Pub and restaurant marketing for the Foxton Locks Inn
The client: Leicestershire inn on the canal
Based at one of Leicestershire’s most famous tourist attractions, The Foxton Locks Inn occupies a prime location for passing canal enthusiasts and walkers alike to stop off for food and drink.
The challenge: generate footfall during quiet periods
Foxton is a popular attraction for tourists in the summer months, meaning that the establishment enjoys busy periods during these times. The owner, Stephanie Hamblin, approached The Ideal Marketing Company with plans of developing a marketing and PR strategy to attract custom in quieter periods, including January to April, and on weekdays.
The solution: a full service marketing strategy to generate awareness & customer loyalty
Before implementing our strategy, we designed The Foxton Locks Inn a new well optimised and mobile friendly website. The website serves to keep customers updated with key promotions and events year-round, such as Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Mother’s and Father’s Day deals, as well as general promotions, including their ever popular Sunday Carvery.
To entice customers in during quieter periods, a marketing strategy was formulated which resulted in our marketing efforts surrounding; PR, email, design, social media, event planning, on screen advertising, and a customer loyalty scheme.
The introduction of a customer loyalty scheme not only gave customers an incentive to visit, but it also provided us with the opportunity to capture data of those visiting The Foxton Locks Inn. We were specifically interested in those who visited only at busier times- because of the data, we could maintain regular contact through email newsletters.
To complement the new development and launch of ‘The Terrace’, The Ideal Marketing Company reworked past marketing materials, developed a new logo, and designed a new menu with a contemporary look to match the brand. The refurbishment also gave us the prospect of developing a PR campaign, press releases were distributed and published in local press, detailing the redevelopment and unveiling of The Terrace.
The results: increase in turnover and publicity
Over the three years working with The Ideal Marketing Company, The Foxton Locks Inn’s turnover has steadily increased year-on-year. Following their awards entry, the Inn was also voted as Leicestershire Tourism Pub of the Year in 2014, achieving positive publicity and encouraging people to visit the Inn for the first time.