We are very pleased to announce a brand new feature available in your account as of just a few hours ago. Now your customers can add themselves to your email list directly on our website!

Here’s how it works…

1. Your customer visits a page like yourcoolcafe.dine-mail.com.
2. They enter their email address and receive an email asking them to confirm their subscription.
3. They read their email, click the link and they’re subscribed!

Like magic you don’t have to collect email cards and use your precious labor force to enter email addresses!

What’s in it for me?

This major new feature is packed with all kinds of benefits for you, not the least of which is that you’ll have a great new outlet for promoting your email program. Here a few of ideas for integrating this feature into your email marketing plan.

• Get small cards with your subscription address to hand out to customers. They can visit later and subscribe to your email list.
• Put your subscription address on your receipts, fliers, radio spots or any other advertising you do.
• Set up a computer kiosk with your subscription page loaded up.
  Setting up a small computer station in your restaurant will definitely draw attention and allow your customers to enter their email address right in your store. This is sure to increase sign ups because, well… who wouldn’t love to play with a computer while their waiting for their food! Just be sure you think carefully about executing this one. Make sure signing up for your email program is the only thing that can be done on the computer. Lock down security and other web sites so nothing gets downloaded or installed by someone other than you.

You’ll also benefit from…

• Less manual data entry. We all know labor costs you money. Now your employees can spend less time tediously entering those info cards.
• Increased sign ups since the sign up cards can be passed around so easily, beyond the 4 walls of your store.
• Reduced data entry mistakes since there is no bad handwriting to decipher. The subscriber is entering their email directly which means more accuracy (and more subscribers).
• You don’t need your own website to use this feature. Use ours! That’s what we’re here for.

Choosing your personal address

The address you choose will be permanent and, once set, can’t be changed. So think carefully before hitting that save button. Here are a couple of thoughts on choosing your permanent address.

Your page will be at a web address like yourcoolcafe.dine-mail.com. In general the shorter, easier to type and more descriptive you can make it the better. Choose a name that makes sense for your restaurant. If you are Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Flint; an address like tsc-flint.dine-mail.com might be a good address for you.

You can also be more creative with something like ilovesmoothies.dine-mail.com. Just remember you have to choose one name per location. So if you have multiple locations in your account think about how those can be distinguished. Something like ilovesmoothies-flint.dine-mail.com and ilovesmoothies-clarkston.dine-mail.com is good because it clearly identifies your location which helps your customers and adds credibility. On the other hand ilovesmoothies.dine-mail.com and ilovesmoothies2.dine-mail.com isn’t very helpful because it doesn’t give any indication of which location we’re talking about.

How do I get set up?

To set this up, log into your account and go to the Lists -> Edit page. Enter the address you would like to use and BAM! Just like that your new subscription page is ready to go.

What do you think?

Please give us feedback on this feature. How can we improve it? How do you plan to use it for building your list?

Restaurant: Tropical Smoothie Café; Colonial Heights, VA
Started: May 13, 2006
Owner: Joanne Bennett

This month’s Customer Corner interviewee is Joanne Bennett, owner of a Tropical Smoothie Café location in Colonial Heights, Virginia.

Tell us a little about Tropical Smoothie Café.

Tropical Smoothie Café is a healthy alternative to fast food. We offer delicious bistro sandwiches, fresh salads, delicious wraps and flatbreads. And don’t forget those fabulously refreshing all-fruit low fat smoothies! Our menu has recently been updated with lots of exciting new items such as Green Tea Smoothies and Coffee Smoothies, Kid’s Combos and a Signature Salad and dressing. You really do get a taste of the tropics when you eat at our cafe!

What made you decide to open a restaurant?

My husband and I decided to open a Tropical Smoothie Café after our daughter got hooked on their fabulous food and fun environment. She would often grab a smoothie after school with her friends. We decided to check it out, loved the concept and decided to open our own cafe.

What were some of the challenges you faced in your first year of starting your restaurant?

As with any new business, it was difficult the first year to predict customer traffic and learn how to staff efficiently. For example, we knew we would be busy between 11:00 and 2:00 for lunch but really had no idea we’d have so many customers come in between 2:00 and 4:00. We call that our “after school rush”!

Any special guiding principles you adhere to in running your business?

We give back to the community by offering frequent fundraisers where we donate a percentage of sales to the hosting club or organization. We are proud supporters of Camp Sunshine and sponsor National Flip Flop Day to celebrate the beginning of summer each year and to collect donations for a very worthwhile charity. Camp Sunshine provides a get away for terminally ill children and their families.

