May 14, 2010 - by Abbie Hanks
Marketing… is it an art or a science?
This is a debate that never seems to end. Anyone in a marketing role knows it’s a combination of both… and with that in mind what do you measure and what do you put down to art?
Being in the restaurant business, your marketing return is easily calculated — is your restaurant full? What are your customers saying online? Those are among many key metrics. But how do you measure success and failure?
Some key things worth measuring:
- Newsletter subscribers and unique visitors to your website
- Conversion of your website visitors to actual bookings
- Conversion of newsletter click-throughs to actual bookings
- Online mentions using free tools such as Google Analytics and Google Alerts
- Conversations you are having on Twitter and influential followers
If you are looking to focus, I suggest paying particular attention to user reviews. Livebookings runs a free service called Livebookings Barometer that enables your guests to tell you about their dining experience by answering a few simple questions in an online survey, providing you with the knowledge to improve your business.
Each month, Livebookings sends you a summary report that allows you to benchmark your performance against the rest of the UK restaurant industry. The report helps you identify highs and lows in performance on a day-to-day and week-to-week basis, spot important service issues that your guests have highlighted, get an understanding of your diners’ needs and most importantly, rate your restaurant alongside your relevant competitors.
