reOpen with a bang: 5 things you can do online now
The Outcome
An excited and engaged customer base ahead of opening and bookings in the diary.
Follow this blueprint to optimise an effective Facebook Ads and email marketing strategy.
Step 1:
House keeping
Reactivate your social media if it’s been a little neglected by delving deeper into your brand story telling. Look at your company values, how often do you refer to them? What’s your purpose? Tell your audience. Who are the humans behind the brand? Reintroduce them.
Check your Facebook pixel is set up and working in order to do the retargeting ads later.
Step 2:
Facebook Ads #1
Objective: what’s the aim: engagement eg. likes, comments, shares. Build up your ‘social proofing’ to emphasise relevancy.
Ad set: who to target:
i) warm audience: people who follow you on Instagram and Facebook
ii) cold audience: lookalike audience of the aforementioned to build out brand awareness
Advert: format / copy / imagery: test a couple of ads so you can see which is more effective. Use this ad to remind the customer of how great you are, what you stand for and why they should visit you first before all the other restaurants that are reopening at the same time.
Step 3:
Facebook Ads #2
Objective: what’s the aim: traffic to your website sign up page (ideally a designated landing page) for people to leave their email address
Ad set: who to target: warm audience: everyone who interacted with Facebook ad #1. Your audience will have extended due to the lookalike audience.
Advert: format / copy / imagery: incentive of welcome back offer when signing up
When people sign up, they will automatically get the automated emails as specified in Step 4.
HACK: Duplicate the previous ad to carry over the social proof and optimise your results
Step 4:
Automated Workflow
Set up an automated journey for new email subscribers so it’s ready to use. This journey might be shortened or extended depending on when you start and when your opening date is.
I recommend sending 4-6 emails out over a 6 week period. Suggestions of email content and flow:
Thanks for signing up, you’re on the list to hear about our opening offer
What’s been happening this last year to the brand. Reengage.
Explain preparations for opening to get them excited. New menu, new look etc
Incentive eg. First chance to book / complimentary cocktails with your mains etc. Link to book. Date of opening.
Reminder, countdown to opening.
Step 5:
Facebook Ads #3
Objective: what’s the aim: engagement.
Ad set: who to target: warm audience: everyone who signed up to your database or visited your website following Facebook ad #2.
Advert: format / copy / imagery: countdown and reminder to book.
NOTE: this final step is optional - it is used to stay front of mind on different platforms to those people who are interested in visiting once you reopen.
If the conversions from Step 4 are high, you may wish to skip it.