If you run a business, you know how important it is to attract and retain customers. You also know how competitive the market is and how hard it is to stand out from the crowd. That’s why you need a marketing strategy that works for your business and your customers.
One of the most effective marketing strategies for any business is table level marketing. Table level marketing is the concept of delivering the best possible customer experience at the most crucial part of your business: where your customers meet your product. It’s where you can showcase your quality, service, and value, and where you can create loyal fans and advocates for your brand.
But what is table level marketing and how can you implement it in your business? How can you measure its impact and optimise it for success? In this blog post, I’ll share with you some tips and examples of how table level marketing works and how you can use it to grow your business, whether you sell products or services, online or offline, B2B or B2C.
The Origin of Table Level Marketing
The concept of table level marketing has its roots in the world of poker, where table stakes represent the minimum amount of money required to be considered a player in the game. In the business context, it signifies providing the minimum expected offering to your customer while surpassing their expectations and delighting them with your product and service.
However, our interpretation of table level marketing takes it a step further, drawing from our experience in successfully running a franchise of restaurants. We believe that table level marketing extends beyond merely meeting expectations; it involves a continuous process of self-improvement.
Imagine your business as a theatre stage where your performance is judged by the audience, and you rehearse rigorously to ensure a flawless show when the curtain rises. The rehearsal represents the preparation of recipes, orders, training, and creating the right mood. The team sets the tone around the table and ensures that the stage is always taken care of. This team includes servers, waiters, managers, baristas, and chefs. The communication within the team is crucial. Phrases like “Check on Table 5,” “What’s happening with the drinks on Table 2,” or “Check on Table 7” become the norm. The importance of the table, where the customer experience unfolds, cannot be overstated.
Three Levels of Table Level Marketing
Table level marketing encompasses three critical levels:
- Intrinsic: This is the most important level of your table level marketing strategy, where you invest your utmost energy to create a memorable customer experience. It’s when customers are already in your business and you want them to stay, come back, and tell others about you. You don’t pay for this kind of marketing, but it can have a huge effect. You need to make every customer feel special and satisfied. This means having a great product, a beautiful presentation, a fast and accurate service, a clean and cozy place, and a friendly and personal staff. The goal is to create an experience that customers love and want to share with their friends.
- Area: This level is about connecting with your community and becoming a local favourite. It’s about knowing your customers and their needs, as well as the culture and trends of your neighbourhood. This includes having a visible and convenient location, a catchy and relevant signage and branding, a friendly and active engagement with residents, and a supportive and collaborative relationship with other businesses. It’s about being more than just a business, but a part of the community, where people trust you and recommend you to others. Knowing your customers and your area is the key to this level of table marketing, and it can help you create a loyal and lasting customer base.
- Brand: This is the peak of table level marketing, where you reveal your passion, values, and personality as a business owner. Your brand covers: Your online presence: website, social media, reviews, email, and ordering. i) Your offline presence: ads, promotions, events, loyalty, and partnerships) Your brand identity: consistent and coherent across all touchpoints iii) Your brand should impress your customers with your meaningful mission and adapt to their changing needs and preferences. Table level marketing is vital for your success because it’s where you can create or ruin your customer relationship. It’s where you can charm, amaze, or loyalise your customers.
All three levels of marketing are important for your business’s success, but table level marketing is the most crucial one because it’s where you can make or break your customer relationship. It’s where you can turn a first-time visitor into a repeat customer or a dissatisfied customer into a loyal fan.
Implementing Table Level Marketing
To implement table level marketing in your business, you need to follow some steps:
- Prepare: Preparation is key for table level marketing. You need to make sure that everything is ready before you interact with customers. This includes having enough inventory, checking the quality of your products, setting up your systems, training your staff, updating your information, and cleaning your premises.
For example, imagine a customer comes in and orders a cup of coffee. But when you go to the coffee machine, you realize you didn’t buy coffee beans, or you didn’t switch on the coffee machine. This would ruin the customer’s experience and make them unhappy and frustrated. You could have avoided this situation by preparing ahead of time and making sure you have enough coffee beans and that the coffee machine is working properly.
Another example is an artist who is going to perform on stage. The more prepared or rehearsed he is, the more focused he would be on entertaining his audience. He would not have to worry about forgetting his lines, missing his cues, or messing up his moves. He would be ready to perform on the day and deliver a great show.
The most important thing that we want to highlight here is that you have to take control of the things that you can control and be prepared for those that you are not in control of.
- Perform: Performance is what happens when you interact with customers. You need to make sure that you deliver on your promises and exceed their expectations. This includes greeting them warmly, taking their orders promptly, delivering them quickly and accurately, checking on them regularly, resolving any issues professionally, and thanking them sincerely.
- Promote: Promotion is what happens after you interact with customers. You need to make sure that you stay in touch with them and encourage them to come back and refer others to your business. This includes asking for their feedback, offering them incentives, sending them reminders, sharing their stories, and rewarding their loyalty.
How We Support Your Growth Through Table Level Marketing
At Franchise Masters, a division of Ismail Davids, we leverage our expertise in table level marketing to assist businesses across various industries. Our success stems from our experience in running franchises, including restaurants, and our ability to apply this marketing strategy effectively.
Our comprehensive services include:
- Seminars & Workshops: We offer educational programs to empower your team with the skills needed to excel at the table level.
- Customizable Programs: Our programs can span 3, 6, or 12 months, tailored to expand and grow your business.
As business growth and expansion experts, we help organizations of all industries implement table level marketing effectively, fostering strong connections between customers and your brand and product. Our goal is to help you enhance your table level marketing and cultivate a strong bond between your customers and your brand and product.
Conclusion
Table level marketing is a potent strategy that can significantly elevate your business, enhancing customer satisfaction, retention, and acquisition. It also offers the advantage of setting your brand apart from competitors and establishing a strong and memorable identity.
By fully embracing the concept of table level marketing and diligently implementing its principles, your business can not only survive but thrive in today’s fiercely competitive landscape. Remember, the table isn’t just a place to dine; it’s a stage where your performance shines.
So, how does your ‘table’ or ‘stage’ look for your customers in your business? Curtain up, lights on, action! It’s time to create a performance that leaves your audience eager for an encore.
As you’ve explored this blog, take a moment to ponder these essential questions:
- What is your current marketing strategy for your business?
- Do you grasp the significance of table level marketing and its potential impact on your business?
- How can you enhance and refine the customer experience at the most critical juncture of your business?
To delve deeper into the realm of table level marketing and discover how it can fuel your business’s growth, consider subscribing to our blog. You’ll receive insightful tips and real-life examples directly in your inbox.
If you’re eager to explore how table level marketing can specifically benefit your business, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Contact us today, and let’s schedule a free consultation. We’re eager to hear from you and share our expertise to help your business shine on its unique stage.
Ismail Davids / Franchise Masters