customer data can be filtered using multiple query operators, eg find customers who are male, have a birthday in June and like vegetarian food Dates can be filtered (eg birthdays or anniversaries) It automatically generates QR codes (this is a biggy!) It’s affordable, with no long term contract
We did say that Formstack is not absolutely perfect, though, and it’s best that you know its limitations up front . Here are the disadvantages: ·
·
You cannot import data in bulk, so if you already have a spreadsheet with lots of customer data you’ll have to input the data to Formstack one customer at a time If you have more than one form, each form builds a separate database rather than merging all the data into one You may need to manually export data from Formstack and import it into your email or text message system. This isn’t difficult to do, though. Alternatively, there are some systems that automatically link up with Formstack.
Manually Processing Your Data We’ve already seen how part of the process of building your customer database can involve bits of paper or card - tent cards, business cards, vouchers etc. These come with a warning... Don’t start using Capture cards unless you have set up a system for processing the captured data. If you use QR codes, great - it’s all done automatically for you. If you don’t use QR codes, you must have someone whose job it is to manually process the data. Otherwise, it’s guaranteed you’ll very quickly have stacks of unprocessed cards gathering dust. Customer data is always best acted upon when fresh and new, so it must be processed and added to your database as soon as possible. Doing nothing with it is a squandered opportunity, and a waste of your time, effort and money. You must make the processing and management of customer data an integral part of your business. If it’s left to be done only when business is quiet, or you have a spare staff member, it WILL eventually get pushed to one side and forgotten about. To be effective, it customer data management must be done regularly, repeatedly and consistently.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Plus, your customers remember that they took the effort to give you their details but have heard nothing since. It makes your efforts at customer care look hollow, and will not reflect well on your business. Here are some ways to speed up the process. Business cards: A business card scanner such as the PMR Penpower on Amazon A free smartphone app for scanning business cards such as Camcard Paper forms, capture cards etc: Use a scanning service such as Pearl Scan Solutions or Cleardata Scanning.
Using Customer Dates Having a significant date such as a customer’s birthday or wedding anniversary presents a fantastic marketing opportunity. It’s a single, simple piece of information that’s easy to capture and record, but is very personal to the customer. Once the information is in your database, running a filter makes it easy to spot when a customer has an important date approaching. All you have to do then is send them a suitable offer for the special date. Not only can this create extra sales, but it also generates goodwill from the customer. Here’s a few ideas: · · · ·
The birthday boy or girl dines free if they bring a guest A complementary birthday cake Complementary Champagne for couples dining on their anniversary (particularly effective if you hosted their wedding reception) Limo pick up and return
How you contact the customer will depend on your relationship. Here are some suggestions: HAND-WRITTEN CARD You might consider the personal touch to be the best strategy, and send a hand-written card. Advantages: personal; high delivery rate (ie your card will almost certainly reach the customer, compared to email) Disadvantages: more labour-intensive; costs more EMAIL Most good email delivery systems can automatically send an email to customers, triggered by a specific date.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Advantages: fully automated once set-up; can have some personalisation such as the customer’s name; no cost per item sent Disadvantages: not every email will reach the customer; not as personal as a card; needs to have the birthday/anniversary email designed and set up; the customer data has to be imported into the email delivery system. TEXT MESSAGE A manual or automated text message might suit your customers better. Advantages: much higher delivery rate than email; can be fully automated once set-up; can have some personalisation such as the customer’s name; very easy to create Disadvantages: very limited space (160 characters, including unsubscribe line); cost per item; not as personal as a card; the customer data has to be imported into the text message system.
Track the response rate Give your customer a voucher to redeem. Customers like to have something tangible, and it also means you can easily track the response rate to your promotion. The voucher could be included with your card, downloaded from the email, or if you use a text, the message itself.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Part 2 How to set up and manage your database quickly and easily
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Master checklist Capturing customer data Task
You will need
Check if you need to register as a data controller under the Data Protection Act
· ICO online questionnaire · Appendix xxx - DPA - A Quick How to Comply checklist · page x of this ebook
Decide on the bits of customer data to record
· page x of this ebook
Decide on your hook to incentivise customers to join
· page x of this ebook · imagination!
