Kevin Slaughter of Mailwise Solutions shares how consistent direct mail campaigns can boost restaurant sales and enhance the guest experience.

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Give An Ovation is the podcast where we interview restaurant owners, operators, and experts, to get their strategies and tactics so that you can deliver a 5-star guest experience. Available on all major podcasting sites.

Today we’re learning about an often overlooked restaurant marketing channel, direct mail. Kevin Slaughter, Director of Operations at Mailwise Solutions debunks the myth that direct mail is a relic of the past, proving its remarkable ROI in 2024. Discover why consistency trumps one-time mail blasts and how sending menus three to four times a year can keep your pizzeria at the forefront of customers’ minds, fostering repeat business and steady sales growth.

Learn how to blend traditional mailers with digital campaigns to reach diverse demographics—catering to older generations’ love for physical coupons and younger consumers’ preference for digital QR codes.

Here are some highlights:

What is the most important aspect of the guest experience?

“I think that the most important experience is the lasting impression and then the consistency with the meal. So, when I go into a place and I think about my favorite restaurants, it’s: does the staff know? Like, if I ask them, ‘Hey, what do you recommend?’ Are they on top of it? So, I have that initial impression right away of, ‘Okay, they know what they’re doing, they’re excited to be here too, they’re excited to serve me, I’m excited to eat the food.’ And then when I try that food, if it’s a 10, well, the next time I go there, is it going to be a 10 again? A lot goes into running a restaurant, but as long as you’re consistent every single time and meet that expectation, I think that’s the most important thing right now for any restaurant.”

What’s a tactic you’ve used to improve the guest experience?

“If you go into a restaurant and you haven’t seen it, you look at the Google reviews, you look at the photos, you have this impression going in. Then, when I want to place an order, I actually hate asking the question, but I always do: ‘Hey, what are you known for? What do you recommend?’ And if they have a good answer and they’re excited about it—’Oh, we have this special going on,’ or ‘I really like these three items,’ and it’s not the most expensive item on the menu—I think that’s a great tactic to get people excited about the food they’re about to eat.”

Who’s someone in the industry that deserves an Ovation?

“Since I am a service provider for restaurants, I’m going to shout out another service provider, which is David DeSantis at WookAI. David has come up with a program that basically picks from their orders, so it looks at different providers and will pick the cheapest option for you. I probably have 15 of my 300 weekly customers using his services now, and his product works and it saves them money. So, let’s give a shout out to David.”

Learn More

To learn more about Kevin Slaughter and Mailwise Solutions, visit https://mailwisesolutions.com/. You can request a sample packet or contact them at 859-341-3400. Follow Mailwise Solutions on Instagram and Facebook for updates and insights.

Thanks for reading! Make sure to check out the whole episode, as well as other interviews with restaurant gurus by checking out “Give an Ovation: A Podcast For Restaurants” on ovationup.com/podcast or your favorite place to listen to podcasts.

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