For Sports Bars, Sports Content is King
Perhaps the biggest challenge facing restaurant marketers today is identifying relevant content that will motivate a guest to take action. Which is exactly why marketing a sports bar has an incredible advantage that other restaurant concepts simply can’t emulate — the sports calendar. Unlike other restaurant operators, sports bars can target guests with specific events that are likely to drive them to visit.
Do any of you remember the term Appointment TV? It was coined back in the day when there was no streaming TV. Back then, if you wanted to watch your favorite show, you had to be in front of the television at the appointed hour to catch the broadcast. Sports is the only version of Appointment TV that remains these days. That means we know when the games begin and we can build excitement and interest knowing exactly when guests will show up.
Your Sports TV Calendar is Full of Marketing Opportunities
The key to implementing a strategy surrounding the sports calendar is a software platform that delivers advanced Customer Relations Management (CRM) tools such as work-flow automations and tagging. We recently introduced our new email marketing system, STVG HQ, which includes all the tools you’ll need to implement strategies surrounding the sports calendar.
The first such tool is our Email Schedule Widget. This simple plug-in to our email marketing platform lets you identify key games you want to promote and send a list of them to guests in a timely manner. This invitation strategy speaks directly to why your guests visit your sports-themed restaurant or bar in the first place, to WATCH SPORTS!
But how do you know what they want to watch to begin with?
How Sports TV + CRM = Sports Bar Success
That’s where CRM delivers. We start by surveying your guests as to their favorite teams and then include those favorites in the individual guest profiles in your STVG HQ contacts list. This allows you to identify dominant team interest and then send an email specific to the team’s schedule.
For example, if you are the Pittsburgh Steeler bar in a city outside of Pennsylvania, you can identify your guests that love the Steelers and send them a special invite or offer for their games. This type of personalized messaging just isn’t included in other email marketing tools.
However, that’s not where it ends.
Some of the best content to promote are national events like the Men’s NCAA Basketball National Tournament. With our CRM based automations, we pre-build promotions that will invite guests to visit for the tournament and even participate in a bracket challenge. All you need to do is determine the prizes you will provide to the winners of each round and special offers to drive guests to visit as the tournament progresses.
The focus on the sports calendar opportunities is important, but it isn’t the limit of what STVG HQ delivers. We have built a dashboard where you can manage all your email marketing, access the pre-built campaigns we offer (think birthday and loyalty rewards), and a simple way to customize your branding. It also includes direct access to your SportsTV Guide to allow you one place to visit to accomplish multiple tasks.
BONUS: Special Offer to STVG Subscribers
Now through the end of the 2024, SportsTV Guide Subscribers can get UPGRADED Concierge Level marketing service (a $3600/year value) at Pro level pricing of just $150/month for 2500+ contacts. This includes your STVG subscription! Plus:
- Complete technical setup, including migration of your email templates and contact list
- Unique newsletter and single-send email template designs, exclusive to your brand
- Base email campaign and design setup (birthday, reward programs, etc.)
- Email marketing planning meetings with the STVG HQ staff
- Prebuilt sports-themed promotions (March Madness, Weekly Football Cards, etc.)
- Content creation for your email marketing and social campaigns
To learn more about STVG HQ and to schedule your free demo to see it action, visit here.
Leave A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.