If offering a prize draw, create a set of terms and conditions
· appendix xx · page x of this ebook
Create an online data capture form, including a QR code
· subscription to Formstack · page x of this ebook
Identify your Customer Contact Points (CCPs)
· page x of this ebook
Create your capture card
· · · ·
Distribute your capture card to customers. Make it an integral and permanent part of your service.
· your front-of-house staff. Incentivise them to encourage customers to complete the form
Done
Serif Pageplus free edition template from appendix zzz page x of this ebook QR code
Using customer data for marketing campaigns Task
You will need
Plan your marketing campaigns for the next 12 months
· page x of this book · a list of your key business dates, events and trading periods
Filter the data based on customer segments and birthdays to extract very specific groups of customers
· page x of this ebook
Export the data and use it in your email delivery system or text message marketing system, or to create a mailshot
· page x of this ebook · spreadsheet software · email marketing system (see Appendix H - Guide to Choosing an Email Marketing System) · a text message marketing system such as Txtlocal · word processor such as MS Word for a mailmerge · print-on-demand service such as Docmail.
Done
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Creating an online data capture form Go to the Formstack website and open a free account. You’ll be limited to gathering just 50 contacts, but it will let you get used to the system, and you can choose to upgrade at any time. In this example, we’re going to capture the following customer information: · · · · ·
First name and surname Address Email Customer interests (ie segments) - cookery demos; family dining; Murder Mystery events Birthday
All fields will be optional for the customer to complete, apart from the email address. You can see the finished form here Select ‘Create a new form’ You may eventually have more than one form, so give each one a name you’ll recognise. We’ll call this Trial v1. Select ‘Start with blank form’, and click ‘Next step’.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Now we start adding data fields.
First, let’s give our form a heading and some introductory text. Click the ’Add section’ button at the foot of the screen and in ‘heading’ type ‘Join our mailing list’. Then in the text box enter some text that includes your incentive to customers. Once entered, click ‘save’.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Next, click ‘Add field’. Select ‘Name’. The default settings look fine, so click ‘save’, and the form will now have the name field added.
Click ’Add field’. Select ‘Address’. For country, select United Kingdom. Save.
Click ‘Add field’. Select ‘Email Address’. This time tick the box ‘Required’, as we want to make sure customers enter something here. Save.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Now we add the section that will create customer segments, based on their individual interests. Add field and select ‘Checkbox’. In ‘label’, type ‘What would you like to hear more about?’. In ‘supporting text’, type ‘Tick all that apply’. Under ‘options’, click on the red text ‘click to add options’. In the grey box type ‘Wine tasting’, press return and type ‘Family dining’, press return and type ‘Murder Mystery events’. Save.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Next we’ll add the section for date of birth. We use separate number fields rather than the date fields so we can filter data in a specific way. More about this on page xxx Click ‘Add section’. In the heading, type ‘Your birthday’. In the text box type ‘Example: enter 1st June 1970 as 1 6 1970’. In ‘Columns’, select 3. Save.
Next, Add field, and select ‘Number’. In ‘label’ type ‘Day’, in ‘format’ enter ‘2’, in ‘Field values’, minimum value 1 and maximum value 31. Add field. Select Number. In label type ‘Month’, in ‘format’ enter ‘2’, in ‘Field values’ minimum value 1 and maximum value 12. Save. Add field. Select Number. In label type ‘Year’, in ‘format’ enter ‘4’, in ‘Field values’ minimum value 1900 and maximum value 2011. Save.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Finally, we’ll add a privacy policy. This re-assures customers that you’ll use their data in a responsible and ethical way. There is a sample privacy policy on the Business Link website Add field. In ‘Heading’ type ‘Our promise to you’. Copy and paste the text from the Business Link sample policy into the text box, adapting it to suit your requirements. You form is now complete and ready to use. Click ‘Preview form’ at the foot of the screen to see how it looks online. Next, click on the ‘Publish’ tab. This takes you to a page containing two very important pieces of information. The first is the web address of your form (see below to make it more userfriendly). Note the two versions, one of which is suitable for mobile browsing on a smartphone. Both versions can be copied and pasted anywhere suitable, eg your email signature.
