November is upon us and the holiday planning is set in place for most restaurants. Gift card promotions in place and holiday parties are booked. Fortunately gasoline prices are dropping which will free up discretionary spending. The challenge is to drive traffic into your restaurant and away from the big box stores. Promotions on social […]
When was the last time your restaurant’s website made you money? The majority of restaurant websites that I take a look at are not really helping restaurant owners increase revenue. Yes, a website is designed to create awareness and promote a professional image, but it can also drive new traffic and create new revenue streams for […]
Every week I speak with restaurant owners in many parts of the country. In each conversation, they tell me of their concerns in running their restaurant business. In each of these conversations they all expressed many of the same concerns and they revolve around these five issues: Growing sales and reducing cost. Rising food cost […]
Recently I came across a study that was done by Deloitte consulting on loyalty within the restaurant industry. It is a very good analysis of loyalty in the industry, but another fact caught my attention. The study looked at driving factors of why consumers go to restaurants. There are many factors that drive our decisions […]
How do restaurant operators look at the cost of marketing? The NRA’s guidelines for restaurant marketing says that restaurants should allocate anywhere between two and four percent on restaurant marketing. Do restaurant owners follow this model when budgeting for their business? Like many families, the budget sometimes goes out the window when juggling expenses. The […]
Understanding the lifetime value of your customer is important part of restaurant marketing. What is a customer worth to you? 2014 is off to a crazy start. A recent article on Fox Business News cited that the winter weather has impacted small business by as much as 13% in the first two months of the […]
Is reputation management part of your restaurant marketing strategy? Recently, I was on an extensive road trip for the better part of the past month. Many nights in hotels and most of my meals in restaurants. Ah the glamour of business travel! One thing I have seen in most markets that I visit is that […]
As we go into a new year, restaurant owners should be developing their restaurant business plan for operational efficiency and marketing strategies to increase sales. A recent study of restaurant owners in Columbus Ohio cited the top five concerns to be dealt with in 2014. Outlined below are their thoughts. How will I increase sales and […]
2013 is done! 2014 is here…. Now what will you do? At the beginning of every year it’s always good to take a step back and see what worked and what did not work over the past year in your restaurant. Here are four quick easy categories to help you figure out your restaurant business […]
I know, I know…. You are just preparing for the busy holiday season and planning for 2014 is the last thing on your mind. Unfortunately we all know that time goes so fast and January of 2014 will be here in no time. Do you want to come out of the gate fast, or start […]
Veterans Day has come and gone for 2013. Many restaurants have taken that day to honor our veterans for their service to our country. That is great way to show your appreciation for their service to us as a nation. I happened to visit a local restaurant on Veterans Day that had been saying their […]
Think about it…. How many times a week does somebody knock on your door and ask for donations from your restaurant? One…Three….Ten times a week? Restaurant owners I have spoken to about this topic seemed annoyed with all of these people asking for donations. Yes, it can be a hassle, yes it can cost you […]
Statistics say that over 50% of diners participate in a least one loyalty program? Is your restaurant playing in the game? Restaurant marketing is evolving very fast with the aid of technology gains. Yet some restaurants are still using old fashioned punch cards for their customers. While punch cards can achieve some of the same […]
Last night I went out for dinner to a local restaurant and had my meal on their outdoor deck. It was a great night, about 70 degrees, no wind and just a great night to sit out and enjoy a meal. During the course of the night, the owner “Dutch” stopped by our table to […]
Last week my travels took me to Nashville Tennessee to work with one of my clients. It was a good trip but one thing struck me clearly, the power of NCAA Basketball on the local economy. The NRA reports that business in the restaurant industry was off dramatically during January and February. My clients have expressed […]