Restaurant Masterminds

Ahh….here we go! The big week has come, Christmas week. Our house is all the jitter with the kids off from school and spending the days sledding, followed by hot chocolate thawing frozen hands….sounds like a Hallmark moment don’t you think? Well, one of the biggest beliefs I have is to be able to market to people, convincing them that MY restaurant is the place to eat. We have fun, we offer a great family atmosphere, we offer the best food in town….hmmm…..isn’t that what we all do? Maybe, but to stand out, you’ve got to pick the power, and pick the people…..let me  explain.

Take a good look. I decided to spend today tallying up the negatives as well as the positives that life throws my way…I was wondering what was life dishing out more of? Well, believe it or not, the negatives were
abound everywhere….newspaper, on TV, in the mail (bills)….even some people. It is the Christmas season and I’ve got someone on my tail with road rage….the TV is telling us that this is the WORST economy the
world has seen….the dollar has dropped……a friend called and started complaining about high grocery prices…..whew…that was all before 9am! Well, it isn’t all that bad. Because really, the moment you choose to listen to the negative, you’ve joined the crowd. That’s right, negativity is a choice. Sure there are sad stories all around, but you’re still on the right side of the grass, right? Say GOODBYE to doom and gloom…..Adios Crabby shorts…..there is more energy in the positive and more harm in the negative. Make your marketing stand above the rest by creating images in the minds of people that has them tasting, smelling and wanting your food, right from your email or coupon! The power of positive marketing!

As an independent restaurant owner, I’ve enjoyed all the positive comments I got when I named this year 2000-ATE….hundreds emailed me to say “How cute” or “How funny” and so I leave all of you with this upcoming year’s Tag line for your marketing….FREE!!
Here you go:

We’re the Best Place to eat in 2000-Dine.
or
Ours is the best place to be in 2000-Dine.

Merry Christmas,
Ben Martinez
Marketing Guru, Restaurant Masterminds

     My husband and I dine out a lot and sometimes I just sigh and say what’s wrong with these people.  We had an experience that left me wanting to grab the owner and shake some sense into him.

     We stopped by this German restaurant last night that we had wanted to go to for a while. We searched them online but they didn’t have a website? So we weren’t sure but, I had it all in my head Weinerschnitzle, German Potato Salad, Red Cabbage and Spatzle.  We were excited and couldn’t wait to taste all the wonderful foods.  Upon entering the restaurant there were only 2 other tables which left us a little leery of what was to come.  The waitress came and she was pleasant enough as I ordered German Potato Salad and told her that was my one of my favorite dishes and she smiled. When our food came I had a piece of deep fried breaded veal (maybe pork) not pan fried and a cold pile of overcooked potatoes.  My husband had the red cabbage which is his favorite and was so mushy it was uneatable.  I took one bite and was so disappointed.  When she came back by our table I ask her do you always serve your German Potato Salad cold and her reply was yes as she walked off.  I never ate another bite of it and she never questioned me on it.  She took away our plates and brought the bill.  This brings up so many issues where’s the manager, why wasn’t this server trained better, what the heck was going on in the kitchen and on and on.  But, my biggest question is why is this owner obviously letting the inmates run the asylum? I would love to meet and talk to the owner of this place and find out where the breakdown started.  Of course there were no comment cards and from their attitude they didn’t care if I ever came back so why bother to collect my name and market to me in the future.  AHHHH this stuff makes me crazy.  From working with so many independent restaurant owners all over the country I see the personality traits that make you a successful owner.  There are really only 3 major traits for an owner and they are:

• The Ostrich – he puts his head in the sand and waits for something better to happen and complains about how bad the economy is and how it is destroying his restaurant.  He isn’t looking for new ideas and most of all he is just stuck in managing the day to day issues. He hides in the back while the staff are the ones running the show.
  
  
• The Bull – he is running around making drastic cuts and knows everything.  This owner doesn’t need any help he’s been there and done that and has no problem telling everyone what to do.  This owner is present all the time and knows everyone and knows how to schmooze the customer so he will probably weather this economy downturn but he won’t grow because he isn’t open to any new ideas.
  
  
• The Fox – he is cool and calm and has made appropriate cut backs and is marketing more now than ever to keep ahead.  But the important characteristic of the fox is he pays attention and watches for new trends and learns from others and is current on ideas and technology.  The staff respects him and follows his lead.  He does everything he can to learn and stay ahead with continuing education, training and coaching.

