Let me say this straight up…
If your automation strategy starts and ends with a “Happy Birthday, here’s 10% off” — you’re leaving serious money on the table.
I’ve just come off the back of the me&u connect event, and its reinforced something I’ve been banging on about for years:
The venues and businesses winning right now are the ones using smart, behaviour-driven automations — not lazy, set-and-forget ones.
This isn’t about more emails. It’s about better-timed, better-targeted communication.
Let’s get into what actually works.
1. Bookings-Based SMS = Low Effort, High Impact
This one is criminally underused.
Set up simple SMS flows:
- Booking confirmation
- Reminder on the day
- Post-dining follow-up
That last one? Gold.
A simple SMS after a visit:
“Hey [Name], thanks for dining with us tonight – we’d love your feedback.”
Or better:
“Loved your visit? Leave us a quick review here.”
You’re hitting them when the experience is still fresh – not 3 days later when they’ve forgotten what they even ordered.
And with SMS open rates sitting around 90%+, this cuts through instantly.
2. Weather-Triggered Campaigns (This is Your Cheat Code)
This is where it gets fun – and where most businesses are asleep.
You can trigger campaigns based on weather conditions.
Rainy day?
- “No one wants to cook tonight – we have you sorted”
- Push takeaway, delivery or comfort food
Sunny day?
- “Drunks on the deck are calling”
- Promote outdoor dining, cocktails, quick bookings
You’re not guessing what people want, you’re responding to their environment in real time.
This works ridiculously well for:
- Cafes, Restaurants, Food Trucks, Bars, and Tourism Operators.
And yes…SMS works brilliantly here for immediacy.
3. Birthday Campaigns (But Make Them Strategic)
Stop sending birthday emails on the actual birthday.
It’s too late.
If you want bookings, functions and group spend, you need to get in early.
What we do instead:
- Trigger a campaign 3-6 months prior for milestone birthdays
- Position it as:
- “Got a big birthday coming up?”
- “Let’s plan something special”
This is how you secure:
- Group bookings
- Events
- Pre-spend
Not just a free drink on the day.
4. Win-back Campaigns (Without Always Discounting)
Another one people overcomplicate.
If someone hasn’t engaged with your business in 90 days, you don’t always need to throw a discount at them.
Sometimes…a simple reminder works.
“Hey, we haven’t seen you in a while — we’d love to have you back.”
That’s it.
No offer. No gimmick.
And you’d be surprised how many people:
Because you’ve just reminded them you exist.
Then yes — if needed:
- Layer in a freebie
- Add a soft incentive
- Test a limited-time offer
But don’t lead with discounting. Ever.
5. Personalisation That Goes Beyond First Name
If your “personalisation” is just:
“Hi {{FirstName}}”
We need to talk.
Real personalisation looks like:
- Referencing past visits
- Favourite dishes
- Booking times
- Behaviour patterns
Example:
“Ready for your usual Friday night wine?”
That’s the difference between:
- Generic marketing
- And marketing that converts
So What’s the Big Takeaway?
Automation isn’t about:
- Set and forget
- Batch and blast
- Ticking a box
It’s about:
- Timing
- Relevance
- Behaviour
The businesses getting this right are:
- Filling seats faster
- Increasing repeat visits
- Building actual loyalty (not just chasing new customers)
Final Word
If your current setup is:
- One welcome email
- One birthday email
- And nothing else…
You’re barely scratching the surface.
This is where your real revenue lives.
And the best part?
Once it’s set up properly, it runs in the background — consistently driving bookings, sales and engagement.
No extra effort. Just smarter marketing.
Ready to get started with automation, or want to improve your current systems? Let’s chat.