Temporary
The second important piece of information is the QR code. This is the key to capturing customer data automatically at all your CCPs, including those where you’re not even present. Take a look again at the CCP table on page x, and the examples on page xxx. The more imaginative you are with these, the more interest you’ll generate. To capture the QR code, left-click on it and a bigger version of the QR code will open. Rightclick on that, and select ‘Save image as...’. Save the image somewhere memorable on your PC. It’s now ready to insert into your sales and promotional literature, such as your table-top tent cards.
Make your form web address more user-friendly The standard web address for Formstack forms will look something like www.formstack.com/ forms/1120127-fGCsRZOqwm, which is not very user-friendly if you want to use it in printed material or share it over the phone.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
To create a customised web address, go to the top right of the screen and select My Account> URLs. In URL Alias, enter a suitable word, eg the name of your business. Go to your form Settings page and insert a suitable word for your form, eg ‘contact’. Save settings. Now when you go to the Publish section for your form, you’ll see the form web address has changed to something much more streamlined and user-friendly such as http://www.formstack.com/forms/restaurant-contact
Temporary
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Plan your marketing campaigns for the next 12 months Marketing campaigns will often centre around specific dates, such as Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. You will also have trading periods when business is predictably slower. Doing some extra marketing during those times can help minimise their effect. To squeeze the maximum return from your database, create a marketing calendar of key dates, events and trading periods for your business. Allow at least 1 month preparation time for each campaign, especially email. For each campaign, decide: 1. 2. 3. 4.
What your offer(s) will be Which customer segment(s) will receive it When they will receive it How the campaign will be delivered.
Use this useful website for important and interesting dates for your marketing calendar.
Is your planned campaign any good? Try the Telephone Test It’s very common for businesses to take a “that’ll do” attitude to marketing. We’ve all been there. There’s an entry in your diary to send an email campaign next week. You’ve left it late, and scrabble around for some content. You manage to pull something together and send it to your entire database. Great, job done. Box ticked. Then you notice that 30% of your customers have unsubscribed... People treat their email address and mobile phone as an extension of their personal space. So, you must be very careful and measured about your campaigns. Try applying the Telephone Test to every one of your campaigns at the planning stage. Imagine you personally have to pick up the phone and tell each customer what your next campaign will say. How do you think the conversation would go? What would be their likely response? Maybe... · · · ·
A shrug and a “so what” “Why on earth would I want to hear about that? It’s completely irrelevant to me” “This is the third time this month you’ve called, and I’ve lost interest. Don’t call again” “Who said you could call me? Go away”
Any imagined responses like these mean you must re-think part or all of the campaign. Remember, you’re aiming for MAXIMUM RELEVANCE AND VALUE IN EVERY CAMPAIGN. It’s the best way to minimise the number of people who opt-out of your database, and maximise the amount of repeat sales your database generates.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Working with customer data You’ve successfully set up your online form and are ready for a steady stream of data automatically flowing into your database. Time now to see how you can manage and manipulate it using segments, filters and dates. We need some sample customer data to work with. Enter the following into your form: First name
Surname
Address
Interests
Birthday
James
Brown
The Cottage 5 Main Street Glasgow G1 1AB
james@hotmail.co.uk
Wine tasting
23/6/1970
Elizabeth
Jones
10 High Street London SW1 1ER
elizabeth@yahoo.com
Wine tasting Family dining
7/9/1995
Tommy
Smith
Flat 1 6 Market Road Slateford Edinburgh EH5 5TD
tommy@btinternet.com
Murder mystery
8/4/1960
Alice
Kennedy
alice@virgin.net
Family dining Murder mystery
1/11/1965
Brian
Scott
brian@scott.co.uk
Wine tasting Family dining Murder mystery
2/6/1975
The Stables Oak Tree Farm Perth PH1 1BB
Click the Submissions & Reports tab and you’ll see all five customers listed. Left-click on any of them to see their individual details.
