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Home | Marketing
 
Marketing
Marketing

If your local market is typical, you've probably noticed the number of eating establishments in your area increasing at a faster rate than the number of people available to frequent them. As an independent operator, chances are you don't just have more competition, but in particular, more competition from chain operators who are very focused on capturing market share and have the marketing budgets to get lots of attention.

While the chains can be serious competitors, independents have definite advantages. You'll learn strategies and tactics to take advantage of your independent status and ways to effectively market and promote your restaurant without resorting to the traditional means of expensive and often ineffective mass media advertising.

Our objective in this section is to bring to light many approaches and ideas for you to consider in the area of increasing customer counts and sales volume through creative and "low cost" marketing and promotional activities.

As you know, marketing a restaurant is not an exact science. What works for one restaurant, may not work for another. But what we do know is that doing nothing fails 100% of the time.

A key component of successful restaurant marketing is to keep trying. Constantly experimenting with inexpensive ways of attracting attention and creating interest in your restaurant will eventually lead to positive results. We'll give you a wide variety of proven ways to enhance your marketing skills and create more customers.

Marketing Successes: Operators Reveal How They Grow Sales & Profit In Their Restaurants
Three successful independent operators reveal their most profitable marketing activities. Get valuable ideas to use in your restaurant from their candid insights as they explain what marketing strategies and promotions worked best, what didn't and the processes and methods they used. . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: Restaurant Marketing Promotion Tracking Template
DOWNLOAD: Restaurant Marketing Promotion Tracking Template Many restaurants spend from 2-4% of revenue on marketing. The most successful ones track their promotions so they "know" which ones work & which don't. Use this template so you can concentrate your efforts & dollars on your most productive marketing activities. . . . more >>
Restaurant Marketing: Our Members' Best Practices
Restaurant Marketing: Our Members' Best Practices In a recently conducted survey, our members shared ongoing restaurant marketing practices that were the most effective. While some of the practices listed were expected, we did uncover many new and creative marketing activities as well. . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: Catering Marketing Letter Templates
DOWNLOAD: Catering Marketing Letter Templates Need a creative boost to jump-start your catering sales? Use these ready-to-use marketing letters to introduce your restaurant to prospective catering clients. These templates include four sample introductory letters that you can send to your direct mail or email list of prospects. . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: Competitor Review
With the economic slowdown, the always dynamic restaurant industry has become even more so. Like you, your competition is making changes. Here's a tool to find out what the other restaurants in your immediate market area are doing so you can develop strategies to compete with them more effectively. . . . more >>
How to Calculate & Track Your Marketing ROI
by Joe Erickson
How to Calculate & Track Your Marketing ROI Restaurant operators may differ on how they market and promote their restaurants, but nobody wants to throw money down the drain. Learn how to plan and track your marketing investment dollars so that you can clearly determine what marketing activities are worth repeating and which ones should be modified or dropped. . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: Restaurant Marketing Planning Calendar
DOWNLOAD: Restaurant Marketing Planning Calendar Today, sales growth doesn't just happen, it requires proper planning and execution! This Microsoft Excel® workbook is a great tool for organizing your promotions for the entire year onto a single spreadsheet that shows the dates of each promotion and the tasks required to make them happen . . . more >>
SCREENCAST: Loyalty Programs for Independent Operators: How to Decide Whether You Need One in Your Restaurant
SCREENCAST: Loyalty Programs for Independent Operators: How to Decide Whether You Need One in Your Restaurant Restaurant loyalty programs are gaining in popularity but many operators remain on the sidelines trying to determine whether a loyalty program will translate into more sales and profit or not. In this screencast, 3 RO.com members who are experienced loyalty program users discuss cost, ROI, which provider to choose and many other loyalty program issues . . . more >>
SCREENCAST: Marketing Best Practice - Scratch Ticket Promotion
SCREENCAST: Marketing Best Practice - Scratch Ticket Promotion Listen as veteran operator Peter Troutman describes one of his most successful promotions resulting in a 30%+ year to year sales increase in one of his slowest months. Learn in detail what he does, his results, costs, prizes, changes he's made over the years, and more. . . . more >>
AUDIO: The Crack Cocaine of Restaurant Marketing - How Coupons Can Destroy Your Restaurant & What To Do Instead
AUDIO: The Crack Cocaine of Restaurant Marketing - How Coupons Can Destroy Your Restaurant & What To Do Instead As the economy slows many operators are tempted to lure in more guests with discounts. DON'T DO IT! There is a big difference between serving more customers and making more profit. Learn why discounting can be hazardous to your restaurant's health and what to do instead. . . . more >>
How to Make a Customer Newsletter Your Most Effective Marketing Tool
With Jim Laube, Jenny Cook and Gina Schubert
How to Make a Customer Newsletter Your Most Effective Marketing Tool Newsletters can keep your restaurant top-of-mind for your customers like no other form of advertising can, including Web sites and other types of mailers. Advocates say they build relationships with guests second only to face-to-face interaction. Two experienced restaurateurs share tips and techniques on how to implement a successful restaurant newsletter. . . . more >>
AUDIO: Why Traditional Advertising Doesn't Work for Independents & What You Can Do About It
AUDIO: Why Traditional Advertising Doesn't Work for Independents & What You Can Do About It Very few restaurants can afford to sit back and expect a sufficient number of customers to just drop in anymore. There are just too many other restaurants and dining choices. Also, conventional advertising is expensive and often doesn't deliver results. Find out how some independents are building sales in highly competitive markets. . . . more >>

