Communication via newsletters and social media and a successful loyalty program has been a cornerstone of Terry O’Brien’s digital strategy at the Red Parka Steakhouse and Pub in Glen, New Hampshire.  And that focus has helped Terry get through the initial challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

With the coronavirus effectively shutting down their dine-in business, her newsletter and Facebook were critical to highlighting what is going on with the restaurant.  Unlike many restaurants, Terry’s concern for her staff and needing to work out the distancing guidelines in the kitchen meant the pub actually sold raw products, including their hand-cut steaks, to move stock rather than let it go to waste. Developing the take-out business of cooked food took longer to implement.

Terry posts at least once per day on Facebook, sends out a weekly newsletter and uses a local radio station for promotion.  She monitors other sites such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google for reviews but does not engage with them in any real depth.

In the early stages of the shutdown, one life-line for the restaurant was the ability to sell gift cards via their e-Commerce enabled website.  Terry developed an offer whereby purchasing a $100 gift card would get a $120 value and promoted that offer over her social channels and newsletter.  This short term cash flow boost helped to weather many of the issues she faced trying to understand how to keep her business going and her staff on the payroll.

Watch the full interview here on youtube