The challenge
Augie's collected emails on a paper sign-up sheet. Customers ignored it, updating it was tedious, and staff quickly abandoned it.
With only 1,000 emails, promoting tastings and events was difficult.
Augie's also had no way to reach the right people with event news.
The solution
1. Guest WiFi: Replace the clipboard with a branded portal
Owner Austin Amento set up Adentro (formerly Zenreach) Guest WiFi in two meetings. Customers logged in through an Augie's-branded portal with an email address, and collection started as soon as the hardware was plugged in.
2. Customer Data: Track visits automatically
Customer Data added each email to the list and tracked visits, whether or not the guest logged on to WiFi again.
3. Email Marketing: Promote tastings through email only
Email Marketing sent smart messages and blasts. Tastings were advertised only on the email list, and Austin tested messages and subject lines based on open rates.
4. Walk-Through Rate™: Measure returns within seven days
Walk-Through Rate™ matched recipients to return visits within seven days of a smart message.
Open rates and visit matches were reported separately from event sales and exact attendance attribution.
The results
- 21,000+ email contacts, up from 1,000
- 35% open rate, on smart messages
- 12% walk-Through Rate™, within seven days of smart messages
- Hundreds of attendees at tastings advertised only by email
- Warehouse sales outperformed in-store merchandise sales