The food industry is a sector that celebrates creativity. New dishes, new combinations, exotic products and so on. Why can’t the communication have that same level of creativity? In this blog I’ll take a look at the email marketing within the food industry. A part from that I’ll share some tips and tricks to make sure that your mails are as dynamic and tasty as the products you sell.
What’s in it for me?
By implementing good email marketing you can:
- Send emails instead of classic mailings via the post office. It’s faster and cheaper.
- Put yourself and your company on the map within your own segment. A part from that email is the best choice when it comes to addressing niche markets.
- Segment and personalize based on data. This way you increase your ROI.
- Compete with big corporations. It doesn’t matter how big you are as long as your strategy is on point.
- Build brand awareness with your clientele and prospects.
- Generate word of mouth: make good campaigns and people will talk about you.
- Loyalty: Clients that get a look behind the scenes, receive promotions,… are invested in the company and come back.
- Collaborate with suppliers, companies that operate in the same sector and so on.
Watch out!
- Don’t send to many mails. A newsletter and a couple of promotional mails a month will suffice. If you send to many mails there’s a good chance you will end up in the spam box.
- A subject line is of the utmost importance. The subject has to attract, make people want to read on.
- Make sure you’re mail is responsive on different devices. The client is getting more mobile so your communication has to be as well.
Collecting email adresses
Used to be easy-peasy, now it’s a bit more complicated. Thanks to the GDPR law our mails have to be captivating, creative and specific. It is our job as marketeers to attract people. Fortunately the food industry is filled with opportunities aren’t being used at the time. How do you make sure that people actually want to receive your emails or dare I say look forward to them?
- Make sure your website has clear opt-ins. If your customer can’t subscribe in a couple of clicks, you’ve lost him.
- Make sure your contact can unsubscribe with every contact. For example in an email, a reservation, an order and so on.
- You can print the URL of your website on the bill. You could also add a fun card to encourage them to subscribe.
They use mails to their advantage:
Breydel and beer
Breydel promotes the Breydel and beer event.
- They attract their clients by offering a classical combination. They offer two reginal products that Belgians are proud of.
- Breydel collaborates with renowned people. A famous sommelier and chef. This evokes confidence. These people want to endorse the event, they believe in the brand.
- The price for participating is clearly stated and it’s a reasonable price.
- The call to action at the end of the mail is clearly visible and very inviting.
Creative in green
B2 supermarkt uses Saint Patrick’s Day to get people into their store.
- The typical green color and clovers are present throughout the mail. It’s a very recognizable symbol that represents Saint Patrick’s day and Ireland. Holidays, not necessarily our own are a fun way to promote your product in a creative way.
- B2 supermarket organized sampling at the catering and a tasting of Irish Whiskey. To sweeten the pot everyone who bought Whiskey got 10 percent off. This to was a smart move. People that don’t like Whiskey come for the appetizers and vice versa.
- At the bottom of the mail are some recipes that hero Irish products. These are probably the same products you could taste in the store.
2 for one
Brasserie Latem reminds its clients of the upcoming food and wine event.
- They send out a soft reminder of the last mailing. The wording attracts clients.
- It’s a creative event where they team up with their suppliers. That builds trust between the company, their suppliers and clientele. A win for all sides involved.
- On top of the promotion for the event they share a new feature. Cashfree is a way to make life easier for the client. On top of that they offer an incentive for clients that use the new app. That works.
Need some inspiration?
Don’t take good communication for granted. It is a difficult task for even the most seasoned marketeer to find content that speaks to the client. The most important thing is that you attract attention. Use your newsletters and other communication to highlight your strongpoints or special occasions.
Introduce yourself, your product, your staff
- Make a series of videos about your staff, introduce them.
- Share a blog about the origins of your company.
- Put a new item or product on display.
Stand out using events and promotions
- Organize win back diners for clients you haven’t seen in a while.
- Organize a theme night: if you notice that Moroccan products are popular, organize a Moroccan day.
- Special occasions like holidays are an opportunity for every company. Invest in seasonal or reginal products to get the attention of your clients.
Invest time in the relationship with your clients
- Don’t be afraid to ask your clients for a review. Be proud of those reviews and share them!
- Loyalty programs can work in your advantage. Everyone loves to get presents, it doesn’t have to be big.
- Be sure to follow up. After for example a Groupon or Bongo coupon. People that are content return.
Don’t be afraid to use technology
- Look at successful companies and see what they do. Get inspired!
- Make a “behind the scenes” video where your chef or butcher explains his recipes step by step.
- You can make content attractive by using visuals. Videos, animations are always a good idea.
Follow our blog over the next few weeks for more tips and inspiration for different industries. Next up: Tourism!
