Tag Archives: Restaurant

Restaurant

Surprise Your Regulars With Creative Restaurant Marketing Strategies

Have you ever heard of the 80/20 rule? This well known business rule stipulates that 80% of your business comes from 20% of your clientele. This rule can generally be applied across all forms of business and should tell you that your creative restaurant marketing strategies should be aimed towards your existing customers.

When we hear about the 80/20 rule we might initially question it. However, word of mouth is by far the best form of advertising and people generally look for some kind of “social proof” before they choose to eat at a particular location. Television, newspaper and Internet advertising may be one thing, but people want to know that they are going to have a good experience and turn to others for their opinions.

If you choose to focus on your existing, good clientele, you can apply some creative restaurant marketing strategies to help spread the word. You just need to focus on some relatively small ideas and remember that it is those neat touches that people remember.

If you know that a very regular party is coming in for a special occasion, determine what this is and go the extra distance. For example, if it is a significant anniversary consider a special bottle of wine at the table when they arrive. If it is a Valentine dinner, a red rose for the lady would be great.

Look at the small costs of providing something free as an investment in your business future. People remember the little things and will undoubtedly tell their friends. This “knock on” effect is what you’re looking for when you employ creative restaurant marketing strategies.

Use every opportunity you can to place suggestive messages in front of your guests. Business owners often forget that people need to use the bathroom and as this is literally a confined space a strategic, subtle message displayed on the wall or on a mirror will be productive. Again, be subtle and think of how you can sow the seed of an idea with such a message.

These days social media is very important. You must have your own Facebook page for your restaurant and should also open a Twitter account. Publicize your site address on your check or bill receipt and suggest that people who sign up as members of your various sites may receive a special discount of some kind against a future purchase.

Always try and get the e-mail address of every visitor. If you can, determine their birth dates, month and day. Establish an automatic messaging system called an auto responder, sending out invites to the birthday boy or girl, offering a free meal. They will invariably arrive with others to celebrate and you will probably, once again, be introducing your great service to new prospects.

Restaurant

How to Buy or Sell a Family Restaurant

A family restaurant exudes the ambiance of a home. The menus served might be time-honored family recipes that have become a hit with the family and extended family members: relatives, neighbors, classmates, office-mates and friends. It might have started as a way to pass the time and increase the income of members of the family. Most family restaurants that have managed to become successful grew popular mainly by word of mouth.

As with any business, opening, buying or selling a family restaurant is done with profit as the objective. Whatever the objective, a simple business plan is required to make a restaurant financially viable. The following are some tips you have to keep in mind on how to buy or sell a family restaurant.

Small is Still a Big Deal

A single proprietorship family restaurant is labor-intensive. The hours put into the business might adversely affect the goods and services being offered so there is a need to professionalize the business approach no matter how small it may be.

The Location is your Lifeline

Market analysis greatly influences the location of the business. Family restaurant does not mean the location should be at home but anywhere where there is a demand since business is a matter of supply and demand. Thorough market analysis should take into consideration the clientele’s age brackets, employment, lifestyles, habits and financial capabilities. The food and beverages to be served are usually influenced by this.

Know Your Hook

When breaking into the food service business, there needs to be a careful emphasis on what aspect of the product to promote. It might be the price, the quality of food, great service or the charm of the individuals involved.

Get in Sync

The daily business activities are the backbone of the food service industry. These are the activities of employees, the business hours offered and the source of foods for cooking. It is always advisable to offer dishes which are in season and are readily available in the locality.

Go Healthy

Health and environmental considerations should be weighed heavily for the good of the owner and the general public. You wouldn’t encourage hypertensive clients to partake of rich foods. This kind of business practice might be unpopular but will prove to be an intangible asset in these times when obesity is a world health problem. A successful family restaurant is able to cope with the changes in the demands of the clients as well as have the ability to diversify to other products and recipes as well as serve healthy food without sacrificing quality.

Successful businesses are maintained and nurtured. As an owner, you need to choose the best location, professionalize your workflow, know what your strengths are, and know your customers. If you are successful, you can establish another branch or let others franchise your restaurant. Those who failed can always sell the business at a profit if possible; or carefully examine what aspect of the business failed and find new sources of capital.