By Dale J. Venturini
President & CEO, Rhode Island Hospitality Association
In these challenging economic times as we’re seeing budgets cut and staff eliminated, when advertising is a luxury and marketing consists of a restaurant owner saying hello to his or her guests, finding a financially feasible marketing vehicle that can help many businesses at once seems far fetched.
However, marketing is still vitally important to keeping the business of hospitality moving in the right direction. As I repeatedly say, and as we all know, people will always need our venues to celebrate, to mourn, to reunite and to conduct business. However, out of sight is out of mind and unless you’re regularly offering big percentages off checks, chances are that business is still down from this time last year.
Late last year, our restaurant members at RIHA came to us and asked for help to increase their business’ visibility to consumers, to help them stay top-of-mind in the current economy. We were challenged to come up with a cost-effective, high-visibility plan that would literally fit every one of our restaurant members. That was no small task and, I’m pleased to announce the results of our efforts.
After much thought and consideration, we came up with a one-stop, one-shop, one-fit option...the RI Dine card www.RIDine.com which makes its debut this month.
RI Dine is a new, innovative gift card program that allows purchasers to spend the card at any restaurant that is participating in Rhode Island. The card is completely flexible – consumers can purchase any monetary denomination – and the card is ‘green’ in that it is also rechargeable. For this exciting venture, we partnered with Providence Monthly magazine, Washington Trust bank and Swipe It Technology.
There are many great benefits for members who sign on to participate in RI Dine including: a six-month advertising campaign in Providence Monthly, East Side Monthly, SO Rhode Island, The Bay and Newport This Week, website presence on the RI Dine website, and many public relations initiatives. Best of all, by participating, consumers continue to spend their money locally, which is so important to the local economy.
The cost to the restaurant is nominal, there is a one-time set-up fee and a small percentage of gift card sales go back to fund the program. Participating restaurants also receive window decals, a custom POP display for the program. The ability to run a restaurant’s own gift card program through the RI Dine system, and a discounted terminal to run the program if needed. Best of all, in most cases, the program can be integrated into an existing POS or stand alone credit card terminal.
In Rhode Island, where more than 60,000 residents get a paycheck from a hospitality or tourism job and with nationwide unemployment expected to hit double digits, the industry needs to pull together to find and create affordable marketing programs that can help everyone at the same time.
And, as the holidays approach and you look at your list of folks to buy for, having an option to buy a card that could be used in a wealth of restaurants in the state makes a lot of sense.
This program is certainly not unique to Rhode Island and can be affordably recreated in any state that wishes to do so. In challenging economic times, we need to rise to the occasion and continue to give consumers what they want – choice, ease, and great service!
President & CEO, Rhode Island Hospitality Association
In these challenging economic times as we’re seeing budgets cut and staff eliminated, when advertising is a luxury and marketing consists of a restaurant owner saying hello to his or her guests, finding a financially feasible marketing vehicle that can help many businesses at once seems far fetched.
However, marketing is still vitally important to keeping the business of hospitality moving in the right direction. As I repeatedly say, and as we all know, people will always need our venues to celebrate, to mourn, to reunite and to conduct business. However, out of sight is out of mind and unless you’re regularly offering big percentages off checks, chances are that business is still down from this time last year.
Late last year, our restaurant members at RIHA came to us and asked for help to increase their business’ visibility to consumers, to help them stay top-of-mind in the current economy. We were challenged to come up with a cost-effective, high-visibility plan that would literally fit every one of our restaurant members. That was no small task and, I’m pleased to announce the results of our efforts.
After much thought and consideration, we came up with a one-stop, one-shop, one-fit option...the RI Dine card www.RIDine.com which makes its debut this month.
RI Dine is a new, innovative gift card program that allows purchasers to spend the card at any restaurant that is participating in Rhode Island. The card is completely flexible – consumers can purchase any monetary denomination – and the card is ‘green’ in that it is also rechargeable. For this exciting venture, we partnered with Providence Monthly magazine, Washington Trust bank and Swipe It Technology.
There are many great benefits for members who sign on to participate in RI Dine including: a six-month advertising campaign in Providence Monthly, East Side Monthly, SO Rhode Island, The Bay and Newport This Week, website presence on the RI Dine website, and many public relations initiatives. Best of all, by participating, consumers continue to spend their money locally, which is so important to the local economy.
The cost to the restaurant is nominal, there is a one-time set-up fee and a small percentage of gift card sales go back to fund the program. Participating restaurants also receive window decals, a custom POP display for the program. The ability to run a restaurant’s own gift card program through the RI Dine system, and a discounted terminal to run the program if needed. Best of all, in most cases, the program can be integrated into an existing POS or stand alone credit card terminal.
In Rhode Island, where more than 60,000 residents get a paycheck from a hospitality or tourism job and with nationwide unemployment expected to hit double digits, the industry needs to pull together to find and create affordable marketing programs that can help everyone at the same time.
And, as the holidays approach and you look at your list of folks to buy for, having an option to buy a card that could be used in a wealth of restaurants in the state makes a lot of sense.
This program is certainly not unique to Rhode Island and can be affordably recreated in any state that wishes to do so. In challenging economic times, we need to rise to the occasion and continue to give consumers what they want – choice, ease, and great service!
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