The Margovy blog
Practical marketing ideas for places people return to
Short, practical guides for pubs, cafés, restaurants, hotels, salons, gyms and other venues that want more regulars. Pick your kind of place.
Browse the articles by topic
- Guest Wi-Fi
2 min read
Writing a venue welcome email guests can use
A venue welcome email arrives after a small but specific interaction: someone has shared their details and, for marketing, chosen to hear from you.
- Pubs
2 min read
Pub Wi-Fi marketing: give weekend customers a reason to return midweek
A full pub on Saturday does little to solve an empty dining area on Wednesday. If your weekend customers enjoy visiting, start by giving them a reason to consider another evening.
- Cafés
2 min read
Café customer retention: use guest Wi-Fi to encourage another visit
A customer can enjoy your coffee and still walk past the following week. Their next visit may depend on where they are going and how much time they have.
- Restaurants
2 min read
Restaurant email marketing: bring diners back without relying on discounts
Your booking system may hold the details of the person who reserved the table. It may tell you much less about their guests or people who walked in.
- Hotels
2 min read
Hotel guest retention: keep the connection after checkout
Checkout ends the stay, but it does not have to end the relationship.
- Salons
2 min read
Salon client retention: make rebooking easier with guest Wi-Fi
A client can leave pleased with their appointment and still forget to arrange the next one. Their diary fills, the booking link gets lost and the decision is postponed.
- Gyms and clubs
2 min read
Gym member engagement: use guest Wi-Fi to support the next visit
After a first gym visit, a new member still has decisions to make. They need to choose when to return and understand what to do when they arrive.
- Attractions
2 min read
Garden centre marketing: connect café visits with seasonal events
A customer arriving for lunch may have no idea you run planting workshops. Someone collecting compost may not realise the café serves breakfast.
- Workspaces
2 min read
Coworking customer retention: help day-pass visitors book again
A day-pass visitor is testing whether your workspace fits their working day. They need to find a suitable desk, understand the arrangements for calls and get on with their work.
- Guest Wi-Fi
2 min read
Guest Wi-Fi analytics without confusing sign-ins and sales
A dashboard can show a busy period for Wi-Fi sign-ins without proving it was your busiest period for sales.
- Pubs
2 min read
How to promote a pub quiz and secure team bookings
A quiz announcement can attract attention without producing a single booking. People still need to organise a team, agree a time and understand what the evening involves.
- Cafés
2 min read
Café takeaway marketing for nearby office workers
An office worker deciding where to buy lunch has a practical question: can they get something they want within the time available?
- Restaurants
2 min read
Building a customer list from walk-in restaurant guests
A reservation gives you a booking contact. A walk-in table may leave without any practical way to hear from you again.
- Hotels
2 min read
What to put on a hotel Wi-Fi welcome page
A guest opening your hotel Wi-Fi welcome page may be looking for breakfast times, a restaurant menu or a way to contact reception. They should not have to work through a sales message first.
- Salons
2 min read
Barbershop marketing ideas for quieter weekday appointments
If Saturday is full and Tuesday afternoon is quiet, promoting the barbershop more widely may add demand to the wrong session.
- Gyms and clubs
2 min read
Communicating gym timetable changes clearly
A class can move by half an hour while an old timetable remains on a reception poster or welcome email. Members then receive two plausible answers about the same session.
- Attractions
2 min read
Soft play marketing: make birthday party enquiries easier
Parents visiting your soft play venue can see the space and meet the team. That gives them useful context when considering a birthday party.
- Workspaces
2 min read
Coworking meeting room pages that explain the booking
A meeting organiser needs to know whether a room fits the work they intend to do. A capacity number and an attractive photograph rarely answer the whole question.
- Guest Wi-Fi
2 min read
Guest Wi-Fi QR signs customers can recognise
A QR code on a table does not explain itself. Customers need to know whether it opens the menu, starts an order or helps them connect to Wi-Fi.
