Restaurant Marketing on the Cheap

[shroomgirl]

Yesterday I was in an independant ice cream store talking to the owner....it was that kinda lunch....anyway she asked what I did and we talked about her marketing her shop....essentially she is 3 blocks from a (not mine) farmer's market in a family oriented St.Louis town.....I suggested she contect with the market do an ice cream day....selling scoops for charity....handing out coupons to her store....even work with the high school or local college to donate to an educational cause<read free PR through the school printing> Seems that everyone wins. More people to the market; maybe a segment that did not go on a regular basis, ice cream for charity;what a write off and people get to taste your product; PR for your shop at a hugely popular market 3 blocks away!!!, Fliers and posters provided by the charity or the market....I'd further promote it by taking ice cream to the radio and Tv stations, get posters up in stores in the area, get print involved again office folk like food...pick up the freeby calendar segments, invite a celebrity to scoop or the charity to have their members there handing out info....gotta watch the celebrities, I've found that most people can sell their own product better than anyone else if they have the people skills....it shows in their faces.

So from alittle ingenuity you can make a BIG impact with one project....course follow up is always good.
A couple of years ago Thomas Keller was doing a signing in St. Louis and a couple of groups wanted to host a reception for him...the person set up to do the "box lunch" was NOT a food person at all...she called wanting suggestions...I asked a new exciting restaurant that was going through a tough time if they'd host....they were falling all over them selfs (they used to work for Boulud) anyway the place was PACKED with foodie people that were impressed with the 3 course meal....that shows what 1 event will do for you....

[Isa]

Allow me to rant for a minute or two.

Don’t be like a person who spends thousand of dollars on a motorcycle but will cringe at the thought of paying 300$ for a good helmet...

Marketing can be an important tool in the success of a business. Don’t automatically think that professional help will be very expensive. It is not always the case. Many firms will provide you with a marketing plan for a reasonable fee.

Not ready to invest in your business? At least get yourself a few books. There must be a marketing for dummies book somewhere...


Ok I’m done.

[fodigger]

I do two types of marketing for our business - We are different from alot of others because we are an upscale golf course resort still waiting for the county to give us our permits for the hotel and large restaurant(been in progress for 2 1/2 yrs now). We currently have a small restaurant and banquet facility for 350. We belong to the area wedding professional assoc. and we give the local hotel a credit that they can either use on the golf course or at the restaurant. The other thing I do is that I pay my employees a flat rate fee for them "voluntering" at the local elemetary schools reading program. They read and tell the students how they use reading in their everyday lives. I have gotten huge amounts of press for that although I didn't do it for that it has become one of my best non marketing marketing ideas ever. I guess sometimes alittle good will goes a long way.