A Direct Marketing Agency - Helping Brands Acquire and Retain Customers

Targeted e-mail campaigns can have a significant impact on growing a business. Take for example, Texas-based Studio Movie Grill. E-mail marketing is the ticket to filling seats. According to founder, Brian Schultz, the chain has achieved nearly a 70% open rate for its weekly e-mail blasts, leading to a 20% leap in online ticket sales and an overall increase in attendance.

The company has been able to develop a customer base of over 40,000 through opt-ins for an e-newsletter.

Why has the company's e-campaigns been successful?

1) The key is to start with a compelling, measurable offer. Studio Movie Grill offers movie goers discounted food and beverages. Utilizing these offers on slow midweek nights has helped the company fill seats, sell dinners and cultivate long-term customer relationships.

2) Providing relevant information. Examples include up-to-date show times, special programming that's movie related, or information about what's happening at the theater.

3) Linking e-mails to a company's home page for immediate access to information and the ability to buy online.

4) Cultivating relationships. Studio Movie Grill newsletter recipients can watch film trailers, answer trivia questions, view box office results or link to official movie websites. Recipients are also informed of special events at the theater and have the option of purchasing items from the gift store.

Other benefits Studio Movie Grill has experienced from e-marketing linked to on-line ticket sales include:

• Predicting attendance for certain shows in advance to plan meals in advance
• E-mails have cut down on the staggering number of calls to the movie information line.

Studio Movie Grill is a great case study of the success a company can achieve with a clear objective and plan for communicating one to one with customers.