Promotional Text Messages – how to get it right.

In an ideal world any good pub manager would love to have the time to tell every one of their customer’s about every event and promotion they have on. Well they can, by using the outbound text service on their Vidimixer.

The Vidimixer has an easy to use promotional text service which pub managers can use to market to their customer database. It will only take minutes and can be very effective with a high conversion rate. Here are a few tips to make the most from your messages.

Keep your text message short, concise with a call to action.

Text message advertising works so effectively because people take their mobile phones with them everywhere and can use them for everything! From using it as an alarm clock or calculator to updating Facebook or simply texting a friend, it barely ever leaves your sight! The other great advantage of a text is that it is very difficult not to read one, when it arrives.

So, those are the benefits, but once the message has been opened, you must make sure the reader is immediately drawn in to read the message. Do this by keeping the words to a minimum and concentrating on getting only the relevant information into the text.

For example:

Beer or no Beer at the White Horse Friday from 9pm. Cash Prize to be won. Visit us today to try out new cocktail menu. Don’t miss out!

Use the text message to create an offer.

Give your customers even more reason to read their text messages by adding an exclusive discount or offer. This will also encourage customers to get themselves down to your pub, especially if there is a time limit in which to use the offer.

For example:

New Curry Night menu launching this Monday. 2 for 1 with this text message. Don’t miss out! This offer for one night only!

Build your contact database by giving your customers a reason to text in.

The quickest and easiest way to build your contact database is for your customers to text your Vidimixer. Once the Vidimixer receives the text message, it automatically stores the number. The most effective way of encouraging your customers to text in is to give them a really great incentive. This can include anything from asking them to answer a question for the chance to win a prize, choose a video track or simply create an on-screen advert asking them to text in to receive details of promotions and VIP offers.

Text out regularly and in advance

For the greatest impact, you should try to text out regularly and preferably at a similar time each week so that your customers begin to expect the information. Also, send texts in plenty of time so that customers have time to organise themselves.

For a guide on how to text out using your Vidimixer, click here.

Join the conversation

We’d love to know your opinions on the following subjects:

How do you plan you use the Outbound Text Marketing facility on Vidimixer in the future?

Do you have any tips on great promotional texts you’d like to share?Have you ever received a great marketing text you’d like to share?Or…

Leave us a comment on anything you like or ask a question, we’ll get back to you…

Case Study – The Beehive’s Text Message Promotions

How The Beehive uses Text Messages As A Really Effective Marketing Tool

• Lez uses his Vidimixer to send text messages to his customers to advertise up coming events.
• He has built a database of mobile numbers by getting his customers to choose a song via text, with the incentive of having the chance of winning a free drink and the promise of receiving information about up coming events.
• Promotional texts are sent out to his customers in the database inviting them to claim a free drink by showing the code in the message. He picks the customers at random from his customer database.

How Vidimixer helped

• Lez has worked with Adam at Vidimixer swapping ideas and tips as to how he can best use his Vidimixer.
• An on-line training session gave Lez the knowledge to be able to use the Vidimixer text message service.

Who is on the Text Database

• Lez has been collecting his customer numbers by encouraging anyone with a mobile phone to text into the system for the opportunity to receive promotional offers and events news.

Lez’s advice on sending great Outbound Text Messages

• Build your database by encouraging your customers to choose a song and explain how to do it.
• Make sure your customers know what they’ll get from the text they receive.
• Send the texts out 3 days in advance to make sure that your customers can make the arrangements to be there!

An example of The Beehives text messages  (Sent Feb 22)

What a weekend we have for you…Saturday night Live at The Hive presents Syntronix – the premier 80′s synth covers band then on sunday we have February’s quiz from 8! Come on down

Lez says that sending marketing texts has increased the number of people attending the events he advertises proving that his commitment to building a great database of numbers has paid off.

Join the conversation…..

We’d love to know your opinions on the following subjects:

How do you plan to use the outbound marketing texts on Vidimixer?

Do you have any great idea’s for a great promotion you’d like to share?

Or…

Leave us a comment on anything you like or ask a question, we’ll get back to you…

BTW, this week could leave you with a packed pub!

Whether your pub is in Oxford or Retford, you can still use British Tourism Week (10th – 18th March)to as a great way to get more customers in to your pub and coming

Read on and you will find out how inviting your local MP in a games night will pull in the punters.  back week after week. 

