Restaurant Masterminds

Photograph: Chicago Tribune
Bennigan’s, which helped invent the suburban tavern-themed dining craze more than 30 years ago, abruptly closed dozens of stores Tuesday and filed for bankruptcy, a casualty of a brutal economy that has racked the restaurant industry. -By Michael Hughlett |Chicago Tribune reporter

“Racked the restaurant industry”….don’t fall victim to that…look at this as one step closer to the top!

I couldn’t help but copy this story and picture from a Chicago Tribune article I read today. My first thought was, “wow, we’re a family owned restaurant for over 26 years…and look at this National chain of 150 stores, all shutting their doors.” What happened? Many point to the economy, but if you go out and read the blogs that everyday people wrote, you would be amazed what I learned.

“I went there every so often for the past 10 years and nothing ever changed”

“Only had one dish worth going for, the Monte Cristo”

These are real blogs from real folks…the same ones that dine with you and me. Learn from it. Has it been 10 years since you changed your decor? Try moving a plant. Take $25 buy a gallon of paint and paint a wall! Move pictures around.

“They only ran specials when everyone else did” – Everyone has deals on or around the holidays, when is the last time you had a special for “Honoring anyone who has survived the heat wave”

“Only had one dish worth going for, the Monte Cristo” – If you hear that one particular menu item is your “specialty” what the heck, but it on special and watch them come through the door!

I know many are blaming the economy, but as you can see, whether you are a national chain or an Independent restaurant the economy is tough….or is it?

I was running some errands the other day and noticed a long line at the “Full Service” car wash…yep, the starting price for a car wash is $14….goes up to the fancy package for $29….there had to be 12-15 cars in line…..I head over to drop my kids off at the local amusement park, the parking lot was jammed! And parking is $10 for the day, not to mention the $45 admission…..I had to run by the hardware store (yes, my wife claims we still have a honey-do list), and stood in line as the guy in front of me was purchasing his new patio furniture and trek decking! Come on! If the economy is in tough shape, guess who is still spending money? Everyone! They still have to eat, it’s up to YOU and your marketing to get them through the door!

Don’t have extra money to market? Try this:
How many times have you been sitting at a restaurant and you see that HUGE wedge of New York Cheesecake dripping with fresh strawberries?….(oh man, your mouth begins to water….) or better yet, that mountain of brownie with vanilla ice cream slowly melting away…..(I’ll wait while you go get some ice cream….)

I have cleverly taught my servers to walk by as many tables as they can with the dessert at eye level….slowly… you wouldn’t believe the number of orders of dessert we get just by, what I call, “the drive by sugar-ing”! Believe me, I have sat with my wife and she has said, “oh man, that looks SO good….” and the real softie that I am, a wedge of cheesecake lands on the table, hero card with wife….and I’m not the only softie (sucker) out there!

When is the last time you changed up your menu? Who says you need NEW menus? Slide a “Today Only Special” inside your menu that you print off your computer and fill it full of mouth-watering wording, a picture (only a good one) is a bonus.

How about changing up your restaurant? Move plants around. Spend $25 on a gallon of paint and change one wall color. Continue to have your guests believe that you are making changes for the better, even if they are slight.

So, sorry to hear another National chain bit the dust (or am I?), I just know now that there are some Bennigan’s lovers who are looking to replace the Monte Cristo….hmmm….off to figure out a way to get the Bennigan’s crowd to enjoy Mexican food!

Until Pittsburgh,

Ben Martinez
Restaurant Masterminds Marketing Guru

Oh man, don’t you want to just scream when you hear those people in July say, “I just finished my Christmas shopping”….you can’t help but think, “I’ve barely got my BBQ warmed up for the summer and you’re done Christmas shopping?”

Any more, you can’t help it. The Halloween stuff is out now in July, the Christmas stuff is probably sitting behind the bay doors of the stores creeping their way for their September debut…Christmas tunes are blaring over the store intercom systems shortly after Halloween, often before the first snow! (Living in Colorado, the first snow usually starts the holiday season).

I guess my point here is, how ready are you? The marketing geniuses are already planned out for the Fall of ‘09, while most of us sit and think what kind of marketing ideas can we do to get people walking through the doors this weekend, the big guys are already into the next couple of months.

How ready is YOUR marketing calendar? Do you have your plans for the upcoming Democratic convention? What about back to school in less than a month? The Olympics here in a few short weeks? Labor Day?

They seem so far away, but the best marketers have their plans set, ready to roll. Get your game face on and let’s together plan the upcoming Olympics…how about just starting out with a tag line:

“Join us tonight to celebrate the US Olympic Swim Team, watch our prices take a Dive”
“We’ll be celebrating the US Olympic Tennis Team, First Come, First SERVE”
“Celebrate the Olympic Track Team, Our 25% off Margarita’s are sure to cause a mad Dash….”

So, you see, if you give your guests the opportunity to laugh, give them a deal, they’re more than likely to come spend a meal with you. Special events like this are coming, get yourself prepared. Take a moment to gather with your Mastermind Marketing coaches and receive unbelievable marketing ideas that will bring not only guests into your restaurant, but profits too!

Again, how ready are you? The calendar is there. The events are planned….the creativity sits inside the Mastermind….it’s up to you to use it.

