The start of the year can be slow; the weather’s gloomy, customer funds are tight after Christmas, and we’re all saving for summer holidays. And because people aren’t going out so much, venues sit empty most of the time, so you’re missing the atmosphere – it’s a vicious cycle.
For hotel and venue owners, it’s time to get creative. Whether it’s running promotions, theme nights or off-peak pricing, there are plenty of simple solutions to bring in new customers.
At VenueScanner, we see first-hand how businesses use their marketing effectively to tap into changing trends and seasonal events – which is vital during low season. And as a tech platform ourselves, we know a key part of effective marketing is choosing the right technology. Here are some of our tips to spice things up if you’re suffering from the new year slump:
Plan for the future, but start now
Marketing: Whether it’s social media ad spend, marketing partners or listings platforms, look at options that can make your life easier and put your brand in front of as many of your target market as possible.
Find your target audience during the low seasons: Use platforms like Google Trends to identify popular searches and use these to tap into what your audiences are looking for. If you can keep them coming back when times are tough, you’ll have them year round.
Start up your social media: It’ll help you reach more people who might not have heard about you. And building a following takes time, so if you start now you’ll have plenty of content to draw people in during the summer.
New year, new you: Spring cleaning isn’t just for spring. The start of a new year is the perfect time to think about what is and isn’t working and maybe change things up. Look at your website analytics to see how content is performing, or speak to your listings partners to understand what demand they’re seeing – can you tidy up your image bank, or push new content to your website visitors to make your activity perform better?
Ask your customers what they think: After all, they know best. From using your social media channels or employing a partner to survey customers on your behalf, customer feedback can help you find areas for improvement and give you a little inspiration when you might need it.
Set up promotions and packages: Everyone loves the feeling of finding a good deal. And packages make perfect gifts.
Run events and theme nights: Exciting events will help draw new people in and theme nights can bring a new crowd of regulars – if Taylor Swift is touring your area, how can you get the Swifties through the door, or if there’s a TV finale on, what about showing it on a big screen? Online trends data can show you real-time results for what people are looking for, so make it work for you.
Offer off-peak pricing: Times are tough for businesses, but they’re also tough for customers. If you can afford them, lower prices mean they’ll be able to keep coming back, so it’s a win-win.
Set up a loyalty programme: Sometimes it’s just as simple as appreciating your loyal customers. Have a good Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system that you regularly update, and make sure you keep those customers updated with the latest deals and offers – particularly if you can make it bespoke to their needs.
Prioritise people
Think about customer experience: Now’s the time to focus on what your customers want and need and look for areas of improvement. Think about the user experience at every touch point – from your website and social media, to the venue itself.
Work with other local businesses: Two heads are better than one. If you can work with other local businesses to create packages or run events, it’ll help you both bring in business, while also building relationships.
Train your people: Investing in your people can go a long way. And if you’ve got some new recruits, it’s always good to make sure they’re confident before you hit peak times.
Building a strong marketing strategy now, and investing in technology where you can, can help you manage the quieter times and drive future growth.