For many years I lived the life of a corporate traveller. It was before the days of the immediacy that dictates the lives that we now live. Frequent travel points and loyalty programme ticks on a card meant little for, above all, one cherished time at home and the expiry of loyalty programme points was, in my case at least, the norm. Times have changed; air miles can be used for lifestyle experiences and hotel room nights can be gifted. What is clear is that loyalty programmes do incentivise the proverbial " many happy returns", and increasingly so, since cross-selling opportunities now abound. Have you explored your cross seling opportunities? There is another side to promoting prepaid voucher sales, and this is the benefit that a magic crystal ball gives to a believer! You guessed it's accurate estimates. If you presell an event in your restaurant, you will have a high occupancy. High occupancy brings atmosphere and funds the little extras that turn a meal into an entertaining night out with friends. Restaurants offer the opportunity to spend time with friends and families eating. It need not be only about the cost of the meal. If you make it so, you will find that that may not, at any price, be enough. Eating out is often not affordable and groups of friends and families seek more than a plate of food. If you shake the crystal ball, you will see that the food is an enabler that is but a foundation to the value in a shared experience that needs but to be unlocked. Thus, when you plan a voucher campaign think beyond the discount on the meal. Think about choreographing an experience that will allow your diners to cherish every moment of the evening. When your brand stands for more than food, and it stands for delivering fulfilling experiences, then you will have established the basis for your regular diners to become advocates that recruit friends and family to join them for a memorable evening. When you have reached this level of trust, you will have established a robust brand loyalty. When you open your creativity to the possibilities that are there, and you become prepared to disrupt traditions you will soon realise that wearing the hat of an event organiser will open the way to many rewarding experiences. Imagine a restaurant that orchestrates a pop-up kitchen in a park with entertainers, or one that hosts talks on popular topics. Restaurants are in a position to experiment, especially if they can count on a full house. Many restaurants do not maintain subscriber lists but the opportunity to create one is undoubtedly there, and it is no doubt ready to be inspired by your creativity. Your subscribers will be happy to open your e-mails if they are looking forward to more than a discounted meal. A restaurant is an established springboard for creating memorable experiences. It’s time for you to engineer some. | 