From the Desk of the Marketing Guru,
Ben Martinez
P.S. With Halloween stuff out in August,  I was wondering how I could market stretch my birthday…it’s in April, so pretty much my wife should be shopping for me in November, singing to me in February and gifts can go anywhere from March to May….right?

We have spent a considerable amount of time over the last several years working on our brand. I don’t think that independents devote as much time to this as it warrants. People need to know who you are and what you stand for. When a customer arrives at your restaurant, the infamous first appearance is what you hang your hat on. Sometimes a customer’s first visit is simply by accident; someone just needs to use your bathroom. They walk in and ask to use the restroom. Are you one of those restaurateurs who explains that restrooms are for customers only, or are you someone who gets it and says, “right this way”. If you turn someone away, do you think they’ll ever come back and dine in your restaurant? I would say definitely not, as a matter of fact; I’ll bet they’ll tell all their friends just how unfriendly your restaurant is. Remember, we are in the hospitality business. Our goal is to serve the public and provide them with a great experience. Sometimes it’s the little details that separate the great restaurants from all the rest.

This is where building your brand comes in. When that person comes in to use your restroom, not only should you show them where it is, on their way out, you should be handing them a copy of your menu to take with them. We have four-color coated stock menus to hand out to our customers; in addition we have beautiful postcards with an aerial view of our restaurant that we give away for free. The cost is only about a nickel apiece and we give away about ten thousand a year. People mail them to their friends all over the country to show them where they ate, or where they are on vacation. Where can you spend five hundred dollars and have ten thousand people individually impacted by your restaurant. These are some of the ideas we have for building our brand. Most restaurateurs tend to focus on the cost of the printed menus or postcards, what they’re missing is the intrinsic value that these items gain your restaurant. Imagine customers receiving a free five-cent postcard and then turn around and spend upwards of thirty cents to mail it to a friend or relative. I love when customers ask if they can take more than one, “Are you kidding me”, with word of mouth marketing like that, who needs newspapers.

When was the last time you really took a look at your operation? Do yourself a favor and go out and take pictures of the front of your building with your digital camera and then put them up on your computer and take a good look at them. This is your drive by look that customers see everyday. Does your building look tired? Do you need a paint job? Are your awnings tired? People are forming opinions of your restaurant before they even enter your building. That famous first impression is sometimes formed before a customer even dines in your restaurant. How’s your signage? Can customers read your sign when they drive by? This is particularly important detail. I don’t know how many times I’ve driven by a restaurant and the sign was hidden behind bushes or vines. Don’t forget your lighting, if you have spotlights burned out or inadequate lighting in your parking lot; customers are going to be leery of stopping. Make sure and project a safe and friendly image, you want to look inviting to your customers.

In today’s economy, it’s hard enough to hang onto the business we have. If you want to grow your business in a down economy, details matter. It all begins with your existing customer, if they are happy and spreading the word, you business will continue to grow. If your existing customer base is unhappy, all the marketing in the world isn’t going to help. Listen to your customers and pay attention to what they’re telling you. If you always run the same vegetable and your customers hate it, listen to them and change it. It’s amazing what your customers will tell you if you let them.
The key to a great customer relationship is to have a two-way relationship, one that is a win- win. When you achieve this relationship with your customers, they become your ambassadors. If you can develop this kind of relationship, the sky is the limit with you business.

For those of you who have been following along with the Restaurant Masterminds blogs, you’ll remember about a month ago I was telling you about how one of my servers decided NOT to card a guest, and that guest happened to be an undercover-under aged cadet…..arrgh! My server served him up, and I was served a ticket.

Well, today was the day I had to go to court and meet with the liquor board….did anyone hear the slap on the wrist? That’s  because there wasn’t one! I got a full blown….TEN day suspension….OUCH!! (That’s a tough one to deal with when your restaurant is famous for their Margarita’s.) Discouraged and upset, I thought to myself, “10 days without bar service…without our famous margarita’s, corona specials and the loss of that money for the 10 days. The weather outside is hot  and guests want to come in and  throw back a nice cool one….” Great, now what?

As a responsible restaurant owner, I know I must shut down my bar for 10 days….but as a responsible MARKETING restaurant owner, I knew I had to not only make up to my guests who will be discouraged, but I also need to give them a bounce back offer to have them come back for a free drink,on me… how can I do that, you say? Well,  you have them come in during the 10 day suspension to eat and pick up their “free drink” coupon….then they come back again within the next 30 days to eat and get their free drink….but wait, then during your suspension you run “poke at yourself humor” specials like:

 ”Our liquor license was suspended, so we’re putting a little ‘extra’ in our Tequila Lime Chicken – buy one get one free”….
“The liquor board took away my liquor license, I had to go to court because I got a ’subpoena colada’ -”  all non-alcoholic beverages free with the purchase of a meal…
“For the next 10 days we’re celebrating the Designated Driver, one free drink with every meal”…
“For the next 10 days our liquor license is being suspended, so here at El Jardin, go ahead, Drink and Drive!”

So, as you can see, in a few moments while sitting  here typing this, I thought of a handful of ideas that I can take and perfect to make some incredible money-making opportunities while my liquor license is suspended…what’s the old saying, “when life hands you lemons…make lemonade”….but not me, my saying is, “when life hands you lemons….find a way to MARKET them!”

From the desk of the Marketing guru,
Ben Martinez.