Let’s take some example marketing scenarios and extract the right customers for each one.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
MARKETING SCENARIO 1 - send an email campaign to customers interested in Murder Mystery events Click ‘Filter Results’. Select ‘What would you like to hear more about’, ‘contains’, ‘Murder mystery events’. Click ‘Save and search’. This filters only the three customers who indicated an interest in Murder mystery events. Make sure the two boxes in the bottom right show ‘all submissions’ and ‘CSV (Microsoft Excel compatible)’. Click ‘Export’. Save the file somewhere memorable. Your data is now in a format that can be quickly and easily imported into any other software, such as an email marketing system, ready for you to create your campaign.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
MARKETING SCENARIO 2 - send an email campaign to customers aged over 18 about a wine tasting event Clear the filter from scenario 1 by clicking ‘results filter’ and click the red circle with the minus button to remove query. The filter boxes will show ‘Unique ID’ and ‘contains’. Leave the third box blank and click ‘Save and search’. All five customer are listed again.
Select ‘What would you like to hear more about’, ‘contains’ and ‘wine tasting’. Click the green circle with the white plus to add query. A second line of query boxes appears. Select ‘Year’, ‘is less than’ and ‘1993’. Click ‘Save and search’. Two customers are listed who meet this criteria.
Note that Elizabeth Jones doesn’t appear in this list. Although she indicated an interest in wine tasting events, her year of birth is 1995, which means she is currently (in 2011) only 16. The filtered list can now be exported in the same way as in scenario 1, ready for your campaign.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
MARKETING SCENARIO 3 - mail a birthday card and voucher to customers who have a birthday next month (June) Clear the filters from scenario 2 by clicking ‘Filter results’. Click both red circles to remove the queries, then click ‘Save and search’. All five customers are listed. Click ‘Filter results’. Select ‘Month’, ‘is’, ‘6’. For this example we’ve decided to make the birthday promotion available only to customers aged 21 and over. So, click the little green circle with the plus and add query. In this second line select ‘Year’, ‘is less than’, ‘1991’. Click ‘Save and search’.
Two customers are now listed. You can either export the data and use it in a mail merge in MS Word, or simply address the cards by hand (which is a nice personal touch).
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Final words So, you now know how to: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Find sources of customer data Add customers automatically to your database Manipulate the data to keep your marketing highly relevant Stay legal
This is the foundation of successful database marketing. You now have a direct line to your customers, the ability to contact them when YOU want to, with information and offers that THEY want. Where you go from here is up to you, and limited only by your imagination. Database marketing offers fantastic potential to build a long-term relationship with your customers, one in which they receive greater value while your business generates more sales and profit. A real win-win situation. I hope you now feel inspired to take your own database marketing to new heights. But before you rush off, please let me end by giving you my Four Golden Rules of Database Marketing...
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Rule 1 - Be consistent Don't start building a database if you can't commit to it. The process must be done regularly, repeatedly and consistently. Otherwise, you'll just waste money and time, and disappoint or irritate your customers. Better to do nothing at all!
Rule 2 - Capture data Look for your Customer Contact Points and gather customer data at EVERY opportunity. The bigger your database, the better the return.
Rule 3 - Incentivise Whether it's gathering data, customer feedback, or ensuring your emails are opened, you MUST give your customers something valuable back. Why should they bother otherwise?