Preparation Time: 2 hour deciding your events

Cooking Time: 6 hours planning and organising (this will pay off when you have a full pub for British Tourism Week)

Serves: One full pub for British Tourism Week

Ingredients:

• Constituency Day: Invite your local MP down to a Games Night in you pub on Friday 16th March to show their support of pubs and to answer any questions  your locals have.

• Invite the local media: Get some publicity for your pub and your events by inviting the local media to the constituency day visit.

• Get your customers involved: Get your customers down to your pub to meet their local MP and put their questions to him/her.

• Advertise on screen: Create some on screen adverts using the images on your Vidimixer now and start advertising the events you have planned for British Tourism Week. Make sure you include Constituency Day and Mothers Day.

• Send out text messages: Send out texts to all of your customers to tell them that their local MP  is going to be at your pub.

Method:

1. Contact your MP and invite him/her down to you pub to get involved.
2. Contact the local media and invite them down to your pub on Constituency Day.
3. Decide how you will be advertising the events.
4. Register your events on the BTW website: Get extra publicity by advertising your pub’s events: http://www.visitengland.org/england-tourism-industry/etw/ETW12Events.aspx
5. Create on screen adverts giving details of the events, prizes and food/drinks offers.
6. Send out texts and schedule adverts to get as many people as possible into your pub.

Here’s one we made earlier……

Saturday:

Launch Night Party: Put on a great party using your Vidimixer karaoke and playlists.  Make sure your customers know what you have planned for the coming week and invite the media to help publicise it.

Sunday:

Games Night: Host a night of great entertainment using the games and quizzes on the Vidimixer. Chris at The Old Bell gives this advice on using the games and quizzes:

“We incorporate the Hi Lo game and boogie bingo into our quiz’s. Every contestant gets a raffle ticket… The winning player then takes part in play your cards right game and if they get to the end of the row of cards they choose one of our prize boxes to take back to their table…We also play the boogie bingo where a line and a full house gets you a box. If the top prize isn’t won it rolls over and doubles for the next quiz. It’s my favourite night of the month.”

Monday:

Pub Quiz: Use the quiz rounds on the Vidimixer to create a great quiz night. Take a look at the different rounds here.

Tuesday:

Fundraising Event: Put on a fundraising quiz marathon!

Wednesday:

On demand entertainment: Allow your customer’s to choose the event they would like that evening.  Anything from Boogie Bingo to Karaoke, it’s their choice!

Thursday:

Karaoke Competition: Host a karaoke competition using the Vidimixer’s text polling!

Friday:

Local MP Visit: Invite your MP down to your pub to help you celebrate the pub’s place in tourism.

Saturday:

Theme Night: Use a pre-made playlist on the Vidimixer to create a great theme night. You have everything from Grease to an 80s theme night.

Sunday:

Mothers Day: Keep an eye for the Mother Day blog post coming soon…..

Case Study – The Arrow’s Michael Jackson Theme Night

How The Arrow hosted it’s Michael Jackson Theme Nights

• The Arrow took  inspiration from reading the Vidimixer Event recipes which are sent out on the Newsletter each week and decided on an MJ theme night.
• They decorated the pub in an 80s theme, complete with glitter ball to add to the atmosphere and authenticity.
• They created their own on screen adverts to ensure as many knew about the event as possible.
• All the Arrow’s staff told as many of their customers about the upcoming events as possible.
• All staff members got into the spirit of the event by wearing fancy dress.
• The pre-prepared Michael Jackson playlist on the Vidimixer and MJ karaoke tracks provided the music and entertainment.

How Vidimixer helped

• The Arrow staff contacted Vidimixer helpdesk  for advice and suggestions after seeing the Event Recipe for the Michael Jackson tribute night in the weekly newsletter.
• Adam helped with advice on how to to use the playlists and karaoke on the Vidimixer to create a great theme night.

Who attends the Theme Nights?

• Theme nights at The Arrow attract a large number of regulars and they tend to bring their friends too.
• Theme nights have been a great way of attracting new customers through word of mouth and customers bringing ‘new faces’ along.

