Personalized Marketing Made Easy: Why You Need Customer Groups for Your Restaurant

TLDR

If you’re running a restaurant in today's competitive market, you need every advantage to attract and retain loyal customers. One of the most effective ways to boost your marketing and drive sales is through personalized campaigns tailored to your customers' tastes and habits. With the ability to easily segment your customer base into groups based on key attributes like visit frequency, favorite menu items, and spending, you now have the power to provide highly targeted offers and messaging to the customers most likely to respond.

The Power of Customer Segmentation for Restaurants

Customer segmentation allows you to group your customers based on certain attributes like demographics, behaviors, and location. This gives you insight into their needs, preferences, and buying habits so you can craft personalized marketing campaigns that resonate with each segment.

For example, you may have one segment of customers who frequently order delivery and value convenience. You could send them mobile coupons for free delivery or discounts on large orders. Another segment may be families who dine in on weekends. For them, you could promote a family meal deal or kids eat free promotion.

Per Diem's new customer groups feature, integrated with Square POS, makes segmentation easy. You can sort your customers into groups based on criteria like:

• How often do they visit
• Average check size
• Menu preferences
• Location

Then, when you run a promotion, you can choose which groups receive it to maximize your impact. Sending the right message to the right customers is key.

Customer segmentation gives you a clear target, preventing you from generalizing your customers and sending aimless marketing messages. Your campaigns become more strategic, boosting response rates, customer loyalty, and sales. Personalization is the future of marketing, and customer segmentation is where it begins. Start grouping your customers today to stay ahead of the competition.

How Top Chains Use Customer Groups for Targeted Campaigns

Top chains like Starbucks, Panera Bread, and Chipotle are masters of customer segmentation. They divide their customers into groups based on factors like:

• Demographics like age, income, family status
• Purchase patterns and preferences
• Frequency of visits

Then they craft promotions and messaging tailored to each segment. For example, Starbucks sends their most loyal customers exclusive offers on new menu items to keep them engaged. They may also target younger customers with social media campaigns spotlighting trendy drinks.

With the customer groups feature right in your app, you can do the same. Divide your customers into segments like:

Loyal Locals

• Offer a free item after every 5th visit to keep them coming back.

Morning Mashers

• Send a weekly email or push notification with coffee and breakfast sandwich combos to regular early visitors.

Lapsed Customers

• Bring back customers with exclusive offers who haven't returned in 6-8 Weeks.

The benefits of customer segmentation are many. You can boost sales, increase customer lifetime value, and drive more traffic during off-peak hours. Most importantly, you can provide the personalized experience today’s customers expect.

Integrate Square POS for Seamless Segmentation

Integrating Square POS allows you to easily segment your customers into groups for targeted marketing campaigns. Square’s Customer Directory feature lets you organize customer profiles with details like order history, contact info, and marketing preferences. You can then build custom segments to group customers by attributes like:

Demographics

Age, location, gender, etc. Send birthday offers or location-based deals.

Purchasing Behavior

Segment by total spend, frequency of visits, items purchased, etc. Send exclusive offers to your VIP or most loyal customers.

Interests

Group customers by the types of products they prefer or the marketing content they engage with. Send coffee drinkers your new seasonal latte promotion or foodies your weekly specials.

Industry leaders like Starbucks, Panera Bread, and Shake Shack use customer segmentation to provide relevant offers and tailor the customer experience. For example, Starbucks uses purchase data to determine a customer’s preferred drink and location. They then send personalized offers for that customer’s “usual” when they’re near their frequented store.

With customer groups in the Per Diem app, with Square POS integration, you can achieve a similar level of personalization. Build custom segments of your most valuable customers and regulars. Send targeted promotions for the items they love most or exclusive first access to new menu launches. Strengthen relationships and boost loyalty by demonstrating you understand your customers' needs.

Per Diem Mobile App Makes Segmentation Simple

The Per Diem app integrates directly with Square POS to automatically track customer details like order history, contact info, and location data. This allows you to create tailored segments without time-consuming manual entry or guesswork. You can then launch segmented email campaigns, social media ads, and in-app notifications to connect with each group in a personalized way.

With the tap of a button, you can categorize your loyal customers and regulars into segments based on criteria like:

• Order frequency: Separate high-volume customers from infrequent visitors. Offer exclusive promotions to your most loyal segment.
• Favorite menu items: Group customers according to the types of food or drinks they prefer. Highlight promotions featuring those items specifically for each segment.
• Location: Create segments for customers that live or work within a certain radius of your restaurant. Geo-target promotions to drive business during off-peak hours.

Forbes research shows that consumer segments are more responsive to targeted messaging that speaks directly to their needs and preferences. The ability to break down your customer base into defined groups gives you the power to strengthen relationships and drive repeat business. 

Start Segmenting Customers Today

You know that not all customers are the same. Some visit weekly, while others only come in for special occasions. Loyal regulars likely prefer different menu items and specials than first-time diners. Segmenting your customer base into groups allows you to tailor your marketing and service to match their unique needs.

You can group customers by factors like:

• Frequency of visits (regular vs. occasional)
• Favorite menu items (coffee drinkers vs. pastry enthusiasts)
• Demographics (families vs. students)

Once you’ve defined your groups, send customized promotions and rewards through the Per Diem app. For example:

• Offer free coffee or bakery items to your most loyal customers.
• Send students a special “Study Break” discount during finals week.
• Promote family-friendly events and kids’ menus to parents.

Major chains like Starbucks, Panera, and Chipotle have found success with customer segmentation. According to studies, 70% of consumers are more likely to engage with personalized marketing messages. Customized rewards and offers make people feel valued, driving repeat business and word-of-mouth marketing.

The power of customer groups allows you to boost sales, build loyalty, and gain valuable insights into your patrons’ preferences. As their needs and interests change over time, you can easily adjust your marketing strategies to match. 

Final Thoughts

Standing out in today's competitive hospitality industry is challenging, but with the right tools and strategies, you can gain an edge. By utilizing customer groups to personalize your marketing, you make it easy for your loyal customers and new ones alike to connect with your business. You show them you understand their needs and interests, and that you appreciate their support. They help build a community and increase customer lifetime value, so take advantage of this powerful feature if you haven’t thought about it yet. Start engaging your customers in a whole new way and watch as your marketing becomes more effective and your business grows. The future of restaurant marketing is personal, and the future is now.