Rule 4 - Content is King You may set up a great database, regularly gather lots of fresh data, have beautiful looking emails and be fully legal-compliant, but it all counts for absolutely nothing if your messages are boring or irrelevant. Avoid over-enthusiastic and ill-judged use of database. Apply the Telephone Test to every campaign. Put yourself in your subscribers shoes and ask yourself WIIFM if I open this email or text message? Always remember that Content is King.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Appendices A
Capture card pro forma
B
Tent card template 1
C
Tent card template 2
D
Tent card template 3
E
Business card template
F
Suggested terms & conditions for a prize draw
G
Quick compliance checklist for the Data Protection Act
H
The Quick and Easy Guide to Choosing the Best Email Marketing System for YOUR Business
Disclaimer: The information in this publication does not constitute specific legal advice, but is intended for guidance only. You should consult a suitably qualified lawyer on any specific legal matter. See our full disclaimer on page xxx
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Appendix A - Capture card pro forma
We’d love to keep in touch with you! Think about how you might be likely to contact your customers in future, and gather as many different types of contact info as possible.
...so why not join our mailing list? You’ll receive exclusive discounts and special offers, email and text alerts of special events and much more.
Incentive, incentive, incentive. The more you offer your customers, the more willingly they’ll part with their info.
PLUS we’ll enter your name into regular free prize draws. (Terms & conditions apply. Information may change without notice).
Name
You can make it a condition of entry to a competition that customers provide their contact information and opt-in to your database
Address Address
The all-important email address. If you get nothing else, get this.
Postcode
Date of birth
Tel no
Mobile
Customer feedback is crucial. Why not incorporate it into your capture card?
Please give us your comments and suggestions on how we could improve our service to you:
Are you: ...or use the space to segment and profile your customers. This keeps your marketing messages relevant. Just be careful to keep it appropriate and not overdo it.
Male
Interested in product A
Female
Interested in service B
If there’s a lower age limit on your promotions, you may need a date of birth. However, it also gives you a great reason to get in touch with the customer a few weeks before their birthday.
Interested in topic C Our promise to you We will only contact you occasionally by mail, email telephone or text, and with information that we think will be of specific interest and relevance to you. Your information will never be shared with anyone else, and you will always have the opportunity to unsubscribe from future contact.
This statement should help re-assure customers about how you intend to use their info. You are legally obliged to provide a means of unsubscribing from your mailing list.
NOTE Page 31 of the ICO Guide for Marketers on the Privacy & Electronic Communications Regulations states that ‘the very highest standard’ would be to incorporate a statement like the following: ‘Please contact me by post p, by telephone p, by text/picture/video messagep , by email p with further information about your products and services (tick as applicable)’ It goes on to state that, if you use this wording, you cannot send marketing materials to them by post, telephone, text message or email unless the individual ticks the box to invite further contact from you. Your need to choose whether or not to include this statement!
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Notes on tent card templates The following templates have been created in Serif Pageplus Free (Starter) Edition. Download it by clicking the icon below. Each template can be downloaded and saved to your PC, and then adapted in Pageplus. Once your design is complete, it must be converted to PDF if you intend to use a professional print service. Use the free Primo PDF software to convert your Pageplus file. To minimise costs, the templates have been designed specifically for professional digital short-run printing. Templates 1, 2 and 3 are all one third A4 size. For stability, print on 300g white card, either matt or satin finish. The crease is in an unprinted area to avoid the ink cracking when folded. The text boxes should be unprinted because some pens will not write on a printed area.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Appendix B - Tent card template 1 (Please read the notes on page 43)
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Appendix C - Tent card template 2 (Please read the notes on page 43)
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Appendix D - Tent card template 3 (Please read the notes on page 43)
Outside
Inside
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Appendix E - Business card template (Please read the notes on page 43)
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Appendix F - CAP Code on prize promotions & suggested terms & conditions for a prize draw The CAP Code The British Code of Advertising, Sale Promotion and Direct Marketing (known as 'the CAP Code') sets out certain additional rules which should be followed when running prize promotions. The CAP Code applies to all marketing communications in print, cinema and video, as well as online advertising. It does not apply to website content except sales promotions and advertisements in paid-for space, or to broadcast commercials which are subject to the BCAP TV or Radio Advertising Standards Code, or to the content of premium rate telephone services which are regulated by ICSTIS (renamed PhonePayPlus from October 2007). In addition to the general principles that advertising must be legal, decent, honest and truthful, the CAP Code requires that a the following information is given to consumers before or at the time of entry into the prize promotion (our comments are in red): ·
how to participate (eg by completing a card. Do you want a minimum amount of info provided? Entry to a draw in return for provision of data is not considered a ‘pay to enter’ arrangement, and is therefore a free draw. This means exemption from lottery/ gambling laws))
·
the start date;
·
the closing date in certain circumstances (eg if targeted to children);
·
any proof of purchase requirements – or, where a promotion encourages but does not require purchase, a clear statement that no purchase is necessary and explanation of the free entry alternative; (Entry free with a purchase is called ‘product promotion’. Provided the price of the product is not increased to cover the cost of the prize, this type of draw is also a free draw and exempt from lottery/gambling laws).
