Existing customers are one of the largest untapped resources in marketing today. On average, 80% of a business’s revenue comes from 20% of their customer base. So how can you effectively increase the lifetime value of that crucial audience segment?

1. REMOVE FRICTION FROM EVERY INTERACTION

Rather than making a guest seek out your online reservation system, send them some suggested times through email and require just a single click to lock in their spot. The same goes for online orders. The easier it is to do, the more conversions you’ll see over time—especially now that 57% of customers prefer to order their food from a website (Toast Tab).

2. CONSIDER “SUGGESTIVE SELLING”

Instead of asking, “Do you want fries with that?” at the table, use your email campaigns to highlight exclusive or seasonal menu items that’ll up the check. Similarly, offer pairings that will accompany whatever foods they’re typically interested in, whether it’s an appetizer or a particular type of wine.

3. CONNECT THE RIGHT DATA POINTS

When you integrate your email platform with a tool like Venga or Marketing Vitals, you can use point-of-sale data to segment your emails and ensure the right subscribers get the right promotions. For instance, segment out only your big spenders for holidays you know you’ll be booked up, or use consumer habits (e.g. gluten-free diners or wine drinkers) to invite people to exclusive, targeted tasting events.