- Pubs
2 min read
Sunday lunch marketing for pubs with spare tables
A Sunday lunch booking often involves several people with different needs. One person checks the menu, another asks about children, and someone else needs to know when the table is available.
- Cafés
2 min read
Writing a café laptop policy customers can understand
A café can welcome people working on laptops and still need tables for lunch customers. Problems arise when the arrangements are unclear until a member of staff has to intervene.
- Restaurants
2 min read
Restaurant private dining pages that answer enquiries
Private dining enquiries often arrive before the organiser knows exactly what they need. They may have a rough date and guest count, but no clear idea of the menu or layout.
- Hotels
2 min read
Marketing a hotel restaurant to local diners
A hotel restaurant may welcome local diners while its website gives the impression that everything is intended for overnight guests.
- Salons
2 min read
Introducing a new salon service to existing clients
Existing clients know your salon, but that does not mean they understand a new service. They may need to know who it suits, what the appointment involves and which booking option to select.
- Gyms and clubs
2 min read
Promoting a beginner yoga course with useful detail
Someone considering a first yoga course may have questions they would never ask in a busy reception area. They might be unsure what to bring or whether missing a session means falling behind.
- Attractions
2 min read
Garden centre workshop bookings with fewer questions
A workshop listing can look attractive while leaving customers unsure what they will make, what is included or whether they need experience.
- Workspaces
2 min read
Planning a coworking open day that leads to useful enquiries
An open day can attract people who enjoy looking around without helping them decide whether the workspace fits their routine.
- Guest Wi-Fi
2 min read
Making a guest Wi-Fi sign-in page easier to use
A guest Wi-Fi sign-in page is often used on a small screen in a busy room. Customers may be holding a bag or using assistive technology.
- Pubs
2 min read
Beer garden marketing when plans depend on the weather
A photograph of outdoor tables can make a visit appealing. It can also leave important questions unanswered: whether guests can reserve those tables, where food is served and what happens if it rains.
- Cafés
2 min read
Selling coffee beans to customers who already visit
A customer enjoying your coffee may be interested in making it at home. They still need help deciding which bag to buy and whether it suits their equipment.
- Restaurants
2 min read
Planning a restaurant menu launch customers can act on
A menu launch gives previous diners a reason to reconsider the restaurant. The announcement needs enough detail to help them choose a date and book.
- Hotels
2 min read
B&B marketing for a quieter season
A quieter season needs a reason to travel that makes sense for the guest. A lower room rate alone may not explain why they should come.
- Salons
2 min read
Promoting salon cancellations without booking confusion
A cancelled appointment can be useful to another client, but the available time may suit only certain services. A broad "last-minute appointment available" message can create more enquiries than…
- Gyms and clubs
2 min read
Explaining Pilates studio waiting lists to clients
A full Pilates class does not necessarily end the customer's interest. They may be happy to wait for a place if they understand what joining the waiting list means.
- Attractions
2 min read
Farm shop café marketing that introduces the shop
Someone visiting your farm shop café may leave without exploring the retail area. They might be short of time or simply unaware that an ingredient from lunch is available to buy.
- Workspaces
2 min read
Community hall hire information that reduces enquiries
Volunteer coordinators can spend considerable time answering the same questions about a hall. Organisers need to understand the rooms, facilities and hire arrangements before deciding whether to…
- Guest Wi-Fi
2 min read
Choosing Wi-Fi marketing software for your venue
A list of features can make several Wi-Fi marketing services look similar. The differences become clearer when you follow a guest journey and ask how the venue will manage it.
- Pubs
2 min read
Live music pub promotion that sets clear expectations
A customer coming for a quiet meal and someone arriving for a live set may want different evenings. Both can leave disappointed if the pub's promotion leaves the arrangements unclear.
- Cafés
2 min read
Promoting café community events with clear boundaries
A reading group or craft session can give customers a regular reason to visit. It also changes how part of the café is used.
- Restaurants
2 min read
Restaurant review replies that address the experience
A public review reply has two readers: the customer who wrote the review and someone deciding whether to book.