Advice from the Arrow on putting on a great Theme Night

• Use a theme which your regulars will enjoy attending. Try to be inclusive and get as many people involved as you can, they are a great tool to generate business and make sure your customers have fun.
• Talk to your customers about your theme nights and get them enthused!
• Get your staff involved to add to the atmosphere.

Join the conversation…..

We’d love to know your opinions on the following subjects:

How do you host a theme night in your pub?

What is the most popular theme night?

What would you send a text to your customers about?

Or…

Leave us a comment on anything you like or ask a question, we’ll get back to you…

Theme Night Tips and a great Theme Night Event Recipe

Tips on hosting a theme night:

A theme night is a great way to attract customers and boost the morale of your staff by having lots of fun. Pub goers love having fun and will really appreciate it if you go the extra mile. Planning the theme night is half the fun. Below are some tips to make it go with a bang and is nice and easy to prepare:

1. Put yourself in your customers shoes when deciding what themes to do. What will put a big smile on their faces?
2. Be relevant! Use topical and calendar events and take inspiration from events that are popular each and every year! Halloween, Easter & Mothers Day for example!
3. You’ve got the playlists but don’t forget to add Karaoke! It’s so easy to do with Vidimixer!
4.  Make sure everyone (and his dog) knows about it. Advertise on screen and send out text messages to all of your customers. Why not add a special offer code to the text message?
5. Update your Vidimixer regularly: Make sure you have all the tracks you need for your theme night by updating your Vidimixer every month. You get plenty of the classics as well as the new tracks on each update!

Theme Night Recipe Example – A Swinging 60s Night – Twist & Shout!!

Ingredients

• Karaoke tracks: Make your theme night fun, fun, fun and encourage your customers to get up and sing some 60s classics.

• Playlist: Use the pre-made 60s playlist in your Vidimixer’s advert manager to create a great atmosphere. You can use it just as it is, or add more tracks if you wish.

• Competition: Hold a competition for the best dressed or even the best dancer! Maybe a dance tribute to Mick Jagger?

• Fancy Dress: Half the fun of the theme night is in the dressing up, so make sure your customers know the dress code.

• Adverts: You have images in the Vidimixer Theme Nights folder to create a great on screen advert or give Vidimixer helpdesk a call!

• Quiz/games: A game of Boogie Bingo would be the perfect way to get everyone in the mood for dancing!

• Text messages: Send out text messages to your customers with offer codes for them to use on the night.

Method

• Plan the entertainment you’re featuring during your theme night, concentrating on keeping people in longer.
• Decide on the prizes you will be awarding for your Boogie Bingo games.
• Plan how your karaoke and music will be hosted.
• Decide on your fancy dress requirements.
• Design an on-screen advert giving details of all your offers and prizes.
• Send out text messages to all your customers and schedule your on screen adverts to make sure no-one misses out.

Here’s one we made earlier….

6.30pm: Begin your Boogie Bingo games.

8pm: Get them dancing and signing along with your 60s Playlist.

10pm: Encourage your customers to perform some classic 60s karaoke tracks.

11pm: Award fancy dress prize for best dressed or for your best dancer.

England vs Holland 29/02/11

Showing the international games are a great way of getting people into your pub, but how do you make sure they know you’re showing the game and get them in early? Read this event recipe and find out what really works in Vidimixer pubs!

Preparation Time: 30 minutes deciding your events (pick from the list below)

Cooking Time: 2 hours planning and organising (this will pay off when you have a full pub)

Serves: Your football regulars and their friends

Ingredients

• Advertise: Use the images on your Vidimixer to create great on screen adverts. A tip from Lez at the Beehive  is to “remind them about the games when you do your normal quiz/karoake/BONB etc…”
• Use a game to get people in earlier: A great tip from Becky at the Carleton  is to encourage  your customers to get down to your pub early is to use Beer or No Beer:  “..if we’re using BONB as a warm up to a match to get people in early we often give a raffle ticket away with their pint and advertise a free round before match kick off. I’ve noticed we see a lot of the same faces turning up much earlier than before so this appears to be working…..”
• Send out text messages with offer codes to your customers to encourage them to choose your pub to watch the games.
• Use the Football playlist in your Playlist Manager to create a great atmosphere.