     So which one are you?  The restaurant industry is a very hard business and 2009 is going to be a tough year and it’s time to turn things around if need be and make sure that you are doing every little thing you can from collecting customers information so you can market to them, retraining your waitstaff to give a damn and incorporate secret shoppers so you can get good feedback and your service and food .  Most important of all, the successful owners I know are definitely the Fox!

The holiday season is always a whirlwind for my wife and I, being part of a family of twelve can be a lot of pressure during the Holiday shopping season. Every year we try and decide who we’re going to buy presents for, just the nieces and nephews, how about the siblings that live in Maine only, what about your side of the family. In addition to the shopping, guess who hosts the Christmas Eve dinner along with the Christmas day dinner. Did I mention there are usually around fifty-five or sixty people for dinner Christmas Eve. You start to get the idea, things are hectic during the Holidays, and we also shut down our three restaurants for our winter break. My poor wife is trying to close the books for the company and pay all our vendors before we leave for a well-deserved break. Sometimes we tend to forget the joy the holidays bring, we focus on all the stuff.

            This year I’m trying to alter my focus, the economy is crawling along at a snails pace, people are cutting back on spending, worrying about heating oil for the winter, getting laid off, or not being able to afford Christmas for their families. I look at this as an opportunity to be a leader in my community. We’ve had a food drive for the local food bank, bringing well over a thousand cans and boxes of food for families in need. Tonight we’re hosting a fund raising dinner for the local senior center, our goal is to raise three thousand dollars for the center.

            This time of year is not for receiving presents; it’s a time of giving, community, and service. Everyone knows someone that’s lost their job, or someone that is having a tough time paying their bills. As business owners, we have a responsibility towards our communities. This is an opportunity to step forward and show our customers we’re here for the long term and the betterment of our community. The best part is that we gain the trust and love of the community. Where do you think people are going to eat when they’re hungry? They will come to my place, not because of some ad in the paper, not because I’ve got the biggest sign. They will come to support those that support them. This is a true “Win Win”. I don’t help to get business, I help because I choose to.

            I’ll never forget the time Charles Barkley spit on a little girl by accident during a basketball game. He ultimately apologized, unfortunately his comments afterwards still echo in my head. The famous words, “ I’m not your kids role model”. The reality is that you are. My point here is that if you want people to support your business, you need to be a leader in your community. Giving back is not an option, supporting local causes is part of your duty. It’s amazing how many people are employed by our industry, if we all rise up and lead, we have a powerful voice that will be heard loud and clear. We can make a difference. This coming year represents a great opportunity for restaurant and business owners to make a difference. The best part is, this is another piece of the Brand building puzzle. In a lot of cases, the one that just might put you over the top.

Happy Holidays,

Dick Varano

I wanted to let you all know that Doug and I were very fortunate yesterday that we got to go and hear the amazing Mr. Steve Chandler speak again.  Steve is motivational, funny and makes me stop and think about how I can be a better person.  I wanted to remind you of his Owner/Victim speech we all heard at our last mastermind meeting in Phoenix and how easy it can be to slip over to the victim side of life.  Remember to drop the word “Should” from your vocabulary and replace it with “I will” “I want to” “I can”.

Also, it’s not about getting through it; this is your life so make sure you are living every day to the fullest and enjoying every minute of every day.

Steve is working on a new club called “Club Fearless” and he didn’t give much information but as soon as I get the information I will pass it along to all of you.   His new book is called Fearless and if you haven’t read it yet it is a must read.

If you missed Steve’s presentation in Phoenix or you would like your employee’s to watch, learn and grow from the speech you can see the video of Steve’s presentation on your member’s site.  www.rmmembersite.com  If you are not yet a member you can go to www.restaurantmasterminds.com/ruby to find out how you too can become a restaurant mastermind.

For more information on Steve Chandler and his list of books you can go to www.stevechandler.com.

Reflection and Planning (part 1)

That’s right; it’s that time to start both the reflection of 2008 and the planning for the New Year 2009.

• Are you one of those restaurant owners who work’s all the time? 
• Do you wake up thinking of your restaurant and dream of it through the night? 
• Do you remember back to when you first started your restaurant, and is your passion the same today? 
• Do you have a business or do you just have a job? 

