Bi-line: Michael L. Atkinson: ResTech Entrepreneur, Investor, and Co-founder of ARI Venture Studio | @michaelatkinson | michael@arivs.ai
Welcome to 'Atkinson on AI,' a column exploring AI in the restaurant and hospitality industry. I'm Michael L. Atkinson, and I’ll attempt to demystify AI and reveal its practical applications for restaurant operators and anyone curious about technology's impact on the industry. AI is not a distant concept; it’s here now. By embracing AI, we can create more efficient, personalized, and profitable restaurants. Join me as we explore the future of food service.
Let’s talk about reaching your customers. AI can revolutionize your marketing efforts, allowing you to target the right people, at the right time, with the right message. Imagine a system that analyzes customer behavior and preferences, identifying your most valuable segments. It can then create personalized marketing campaigns, delivered through the channels your customers prefer. AI can also track campaign performance in real-time, allowing you to optimize your strategy for maximum impact.
The Technology Powering Personalized Restaurant Marketing
Achieving precise marketing in the restaurant industry requires a blend of general and specialized AI-powered tools. These fall into key categories:
- Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) & Restaurant-Specific CRM/Loyalty Platforms: These unify customer data.
- Generic: Salesforce Data Cloud, Adobe Experience Cloud, Tealium.
- Restaurant-Specific: Olo, Thanx, and Paytronix, among others. These integrate ordering, loyalty, and on-premise data for comprehensive customer profiles.
- Marketing Analytics Platforms: These analyze data to identify trends and measure campaign success.
- Generic: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Mixpane, among othersl.
- Restaurant-Focused Analytics: Platforms linked to POS (e.g., Toast, Square, and PAR, among others) offer restaurant-specific insights.
- Personalized Marketing & Engagement Platforms: These enable tailored customer interactions.
- Generic: Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Adobe Campaign, HubSpot Marketing Hub.
- Restaurant-Centric: eg: Klaviyo, Iterable, and marketing modules within Olo and Thanx allow personalized offers based on order history.
- AI-Powered Social Media Management & Advertising: These optimize social media presence and ads.
- Generic: Meta Advantage+, Revealbot, Smartly.io., among others
- Restaurant Application: Targeting local audiences, managing reviews, and analyzing brand sentiment.
- AI-Driven Email & SMS Marketing: These personalize direct communication.
- Generic: Mailchimp, SendGrid with AI, Smartwriter, among others.
- Restaurant-Focused: Attentive (SMS) and email features in Klaviyo and restaurant CRMs enable personalized promotions and updates.
Use Case: Targeted Social Media Ads and Personalized Email Campaigns.
Integrating data from restaurant CDPs like Olo with AI social media tools like Meta Advantage+ allows targeting local users who frequently order specific cuisines with relevant ads. Similarly, AI within Klaviyo, analyzing order data from Thanx, enables personalized email campaigns to loyalty members with discounts on favorite dishes or recommendations.
Why it Matters:
This precision boosts marketing effectiveness, reaching likely responders and maximizing ROI, while also strengthening customer relationships through relevant experiences. AI analyzing social media and review platforms (like Yelp, Trip Advisor and Google Reviews) helps identify trends and address concerns proactively. By strategically using these AI-powered technologies, restaurants can create a more engaging, efficient, and profitable customer experience. Consider how these tools can transform your restaurant's marketing strategy.