- Hotels
2 min read
Hotel email frequency that respects different guests
A hotel guest may receive a booking confirmation, arrival instructions and a receipt before your marketing email appears. Each message can make sense individually while the overall experience feels…
- Salons
2 min read
Helping first-time barbershop clients choose a service
A regular client may know exactly which booking option to choose. Someone visiting your barbershop for the first time may be comparing several services that sound similar.
- Gyms and clubs
2 min read
Climbing centre information for first-time visitors
First-time visitors need to understand what they must arrange before coming to a climbing centre. A general admission button may leave questions about induction and equipment unanswered.
- Attractions
2 min read
Marketing quieter soft play sessions to parents
A quieter session can appeal to parents who prefer a different pace from a busy weekend. The invitation still needs to explain the actual experience.
- Pubs
2 min read
Pub private hire enquiries that are easier to qualify
"We need somewhere for a celebration" is the beginning of an enquiry, not enough information to prepare a useful proposal.
- Cafés
2 min read
Launching a seasonal café menu without outdated emails
A new seasonal menu gives regular customers something fresh to consider. It also creates a maintenance task across your website, signs and automated messages.
- Restaurants
2 min read
Checking a restaurant booking link before promotion
A restaurant campaign can send people to a booking page that makes the next step unnecessarily difficult. The link may open the wrong branch, show the wrong menu or leave the diner unsure whether a…
- Hotels
2 min read
Preparing a hotel guest Wi-Fi enquiry
A hotel Wi-Fi enquiry is more useful when it describes the property rather than only the number of bedrooms.
- Salons
2 min read
Salon gift voucher marketing with clear terms
A gift voucher buyer may know very little about your salon. They need to understand what they are buying, how the recipient uses it and whether a particular treatment is included.
- Gyms and clubs
2 min read
Spa day follow-up emails that respect the visit
A spa day follow-up email should be recognisable as a message from the venue the customer visited. It should also be careful about what it assumes.
- Attractions
2 min read
Bowling group booking pages that help the organiser
The person organising a bowling visit may be collecting answers from several people before they can book. They need something clear to share.
- Hotels
2 min read
Holiday park welcome pages for useful guest information
A holiday park guest may need several pieces of information soon after arriving: where to find reception, when facilities open and how to book an activity.
- Salons
2 min read
Writing salon return emails without making assumptions
"We haven't seen you for a while" can sound strange to a client who visited last week but did not connect to your Wi-Fi.
- Gyms and clubs
2 min read
Golf clubhouse marketing for non-member visitors
A clubhouse may welcome non-members for lunch or events while its public information reads as though every visitor already belongs to the club.
- Attractions
2 min read
Independent cinema emails for special screenings
A special screening may offer something beyond the normal programme: a discussion, an introduction or a confirmed guest appearance. Customers need to know exactly what is included.
- Hotels
2 min read
Campsite guest information that stays useful all season
Guests arriving at a campsite may be tired, unfamiliar with the layout and using a phone with limited charge. They need practical information quickly.
- Gyms and clubs
2 min read
Tennis club open days with a clear booking route
An open day should help a prospective visitor understand what the club offers and how to try an appropriate session.
- Attractions
2 min read
Museum café marketing that introduces the programme
A local resident may visit the museum café regularly without exploring the current exhibition programme. Another customer may assume the café requires an admission ticket when it does not.
- Attractions
2 min read
Growing a gallery mailing list through visitor choice
Someone enjoying an exhibition may want to hear about the next one. They need an understandable invitation and a clear sense of what the gallery will send.
- Attractions
2 min read
Visitor attraction updates when the weather changes
A change in weather can affect what visitors expect to do without closing the whole attraction. Your information needs to explain that difference.
Showing 10 of 60 articles
Full guides
One page per kind of venue, with every article in it in reading order.
Build your customer list.
Create your account, make your page and choose a plan. The box is included.
No contract, cancel any time.
Let’s get you started.
Make your page, choose a plan and we post you the box.
Build your customer listAlready have an account? Log in