1. Get to know the Christmas 2024 trends and predictions
Though by nature, Christmas is about celebrating traditions, the way people choose to do so is constantly evolving. This year's trends are as diverse as they can be and if you want to make your venue THE place, you must know what's coming in hot.
Key dates
Following a successful 2023 festive season, thanks to the triumphant return of post-Covid Christmas partying in 2022, the boom of retail spending and record numbers (75,000+ passengers per day between Dec 18th and 6th Jan) passing through Dublin airport, this year's Christmas period promises a financial potential for hospitality venues if the success of 23rd December 2023 is anything to go by. It was hailed as the busiest day for pubs with €5.2 million spent in total, followed by Saturday December 17th (€4.8million).
While these dates might be popular, it's crucial to look at your historical data (unless this is your first year of operation) to track any patterns. Analyse your bookings and POS data from December a few years back and prepare accordingly - adapt your inventory and staffing.
Festive events
From scrumptious afternoon teas with a festive twist through 12 pubs of Christmas antics or a Little Christmas festive brunch - it's the season to be jolly and the only limit is your imagination. Whatever unforgettable event you're hosting, promote it to 3.9 million monthly users on DesignMyNight.
Decor trends
Decking your venue following the 2024 decor themes - whether that be kitchmas, festive farmhouse, whimsical woodland, retro or natural & sustainable decor, can be another way to attract a new audience. Choose a style that reflects your brand, get creative and let your audience know about what they can expect by sending a personalised email campaign based on customer preferences and past behaviours to ensure your message resonates with each recipient.
2. Make sure your venue and dishes are Instagrammable
In today's social media-driven world, capturing and sharing experiences is a key part of the dining-out experience for many guests - from taking a mirror selfie in your beautifully decorated bathroom to a series of shots of their food (even on the account of it getting cold). In an era when every space and meal is a photoshoot, make sure your venue shines bright - deck the halls and plate it up like a Michelin-starred masterpiece. Include aesthetically curated pictures of your dishes and venue in your marketing - from social media feeds to email signatures and printed menus, especially if you're planning to launch your festive offerings early.
3. Offer festive build-your-own experiences
From cookie decorating sessions (and consuming them in the afternoon tea) to a build-your-own-festive cocktail bar, getting your guests engaged is another way that help attract an audience searching for fun and interactive experiences. Providing festive experiences goes beyond simply serving food and drinks - it helps your guests connect with your space on a deeper level, which helps build loyalty and repeat visits and it works as a word-of-mouth recommendation, as such a unique way of celebrating is perfect for sharing on social media. If you're planning on setting up some DIY Christmas experience this year, consider ticketing your event to manage capacity, streamline payments, and track attendance.
4. Secure your revenue with deposits
Although no-shows are inevitable in hospitality, there's too much at stake around Christmas to let them, and the popularity and growing trend of ‘spread booking’ happen and affect your bottom line. Implementing a deposit is one way to help protect your business - ResDiary reports that venues that have introduced deposits have seen up to a 75% reduction in no-shows. Consider asking for a deposit when it comes to larger groups and peak dates and use your booking system to streamline the whole process for both parties and automate deposit collection.
5. Maximise profits with Christmas upsells
Upselling is one of the best strategies to boost your revenue as it directly impacts your sales, and if you're not practising it already, Christmas is a good moment to start. Whether in the venue or during the ordering takeaway process, create a tempting selection of premium options, add-ons and bundle deals, offering them as an enticing addition to any meal. If you're planning on introducing upselling in person, during the ordering process, make sure your staff feels comfortable and confident offering the upgrades and they're sure of the ingredients and allergens, but most importantly, they know how to make the guest feel special. Train your staff on the art of upselling and program your POS to display the upselling prompts during ordering. If your POS is integrated with your CRM which tracks guests' preferences and purchase history, your staff will be able to offer more personalised recommendations, increasing the likelihood of successful upsells and ultimately boosting your revenue.
6. Turn loyalty into profits
Your loyal customers are your most valuable asset, especially during the festive season - they're more likely to spend more, book early, and spread positive word-of-mouth. A survey from Deloitte found that 47% of restaurant loyalty program members use their membership several times a month and 32% use it several times a week. Rewarding loyalty can be a cherry on top of your Christmas revenue boost. You can offer exclusive benefits to those enrolled in your reward program, like flash sales, early access, limited-edition holiday rewards, bonus rewards or festive tiers and challengers. And to truly connect with each of your guests, use your CRM and loyalty program data to craft targeted offers and recommendations based on their preferences and past behaviour, making sure your personalised communication encourages them to spend more during the festive season.
7. Offer catering and take-home options
With so many restaurants ready to boost their foot traffic during the festive season, it's important to stand out from the crowd. Catering to in-house dining is the perfect way to do just that. In Ireland, an estimated €2.2bn is spent every year on food delivery as customers spend an average of €46.69 on takeaways per month. Expand your reach by providing catering services and enticing delivery options for those who prefer to celebrate at home. And once you're at it... Catering to corporate events can be another revenue-boosting idea. Holiday parties, office launches or client gatherings - these events will be happening across November and December, so make sure your venue is on top of your local business mind when they're looking for their next caterer.
8. Embrace technology and the power of data-driven insights
Just as Santa relies on his trusty sleigh and list to deliver Christmas presents, you can count on the power of data-driven insights to create a truly profitable festive season for your business. Look into and analyse your past sales and customer behaviour to identify trends, optimise pricing and create targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience. Free up your staff from spending time on manual tasks that could be automated, such as handling bookings and reminders, waitlists, table allocation, payment processing or online ordering - think of your hospitality tech as a little elf handling all the behind-the-scenes tasks.
Ready to be merry and bright this season?
In this article, we've looked at eight different strategies to help you capitalise on the festive cheer. We've explored how embracing current trends can set your venue up for success and as you may have noticed, we've put a strong emphasis on hospitality tech and data-driven insights.
With the festive season fast approaching, and your Christmas planning well underway, let technology help you further to maximise your bookings and events during the busiest time of the year.
Our helpful team is always on hand to discuss your needs and identify solutions to make your life easier. Get in touch and we’ll be here to help.
