MARKETING
Ready to
restart Jane Newick, managing director of the Wordbox (www.thewordbox.com) - a specialist food and drink PR and marketing agency - provides some marketing and promotional advice on re-opening after lockdown. ALL CHANGE The last three months have forced many businesses to introduce new revenue streams just to keep the cash coming in through lockdown. Some have become neighbourhood grocery stores selling everyday essentials such as flour, eggs and milk alongside take out coffees and pastries. Some have taken their business online for home delivered items ranging from the full menu to ready prepared meals, equipment and branded merchandise. Suddenly, operators have had to become retailers, e-commerce experts or to learn fast food skills just to survive the downturn. Now, as we start to emerge from lockdown, the priority for operators is to develop a viable and sustainable business model that accommodates the ‘new normal’, whatever shape that may end up taking. WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE POST COVID-19 LANDSCAPE? According to recent YouGov research, the coronavirus outbreak is likely to impact
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leisure spending patterns for some time and about a third of Brits (32%) expect to spend more on having meals out than they did before lockdown, which is certainly some more positive news. We also know that there is likely be an increase in the ‘staycation’ which is encouraging for anyone with a business in a tourist hotspot. And, with the increase in home working, which is set to continue for a good while yet, the local restaurant or bar could well take on a renewed importance as a social hub within the community. However, it is too early to make too many assumptions when so much is unknown, but businesses that stay flexible and open to new ways of doing things will be best placed to adapt to new opportunities as they arise. Here are some areas to focus on as we move forward.
RE-ASSESS AND REFINE YOUR PRODUCT OFFER Time is a luxury that we do not always have when we are ‘hands on’ with running a restaurant. However, the last few months have been an opportunity to take stock, to review and to make any changes ready for when the business re-opens. A new menu could well be needed for the summer season, but there could also be a need to source new lines which are more suited to eating on the run, or outside? Perhaps your existing menu needs refining to cater for customers with different needs? All menu changes will need to be made with the overarching aim of protecting profit margins which is obviously a priority. Some of the revenue streams that evolved during lockdown may be worth continuing, so it’s useful to assess these to see if they should become a regular feature; remembering, of course, the need to stay ‘on brand’ and not to stray too far from the core proposition. VALUE FOR MONEY Consumers have missed socialising with friends and colleagues and are keen to July 2020
