No one in hospitality needs reminding that the past couple of years have been tough. With customer spending remaining under pressure, many are operating with little room for error, and there are few operators who haven’t already reviewed costs, adjusted rosters, sharpened pricing, and looked for ways to do more with less.

We’re not suggesting that a clever promotion or a new event is going to solve the challenges facing the industry. But over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing a series of ideas, observations and examples that hospitality businesses may – or may not – have tried. Some will be practical, some a little unconventional, and some may simply spark something with you.

First up: what if your business felt more like a club? Not in the formal sense. But in the sense that people feel part of something, and your venue becomes woven into their routines.

Don’t create a club. Become home to one.

Hospitality businesses have always been in the business of bringing people together. But perhaps there is an opportunity to think differently about who is already gathering in your community and how your venue could become part of that.

• A local running club that finishes with coffee at your place every Saturday morning.
• A cycling group that meets for breakfast after their ride.
• A book club looking for a regular home.
• Remote workers seeking somewhere to escape the home office one day a week.
• Retirees who gather every Wednesday morning.
• A bridge group, knitting group, mums’ group or local business network.

In many cases, these communities already exist. They don’t need creating. They simply need somewhere to gather.

Habits are powerful

Customers may first visit because of the food, coffee or location. But often they return because your business becomes part of a routine.

• The Friday work catch-up.
• The Saturday coffee after the run.
• The post-sport lunch with the kids.
• The monthly friends’ dinner.

It’s these small routines and traditions that can transform a venue from somewhere people occasionally visit into somewhere they feel connected to.

Technology has changed the way people discover our businesses, but it hasn’t changed the human desire for connection. And in a world where so much interaction happens online, places where people feel welcome and known are becoming increasingly valuable.

So, a question worth considering: Who is already gathering in your community – and could your business become their natural home?

Not every idea will be right for every venue. But in challenging times, sometimes the most interesting opportunities aren’t about creating something entirely new.

Sometimes they’re about becoming part of something that already exists.