Restaurant Masterminds

If you are doing catering for the holiday season and want to pick up a few more catering jobs, then creating a quick and easy brochure can be just the thing you need. 

If you can guarantee on time service, never running out of food, gracious and attentive service staff, and how you will create a Wow catering job even if it is just drop off sandwiches then you have the start to creating a brochure that will sell.

Cost of the brochures can be inexpensive if you are doing them yourself but, every piece of literature you send out leaves an impression on your prospects. Leave the wrong impression, and you run the risk of losing sales and alienating customers.

So, what can you do to make your this catering brochure a winner? Here are 8 important secrets of creating a successful brochure.

1. Know your customer:

Before you start planning your brochure, make sure you know what kind of catering jobs your customers would be interested in having you cater.  If you have a strong database then you should already have a good idea want your customer would want and need.  Would it be offices parties, or home holiday parties or maybe even pick trays of food to go.  Whatever, it may be you will want to target which type of catering you think will sell best to your type of customer.

2. Use the right pictures on the cover of the brochure:

The average reader takes less than 5 seconds to glance at the cover of a brochure and decide whether or not to read it.  On the front and the back of the brochure you must have a strong headline and great pictures that will catch your customer’s eye.  The name of your restaurant is not a headline and the picture of your restaurant in not compelling.  Don’t waste space you should be using to sell your catering and convince customers to buy now.

3. Plan your brochure:

A good guideline is AIDA which stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action.  To be effective, your catering brochure needs to get their attention, get the customer interested enough to read further, raise their awareness and desire that they need your catering, and get them to take action call before a certain date for the early holiday discount or bonus.

4. Remember WIIFM:

Your customers are busy, it’s the holidays and the one thing they will want to know when looking at your brochure is WIIFM (What’s in it for me) how you can make their life easier.  To get their attention, your brochure needs to focus on the benefits they will enjoy by ordering their catering job through your restaurant.  Once you’ve gotten the brochure recipient to open the brochure, the next thing they’ll do is skim the headlines inside the brochure.  Use these inside headlines to hold their attention and let them know the benefit they will receive from purchasing your catering.

5. Tell them the action they need to take after they read the copy:

After you have your customer’s attention and they are thinking wow this would be so much easier to have my party catered rather than do it myself: tell them what they need to do to book the catering job with very little hassle.  Don’t just assume they’ll look for your phone number and call.  If you don’t tell them what action to take, they may take the wrong one – like calling someone else.

6. Give them a reason to call you right NOW:

If you don’t urge the potential customer to act now, and don’t give them a reason to do so, your efforts in getting attention, building interest and desire will be wasted. The customer will move on to the next thing that catches their attention and forget all about your catering. Some of the more common offers to get customers to buy now are special discounts that are only valid before a specific date, a free gift for purchases before a specific date, and a bonus gift certificate that can be used at a later date.

7. Make it easy to contact you:

Be sure to include all your contact information on the brochure.  Whatever number you have them call, make sure the person answering the phone knows all about the catering.  The last thing you want to do is lose the customer at this step in the game.  If they call and the person answering the phones has no clue and there is no one else to talk to the customer may move on.  Make sure you are ready for the call!

8. Take the Risk off the Customer:

Once you have built up their desire to have their party catered, you could still lose the job if the customer has any concerns about your catering because they have never used your services before.  To ease the customer’s fear, include a 100% Money –Back Guarantee.

Good Luck and go book some additional catering job’s today.

My son Brandon is on the right ,and tonight I was never so proud. As a young 11 year old boy, his hockey team volunteered last Sunday afternoon to go and help with the Special Olympics Hockey Team here in Colorado. The Special Olympics hockey team needed some extra help…with nearly 40 special needs players on the rink, the coaches just don’t have enough time to help each of the kids…so when our team heard that, they all volunteered to help. As you can see from this photo, they were overwhelmed and overjoyed to have the extra help, the kids showed it. In a -10 degree rink, it was one of the warmest moments. I’ll be honest with you, I think both of the teams learned from each other. Both of my sons attended the event, with Ryan on the rink working passing drills and helping out the more advanced special needs players, and Brandon kept tabs on the younger players who sometimes just needed a hug.

