| As I was browsing through the unanswered | | | | have to give them a solid benefit and a good call to |
| questions on today, I came across an excellent | | | | action. "5% off a purchase of $100 or more" won't |
| question regarding restaurant advertising and whether | | | | do it. "$5 Off any item" (including a $5 item) would |
| the proprietor should be advertising when they aren't | | | | work to get them in the door, and then you can |
| making any money. This presents the quintessential | | | | hope for ancillary purchases. For our clients, I prefer |
| "chicken or the egg" scenario for restaurant owners. | | | | to have them do a "Buy One Get One Free" or a |
| Advertising for your business is critical, even in a | | | | "Free X with the Purchase of X". You can even try |
| down market -- in fact many folks believe that during | | | | to drive groups into your establishment by offering |
| the down market is the most important time to be | | | | "Two Free Appetizers with a party of 4 or more". |
| marketing your business. It hurts the pocket book | | | | Sure, you're giving away two appetizers, but think of |
| and it's tough to write that check each month, but it | | | | all of the drinks, food, etc. that you'll sell in the |
| must be done. However, it doesn't need to be | | | | process. |
| extremely expensive. You can read about a lot of | | | | One client asked my opinion about whether he should |
| guerrilla marketing techniques and work to implement | | | | offer a "Free Pizza" deal - no other purchase |
| a few of them, but whatever you choose, try to be | | | | necessary. He was afraid that he would be giving the |
| creative. With all of the advertising 'noise' out there | | | | store away without any benefit. He told me that a |
| today, you need to pick an advertising platform that | | | | large pizza cost him about $3 in supplies. My response |
| will get into your customer's hands directly and | | | | was "Is it worth $3 to get a new client?" His answer, |
| ultimately result in coupon conversions. (I run a text | | | | of course, was "Yes". However, if he simply gave |
| message marketing company, so obviously I'm partial | | | | away the pizza, he wouldn't get information about his |
| to that method, but whatever you choose to do, be | | | | client and be able to market to them again, so I |
| creative). | | | | suggested that he marry his Free Pizza campaign |
| Some quick inexpensive things you can do to get | | | | with his text message marketing campaign. Give |
| started: | | | | them the free pizza, but only if they texted his |
| - Be sure to look internally to your own self-created | | | | keyword to his short code, so that he now captured |
| database first. Friends, family, neighbors, or the | | | | their contact information and can market to them |
| database that you've already built from previous | | | | again. Since he knows that they like a free deal, he |
| promotions. Get with those folks with some sort of | | | | can him them weekly or monthly with another 'free' |
| promotional message and ask them to forward to | | | | offer and get them back in the door. You need to |
| their friends. | | | | keep in mind that every marketing transaction should |
| - Work with community organizations - partner with | | | | work to build some sort of long term value to your |
| local organizations (schools, community organizations, | | | | company, not simply a one time transaction. |
| etc.) to provide a "Community night" or "School Night" | | | | Since you are looking to build long term value with |
| and give 15% of your proceeds to that organization. | | | | your marketing campaign, you need to look at how |
| If you do that, the school or organization will do the | | | | effective the marketing dollars are being spent and |
| marketing for you. | | | | what kind of ROI you are getting from your |
| - Give instant coupons for a return visit to your | | | | marketing efforts. However, being a small business |
| patrons. Nobody will return faster to your restaurant | | | | owner most of my life, I realize that small business |
| than someone who knows how good your food is! | | | | owners are typically so focused on day to day |
| When you present the bill, give them a card or | | | | operations that they don't have the time or money |
| coupon for 15% off their next visit and then give | | | | or technology to work on tracking their marketing |
| them a defined time limit (depending on the type of | | | | efforts. An ad placed in local paper, door hangers, a |
| restaurant). This gives them a discount at a place | | | | Val-pak mailer or similar bulk mail coupon system, or |
| they like, and generates a solid call to action to return | | | | even a mobile text message marketing campaign |
| before the coupon expires. | | | | may, or may not generate additional revenue unless |
| One thing to keep in mind at all times is that you | | | | there is a solid tracking mechanism in place. |