Chowly Acquires Targetable: A Game Changer for Restaurant Marketing

In today's fast-paced restaurant industry, staying ahead requires more than just great food and service. It demands a robust digital presence and effective marketing strategies. That's why the recent acquisition of Targetable by Chowly is such a significant development. This blog post will delve into the details of this strategic move, exploring how it promises to revolutionize restaurant marketing, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). We'll break down the benefits, the vision behind it, and the impact it will have on restaurant operators. Be sure to also check out our latest podcast episode, How This Tech Duo Tackles Restaurant Marketing Challenges Head-On | Season 11, Vol. 11, where we talk to Sterling Douglass, Co-Founder and CEO of Chowly, Inc., and Andrew J. Nash, CEO of Targetable, about their combined vision and the exciting future of restaurant marketing.

Introduction: Chowly and Targetable Unite to Transform Restaurant Marketing

The restaurant landscape is constantly evolving. Digital ordering has become a necessity, and marketing is no longer an option but a critical component of success. Chowly, a leader in streamlining digital ordering for restaurants, has recognized this and taken a bold step by acquiring Targetable, a company specializing in cost-effective digital marketing solutions for restaurants. This union creates a powerful synergy, offering SMBs a comprehensive suite of tools to manage both their online ordering and marketing efforts seamlessly.

The Acquisition: A Strategic Move for SMBs

This acquisition isn't just about two companies joining forces; it's a strategic move designed to empower SMBs. Restaurants often struggle with the complexities of managing multiple platforms for ordering, marketing, and customer engagement. This leads to inefficiencies, increased costs, and a fragmented customer experience. By integrating Targetable's marketing capabilities into Chowly's existing platform, the combined entity aims to solve these challenges head-on, offering a unified solution tailored to the unique needs of smaller restaurant businesses.

What Targetable Brings to the Table: Cost-Effective Digital Marketing

Targetable has carved a niche for itself by providing cost-effective digital marketing solutions that are specifically designed for the restaurant industry. Unlike generic marketing agencies, Targetable understands the nuances of attracting and retaining restaurant customers. Their services focus on leveraging data-driven insights to create targeted campaigns that drive real results. This includes everything from social media advertising to email marketing, all optimized to increase online orders and foot traffic.

One of the key benefits Targetable offers is its affordability. Many SMBs are priced out of traditional marketing channels, making it difficult for them to compete with larger chains. Targetable's solutions are designed to be accessible to businesses of all sizes, allowing them to effectively reach their target audience without breaking the bank. This focus on cost-effectiveness is a game-changer for restaurants looking to maximize their marketing ROI.

Chowly's Vision: An All-in-One Digital Ordering Ecosystem

Chowly's vision extends beyond simply processing online orders. They aim to create an all-in-one digital ordering ecosystem that streamlines operations, enhances the customer experience, and drives revenue growth for restaurants. By integrating Targetable's marketing capabilities, Chowly is taking a significant step towards realizing this vision. This integrated platform will provide restaurants with a single point of access for managing their entire digital presence, from order management to customer engagement.

This ecosystem approach not only simplifies operations but also provides valuable data insights. By tracking customer behavior across ordering and marketing channels, restaurants can gain a deeper understanding of their customers' preferences and tailor their offerings accordingly. This data-driven approach enables them to make more informed decisions about menu optimization, marketing campaigns, and customer service strategies.

Addressing the Complete Customer Journey: From Awareness to Retention

A key aspect of the Chowly-Targetable partnership is its focus on addressing the entire customer journey, from initial awareness to long-term retention. In the past, restaurants often treated marketing and ordering as separate functions, leading to a disjointed customer experience. With the integrated platform, restaurants can now seamlessly guide customers through the entire process, from discovering the restaurant online to placing an order and becoming a loyal patron.

This holistic approach allows restaurants to build stronger relationships with their customers. By understanding their preferences and providing personalized offers and promotions, restaurants can increase customer loyalty and drive repeat business. This is particularly important in today's competitive market, where customers have more choices than ever before.

Simplifying Tech & Reducing Workload: A Boon for Restaurant Operators

Restaurant operators are notoriously busy, often juggling multiple responsibilities at once. Managing technology and marketing can be a significant drain on their time and resources. The Chowly-Targetable integration is designed to alleviate this burden by simplifying technology processes and reducing the workload for restaurant operators.

The all-in-one platform eliminates the need for restaurants to manage multiple logins, interfaces, and vendors. This streamlines operations and frees up time for operators to focus on other critical aspects of their business, such as improving food quality, enhancing customer service, and managing staff. By simplifying technology, Chowly and Targetable are empowering restaurants to operate more efficiently and effectively.