I wanted to share this with you not only as a proud Dad moment, but to tell you that when we got in the car afterwards and I was telling the boys how proud I was of them they said, “We’ve seen you do it too, Dad, you know like when you give food to the church for the family that needed it and that lady gave you a big hug and told you that you do so many nice things for the community…..we just did that too.”

See, they do look up to you. They DO listen. They DO copy you.

Take the time to give back to your community, whether through the restaurant, with your family or friends, you’ll be amazed on who is really watching and how good it really feels.

On that note, A very warm and Happy Thanksgiving.

Ben Martinez
Restaurant Masterminds Marketing Guru

Great Quote: How do you find out what’s inside yourself? Milton Erickson says “You know more than you know that you know.”

With Thanksgiving being tomorrow and Christmas right around the corner this always makes me reflect on the year. Since I try pretty hard to bring more balance into my personal life and my work, the end of year is time to give myself a report card to see how I really did. Well, it was a pretty good year, I have to say.  I’ve had a few small set backs but nothing that can even come close to stopping me.  The positives have far outweighed everything else in part thanks to all of you.

Most of my year has been focused on taking Restaurant Masterminds to a new level and with my consulting job coming to an end I am very excited to be working on the company full time.  I have so many exciting things we are developing for all the members and by the first week in December we will be launching our new Ezine newsletter which will incorporate the beginning of the Restaurant Mastermind Educational Series and you will start seeing the new products we have been working hard on day and night.

I wanted to take a few minutes to let all of you know how thankful I am for each and every one of you who are involved in Restaurant Masterminds.  The whole concept is a dream come true for me and I am so thankful that in this time in my life I can spend my days truly trying to help other independent restaurant owners and make a difference in their restaurants and in their lives. 

It’s raining here in AZ today which is a very welcome weather change and I am baking pies and pumpkin rolls and just reflecting on how thankful I am for so many things in my life.

We get so wrapped up in the restaurant industry sometimes we forget to slow down and smell the roses which is one of the things we try to teach all of our members just how precious every moment can be in life.  That the last thing you want on your tombstone is she worked 7 days a week in her restaurant. 

So, enjoy your time off tomorrow, forget all the problems and just relax and if you are working don’t’ do so all day. 

I ran across this little test and I thought I would share it with you.

What’s important in your life? Ready to find out? Here’s a little exercise I’m taking with me as a conversation starter this holiday season.

As Stephen Covey says, clarify what is most important in your life. Decide what is most worthwhile to you. Knowing what is most valuable to you gives you direction in life.

Rank each in order from 1-10 (1 being least important and 10 being most important).

· _____  Career

·  _____ Health

·  _____ Home  

·  _____ Family

·  _____ Spirituality

·  _____ Finances  

·  _____ Leisure

·  _____ Learning

·  _____ Creativity

·  _____ Communication  

This should give you a fair assessment of what your priorities are and where you want to be. Now what are you most grateful for?  Make a list of 10 things and write them down. Finally don’t forget how far you’ve come. Make a list of 10 of your proudest accomplishments for this year.

If you feel so inclined, go ahead and comment here. I’d love to hear what you think.

Remember, we all have the same 24 hours in a day. Some of us feel as though we have no time at all. While others manage to get their work done and still have enough time left over to enjoy themselves. Me? I’m definitely a work in progress. Sometimes I get it right. Sometimes I don’t. But I’m always trying, doing the best I can.

Lot’s of Love to you all and

Happy Turkey Day

Testimonials…..I have heard many restaurant owners tell me many excuses as to why they don’t use testimonials in their marketing pieces, but I am hear to tell you, quit your MOANING and get some!!

