Marketing overview and consent
What ResRes Marketing does, how guests give permission, and how marketing emails differ from booking messages.
Marketing lets you email guests who have agreed to hear from you. You can use automatic emails (Autopilot) or one-off campaigns, and see the bookings they bring back.
Booking messages vs marketing emails
| Booking messages | Marketing emails | |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Confirmation, change, cancellation, reminder, deposit request | News, offers, "we miss you", birthday |
| Who gets them | Every guest with a booking, if they gave contact details | Only guests with a recorded marketing permission |
| Can guests turn them off? | No, they're needed for the booking | Yes, every email has a one-click unsubscribe |
| Set up in | Setup and Settings | Marketing |
Unsubscribing from marketing never stops a guest's booking emails. Marketing is email only. Marketing texts aren't available.
How guests give permission
- On your booking page, guests can tick: "Email me occasional news and offers from [your restaurant]. This is separate from your booking emails, and you can unsubscribe at any time." It's unticked by default.
- Through an import, when you upload a list and declare the venue has a lawful basis to email those addresses. See Contacts and subscribers.
Having a guest's email from a booking is not permission. Marking someone VIP or Regular doesn't give permission either.
Rules ResRes always applies
- Only contacts with a recorded lawful basis are ever included in an audience.
- Every marketing email carries a working one-click unsubscribe footer.
- Unsubscribes, bounces and complaints are respected. A guest can only opt back in themselves.
- Frequency limits stop a guest getting too many emails.
You're still responsible for what you send and for any permission you declare on import. These controls help, but they aren't legal advice.
Before you start
- Marketing is open to owners and managers.
- Your venue needs a Marketing plan (included or as an add-on). See Marketing settings.
Where things are
Marketing has five tabs: Autopilot, Campaigns, Guests, Results and Settings.
Troubleshooting
- No Marketing in the menu: your role is staff. Ask an owner or manager.
- Guest says they didn't sign up: check their status and source under Guests.