Let’s make one thing clear, your restaurant should not be your lifestyle it should be supporting the lifestyle you deserve and desire.  Is your restaurant fulfilling your dreams?  If you ask what dreams, then it’s time to stop for a moment and take a hard look at where you are headed with your life.  If your restaurant is to have any meaning beyond work, you must connect with what is most important to you.  Your restaurant should be making it possible for you to realize your dreams.

First question you should ask yourself is… What is my dream and am I working towards that dream?  If you expect your restaurant to contribute to your dream, your goal, your passion…and you’re not clear about what that dream is, how can you possibly get there?

In order for your restaurant to be more than just another job for you, it is vitally important that you identify and articulate what we at Restaurant Masterminds call your Targeted Goal. Your Targeted Goal should be your innermost driving force on a daily basis. It should give you a sense of direction and purpose. It should motivate you to your highest levels of energy, power and put you at your best. Your Targeted Goal is about leading a life that is consistent with your innermost core values and beliefs and it’s the essential starting place for any restaurant. Your Targeted Goal is there, within you and you just need to identify and be clear on the goal.

Think about the greatest business owners and restaurateurs in the world; those great people had targeted goals and know how they got where they are and what they need to do to get where they’re going. Those great leaders have vision of what they want their lives to be like, and they live that vision every day. They went to work on their lives, not just in their lives. Sound familiar? At Restaurant Masterminds, we want you to work on your restaurant not always just in your restaurant.

We want you to start living your life intentionally, rather than randomly. How do you create your life actively? That is the multi-million dollar question that has an infinite range of answers. And it starts by looking at how you want to be in your life. It starts with looking at your Targeted Goal.

If you spent all of 2008 inside your 4 walls of your restaurant and never ventured out then shame on you.  Do you know our members travel to a different destination 4 times a year for our meetings.  Most of them come 2 days early and stay 2 days late.  Do you think they must have been born rich and with a silver spoon in their mouths?  (they’ll all love that line)  The answer is not a one of them.  They are the hardest working people you will ever want to meet but they are also the smartest.  They have set systems in place to live the lifestyle of their dreams.  Linda, just back from 3 weeks on a yacht in the Caribbean and Dick’s on his way to the islands in January and the stories go on and on.  It’s not by accident that they can do these things.  They are making their own destiny and living their dreams. They understand that working with a group of like minded individuals is what catapults them faster into the reality of their dreams.

You must first identify what your Targeted goal is and this is not the goal for your restaurant but for your life and what you want out of your life.  Remember your restaurant should be a means to support your life’s goal.

It may be easier to know and understand your goal by asking yourself some easy questions. 

What do I want in my life?

What don’t I want in my life?

How do I want my life to go on a day to day basis?

Where do I want to be this time next year, five years and ten years?

Why truly makes me happy and give me satisfaction?

If I had everything I wanted in life what would still get me out of bed in the mornings?

Remember this is about your life not material things or people.

So again, I ask you what is your dream? 

Work on this and next week I will talk about your plan for 09 for living your dream.

If you are having difficulty with these questions, we can help.  Consider our ruby membership which is at an introductory rate for December for only 9.95 per month which gives you a multitude of benefits and having the opportunity to work one on one with our coaches every month to help you find the clarity you are looking for in your restaurant and in your life.  For more information go to www.restaurantmasterminds

As your Restaurant Masterminds Marketing Coach I want to introduce you to MY first coach. This is my Dad, Ben Martinez Sr., and no, I’m not talking about him being my first baseball coach, I look back at my success now and it turns out that he was truly my first restaurant marketing coach.

When I was little, I watched him shake his head in disbelief when gas prices went through the roof at 75 cents a gallon and the movie tickets climb to over $1.75 when they should still be “two bits.” What was it that kept guests coming into our restaurant and providing enough food for the 7 of us? What did my Dad do to keep guests coming in when the local factories were shutting down? Well, not much more than good ol’ fashion kindness.

We, as Restaurant Masterminds Coaches, stress the importance of good customer service, greeting your guests and creating a warm and friendly atmosphere, and that is what kept them coming through our doors for nearly 25 years. The simplicity of life, as my Dad taught me, was the fact that we were excited to even have our own business. He taught me that people are the same…if they are poor, they want a good meal….if they are rich, they want a good meal….we just need to get them through the door.

