5 Ways Small Businesses are Using QR Codes to Build Customer Traffic Amid COVID-19

There are a number of digital marketing strategies that can be utilized to get found online.

You’ve heard it a million times – you need a website for a business to build your online presence, get customers to review your business, and more. But do you understand why? It’s essential to understand the value in doing these things to learn how to do them and succeed online. At NorthShore Loyalty, we want to help you and your business thrive, and in today’s digital world, understanding how to stand out online is a critical step in doing that. Here’s a breakdown of the 5 key reasons it’s so important for businesses to have a strong ad healthy online presence: 1. Allows you to meet your customers where they already are Like we said – we live in a digitally focused world. The last time you needed a specific product or service and didn’t know where to go, what did you do? Chances are, you pulled out your phone or laptop, Googled highly-rated businesses in your area that provide that product or service, whittled down the options and went to that business. If you do this often, you’re not alone. According to Pew Research Center , 91% of adults use search engines (including Google, Yahoo or Bing) to find information. When you exist online, you can meet your customers halfway when they are searching for a product or service you provide.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Ron Goldblatt Northbrook, Ill. – FEBRUARY 2021 – NorthShore Loyalty, a community-based digital marketing company, now offers restaurants an easy and effective solution for their customers to order menu items online as dine in options remain limited and the use of smartphones for ordering continues to increase. Their program follows what they call the “30/30/30 Rule” for online menu orders: Over 30% of orders are online, so you must have online ordering with credit card processing. Paying 30% commission to third parties and charging more for online items hurts sales and the bottom line. Most restaurants see a 30% or more increase in average order value when purchased online. “Our new online ordering program is flexible, easy to set up and maintain, and customers love it,” said Ron Goldblatt, founder, and owner of NorthShore Loyalty. “Restaurant customers can customize their order and check out quickly, and restaurants have the opportunity to earn more, view real time analytics and can email or text message updates on new offers and promotions.” The platform was designed to be convenient and helpful for both the restaurant and customer. The following features accomplish this goal: A customizable option that makes up-selling easy. A optimized checkout page to increase conversions. Automatic data refill for returning customers. Fast, real time confirmation of the order. In-store app for accepting orders. Promotion engine that allows restaurants to advertise offers via email and text marketing. Reporting module that gives insight on order numbers, delivery heat map & more. To learn more about the program or set up a consultation, contact Ron Goldblatt at 847-477-0429 or via northshoreloyalty.com. About NorthShore Loyalty: NorthShore Loyalty is a community-focused digital services company that has been in the digital and mobile marketing business for over five years. Using specialized marketing tactics, NorthShore Loyalty creates original content for local businesses to attract new customers and encourage current ones to come back more often. Their business purpose is to create measurable engagement with new and existing customers to drive more traffic to their clients, and ultimately increase their client’s revenue. Their social purpose is to amplify their client’s community involvement. To learn more about NorthShore Loyalty and its services, click here.

Summary of a WSJ article October 10, 2020. By Heather Haddon Summary: The big chains have a huge advantage over the local eateries. They have more capital, leverage, terms, space, numerous geographic locations, and flexibility. They have also had prior experience for carry out and delivery. Chipotle sales tripled this summer, Dominos and Papa John’s sales doubled and Wingstop created a delivery only item that was a huge success. On a local level for small busineseses, the news is not so rosy, in any given year, 60,000 restaurants open and 50,000 usually close. This year that closed number is expected to hit 100,000. Interesting some of the Big Chain casual dining places also had casualties. Ruby Tuesday, Shake Shack, California and Pizza Kitchen all filed for bankruptcy. Many other chains had to close locations, but at the same time opened new ones. One theme across the board, now is not the time to sit back as the major chain get more aggressive. There are valuable lessons and action steps that small businesses can do as well. We reviewed these trends and laid out an 8-step action plan that can help small businesses. These 8 steps are in two main categories, Physical Location and Mobile Trends. Physical Trends/Action Points There needs to be less focus on premise dining with fewer people indoors Need to look a multiple drive through options including converting parking space areas Even in the cold weather, more outside dining options need to be added but follow local safety guidelines Need to bring staff to the outdoors. Offer pick up windows, offer curbside pickup and Fast Service outside dining Mobile Trends / Action Points Digital menus are more common, make it easy to upload on a mobile phone using QR codes Online ordering needs to minimize clicks, remember past orders, and offer a credit card check out Need to connect digitally with current customers using email, social media, and text messaging QR codes are trending! Look at using them for signing up customers for messaging or to order on premise. The restaurant staff also need help. Their hours are cut back, there are less tips with less table service and these new ways to order usually means less tips overall for servers, chefs and staff who share the tips. We have heard from our North Shore restaurants that locals have been very generous with tips on pick ups and window orders. We hope this trend continues through the winter months. Other trends to consider: Packaging meals for the customers to cook is growing. Premium meats, seafood and chicken all make great takeout items when package with local sides or spices. Offering specially drinks with takeout meals is growing. Many local laws now allow alcohol takeout sales. Focus on specialty drinks like Margaritas, Mojitos or offering flights of Beer or Wine. Steak establishments are offering some of their premium wines at a discount with any takeout order. Family Packs of meals that feed four for under $50 are popular or offering lower cost proteins to hit a price point. About NorthShore Loyalty: NorthShore Loyalty is a community-focused digital services company. Our business purpose is to create measurable engagement with new and existing customers to drive more traffic to our clients and increase their revenue. Our social purpose is to amplify our client’s community involvement. During the pandemic we have provided our clients, new websites, more online reviews, an improvement in their search engine ranking, and most important an easy way to connect with customers using our Text Messaging and Loyalty services. Call or text us at 847-477-0429 to learn more.