Any advice for restaurant owners who are thinking of opening a restaurant?

Take your time getting started, choose the right location, have a good advertising plan in place, and believe in the philosophy of your company and the products and services you offer.

How has Campaign Snap, and email marketing in general, helped with marketing for your restaurant? How does it fit in your overall marketing strategy?

Campaign Snap is a large part of our local store marketing and overall marketing strategy. It is a wonderful way to communicate with our customers! Our contact list is growing and growing!

What is the tone of your typical email campaign? (strictly promotional, announcement, newsletter, etc.)

We generally use Campaign Snap to promote new or special items, but we have also used a newsletter format to let our customers know of local or store events that may be of interest.

What other ways do you market yourself, online or otherwise?

We use and love Twitter! What a fast-growing and exciting new venue! I believe our store in Colonial Heights was the first active twitter account and take we pride in the fact that we set the pace for our fellow franchisees. We currently have nearly 250 followers and enjoy tweeting with them all!

Anything else you would like to say about running a restaurant?

These times are challenging, but we believe if you offer a good product with unparalleled hospitality you will succeed. We love our loyal customers, some of who come in daily. We’ve made lots of friends during this journey and wouldn’t trade this experience for the world!

Thank you, Joanne! You can follow Joanne on Twitter @its4jcbennett or @tropicalsmoothi. To check out the menu and find a Tropical Smoothie Café location near you visit http://www.tropicalsmoothiecafe.com.

If you’d like to be interviewed for our Customer Corner series please tell us your story.

With loyal customers like you it’s no wonder Campaign Snap has come so far in just a few short years. We currently have 22 paying customers, all of whom are Tropical Smoothie Café owners. This is a great start but with another 250 Tropical Smoothie Café locations out there we can do better!

Spread the word and everybody wins

We would love it if you would help us spread the word to your fellow franchisees about Campaign Snap. So here’s the deal…

The payoff:

• For every 10 new customers who have paid their first invoice by October 31st, 2009, all of our current customers (that means you!) will get a 1 month payment holiday beginning with the month of November, 2009.
  • That means 10 new customers earns all current customers a payment holiday for November.
  • 20 new customers earns all current customers a payment holiday for November and December; and so on…

The rules:

• This promotion starts September1st, 2009 and ends September 30th, 2009.
• You must be a paying customer as of September 1st, 2009 in order to be eligible for the payment holiday.
• At least 10 new customers must pay their first invoice by October 31st, 2009 in order for us to grant the payment holiday(s).

How can I participate?

In order to participate here a few ideas for getting the word out…

• All new customers who sign up for Campaign Snap during the month of September will receive their first 3 months for just $59. That’s savings of $118. Let your colleagues know that by simply signing up directly on our free trial page they are automatically eligible for this special offer. No coupon codes and no credit card required.
• Let your colleagues know that they’ll start out with over 20 email templates designed especially for Tropical Smoothie Café. Their email campaigns will be off to a great start with a professional look that truly represents your brand. Just like you, they will always be up-to-date with the latest national promotions.
• Mention Campaign Snap at your next co-op meeting. Reach out to members and ASDs of other co-ops.
• Spread around this PDF file that highlights the promotion for new customers and the many templates we have available. Email it, post it to FranConnect, etc.
• Let them know if they already have an email marketing provider, we’ll import their list so the transition will be totally seamless.
• Ask your colleagues to follow us on Twitter or become a fan of our Facebook page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you keeping track of who participates and who doesn’t? What if I don’t personally send any new customers your way?

We are not tracking individual participation. As long as we hit the goal of at least 10 new customers all current customers will be eligible for the payment holiday(s).

If this promotion only lasts until September 30th why does a new customer have until October 31st to pay their first invoice?

Most new customers will start out with Campaign Snap by taking advantage of our 30 day free trial. The one month gap allows current customers one month to get new customers to sign up and gives new customers at least 30 days to complete their free trial and pay their first invoice by October 31st.

If I refer new customers to Campaign Snap but they haven’t completed their free trial by October 31st, will they still count towards the goal of at least 10 new customers?

If the number of new customers still in their free trial on October 31st is enough to potentially reach a new goal plateau (10, 20, 30, etc.) we will consider extending the requirement for paying their first invoice to Nov. 15 and extend the appropriate payment holiday(s) accordingly.

Are you ready?! Let’s get out there and let your fellow franchisees know about Campaign Snap. Your participation will really help take us to the next level and will earn you a payment holiday just in time for the expensive holiday season and the slow winter months. Thank you.