Today in the hype of the economy, all you need to do to get my Dad all wound up is to ask him about all the companies looking for a bail out…..”Bail out my ass. Get to work.” That’s what you would hear from him….(and probably the Spanish version too!) He knows that hard work is what got him where he is today.

Back then, there was no fancy marketing. There was no email, internet or cell phones. Factories were shutting down, gas prices were, in his eyes, skyrocketing at over a dollar a gallon…how in the heck did he keep a family owned restaurant afloat in a rural community with chain restaurants a mile down the road? Great customer service and his form of creative marketing…”Mom’s home made Tamales only .59 cents” slapped on a board leaning against the building.  We’ve come a long way in marketing and all aspects of the restaurant business, and I encourage you to look for a bail out in the way we all should, learning from others who have succeeded. Thanks Dad, you’ve given us 25 years of success with no bail out in mind!

As every great coach knows, you have to believe that what you are doing is right. You have to believe in your players and you have to make it to the goal together. Everyone knows you can’t do it alone. Restaurant Mastermind Coaching is much like a team sport. As members you not only rely on your coach to make you successful, but turn to your team mates (or staff) and coach them to success. Yes, YOU may  have opened YOUR restaurant, but the name on the front of the building is telling folks, “come on in, this team is ready to serve you.”  As your restaurant mastermind coach, I encourage you to dive into marketing whether you slap up a “.59 cent tamale” sign or send out an email. I’d be happy to help.

Maybe we should all worry less about the economy and more about the customer service. After all, that is what kept them coming through the doors 25 years ago, and still does today. People spend their money with the people they like, that’s the bottom line.

From the desk of the JUNIOR marketing Guru,
Ben Martinez, Jr.

Get the HECK out!

You know you want to say it, but you know you can’t. The customer who
makes a scene…and for what? Because he didn’t bring his coupon and now
demands because he has been at your restaurant as a “regular” he
deserves special treatment.

Sometimes I wonder why the heck I put rules on my promotions…you know
the “only valid on Wednesday” and there they stand on a busy Friday
night glaring you down because they couldn’t come in on Wednesday and
the least you can do was give them the discount anyway….If I had a
dime for every time one of my guests begged to change the rules, I’d be
rubbing elbows with Donald Trump!

Don’t get me wrong, I am the strongest advocate of the best customer
service….top notch….and for the most part, when someone asks nicely,
I often honor their discount, but explaining that continuing to do so just
can’t happen…and I would say 98% percent are great about it….

But this past week while I was on vacation one of our guests was unhappy
that the server would not give him the same discount as all the others
at the table because he didn’t receive his promotion….so the manager on duty came
to help out….well, she decided to not only comp his meal (at this
point he has moved to an ‘extremely’ loud voice) to which he threw (yes,
THREW) his loyalty card at my manager and demanded to be taken off the
list for mailings.

Well, hold on there cowboy….NO ONE, and I mean, NO ONE deserves to be
treated like that. I protect my employees from guests who decide they
need the world….with grace, my manager picked up the card and walked
away. At no time should you or anyone else be allowed to treat another
human that way. This is where the server, manager or whoever just has to
hold back, “get the heck out of here”….and my manager did.

Ahhh….but wait….two sides to every story you say? Why should I
believe the irate guest when he says the manager was yelling and rude to
him….oh, the beauty of having security cameras…I was fortunate to be
able to watch the whole thing unfold, and when his irate email hit my
inbox on Monday, I knew the true story….which I might add, was so much
more colorful by the time he left my restaurant to his keyboard. Is it
worth saving this customer? He claimed that the manager took the card
from him and never returned….you don’t know how badly I wanted to say,
“come on in, I’ve got something to show you”….but I found the better
side of me and just responded with him leaving his card behind and he
can come and get it.

So, despite this one unruly customer (I get one every 2 years or so) I
was happy to say that I’m sure he realizes that the marketing deals are
too good to pass….a few days later, he sent an email asking where his free
birthday dinner was….Little does he know “he’s been fired“, everyone now and then you have the right as a business owner to fire a guest! 

Need I say more?

Ben Martinez
Marketing Guru
Restaurant Masterminds