You wouldn’t BELIEVE the day my restaurant had yesterday. I had received an email from a guest that said how much he appreciated the burrito special I was running. He said:

     “when I first received your email about your $2.07 burritos, the first thought that went through my mind was, “I wonder what the quality is like for only $2.07?”, so being the pessimist that I am, we only ordered 3 burritos. Wow, was I surprised of the quality and size of these burritos! Everything was so good that we ordered 14 more for our office that same day! The entire office was thrilled with the value and quality that you provided to us for lunch. We will be calling again next week for lunch and dinner! Thanks again!”I included this testimonial that I had received in an email, in my Tuesday “Special” email, and sent it out to all of my guests. I ran the $2.07 burrito as a guest appreciation special and boy, did it pay off.

The phone was in constant ring mode and the dining room was PACKED, the kitchen was buzzing from 10:45am-9:00pm….I sold, 1,283 burritos….YOU HEARD ME….1,283 burritos in ONE day….and that was just the burritos….if they wanted to add rice, lettuce and tomatoes, sour cream, guacaomole etc….that was additional.

So, as you are sitting there moaning over the fact that TestiMOANials don’t work for you….try again. And if you think my $2.07 price is what got them in door, think again, I ran the same special last Tuesday and only 2/3’s  of what I sold yesterday.

People love to hear what other people have to say and it’s ten times more believeable of what someone else says about you than what you say about yourself…..the next time you get a complimentary email, turn it into a testimonial! What if you don’t have a testimonial?…Then Ask!…Ask your guests to take a minute and jot down a few things they like about your restaurant….There you have it, instant Testimonials!

From the Desk of the Marketing Guru,

Ben Martinez

I think as business owners, we’re all guilty of the playing the blame game at one point or another. It’s just way too easy to blame someone else for our own misfortunes. We don’t need the media to point out just how bad the economy is. The gloom and doom media has us all jumping off bridges, ready to throw in the towel. Guess what, we’ve been down this road before and we should have paid attention the first time around.

I bought Billy’s in 1989, a year and a half later the entire economy crashed and my sales dropped 400k in one year. It literally took me right to my knees. In 2000, I opened Varano’s Italian Restaurant, in 2001 we had 9/11 and the whole economy crashed, our sales plummeted like a rock. In 2007 I opened the Wells Beach Steakhouse, in 2008 the entire banking system crashed and our economy is on the rocks. Two things are different this time around. 1. Instead of wallowing in my self pity, blaming the economy and everyone else in the world, I’m focusing on what I can do to grow my business. 2. I’m in a much better financial situation, my resources are alot deeper. If I’ve learned anything from this whole mess is to always save for a rainy day. The other thing I learned is not to open another restaurant, my mother inlaw has informed me our economy can’t afford it.

As business owners, we need to think small, go back to basics and start building our business one customer at a time. Pass out business cards everywhere you go, sell your business and then deliver when the guest comes in. Smile at your guests, remember their names, buy them a drink or dessert once in a while. Instead of looking for a magic bullet that will bring your sales all the way back, try growing your business a  couple of covers a day. I think we all tend to look for the banquet that brings in $20k or the massive catering job that grosses 100k. We’d all like to hit the lottery or win the Poker Grand Slam in Vegas, unfortunately that’s not reality. Remember how hungry you were when you first bought your restaurant, little increases were exciting. It’s time to get excited about the little things again, dig a little deeper and work a little harder. Let’s show our customers how special they are to us.

I read an article today that said alot of companies were not going to slash jobs and cut, cut, cut. It’s too painful to start over when the economy turns around. Think before you save that manager’s salary, without a manager, your business might slump and end up costing you more in the long run. Build moral, meet with your staff and bring them on board, let them know what you’re up against and ask them to help you build a leaner, meaner company, completely focused on quality and guest satisfaction.

The good times will be back before you know it, get your house in order and watch your profits explode with the new economy.