The main theme of business adaptation we are seeing thrive in this global pandemic is digitization. To promote social distancing and keep everyone safe, folks are doing more Facetiming, Zoom conferencing and digital connecting, and less in-person meet ups. Now, things are starting to reopen, and we can all reunite at our favorite restaurants and bars again. But before we go straight to hitting the social scene, we need to be careful. Restaurant owners understand the need to take caution and support public health. They want to keep their guests and employees as safe as possible. The best way to reduce risk of getting sick in a restaurant reopening? Don’t touch objects you don’t have to touch, especially if it’s communal. And menus might be the single greatest disease vector in any restaurant. Enter: QR (quick response) coded touchless menus. QR codes have been popping up throughout the restaurant scene over the past few years, and now seems like the perfect time for them to really thrive.

To state the obvious, the times we have been living in have not been easy on the overall health of our country. COVID-19 has burdened the world with deadly sickness, economic hardship, and overall fear of what the future holds. And as we re-open our country again, it’s important to take steps to preserve safety and health for our customers, and also ensure they feel comfortable.

In times like this, you need a way to talk to your customers fast. Especially when everything is closing up and everyone is trying to stay healthy, people want to know what your business is doing to work around the chaos and adapt. And while there are certainly several marketing tactics that can highlight your brand and create a large impact over time, there are a few strategies that we find are most useful when we want to communicate to customers fast and efficiently. At NorthShore Loyalty, we have found the following tactics to be most successful in providing immediate, personal communication to your customers:

Own a Small Business? Click Here to view a wide offering of blogs to navigate the digital world. The most important thing we have learned during Coronavirus is how to come together in times of crisis. Everyone plays a part in fighting this thing, big or small. Whether your role is being a frontline healthcare worker, or simply staying home to keep yourself and others safe, everyone’s due diligence is significantly needed at this time. Local restaurant owners understand that coming together as a community is needed now more than ever. To show their support, they are finding unique ways to give back to those in need and provide meals for folks in our area. To learn more on what restaurants in the North Shore are doing to support their community during this time, we called the many restaurants using our services and asked for their input. Below are some of the different ways we learned on how they are giving back and what all residents and other businesses can do to help in this crisis. Providing meals to first responders and local essential business Restaurants are offering promotions to give back to first responders in the area during this time. For example, Nick Drivas, owner of Grill House and Backyard Grill, runs a family special that gives a portion of sale to first responders. Costa Louvros, owner of Eggspresso in Bannockburn, and Larry Goodman, owner of Marcello’s in Northbrook, also understand the importance of giving back to our frontline workers. Both restaurants donate to local police and fire departments so those workers can stay working during the pandemic. The staff at Stacked and Folded (located in Evanston and Winnetka) also does their part to provide meals for our first responders. “We are honored to help our first responders and health care workers in any way we can,” stated Josh Keating owner of Stacked and Folded. Restaurants are also finding businesses that are considered essential and are giving to them. Butterfield’s restaurant in Northbrook, for example, provides plates of French toast to the workers at the local post office. Offering promotions that give to local food banks With business and school closures, job layoffs, and many other factors, folks are in need now more than ever. During this pandemic, millions of Americans are looking for support from food banks. Ted Vlahakis, owner of Greek Feast, recognizes this fact. That’s why he gives back 50 percent of all beer and wine orders to the Northfield Township Food Pantry. No one should go hungry during this pandemic, and this is a great way to ensure those in need are fed. Marcello’s has also donated juices and food items to Northfield Township Food Pantry. “It’s important to connect with our community during this time and we could tell they were very appreciative of our help,” said Marcello’s owner Larry Goodman. How you can help: Greek Feast and Marcello’s are supporting those who need it most. You can help by purchasing beer and wine from Greek Feast with your Greek dinner, and ordering some pizza online from Marcello’s. Visit the Greek Feast and Marcello’s websites, linked at the bottom, to order online today. Additionally, food pantries in your neighborhood are in need of cereals, beverages, personal hygiene items and household cleaning supplies. None of this should be wasted right now. Visit the websites below to see how you can help today. Northfield Township Food Pantry Northern Illinois Food Bank Greater Chicago Food Depository North Shore SDA Church Feeding America Donating food to local hospitals Our healthcare workers are on the forefront in the race to put an end to COVID-19. While many of us get to stay home and be with family, hospital workers are on the floors of the war against this virus. As they are working long and difficult shifts, it’s important we show our support and take care of them. Judy’s Pizza, Tamales, Stacked and Folded and Butterfield’s are all donating to and offering special promotions for their local hospitals in the North Shore. One Highland Park resident encourages her friends and family to use GiveinKind.com to help support both restaurants and local first hospitals. “We sent meals for Highland Park Hospital last night from our favorite restaurant, Tamales,” she said. “[Give in Kind] makes it very east to support the restaurants we love and the first responders.” You can also help by donating protective equipment to a hospital near you. Unfortunately, those fighting this virus have to face shortages in masks and other key equipment. You can help by donating protective masks and gloves to hospitals in your area. Visit NorthShore.org to learn more on donating. Providing food for families with school-aged children Our nation’s most vulnerable need us right now. Unfortunately, the closure of school means kids are losing meals they depend on. With the help of Judy’s Pizza donating meals to local school children, and initiatives through local volunteer programs, we can help put an end to child hunger in our community. Through the Hunger Free Northbrook Student Program, volunteers distribute food bags to Northbrook families with school-age children in need of more meals. In this time especially, the need is great. Visit the Hunger Free Northbrook Student Food Pack Program for more details. How you can help You can help by becoming a volunteer through local initiatives that provide meals for school children, such as the Hunger Free Northbrook program. Visit the link above to sign up to be a volunteer. Additionally, support all restaurants who provide meals for local schools and support their community. North Shore Loyalty is proud to be a sponsor of Hunger Free Northbrook. To see what all the restaurants mentioned in this update are doing, visit their website and order online. Own a Small Business? Click Here to view a wide offering of blogs to navigate the digital world . __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Let’s fight COVID-19 together Everyone plays a part in fighting this virus, big or small. What’s important to keep in mind is that the more we fight together, the stronger our community becomes in the war against Coronavirus. As a member of our community, you can help by supporting local restaurants, donating to their causes and volunteering. Below are their websites and Facebook pages with special promotions. Let’s all come together and give our support. Backyard Grill (Highland Park, IL), Facebook Butterfield's (Northbrook, IL), Facebook Dear Franks (Deerfield, IL; Niles, IL), Facebook Eggspresso (Bannockburn, IL), Facebook Greek Feast (Northbrook, IL), Facebook Grill House (Northbrook, IL), Facebook Judy’s Pizza (Highland Park, IL), Facebook Marcello’s (Northbrook, IL), Facebook Stacked & Folded (Winnetka IL, Evanston, IL) Facebook Tamales (Highland Park, IL), Facebook