Done-For-You Solutions: Overcoming the Marketing Staffing Hurdle

Many SMBs lack the resources to hire dedicated marketing staff. This can be a significant hurdle, preventing them from effectively promoting their business and reaching new customers. Chowly and Targetable recognize this challenge and offer comprehensive, done-for-you solutions that provide restaurants with the marketing expertise they need without the expense of hiring full-time employees.

These done-for-you solutions cover a wide range of marketing activities, including social media management, email marketing, and online advertising. The team of marketing experts at Chowly and Targetable work closely with restaurants to develop customized strategies that align with their business goals and target audience. This allows restaurants to leverage professional marketing expertise without incurring the costs associated with hiring and training in-house staff.

Return on Time (ROT) vs. ROI: Maximizing Efficiency

While Return on Investment (ROI) is undoubtedly important, Chowly and Targetable also emphasize the importance of Return on Time (ROT). In the restaurant industry, time is a precious commodity. Operators need to be able to focus on tasks that directly impact the customer experience and drive revenue growth. By streamlining technology and automating marketing processes, the integrated platform helps restaurants maximize their ROT.

This focus on efficiency allows operators to spend less time managing technology and marketing and more time on activities that directly benefit their business. This can include training staff, developing new menu items, and building relationships with customers. By maximizing ROT, restaurants can improve their overall efficiency and profitability.

The Marketing Funnel Focus: Discoverability, Acquisition, and Retention

The Chowly-Targetable approach to restaurant marketing is centered around the marketing funnel, focusing on three key stages: discoverability, acquisition, and retention. Discoverability refers to making sure that potential customers can easily find the restaurant online. Acquisition involves attracting those potential customers to the restaurant and converting them into paying customers. Retention focuses on keeping those customers coming back for more.

By optimizing each stage of the marketing funnel, restaurants can maximize their marketing effectiveness and drive sustainable growth. The integrated platform provides tools and strategies for each stage, including search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, online advertising, and email marketing. This comprehensive approach ensures that restaurants are reaching the right customers at the right time with the right message.

Ideal Marketing Spend: Balancing Cost and Reach

Determining the ideal marketing spend can be a challenge for restaurants. It's important to strike a balance between cost and reach, ensuring that marketing efforts are both effective and affordable. Chowly and Targetable help restaurants determine the optimal marketing budget based on their specific goals, target audience, and market conditions.

They provide data-driven insights into the effectiveness of different marketing channels, allowing restaurants to allocate their resources wisely. By tracking key metrics such as cost per acquisition and customer lifetime value, restaurants can make informed decisions about where to invest their marketing dollars.

Organic Strategies: Achieving Targeted Reach Cost-Effectively

In addition to paid advertising, Chowly and Targetable also emphasize the importance of organic marketing strategies. Organic strategies, such as SEO and social media engagement, can be a cost-effective way to reach a targeted audience and build brand awareness.

By optimizing their website for search engines and creating engaging content for social media, restaurants can attract potential customers without spending a fortune on advertising. Organic strategies are particularly effective for building long-term relationships with customers and establishing a strong brand presence online.

Serving SMBs: Tailored Solutions for Unique Challenges

One of the key differentiators of the Chowly-Targetable partnership is its focus on serving SMBs. Unlike larger restaurant chains, SMBs often face unique challenges, such as limited budgets, lack of marketing expertise, and difficulty competing with larger competitors. The integrated platform is specifically designed to address these challenges, providing tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of smaller restaurant businesses.

By offering affordable pricing, done-for-you solutions, and personalized support, Chowly and Targetable are empowering SMBs to thrive in the competitive restaurant industry. Their commitment to serving SMBs is a testament to their vision of creating a more equitable and accessible marketplace for restaurants of all sizes.

Conclusion: The Future of Restaurant Marketing is Here

The acquisition of Targetable by Chowly marks a significant turning point in restaurant marketing. By combining digital ordering and marketing into a single, integrated platform, they are empowering SMBs to compete more effectively and thrive in today's digital landscape. This partnership represents the future of restaurant marketing – a future where technology simplifies operations, enhances the customer experience, and drives sustainable growth. We encourage you to listen to our podcast episode, How This Tech Duo Tackles Restaurant Marketing Challenges Head-On | Season 11, Vol. 11, to get a deeper understanding of the vision and strategies driving this exciting transformation and hear directly from Sterling Douglass and Andrew Nash. The insights they share are invaluable for any restaurant operator looking to navigate the ever-changing world of digital marketing.