Method

1. Decide on the ingredients you are going to use.
2. Plan your Beer or No Beer prizes. Contact Vidimixer if you want to make any changes to your prizes. For example, you could use Jaden at the Coopers suggestion of  “offering a prize of Priority Seating and waitress service for the Jackpot Prize. You could use this prize for the next footy game you show, to make sure your winner comes back next time”.
3. Start advertising the games now, giving details of why your customers should choose to watch the games at your pub.
4. Send out text so your customers know what you’re doing.

Here’s One We Made Earlier…

6.00pm: Hand out raffle tickets with your customers first drink or sell them to your early birds

7.00pm: Draw your winning raffle ticket and begin your game of Beer or No Beer

8.00pm: Watch the game

10.00pm: Draw a second raffle ticket for your next player’s chance to win priority seating for the next game you show.

Case Study – The Boundary House’s Scrutiny Games

How Scrutiny plays a big part in The Boundary’s ROTW…

• Andy Hewitt, manager of The Boundary House, uses Scrutiny as an On Demand game that entertains his regular student drinkers to keep them in his pub longer.
• A game  of Scrutiny is also included as part of Andy’s Weekly quiz.

How Vidimixer have helped…

• Andy received training on the Vidimixer after it was installed.
• Andy has kept in close contact with all of us at Vidimixer and has had input into the development of some features (thanks Andy we appreciate it!). He was  a test site for some new games, including Beer or No Beer.

Who plays…

• Andy feels that it is most popular amongst the younger crowd. He’s found it a good tool to keep students happy.
• Although popular with the younger crowd a  mixture of all ages play during the quiz night and enjoy it.

Andy’s advice for playing Scrutiny…

• Keep a young crowd happy and entertained by playing a game of Scrutiny for the chance of winning a free drink.
• When using Scrutiny as an on demand game, Andy will play 3 games at regular intervals throughout the day or evening to keep the students in and encouraging them to come back the next day.

Join the conversation…

We’d love to know your opinions on the following subjects:

How do you play Scrutiny in your pub? Have you tried it yet?

What music tracks do you think work best on Scrutiny?

Or…

Leave us a comment on anything you like or ask a question, we’ll get back to you…

Tips on how to play Scrutiny – the fast paced music memory game

1. Use as part of your quiz night: Scrutiny has all the latest tracks, and would be perfect to use on your Quiz night. It would go well in a Music Quiz, or even a General Knowledge Quiz.
2. Play as a team game: Scrutiny is a great way of getting everyone involved and working together to remember what happened in the previous video.
3. Keep people longer: Use it as a stand alone game as a way of keeping your customer in for a game or two.
4. Show it on all screens: Make sure you show it on all screens so that everyone in the pub can see the game and join the quiz next time.
5. Keep track of the games you’re playing: Each game you play will be dropped to the bottom on the list in your Scrutiny App, so it’s best to choose the first games in the list.

How Scrutiny works

Scrutiny is a fast paced visual memory game based around fantastic music videos from the Vidimixer library, that will really grab your customer’s attention. Each game will show 10 clips of music videos. The first video will be played, lasting for approximately 25 seconds. While the 2^nd video is being played, there will be a question about the previous video, and so on until all 10 videos have been played.

The questions range from “complete the missing word” to “what object was behind Leona Lewis”, and “How many JLS members were wearing bow ties”! This way, you are not just being tested on your knowledge; you are also being tested on observation and memory.

The music videos used in Scrutiny range from the 70s right up to the latest tracks, so there’s something for everyone.

How to play

1. Select the game by hitting the game icon on the left

2. Hit the play button to start the game.

3. Hit the pause button to temporarily stop a game. Hit play again to restart.

4. Hit stop to finish a game.

5. To show answers hit the Answer button, and restart the game by hitting the play button.

6. When finished, hit the Red X at the top right corner of the screen to exit back to the Games wheel.

The instructions can also be found on the right hand side of the game screen.

How many players?

Scrutiny is a team game. It gets everyone involved, trying to remember what happened in the previous video.

Quiz Type

Scrutiny is a test of your knowledge, observation and memory.

Duration

Each round has 10 questions, each at 30 seconds, so 1 game would last roughly 5 minutes. Then a further 5 minutes to go through the answers. 2 rounds can last half an hour+. Don’t forget to give your customers time to get to the bar between games.

