The venue, restaurant, cafe, nightclub and bar business is full of hot competition. Here is a brief checklist to measure your present Promotion and Marketing campaign effectiveness. You need bums on seats, repeat loyal customers and several ways to connect with them.

Review what you’ve got going for you in all these areas. Are there any limitations in these aspects that you need to consider? Limitations are opportunities so instead of skimming over them, flesh them out and see where they are a branding tool. Assess each element and see how you can leverage each one in your Publicity Campaigns.

Where are You?

Location? Environment? Neighbourhood? Local Market?

• Who is your target market?
• What is your niche that separates you from your competition?
• How does your decor and ambience match your brand and your target market?
• How does your venue brand fit into the neighbourhood?
• What features does your location have that can be leveraged for your venue brand?

What’s Going On In Your Venue?

Food? Music? Concerts? Pokies? Pool Tables? Games? Events?

• Do you update your menu regularly?
• Do you offer seasonal and celebratory dishes to entice new taste buds?
• Do you run Happy Hours, Drink Specials and Menu Nights?
• Do you offer an ongoing party for your customers?
• Do you hire musicians, entertainers, DJs, hosts and MCs to provide some light distraction for your loyal customers?
• Do you create special days, celebrations, special and annual events?
• Do you offer fun activities, competitions and opportunities for people to get together?
• Does your staff get involved in activities and contribute to a fun relaxed atmosphere?
• Do you train your staff in best practice to ensure a high level of customer service?

Who Are You?

Brand? Niche Market? USP? POD? Why You?

Ask yourself, “Will I eat in my own venue?” “Will I drink and party in my own venue?”
The easy answer is “Yes,” but then again that’s an easy question, too. If you really want to understand how the customer’s mind works, you need to put yourself in his or her shoes, and ask yourself the real painful question, “Why should I eat and party in my own place when there are dozens of venues in the area?”
How do you solve this age-old business dilemma?
Simple. Work on your venue’s brand FIRST then devise a corresponding publicity campaign. The more you brand your venue experience and get the name out there, the more people you’ll see coming in.

• Who are you?
• What is the brand that you are selling?
• Have you matched your present customers and location with the brand that you wish to sell? Eg Trying to sell French champagne to beer drinkers?
• What do they want that only you can give them?
• What is your Unique Selling Position?
• What is your Point of Difference?
• Are you Eco Friendly? How have you leveraged your Green Thumb in your publicity campaigns?
• What is your strategy to boost guest frequency and retention?
• How is your property a number one SEEN AT THE SCENE for your target market?
• How do you build loyalty and grow your database?
• How do you evolve your brand on a daily basis?

Community

Local Business? Charity? Local Schools? Sporting Teams? Tourism Organizations? Local Community Groups? Local Hotels and Motels?

• Do they need a venue to hold meetings?
• Do they need a local sponsor for fundraising?
• Do they need a venue partner for special events and functions?
• Can you offer special meals for tourists?
• Can you offer a Network Hub for your local community?
• What value do you add to your community?

In House

Big Screens? Website? Posters? Flyers? Bar Runners? Dockets? Drink Coasters?

• What is your Venue Brand?
• Is your logo featured on everything above?
• Do you advertise all your events on everything above?
• You have an In House community metric – do you leverage this as much as you could?
• Do you offer opportunities for your local community to advertise to your In House community metric?

Promotions

Tweets? Facebook Check In or Like? Website Subscribers? Member Discount Card? Coupons?

• How do you engage your customers?
• How do you create buzz and what do you create it about?
• How do you communicate with them, get them involved, let them know what’s happening?
• Do you reward your loyal customers?
• Do you offer specials to on line marketing networks?
• Is your website interactive where customers can post their photos and share their experiences?
• Do you have a message board form that enables you and your staff to interact with your customers?

On Line Activity

Claim Google? SEO? Directories? You Tube? Foursquare? Yelp? Mobile Local Fusion System? On Line Order?

• Have you set up Geolocation?
• Can you be found easily?
• What keywords match your brand on line?
• Can your customers find you with their mobile phone?
• Can your customers text, facebook or tweet the band, the DJ, the bar staff to win prizes, get in on the guest list, make a booking, request or order?
• Can your customer order a meal, book a table and enquire about a function on line?
• Do you know what your customers are saying about you?
• Do you give them an opportunity to give you feedback on line?
• Go Viral by creating controversial and unexpected videos and sharing them with your customers?

Media

Print? Radio? TV? Social?

• How do you leverage local and social media to tell your story and build your customer relationship?
• How do you garner media coverage to promote your events and position your property as THE destination?
• Do you invite the local media for a complimentary meal or drink?
• Do you offer yourself as a resource for stories?
• Have you built a network of Food and Alcohol professionals to refer the media to when they want more than one source for a story? Even if they are your competitors?
• Contribute free articles to on line sites all about food, wine, drinks, parties – anything that matches your brand and link back to your brand website.
• Publish your monthly newsletter featuring new trends in your industry, helpful tips for staff and cool stories about things that go down in your venue. Send issues to local and national media. You never know when they will get stuck for a story and will contact you for an interview once they know you are a great source of information for their readers.
• Get to know local community and commercial radio talk show hosts and invite them to call you on you when other guests cancel at the last minute.
• Join a Trade Industry group and nominate yourself as a spokesperson for media.
• Write and talk about what you know in every medium available.
• Visit Trade Shows regularly and get to know the show reporters. Let them know how much of a wealth of information you are.
• Don’t forget to connect with your local, state and national Tourism sites. In Flight Magazines are interested in good stories for their customers. See your venue as a Tourism Destination. If you wouldn’t visit it, then make a list of what you would love to experience and start making it happen in your own venue.