Case Study Highlights: Capturing customer traffic off the beaten path, connecting with local community, offering unique promotions

Not being on the beach meant that the Vista del Mar lost out on tourist business. Owners Dave and Jayne Baldwin brainstormed unique promotions designed to entice customers into visiting—and staying a while.

What does a restaurant owner running a beachside resort in the sunny Costa del Sol of Spain have to worry about, besides cloudy days? After all, in this part of Spain, the weather’s great from April to October. Tourism is the main industry, and there is a thriving beach culture thanks to the sunny skies and warm Mediterranean Sea.

Dave and Jayne Baldwin, looking to serve that beach culture, eagerly took over the Costa del Sol’s Vista del Mar restaurant in April of 2007. Previously, Jayne had helped run a small hotel in Bournemouth, UK; Dave had no restaurant management experience. “We wanted to live the Spanish dream!” he said.

The Vista del Mar restaurant is a beachside bar/restaurant that serves Spanish and International food and wine to those looking to escape the heat. However, business at the Vista del Mar suffers a little, unlike nearby chiringuitos (bars directly on the beach), because of its lack of direct access to the sand and surf. Never ones to give up, Dave and Jayne Baldwin have touted the lack of sand at Vista del Mar as a benefit (“set up above the beach, with no sand!” says their website) and have started a number of promotions to drive customer traffic to the Vista del Mar.

First of all, the Baldwins focused on connecting with the community. If they could become a favorite among locals, then less of their business would be dependent on the erratic tourist trade. The Costa del Sol has a robust expatriate population of British citizens, and Dave, a UK citizen himself, has worked hard to get Vista del Mar’s name out in that community. Read how the best customers equal the best profits.

“Because we are ‘off the beaten track,’ we’ve had to think long and hard,” said Dave. How could they convince their customers to visit and, furthermore, to stick around and have a couple drinks after eating? As time went on, it became clear what the Vista del Mar’s customers were looking for—entertainment.

“In the summer, we hold entertainment promotions three nights a week, along with our popular Sunday lunch,” said Dave. Live music acts, flamenco dancing and movie nights have proved successful at Vista del Mar. Also wildly popular among American and Canadian visitors has been Thursday Steak Night. Customers can order an appetizer, salad, and 11-ounce steak with all the fixings. Read about how successful restaurants look for new opportunities.

MustHaveMenus’ seasonal and event menus have helped the Baldwins promote Vista del Mar’s special events. “MustHaveMenus provides you with fantastic templates and with so many different occasions. The ability to customize one of the menu templates saves hours!” said Dave. His favorite menus are the kids menus, especially the coloring sheets. “They keep the kids quiet and give mum and dad a chance to enjoy themselves.” Read about how to increase sales with your menu choice.

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