Industry Survey: Restaurant Loyalty Programs
Industry Survey: Restaurant Loyalty Programs If you're planning on opening a restaurant you'll want to learn from the opening experiences of over 400 operators. These independents reveal, in detail, what it cost to open their restaurant as well as other highly insightful opening information. . . . more >>
SCREENCAST: State of Your Restaurant Survey Results - How RO.com Members Are Fighting Back at the Current Recession
SCREENCAST: State of Your Restaurant Survey Results - How RO.com Members Are Fighting Back at the Current Recession In August, RO.com conducted a survey to find out how the recession is affecting independent restaurants and what operators are doing differently to survive in this tough economic climate. Jim Laube reports on how operators are adapting and what many have done to not only survive but achieve sales and profit improvements in 2009. . . . more >>
The Power of Loyalty Programs: Tranforming Guests to Regulars
by Patricia Luebke
The Power of Loyalty Programs: Tranforming Guests to Regulars Smart operators know it always costs less to keep a customer than it does to find a new one. Look at your customers in terms of their long-term sales potential if they keep coming back again and again, not just what they may spend on one visit to your restaurant. Learn ways to turn casual guests into loyal, repeat customers. . . . more >>
Gift Certificate Marketing Survey
Gift Certificate Marketing Survey If you're not selling gift cards or certificates you're probably missing out on an easy low cost way to improve your sales & profit. In the gift certificate survey our members reveal valuable, proven strategies they use to maximize their gift certificate sales and increase their cash flow. . . . more >>
SCREENCAST: Gun to the Head Marketing
SCREENCAST: Gun to the Head Marketing ...It's 8:57 pm. You're at your restaurant. Your life absolutely depends on getting one new customer - before 9:00 pm. You have 3 minutes. It's dark. A car pulls up. A man steps out... oh yeah, I forgot to mention - there's another restaurant right next door to you. And that's where he's going. Your life depends on this what are you going to do...? . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: Restaurant Newsletter Templates
DOWNLOAD: Restaurant Newsletter Templates Get a jump on the creation of your personalized customer newsletter by downloading these ready-to-use templates. They're available in four different styles to fit your unique restaurant's image . . . more >>
SCREENCAST: Restaurant Internet Marketing - Separating Myth From Reality & What You Really Need to Know
SCREENCAST: Restaurant Internet Marketing - Separating Myth From Reality & What You Really Need to Know More and more people are going to the Internet first when considering their dining choices. Some operators claim their website is one of the most important elements in marketing their restaurant. Learn whether having a web site makes sense for you or not and if so, learn the many ways a website can become an effective tool to boost both first time & returning guests. . . . more >>
10 Mistakes to Avoid on Your Restaurant's Web Site
by Patricia Luebke
10 Mistakes to Avoid on Your Restaurant's Web Site Your restaurant's Web site is increasingly important to your marketing efforts. Your site is your salesperson who works every shift and never takes a day off. Take a look at these common mistakes and proven ways to adjust your site to avoid lost sales and damaging your image. . . . more >>
SCREENCAST: How to Get Started in Social Media Marketing
SCREENCAST: How to Get Started in Social Media Marketing Bear Silber is the co-owner of single unit independent restaurant in Santa Clara, CA that is using the new social media channels for marketing his restaurant. Bear explains what he's doing and how they're helping him build a following of highly loyal local customers and attract new ones. . . . more >>
How to Use "Psychographics" to Tune In to Your Guests
by Patricia Luebke
Go beyond demographics and drill down to what is important to and reflects your prospective customers values, attitudes, opinions and lifestyle. Here's how to use psychographics to attract and retain guests. . . . more >>
Marketing Promotion: Double Your Chances Raffle
Marketing Promotion: Double Your Chances Raffle Build catering awareness and repeat business with a Double Your Chances Raffle promotion. . . . more >>
7 Sales-Busting Mistakes Many Independent Operators Make & How to Avoid Them
By Jay Goldstein
7 Sales-Busting Mistakes Many Independent Operators Make & How to Avoid Them Independent operators are notorious for sabotaging their own success through lack of direction, poor communication and other deadly mistakes. Find out how to identify potential sales busting tendencies and how to execute a successful sales strategy. . . . more >>
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