Own a Small Business? Click Here to view a wide offering of blogs to navigate the digital world. It’s safe to say the Coronavirus pandemic has dramatically affected the way we live our day-to-day life. The current shelter-in-place guidelines have confirmed for patrons that life will not be the same for, at least, the next month or so. As restrictions take place, local restaurants have no choice but to close dine-in options and come up with unique ways to serve customers and keep everyone safe at the same time. To learn more on how businesses in our area are staying connected with the community during the shutdown, we spoke with the owners of the following restaurants in the North Shore. We learned a lot about what they’re doing to provide customers service and stay connected. They all shared the following ways of how they’re adapting to the Coronavirus shutdown and showing customers their support: Offering curbside pickup The goal behind curbside pickup orders is to provide a no-contact exchange that is easy and efficient. Restaurants encourage customers to pay online or over the phone, and when they pull up to the restaurant, they stay in their car while employees place the food in their trunk or side door. Employees wear masks and gloves to minimize any risks of contact as they bring out the food. Each restaurant we spoke to had this service process down to a science. The teams at Grill House and Backyard Grill, for example, provide assigned parking spots for each customer when they pull into the parking lot, so there is plenty of space between each car. The challenge in the no-contact services, says Jeff Gorbena, owner of Tamales Mexican Restaurant, is that a lot of their business involves a personal connection. Because of that, customers can still come into Tamales to order for take-out, but they cannot sit down and must remain 6 feet apart. We are also using text messaging and social media to encourage our customers to pre-order their meals. Anyone that calls or orders online however is required to use curbside pickup or delivery. Jerry Rayan, owner of Dear Franks, also takes note of this challenge, which is why he encourages folks to call in to order instead of ordering online. This way, he can give recommendations and help customize each sandwich or hot dog to satisfy each customer’s wishes. Offering contact-free delivery While pickup options offer a more personalized experience, most of these restaurants like Marcello’s in Northbrook or Eggspresso in Bannockburn offer delivery, either directly via the restaurant or through a third party like Uber Eats, GrubHub or Doordash. All options offer a no-contact option in the app, where the deliverer leaves the food at the door instead of handing it to them. To order directly from the restaurant, employees are encouraging to pre-pay online. If they need to pay with cash, they suggest leaving an envelope of the cash somewhere hidden at the front door and giving directions to the delivery person on where to find it. Any cash the restaurants receive will be sterilized. Incorporating extra-thorough sanitization practices While these restaurants already follow thorough sanitization practices, they are doubling down and taking extra caution. For restaurants that have a walk-up window, such as Greek Feast, employees provide hand sanitizer at the window and sanitize pens after a customer signs a receipt. “I really do worry about the customers and their health, and I want to be here for them. “All my efforts go towards making sure everyone stays safe during this uncertain time,” said Jerry Rayan, owner of Dear Franks. Dear Franks employees are required to wear gloves at all times. Leveraging marketing practices to announce special promotions To get the word out about updates and special offers during this time, all eight restaurants are leveraging text message marketing tactics, provided by NorthShore Loyalty. The goal of the text messages is to provide folks in the area the opportunity to be the first to know about coupons and any updates. They are the most effective and easy way to help restaurants connect to their community, especially during a time like this. “These text messages have really helped me get the word out fast about the offers I have right now,” said Stelios Mitris from Butterfields. “We just re-opened and are very pleased with our customer’s response!” Text message marketing has proven to offer local businesses several benefits: It creates awareness. On average, 98 percent of those who receive a text read it, compared to less than 20 percent with email marketing. It drives sales. On average, text marketing has a 19 percent click-thru rate, versus email at 2 percent. It creates customer loyalty. It is eight times more effective to bring back an existing customer than obtain a new one. Restaurants are also leaning into social media to share their updates and promotion information. To learn more, visit northshoreloyalty.com. Giving back to the community One thing all the restaurant owners had in common was how passionate they were about giving back and ensuring they are doing their part. Restaurants like Eggspresso, Greek Feast, Grill House and Backyard Grill are offering promotions to raise money for local first responders and food drives. “This is our way of giving back, and I resonate with it personally. It’s something that is so important for us to do,” said Will Abonce. The team at Judy’s Pizza has done their part to team up with restaurants in the area and provide food for local hospitals. Additionally, they provide food for local schools, so that no children go hungry during this pandemic. Each restaurant we spoke to had a special way of donating and giving back. To learn more, visit their websites or Facebook pages listed below. Own a Small Business? Click Here to view a wide offering of blogs to navigate the digital world . __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ We are all in this together “Above all else, my number one priority is taking care of my employees, their families, and my customers,” said Stelios Mitris. “We are all in this together.” As the Coronavirus pandemic worsens and we are all adapting, it’s important to stay positive and support our local businesses. To order online and stay up to date with changes, visit their websites below: Backyard Grill (Highland Park, IL), Facebook Butterfield's (Northbrook), Facebook Dear Franks (Deerfield, IL; Niles, IL), Facebook Eggspresso (Bannockburn, IL), Facebook Greek Feast (Northbrook, IL), Facebook Grill House (Northbrook, IL), Facebook Judy’s Pizza (Highland Park, IL), Facebook Marcello’s (Northbrook, IL), Facebook Tamales (Highland Park, IL), Facebook