·
the minimum number and nature of any prizes, and whether a cash alternative can be substituted; (Is the prize subject to any conditions, eg taken at or used by a particular time? For how many people? Is a prize transferable?)
·
any geographical, personal or technological restrictions (eg location, age, or the need to have access to the internet);
·
any limit on the availability of promotional packs (if this is not obvious);
·
the promoter's full name and business address;
·
any restriction on the number of entries;
·
how and when winner(s) will be notified, and when they will receive their prizes if this is more than 6 weeks after the closing date;
·
how and when the results will be announced;
·
the criteria for judging entries eg the most apt and original tie breaker; if the choice is open to subjective interpretation, then an independent judge (or a panel including one independent member) must be appointed, whose name must be available on request;
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
·
who will own the copyright in the competition entries (if relevant);
·
how entries will be returned (if applicable); and
·
any intention to use winners in any post promotion publicity.
·
Participants must be able to retain this information or have easy access to it throughout the promotion.
Go to the CAP Code website for more detailed information.
Suggested set of terms & conditions for a prize draw Here’s a suggested set of terms and conditions for a prize draw, based on our understanding of the CAP Code: 1. Entry to prize draws requires completion of a Capture Card, including a valid email address (will one card provide entry to every prize draw, or just the prize draw taking place in the month the card is completed?) 2. Prize draws will occur (insert frequency) with the first prize draw taking place on xxxxx 3. Is a purchase required? 4. The prize comprises a xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Need to be specific about what is included/ excluded. Is it subject to any conditions, eg taken at particular times? Restriction on value/ items available? Is a prize transferable? Is a cash alternative available? Must the prize be used by a certain time? 5. Are the prize draws open to UK residents only? 6. Is entry to each prize draw restricted to one per person? 7. Winners will be chosen at random from all valid entries held at the time of each draw. 8. Winners will be contacted by either mail, phone or email, and may have their names used in publicity materials. 9. The decision of the judges, [your business name], is final and no correspondence will be entered into Participants should have at least easy access to these T&Cs if requested.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Appendix G - Quick compliance checklist for the Data Protection Act The following information has been taken from the website of the Information Commissioner’s Office. It can be downloaded as a PDF here. This short checklist will help you comply with the Data Protection Act (the Act). Being able to answer ‘yes’ to every question does not guarantee compliance, but it should mean that you are heading in the right direction. At the end is a list of guidance on particular areas where you may need more help as well as telephone helpline numbers.