Join the conversation…

We’d love to know your opinions on the following subjects:

How do you play Scrutiny? Do you have a tip you’d like to share?

What tracks are most effective?

Or…

Leave us a comment on anything you like or ask a question, we’ll get back to you…

Brit Awards After Party

The Brit Awards is a great reason to have a party and celebrate the great musical talent in the UK.  You can either hold it on the day of the Brits and show the excitement as it unfolds or hold it as a separate event.  Either way, you will have plenty of entertainment to put on and your customers will love an excuse to get dressed up!

Preparation Time: 30 minutes deciding your events (pick from the list below)

Cooking Time: 2 hours planning and organising (this will pay off when you have a full pub)

Serves: One full pub for 5-7 hours

Ingredients:

To create the perfect event, you should choose at least 5

• Brit Awards Karaoke: Encourage your customers to perform as the nominated acts.
• Music Quiz: Get your customers in the right frame of mind with any of the music quizzes on the Vidimixer. You have plenty to choose from, including Scrutiny, Boogie Bingo and Name that Tune.
• Dress Code: Encourage your customer’s to come as a celebrity, would any of them dare to go as Lady Gaga? Or ask them just to wear their best party dresses.

• Brits playlist: Create a playlist of all the artists featuring at the Brits this year.
• Awards for best dressed: Don’t let your customer’s efforts go unappreciated, give a prize to the best.
• Goody Bags: Every awards show provides a goody bag for the stars to enjoy.  You could invite local businesses to donate goody bags to advertise their products

• Advertise on screen: Create some great on screen adverts to advertise your Brit Awards Event.

• Send out Text Messages: Send out texts inviting your customers to your event.  Add a promotional code for a free drink to give people even more of a reason to be there.

Method

1. Create an entertainment schedule.  Take the time to plan your entertainment to get your customer’s in earlier and keep them in longer.  For example, put a quiz on early with a great prize to get people through the door and make sure your main  entertainment begins later in the evening.
2. Plan what prizes will be given and when they will be awarded.
3. Plan which music quizzes you will use and how they will be hosted.
4. Create a playlist and/or a Karaoke list of all the nominated artists. Click here to find out who has been nominated.
5. Create adverts which include details of competitions, prizes, gifts and food/drinks offers.
6. Create an on screen advert and send out text messages inviting your customers to your red carpet event.

Here’s one we made earlier….

So, this is what we’d do

6.30pm: Put on your Music Quiz.

8pm: Televise Brit Awards

10pm: Brit Awards Karaoke

11.30: Award prizes for best dressed

Join the conversation…

Any other suggestions? Would this work in your pub?

Leave a comment or ask us a question!

Case Study – The Maldon Grey’s Karaoke

How the Maldon Grey host their Karaoke Night…

• Steve Watmough runs the Maldon Grey and every Friday night they host a  karaoke night.
• Steve has appointed Paul, one of his trusted staff members to be the host the night.
• The regular karaoke night is advertised on screen and Paul makes sure the night is promoted through word of mouth.

How Vidimixer helped…

• Adam has been available for Paul to discuss the pubs rhythm of the week and karaoke night.
• Vidimixer supplies updated Karaoke lists so Paul’s customers can choose from the latest tracks.
• Vidimixer’s are updated with the latest karaoke tracks each month.

Who sings…

• 30 people go to the Maldon Grey specifically for Paul’s karaoke night and that number is growing week by week.
• Paul gets an eclectic mix of people in for his karaoke who age from 18 to 80.
• Paul has been creative to cater for all of his customers. One particular customer who is a little shy, gets over her nerves by using one of the screens that is hidden away out of view!

Paul’s advice for hosting a karaoke night…

• You know you customers best, use this as a huge advantage. You can  make them feel comfortable about getting involved and ensure that they have lots of fun!
• Be proactive and never miss an opportunity. Approach groups who are not there for the karaoke and invite them to join in.
• Paul has a couple of regular customers who love karaoke. He get’s them up to sing first. Once they have been up, others always follow.

Join the conversation…..

We’d love to know your opinions on the following subjects:

How do you host your karaoke night? Do you have a tip you’d like to share?

What are the most requested karaoke tracks? Is it the modern tunes or the golden oldies?

Or…

Leave us a comment on anything you like or ask a question, we’ll get back to you…