Marketing

What digital loyalty schemes are available for restaurant brands?

The Lowdown: Digital loyalty schemes

By Joe Lutrario

The likes of McDonald’s, Burger King, Pret a Manger and Tortilla have all unveiled new rewards schemes within weeks of each other. Why?

Technology special: download the Hostech Essential Guides

Hostech

Technology special: download the Hostech Essential Guides

By Restaurant

From mobile payments and back of house systems to delivery and click & collect and customer marketing, get to grips on how the latest technology is shaping the hospitality sector with these four Hostech Essential Guides.

Using digital marketing, customer data and reputation management for restaurants and pubs

Hostech: customer marketing

Delving deeper into digital

By Restaurant

It’s taken a pandemic, but hospitality operators are finally beginning to understand the power of digital and the wealth of data it generates

Feedback and engagement Reputation Roadchef

Hostech: Case study

Driving engagement at Roadchef

By Restaurant

Roadchef uses online reputation management platform Reputation to manage its entire online presence, including reviews, business listings and social media.

Why restaurants need to be part of the conversation on social media marketing

The art of social listening

By Eloise Sheppard

Call Systems Technology's managing director on why it's vital to be part of the online conversation.

How to gain customer insights from Wi-Fi

ASK THE EXPERTS

How to gain customer insights from Wi-Fi

By Gavin Wheeldon

Gavin Wheeldon, CEO of Purple, discusses the golden opportunity for owners and marketers in the hospitality industry to use insights gained when customers log into their Wi-Fi through a form or social media.

Eight ways to boost direct bookings to hotel websites

ASK THE EXPERTS

Eight ways to boost direct bookings to hotel websites

By Tom Beasley

Tom Beasley, founder and CEO of Wired Media gives advice to hoteliers looking to boost direct bookings through their own websites and includes design tricks to help increase direct enquiries. 

With the rise of social media people frequently photograph food to share on social media and this can be harnessed by operators to create and enhance brand awareness says Digital Blonde's Karen Fewell

TRENDS

Generation Y demands a marketing story

By Ruth Williams

Sharing a brand story and telling customers why a product is special using imagery to create an emotional connection will increase sales and encourage brand loyalty.

Freebies can help get people through the door, while loyalty schemes can help you retain customers

Infographic: Adding loyalty to the menu - does it pay off?

By Carina Perkins

Restaurants should offer freebies when they first open to increase footfall and build customer loyalty through reward schemes, according this new infographic from marketing and loyalty platform provider Coniq.

Experts share their predictions on the top 5 game changers for hotels

#AHC2014: Top 5 hotel sector trends

By Melodie Michel

Hotel experts met last week at the Annual Hotel Conference in Manchester to discuss the future of the sector. Here is BigHospitality's round-up of the top five trends that will shape the industry.

TripAdvisor launched the awards to recognise ‘remarkable hospitality professionals’

TripAdvisor launches Exceptional Service Awards

By Carina Perkins

TripAdvisor has launched the inaugural Exceptional Service Awards to recognise ‘remarkable hospitality professionals’ at hotels, restaurants and attractions in the UK and worldwide.

Brakes launches premium sauce pellets

Brakes launches premium sauce pellets

By Carina Perkins

Foodservice suppliers Brakes has launched a new range of sauce pellets to help chefs save time while delivering consistent quality sauces.

EBLEX has launched a marketing tool for the meat industry that grants chefs and caterers access to beef and lamb images for use in promoting their business.

Meat imagery made available for chefs

By Lauren Houghton

EBLEX, a division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, has launched a marketing tool for the meat industry that grants chefs and caterers access to beef and lamb images for use in promoting their business. 

Discounting ‘here to stay’

Discounting ‘here to stay’

By Melodie Michel

Despite a slowdown in the use of discounting by branded restaurants, experts believe this type of marketing activity is here to stay, albeit in a more personalised form.

Restaurants seek to avoid voucher trap

Restaurants seek to avoid voucher trap

By Melodie Michel

A majority of UK restaurants are now refusing to get on the voucher bandwagon for fear of causing a permanent discount on their business.

Wi-Fi in hospitality

Ask the Experts

How to build better customer relationships using free public Wi-Fi

By Paul Leybourne

Hospitality operators understand that offering the chance to stay connected whilst enjoying a coffee or taking a business trip can win new customers and attract repeat visits. However, many brands aren’t doing enough to maximise the potential sales revenue...

Sian McNicholas: Career Profile

Sian McNicholas: Career Profile

By Emma Eversham

Leisure Management graduate and publican's daughter Sian McNicholas worked in events before taking up the role of marketing development manager at London-based pub company Young's. Following the company's purchase of Geronimo Inns at the...

The Digital Innovation Forum took place at the Charlotte Street Hotel in London's Fitzrovia on 17 September

Digital restaurant: How to extend your reach with online innovations

By Luke Nicholls

The likes of social media, online advertising and mobile loyalty apps allow businesses large and small to reach out to increasingly digital-savvy consumers. But how can these ‘digital innovations’ be used in the most effective ways to impact your restaurant’s...

Brakspear's chief executive Tom Davies is 'extremely pleased' with the sales figures, with draught beer doing particularly well

Brakspear reports ‘busy and profitable’ year

By Luke Nicholls

Leased and tenanted pubco Brakspear has today reported a strong set of annual financial results with turnover, pre-tax profit and draught beer and cider sales all up for the year ending 31 September 2012.

The 27 leading companies in the Coffer Peach Business Tracker averaged a 4.8 per cent increase in sales last month

Successful start to summer for restaurants and pubs

By Luke Nicholls

Life for Britain’s restaurant and pub groups is on the up with a third successive increase in like-for-like sales coming in June and total sales ahead by 4.8 per cent compared with the same time last year. 

De Vere Venues has 30 mettings and events venues and over 3000 bedrooms across the UK

De Vere Venues put up for sale

By Luke Nicholls

Hotel operator and meeting and events space provider De Vere Venues has today been put up for sale with an estimated price tag of up to £300m, but parent company De Vere Group insists it ‘is not under any pressure to undertake a disposal’.