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Jack-Tar American Tavern

Constant Contact Customer Since: 2005
List size: 950
Open rate: 43%
Favorite feature: Reporting
Website: www.jacktarmarblehead.com

Visitors to the Massachusetts coastal town of Marblehead have many dining options to satisfy their appetites, and Constant Contact customer Jack-Tar American Tavern has quickly become a favorite. Tourists aren't the only ones enjoying Jack-Tar's fare. Residents of Marblehead and the surrounding communities are the diners who have done the most in bringing this seaside restaurant to its award-winning status.

Founded in January 2004 by Andrew Kramer and Matthew O'Connor, Jack-Tar is a classic New England Tavern that specializes in creatively-prepared American fare. Opening a new restaurant in an area filled with dining options presented quite a challenge to the new owners. To overcome the staggering failure rate of Marblehead restaurants (their location alone had seen 3 different restaurant concepts in the past 4 years), they recognized the business had to thrive not only during the busy summer tourist season, but also the other nine months of the year. To achieve this, they knew that they needed to develop a lasting and tangible connection with local Marblehead residents.

"For a restaurant in a small town, you can't underestimate the significant differentiator that loyal, regular customers provide," says Kramer.

Jack-Tar's initial launch primarily involved traditional marketing vehicles, such as ads in the weekly town newspaper and traditional public relations efforts. However, Kramer soon learned that in order to successfully achieve his objective of connecting with local residents, he needed to expand his marketing methods. Although the restaurant had been accumulating customer information, including email addresses, the owners had no cost-effective way of quickly communicating with these customers.

In January 2005, Jack-Tar invested significant resources to launch a customer loyalty program, with the goals of encouraging repeat business. Jack-Tar's "Admiral's Club" Loyalty Rewards program provides an array of discounts and awards based on when customer dine as well as how frequently they dine. To help launch the loyalty program and to cost-effectively reach his customers post-launch, Kramer turned to Constant Contact.

"We selected Constant Contact as our email marketing service because it was, by far, the easiest to use. As an independent restaurant with a relatively small marketing budget and limited time, we don't have the luxury to have people solely dedicated to web-based tools or multi-channel marketing campaigns. Constant Contact is simple, straightforward, and customizable. As a result, it helps us save time and make money," Kramer noted.

Beyond needing an email marketing system for the launch of the Admiral's Club, Jack-Tar needed an efficient and effective way to get the word out about special events and promotions, and to manage email distribution and communication. Constant Contact is the answer.

"We needed a way to communicate with customers on a timely, consistent and more personal basis. Advertising in a weekly newspaper was only partially effective in accomplishing this. It was only through using the email services of Constant Contact that we were able to build a connection with our customers, in a timely, engaging, unobtrusive way," Kramer observed.

Jack-Tar's customer loyalty program reached 1,000 customers in just one year, and they consistently sign up about 70% of their patrons. After customers are enrolled into the loyalty program, Kramer uses Constant Contact to send them a welcome email. Jack-Tar also stays in touch with its customers through quarterly newsletters, which feature events, seasonal menu changes, and employee profiles. They also email promotions, such as their Beat the Clock early dining program, where what patrons pay for certain dishes corresponds with their arrival time if it's before 6:30p.m.

Kramer's timely email newsletters and promotions for the loyalty program have helped him achieve an open rate of 43% and a 10% click-through rate.

Commenting on the value of Constant Contact's services, Kramer states, "The email marketing services of Constant Contact have become a very important ingredient in our marketing recipe."

Jack-Tar continues to build upon its success. The restaurant won several dinning awards in 2005, grew sales by 10% in 2005, and achieved profitability. Jack-Tar's example shows that it takes more than great food to build an award-winning restaurant and implement a powerful customer loyalty program. It also takes consistent and relevant communication. With Constant Contact as an indispensable tool in its marketing mix, Jack-Tar is sure to see current customers coming back for more and new customers walking through the door.