Goals and KPIs
Primary Goals:
- Drive direct reservations and repeat visits
- Increase average check and add-on revenue (wine, experiences, packages)
- Build and engage the owned audience (email + SMS + social)
- Support seasonal campaigns and slow periods
Key Performance Indicators (tracked monthly):
- Email open rate target: [[% , e.g. 25-35%]]
- Click-through rate target: [[%]]
- Revenue per email sent: [[$]]
- List growth rate: [[% per month]]
- Unsubscribe rate: [[under %]]
Core Content Pillars
- Welcome and Onboarding - new subscribers and first-time guests
- Seasonal and Holiday Features - menus, events, packages
- Limited-Time Offers and Flash Promotions - drive urgency
- Behind-the-Scenes and Storytelling - team, sourcing, prep
- Guest Recognition and Loyalty - birthdays, anniversaries, VIP
- Post-Visit and Review Nudges - thank you + feedback
- Educational / How-To - pairings, reservations tips, planning help
- Re-engagement - win-back for lapsed guests
Annual Campaign Cadence Overview
January - New Year, Dry January / Wellness, "Book Early" for spring
February - Valentine's, Galentine's, Winter Warmers
March - Spring menus, St. Patrick's, International Women's Day features
April - Spring dining, Easter / Passover, patio opening
May - Mother's Day, Memorial Day weekend, Cinco de Mayo
June - Father's Day, Summer kickoff, Pride
July - Independence Day / local holiday, peak summer events
August - Late summer, back-to-school, "Beat the Heat" offers
September - Fall menus, Harvest, Labor Day, football season
October - Oktoberfest / harvest festivals, Halloween
November - Veterans Day, Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving prep
December - Holiday parties, New Year's Eve, gift cards, year-end
Use this as the spine; overlay local events, sports calendars, and weather-driven opportunities.
Monthly Planning Template (repeat each month)
Week 1 (Planning & Creative):
- Review prior month performance and list health
- Lock menu specials and events for 6-8 weeks out
- Brief creative for hero image, subject lines, and copy
- Segment lists for upcoming sends
Week 2 (Pre-Promotion):
- Send teaser or "save the date" for major event
- Publish blog or landing page content
- Update website, reservation system, and social with matching creative
- Train front-of-house on talking points
Week 3 (Primary Campaign):
- Main promotional or storytelling email (Tue-Thu optimal)
- Follow-up SMS 24-48 hrs later to engaged segment
- Paid social amplification with same creative
- Monitor open/click and adjust subject or send time if needed
Week 4 (Nurture + Measurement):
- Post-event or post-promo thank you + recap
- Review results vs. KPI; document learnings
- Load next month's calendar and creative assets
- Re-engage 60-90 day lapsed with targeted offer
Guest Journey Email Series (Automated)
1. Welcome Series (3 emails)
- Email 1: Thank you + brand story + first-offer incentive
- Email 2: How to book + current highlights
- Email 3: Meet the team or "what to expect"
2. Post-Visit Thank You (1-3 days after visit)
- Personal thank you from manager or server if possible
- Photo from visit (if captured) + review ask
- Next visit incentive
3. Birthday / Anniversary (day-of or week-of)
- Personalized offer (free dessert, upgrade, credit)
- "Bring a friend" companion offer
4. Lapsed Guest Win-Back (90-120 days no visit)
- "We miss you" + strong limited-time offer
- Story or new menu highlight
5. VIP / Loyalty Tier Upgrade
- Recognition + exclusive perks
- Early access to events or tastings
Promotional Offer Guidelines
- Limit "urgent" language to true limited windows (holidays, ticketed events)
- Always include clear CTA button and plain-text link
- State offer end date and any blackout dates in body
- Use [[Offer Code]] in subject and body for easy tracking
- Pair offers with imagery of actual plated food or space
List Management and Segmentation
Core Segments:
- New subscribers (0-30 days)
- Recent guests (visited last 60 days)
- VIP / high frequency
- Lapsed (90+ days)
- Local vs. visitor (by zip if available)
- Dietary preference or past order tags (when captured)
Hygiene:
- Remove hard bounces immediately
- Sunset unengaged after [[Number]] sends with no opens/clicks
- Comply with CAN-SPAM / CASL / GDPR: easy unsubscribe, physical address in footer
Creative and Production Checklist
- Subject line A/B tested (keep under 50 characters where possible)
- Preheader text written and compelling
- Hero image optimized (under 1MB, alt text)
- All links tested (desktop + mobile)
- Offer code and expiration clearly stated
- Plain-text version included
- Sender name consistent (e.g. "[[Venue Name]] Team")
- Mobile responsive tested
Measurement and Reporting Template
For each major send, record:
- Send date and time
- List size and segment
- Opens, clicks, click-to-open
- Revenue attributed (via [[Offer Code]] or UTM)
- Unsubscribes and spam complaints
- Key qualitative feedback
Monthly roll-up dashboard (template):
- Total emails sent
- Average open / CTR
- Total attributed revenue
- List growth net
- Top performing subject lines and creative
Review in team meeting; adjust calendar for next month based on data.
Integration with Other Channels
- Social posts should mirror email hero creative and timing
- Website reservation widget promoted in every email
- SMS used for time-sensitive reminders and flash offers only
- In-venue collateral (table tents, staff buttons) support current campaign
- Google / Meta ads retarget email non-openers with same offer
Tools and Responsibilities
Owner: [[Marketing Lead or GM]]
Email Platform: [[Platform Name]]
SMS Platform: [[Platform]]
Creative / Photography: [[In-house or agency]]
List & CRM: [[System]]
Weekly standup: 15 min every Monday to confirm sends, creative status, and any last-minute opportunities.
Annual Editorial Calendar Snapshot (example rows - expand in spreadsheet)
| Month | Campaign Theme | Email Type | Target Send Date | Offer / Focus | Segment |
|-------|----------------|------------|------------------|---------------|---------|
| Jan | New Year Reset | Newsletter + Offer | Jan 7 | [[Dry January or Early Bird]] | All |
| Feb | Romance & Friends | Promo | Feb 4 | Valentine's packages | Recent + VIP |
| Mar | Spring Launch | Storytelling + Menu | Mar 10 | New spring menu | All |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
Maintain one master calendar (Google Sheet or project tool) with owners, deadlines, and status columns.
Compliance and Brand Voice Reminders
- Never purchase or rent lists.
- Honor unsubscribe requests within 10 business days (sooner is better).
- Use real names and photos where possible; avoid stock that looks generic.
- Write in warm, confident, guest-first voice matching in-venue experience.
- Proofread prices, dates, and [[Offer Codes]] before every send.
Quarterly Review and Optimization
Every quarter:
- Audit top/bottom performing emails and subject lines
- Clean list and sunset chronic non-engagers
- Refresh creative templates and photography
- Update calendar with new local events and holidays
- Set next quarter revenue and list growth targets
This calendar is a living tool. Update it as your business, menu, events, and guest data evolve.
Email and Marketing Calendar for Hospitality - sample planning framework. Not legal or marketing advice. Customize all dates, offers, compliance language, and platform instructions to your brand, local regulations, and email/SMS provider requirements. Follow current CAN-SPAM, CASL, GDPR, and platform terms. Current as of 2026-06.
As of: 2026-06-30
End of Email and Marketing Calendar for Hospitality