School is in Session

I know what you’re thinking….school started in August. Well, school may have started in August, but learning happens everyday.
I wanted to share with you a huge success that I have had with my business…..and it has to do with learning. A  few years ago I struggled with why I wasn’t seeing some of the “old familiar faces” of the restaurant….and while I was at Home Depot (yes, believe it or not, I know how to swing a hammer), I ran into a family that I used to see frequently at my restaurant. While we quickly chatted about the crazy weather and local sports teams, I got up the courage to ask why I hadn’t seen them in the restaurant…(yes, I realize that this can sometimes be a loaded question). My friends told me that they hadn’t come in a while because the last few times they were in there they just didn’t get treated “right”….hmmm….”right”……so, I asked for specifics, and much to my surprise it was as simple as the  hostess and servers not smiling….the silverware stacked in the center of the table and not properly set in front of you. I assured them that the next time they came in things would be different and I hoped they would dine with us again….and off we went.

Well, let me tell you, I went right over to the  tool cage at  Home Depot and grabbed a hammer, hit my thumb—just so that I could start cussing out loud! It was from that day on, a few years ago, that I decided that school was in session at El Jardin.

Each shift I brief my staff (or one of my managers) on ONE item that we will be working on for the day. Even if it is as simple as a smile or the procedure of how to package a take out order. I tell them that 100% of ALL guests that walk through that door see the FOH staff…..and they better be smiling. Nothing is cheaper than a smile, but creates the biggest bang. Do you realize that 80% of ALL restaurant complaints are from poor customer service or attitudes from FOH staff? Not food, not drink, not ambiance…..SERVICE!

Currently I am having my entire staff read, “The Renegade Server”…and what a quick (90 minute) and fantastic read for the staff. Yes, shocked at first that as a server they had homework, but they were delighted! They loved that their job now has a little more meaning than, “would you like cream in your coffee”…..come on folks, you can’t expect your employees to come in, fill out an application and POOF, instant Top Server! You need to continually be educating and teaching your staff.

Here are a couple of ideas to get your servers to bring the best to your customer service:

• Smile, You’re on Candid Camera (or my security cameras! I can see if you are smiling or not!)
• Secret Diners- They can point out the simplest of things about your customer service (Ask Coach Ben about his secret diner tips and forms)
• Start their morning out with a 1 minute tip for Top Customer Service (Again, Coach Ben can help you out there!)
• Each Guest gets a compliment (Nice shirt…wow, you guys look sharp today…”I’m happy you’re joining us for lunch”)
• Sometimes it’s as simple as hanging a gentleman’s coat for him or pulling out a ladies chair.

I guess you can easily say that they are more than just servers, they are FOH Marketers, just like your emails, direct mailing pieces, etc….you have to work on it to get the best ROI! These employees are your front line sales people, why wouldn’t you invest time in educating and training them?

From the desk of the Marketing Guru,
Ben Martinez

Who would of thought.
Not only did America vote in a new President, but an African American President. The walls of prejudice are continuing to crumble, but the magnitude of the American Dream is in full bloom. I applaud the speech given by John McCain as he took stage tonight…showing that in defeat, you stand strong behind the country you love and extend a handshake to the winning team.

I told my boys tonight that history has been made. They are now a part of a history book that their children and grandchildren will study from years to come. Of course they just looked at me like, “whatever…does this mean we get another holiday from school?”…but I think someday they too, will look back on this day in history and realize the magnitude of its change.

If you feel defeated in your restaurant, today is the day that you need to take a good look at your campaign in life. Have you taken the time to really look deep into the thoughts of making this restaurant all that it can be…what would it take for you to make a change in your restaurant….how about coming up with one statement that changes the way you look at your restaurant for the next year.

I have a new campaign slogan for my restaurant: “The Power of Progress….the power to move Forward”. It’s time to crush the negatives and explode the positives. I am clearing one wall to hang up every positive email I get from my guests to remind me that I am here to make it a great day for them….for every disgruntled email, I will list three ways to resolve the issue at hand by noting what’s best for them, what’s best for me and what’s best for the restaurant and move forward. As President Elect Barack Obama pointed out last night, “not everyone is on my side, but I will listen” ….and that is advice we should all take.

Today, I am proud to be an American, once separated by the color of our skin, but today joined by the belief that all barriers are temporary….knock yours down today.

From the Desk of Restaurant Masterminds Marketing Guru

Ben Martinez