Podcast Summary: Restaurant Strategy - "Supercharge Your Email List Growth in 2025"
Podcast Information:
- Title: RESTAURANT STRATEGY
- Host/Author: Chip Klose
- Episode: Supercharge Your Email List Growth in 2025
- Release Date: January 16, 2025
Introduction
In the January 16, 2025 episode of Restaurant Strategy, host Chip Klose delves into the critical subject of email list growth for independent restaurant owners. Recognizing email as the preferred communication channel between consumers and brands, Klose underscores the paramount importance of expanding and nurturing an email list to drive profitability and sustained success in the competitive restaurant industry.
The Importance of Email Lists
Chip Klose begins the episode by highlighting the enduring relevance of email marketing:
“Email continues to be the preferred mode of communication between consumers and the brands they support” (00:00).
He emphasizes that for restaurants, diners are the primary consumers who seek regular and meaningful interactions, primarily through email. Klose explains that many leading restaurant groups prioritize list growth as their top marketing metric, making it essential for independent restaurateurs to adopt effective strategies to increase their subscriber base.
Eight Proven Strategies to Grow Your Email List
Klose outlines eight actionable methods to enhance email list growth, focusing on both existing customers and prospective diners.
1. Leverage Your Reservation System
Most restaurants utilize reservation platforms like OpenTable, Resy, or Yelp, which inherently collect valuable customer data, including names, emails, and phone numbers.
“Your reservation software, your table management software is one key way that you can be capturing data” (00:00).
Additionally, for establishments without reservation systems, Klose advises implementing waitlist functionalities to gather customer information systematically.
2. Utilize Online Ordering Platforms
Online ordering systems embedded in your website are another pivotal source for data collection. By integrating these platforms with your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools—such as Mailchimp or Constant Contact—you can seamlessly transfer new subscribers into your email lists.
3. Implement a Loyalty Program
Offering a loyalty program incentivizes customers to share their contact information. For instance, providing immediate rewards like "100 points for signing up" can effectively capture emails and phone numbers.
“If for nothing else, then it helps you collect customer data” (03:00).
Despite ongoing debates about the long-term benefits of loyalty programs, Klose values them for their data acquisition capabilities.
4. Gate Your Wi-Fi Access
Offering free Wi-Fi can be a powerful method to collect customer data. By gating access—requiring customers to provide their name, email, and phone number before connecting—you transform a complimentary service into an effective lead generation tool.
“Wi-Fi is not for free. It will cost you your data” (04:45).
Platforms like Viva Spot can facilitate this process affordably, making it a strategic investment for data collection.
5. Optimize Your Website Footer
Ensure that every page of your website includes an email capture form in the footer. This constant presence increases the likelihood of visitors subscribing to your email list, capturing interest from potential diners at every visit.
6. Implement Website Pop-Ups
Pop-ups are effective for capturing emails, especially when timed around specific promotions or events. For example, swapping between targeted pop-ups for holidays (e.g., Thanksgiving, Christmas) and email sign-ups can maintain engagement and expand your subscriber base consistently.
7. Host Community and Charity Events
Engaging in community activities or charity events provides an excellent opportunity to collect data from a broader audience. Klose recommends the "Fishbowl Playbook," where restaurants give away prizes in exchange for customer information.
“You collect data all day... and at the end of the day you reach out to the five winners” (06:30).
By offering enticing prizes, such as gift cards or high-value items like a MacBook, restaurants can maximize data capture while fostering goodwill and brand awareness. Subsequent follow-up emails to all participants—even those who did not win—can convert interest into patronage.
“You didn’t win, but you’re still a winner” (07:45).
8. Partner with Nift
Nift is highlighted as a robust tool for capturing email addresses through partnerships. Although Klose does not delve deeply into specifics, he assures listeners of its effectiveness and promises to provide additional information in the show notes.
“Nift and go look them up. I'll put the website in the show notes” (08:45).
Guest Insight: Sterling Douglas on Chowley
At the 07:21 mark, Sterling Douglas, Co-Founder and CEO of Chowley, shares valuable insights into the challenges and solutions within the restaurant industry:
“In the last few years, restaurants have faced massive changes. Labor costs, food costs, rent, even payment processing costs are up so much that price increases alone can't cover it” (07:21).
Douglas discusses how the pandemic and other economic pressures have forced restaurants to adapt digitally, often resulting in a fragmented tech landscape. To combat this, Chowley offers an integrated platform that centralizes digital storefront management, including website optimization, digital marketing, and analytics.
“The Chowley platform isn't just a tool, it's a partner in running a more successful and profitable restaurant” (09:15).
Chowley aims to simplify operations by syncing with Google Business Profiles, managing paid ads, emails, and social media posts, and providing comprehensive data insights to drive sales and efficiency.
Conclusion
Chip Klose wraps up the episode by reiterating the significance of growing an email list as a key performance indicator (KPI) for restaurant marketers. By implementing the eight strategies discussed—from optimizing reservation systems and online orders to leveraging community events and strategic partnerships—restaurant owners can significantly enhance their email subscriber base. This growth not only fosters direct communication with diners but also drives repeat business and increases overall profitability.
“Net new subscribers... that is key” (10:00).
Klose encourages listeners to adopt these methods to ensure their restaurants thrive in an increasingly competitive and digitally-driven market.
Key Takeaways
- Email Marketing Dominance: Email remains the most effective channel for restaurant communication and customer engagement.
- Comprehensive Data Collection: Utilize all customer touchpoints—reservations, online orders, loyalty programs, and Wi-Fi access—to gather valuable data.
- Strategic Website Features: Incorporate consistent email capture forms and pop-ups on your website to convert visitors into subscribers.
- Community Engagement: Host events and offer enticing prizes to expand your reach and capture prospective customer information.
- Integrated Solutions: Consider platforms like Chowley and Nift to streamline data management and enhance marketing efforts.
- Focus on KPIs: Prioritize net new email subscribers as a critical metric for measuring marketing success and restaurant growth.
By following these strategies, independent restaurant owners can build a robust email list that drives consistent, predictable returns, ultimately leading to a more profitable and sustainable business.