How I use data to fill seats

How I use data to fill seats

Using data to drive marketing decisions for restaurants boils down to knowing your audience, tracking performance, and tweaking your strategy based on what works best. Here’s a process I use to keep it both structured and flexible, so we can focus on what moves the needle for each brand and location.

1. Setting Clear Goals and Tracking Metrics That Matter

I start with clear, specific objectives. Are we trying to fill seats on weeknights, increase online orders, or improve our loyalty numbers? Once that's nailed down, I track KPIs that align with these goals, like return on ad spend, average order value, and repeat visit rates. These numbers tell me what's working and where we can double down.

2. Collecting Customer Data That Informs Our Strategy

Using our POS system, I gather detailed insights on what dishes are selling best, when our busiest times are, and how much people typically spend. I'm also proactive about building a direct line to customers: we capture emails, birthdays, and preferences through loyalty programs and online orders. This gives us a direct channel for personalized promotions. And, of course, I keep an ear to the ground with customer feedback from reviews, comment cards, and quick post-meal surveys to stay in tune with what guests want.

3. Analyzing Digital Engagement to Understand What Resonates

I keep a close watch on our social media engagement metrics. It's one of the quickest ways to see what’s resonating - whether it's certain dishes, seasonal specials, or behind-the-scenes stories from our chefs. On the digital front, I use website analytics to see where visitors are coming from and which pages drive the most bookings or orders. Understanding how people engage with us online helps refine our messaging.

4. Testing, Segmenting & Personalizing Marketing Efforts

When I'm running a new promotion, I'll often A/B test different approaches. It's amazing how the right message or visual can make a difference in engagement and sales. I also segment our audience based on factors like order frequency and favorite menu items so we're not just sending out one-size-fits-all messages. And with multiple brands and locations, hyper-local campaigns allow me to target specific areas with relevant offers, driving more foot traffic where we need it most.

5. Using Results to Continuously Improve Our Approach

I always compare our performance to industry benchmarks to make sure we're on the right track. Are our email open rates above average? Is our online order value where it should be? I look for patterns in sales and engagement over time - seeing what spikes during specific events or promotions - so we can keep repeating what works.

6. Automating & Scaling with AI Tools

We've automated our data reporting for all the key metrics, which keeps my team focused on strategy instead of manual tracking. I also use AI-driven predictive analytics to anticipate customer needs. If AI predicts a rise in a certain menu item, we can adjust inventory and run targeted ads around it. Chatbots and personalized ads are part of the strategy too; chatbots handle common questions and reservations, while personalized ads deliver relevant offers that drive results.

This data-focused approach allows me to fine-tune our marketing so it's not just a guessing game - it's a game plan based on actual numbers and customer behavior. With every campaign, we get a little sharper, a little more effective, and ultimately, a little closer to our customers.

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