Global hospitality marketing and operations platform SevenRooms launched Text Marketing in Australia at the end of February.
Text Marketing enables pubs, bars, and other venues to send marketing campaigns through SMS and WhatsApp, measurably (and significantly) increasing guest engagement.
With a staggering 94 per cent open rate, consumers, especially the 37 per cent of Gen Z who prefer SMS over other forms of marketing, look at engagement via text as more convenient and authentic.
Launched in the United States late last year, SevenRooms’ data showed that the average return on investment is approximately twenty-four times, generating average revenue of almost $3K AUD per campaign.
Text Marketing ensures relevant and engaging content is delivered at the right time, and connected with current customer data, can be tailored specifically to recipients with time-sensitive information such as last-minute availability, events and menu highlights, depending on the recipient’s current profile and spending behaviour.
In times where consumers are looking for genuine connections through social media and marketing, Text Marketing currently holds untapped potential for hospitality venues.
Yet according to SevenRooms’ research, currently only around one third of Australian venues plan to focus on SMS marketing.
This means there is enormous untapped potential in both revenue and customer engagement for pubs and clubs this year.
SevenRooms co-founder and chief product officer, Allison Page, said that for venues in Australia, Text Marketing is a critical channel.
“As the needs of our customers – and their guests – have evolved, so too must the communication channels they use to reach their guests with timely and relevant marketing messages.
“Designed exclusively with restaurants in mind, Text Marketing helps operators send customisable messages more likely to convert to automated guest segments in a few clicks – reaching guests instantly.
“Plus, with point-of-sale integrations tied directly into our CRM, restaurants can, for the first time, launch campaigns that enhance the guest experience while understanding ROI,” she said.
SevenRooms is an all-in-one platform encompassing reservations, table management, review aggregation, and a variety of marketing tools.
Text Marketing has been built on the company’s recent acquisition of AI SMS marketing platform HeyPluto.
Major hotel groups Australian Venue Co, Merivale and Solotel are amongst its 10 thousand global clients.
