It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And just like that summer is over and we’re onto Christmas prep. To some it may feel early but for those of us in the Hospitality industry, menu and promotion planning probably began a while ago, so let’s talk Christmas!
By now you’re familiar with us talking about why investing in peaks is important. They’re a great opportunity to get a bit creative, mix up your menu or simply celebrate parts of your business’s culture. They’re also a great way to boost sales, by up to 200%! And with more than 2 billion people in over 160 countries celebrating Christmas, it’s a busy time for hospitality. UK consumers spend 20% more on food and 38% more on alcohol in December than in a typical month. People are eating out, ordering in more, hosting, gifting and spending. And a lot of this is done online! 1 in 3 brits shopped exclusively online last Christmas.
So how you can get prepped for one of the busiest (and most wonderful) times of the year?
Name a better gift than food… we’ll wait
Okay we’re foodies so we’re biassed, we admit. But come on, it’s practical and delicious. Food can be such a loving and special gift when presented in the right way. Whether it’s pre-made, a hamper or a meal kit, we know how excited we’d be to receive a present from one of our partners (hint, hint). There are only so many scarves or bath bombs someone can enjoy, but is there such a thing as too much food? In all seriousness, 45% of people would send someone a ‘celebrate-at-home’ kit such as a party package. The demand is there, so have a think about what you could offer that would make a great gift.
Make your customers the host with the most
Christmas is a time to spend with friends, family and loved ones. For some that means eating out, but for many it’s also a great time of year to host parties and gatherings. At home dining is absolutely an opportunity you should be taking advantage of.
Dine in gives customers the joy of hosting and impressing guests with a delicious dinner without them having to spend all day prepping in the kitchen or missing out on the fun. Whether you’re providing people with the ingredients to make one of your favourite dishes or a kit which requires just the finishing touches, expect demand in December for this kind of thing.
Even if you don’t offer a dine-in option and it’s not something you’re willing to consider, it’s worth anticipating an increase in online orders in general. Cold weather and lots of social plans increase the appeal of a night in on the couch with a takeaway or picking your food up on your way home.
Get organised with pre-orders
If you do one thing this year, set up pre orders and thank us later. You’re always going to get those last minute panic buyers running round oxford street on Christmas eve. But the majority of people like to plan out their gifts and buy them sometimes months in advance! Give your customers the ability to lock in their orders for Christmas ahead of time.
This doesn’t just benefit your customers, it gives you the chance to plan ahead; knowing what stock you have to have in and what products you need to prep for which days. We can make this even easier for you with our composer tool. Say goodbye to spreadsheets and save your team time and a lot of agg with automated production schedules, packing slips and delivery exports for all pre orders. Sound appealing? Speak to our team to find out more.
It’s also worth considering accessibility. How far is your delivery radius currently set up for? Things like nationwide delivery present a serious opportunity to gain some new customers and sales. Do you have a product that’s set up for more than just last mile? If so it’s not too late to set it up! We only work with high quality, market leading couriers.
Last but certainly not least, pre orders guarantee sales and make the till jingle (see what we did there) before the food has even left the restaurant.
Treat your customers to some great deals
Now more than ever with the cost of living crisis, people LOVE a good deal. Christmas may be a fun time of year but it’s also a pretty expensive one. Customers are always going to be on the lookout for any offers or discounts.
1. Black Friday
Love it or hate it, this day is famous for obscene discounts and mass buying. Whilst it may have a bad reputation and rightly so in many cases, it is possible to offer customers a good, quality deal which benefits them and you. This year it’s happening on the 25th November so bear in mind that customers will be on the hunt for gifts around this time in particular.
2. Bundles
If Black Friday isn’t for you, perhaps bundles are? Group together products and temp customers into ordering more. You may want to do a best seller bundle or pick out some Christmas specials. However you choose to do it, it’s a great way to increase your average order value.
3. Giveaways
Get in the Christmas spirit and gamify your customers’ shopping experience, consider running a competition on social media. These are great for increasing your visibility and following online. Tell more people about your online ordering capabilities. One giveaway could lead to so many more orders and customers, which could benefit you long after the festivities are over.
4. Discounted delivery
You may want to consider reducing your delivery fees for the month of December. It’s simple but sometimes the best things are! As many as 58% of people are put off ordering because of high delivery charges. Don’t send your customers into the arms of the competition because of a little thing like delivery. Christmas is the perfect time to tempt customers into ordering with reduced delivery prices.
Offer your customers the chance to gift wrap
Group items together in bundles
Release limited edition flavours
Christmas is a time of fun and joy, but it’s clearly also a time of opportunity and sales. Online ordering and Christmas are the perfect pairing and Slerp are here to make sure you’re set up for success. Want to implement some of the things we’ve talked about? Get in touch today.