q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q
Do I really need this information about an individual? Do I know what I’m going to use it for? Do the people whose information I hold know that I’ve got it, and are they likely to understand what it will be used for? Am I satisfied the information is being held securely, whether it’s on paper or on computer? And what about my website? Is it secure? Am I sure the personal information is accurate and up to date? Do I delete/destroy personal information as soon as I have no more need for it? Is access to personal information limited only to those with a strict need to know? If I want to put staff details on our website have I consulted with them about this? If I use CCTV, is it covered by the Act? If so, am I displaying notices telling people why I have CCTV? Are the cameras in the right place, or do they intrude on anyone’s privacy? If I want to monitor staff, for example by checking their use of email, have I told them about this and explained why? Have I trained my staff in their duties and responsibilities under the Act, and are they putting them into practice? If I’m asked to pass on personal information, am I and my staff clear when the Act allows me to do so? Would I know what to do if one of my employees or individual customers asks for a copy of information I hold about them? Do I have a policy for dealing with data protection issues? Do I need to notify the Information Commissioner? If I have already notified, is my notification up to date, or does it need removing or amending?
For more help or advice on any of this, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Data Protection Helpline on 08456 30 60 60 (Lo-call rate) or 01625 545745 (National rate), or email us using the online enquiry form on our website.
Other useful publications You can find all these publications on our website Aimed particularly at small businesses:
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
· · · · ·
CCTV Systems and the Data Protection Act 1998 CCTV Small User Checklist (to be read with the above) Brief Guide to Notification Employment Practices Code – A Quick Guide (PDF) FAQ’s for Organisations (on website)
General guidance: · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
CCTV Data Protection Code of Practice The Guide to Data Protection Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations Website FAQs for Organisations Good Practice Note – Buying and selling customer databases Good Practice Note – Checklist for handling requests for personal information (subject access requests) Good Practice Note – Disclosing information about tenants Good Practice Note – Electronic mail marketing Good Practice Note – Outsourcing: a guide for small and medium-sized businesses Good Practice Note – Providing personal information to a third party Good Practice Note – Releasing information to prevent or detect crime Good Practice Note – Subject Access and employment references Good Practice Note – Tied agents and independent financial advisers Good Practice Note – Training checklist for small and medium-sized organisations
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
Appendix H - The Quick and Easy Guide to Choosing the Best Email Marketing System for YOUR Business
FREE
There are hundreds of email marketing systems out there. Which is best for YOUR business? Wading through all the options can be a difficult, stressful and time-consuming chore. Our FREE guide has been written to help make the task quick and easy. Our extensive experience and expertise of using email marketing systems means we can advise you how to narrow down the options, explain the features you might want and why, and help lead you to the system that’s precisely right for YOUR requirements, YOUR budget, YOUR business. The Guide includes a side-by-side comparison of five of the best-known and longest established systems on the market: · · · · ·
Constant Contact Mailchimp Campaign Monitor Dotmailer iContact
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
We explain the main features to look out, why you might - or might not - need each one, and compare the systems on: · · · · ·
Cost and pricing structure, including hidden extras Whether they have any free or ‘lite’ versions How they handle customer contact data Email design features, including free email newsletter templates Email delivery and tracking features
...and much more It will surprise you how these email marketing systems vary in features and pricing, and there are two clear best buys. Even if your intended choice isn't in our guide, this will give you a shopping list of the features and systems to look out for. Take the guesswork and worry out of picking the system that suits your needs and budget.
The Quick & Easy Way to Build a Profitable Marketing Database for Your Restaurant
About the author George Drever has provided database marketing and direct marketing services and support to small businesses for over 6 years. He has a wide and varied background in business that includes setting up and running two hospitality businesses of his own, and was licensee on both occasions. He still has the battle scars to prove it! Before that, as a qualified banker George spent 7 years with RBS and a year with Ernst & Young. He then spent 4 years collectively as a business adviser doing consulting with the main Scottish Government business development agencies, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise. As director of Contact Marketing Solutions Ltd, George has worked with clients throughout Scotland that include Heineken UK Ltd, Culture & Sport Glasgow, the Mhor Group, and the Montgomery Hotel Group. George is also an associate of hospitality and tourism consultancy The Collection Ltd, a member of the Barclays Bank 'Panel of Experts' and has delivered training seminars on database marketing and direct marketing for organisations such as Scottish Enterprise. You can see more of George’s work at the Small Business Database Marketing website
www.small-business-database-marketing.com