You could start by building your own website for free at http://www.WebStarts.com/?aff=Roshawn
Patty, you don t have to work very hard to convince me that it has been a really rough year in the restaurant industry. One look at the vacancies in strip malls and other properties with for rent signs tells me all I need to know. Chains are closing outlets, franchises are shutting down, expansion plans are being mothballed. The problem, of course, is that in the Great Recession, consumers are cutting back spending and dining out is one of the first luxuries to go.To answer your question directly, I wouldn t spend much time with newspaper advertising, but would instead focus my ad dollars on couponing, either through Val-Pak or Groupon or a similar service. Consumers need to feel they are getting a bargain these days, and a 2-for-1 deal or another level of discount will make you more attractive. See if you can make up the difference through alcohol sales, if possible.Beyond that, though, there are some basic steps that require plenty of your focus. Is your restaurant well enough differentiated in the marketplace? Consumers are still willing to pay for special experiences (a fun atmosphere for their kids, a romantic spot for a special occasion, a paella meal that is cumbersome to cook at home). Without that ability to set yourself apart, you re nowhere. This is also the time to take a hard look at your menu, your cost structure, your staff, just about everything relating to your restaurant. Come in with fresh eyes, ask businesspeople you trust to help you look. I m confident you ll find places you can trim or adjust.The good news is that consumer spending will start coming back in the next 6 months to a year. Hang in there.
The best advertising you could do is getting your food out into the public eye. Go to different events and bring sample foods with you and business cards. Go to your child s school and see if they would let you cater any of their events, you might have to do this for costs but you are getting your food and name in front of hundreds of teachers. You also might try doing the cookout for your child s sports if she or he is in any. Cookouts at your house or in the park.These are all great ways to get your food, ability as a chef, and your name out into the local community. Without the community backing you will not survive.Have fun with it too!!!!
Working the social media websites will help, too. Facebook and Twitter can help build a following. Post specials. Post that you re trying a new dish only available to Facebook friends, etc.Volunteer your restaurant to be a meeting place for a group you belong to, or want to belong to. (depending on your restaurant)Whatever you can do to get the name in front of people; whatever you can do to get people to set foot in your restaurant. Do it.Can you take food to your local radio station? Sometimes the morning drive time DJ s will give you free plugs if you bring them free food.And, if you have a little bit of advertising money, I ve seen Cable Advertising work very well in small communities. I wish you luck.D
You should check out our service, it s called Bluesky Local. We help restaurants to increase sales by automatically delivering coupons to customers via email, text, and Twitter when slow sales conditions are detected.For example, if your restaurant experiences a sales decrease one days when it is raining and/or certain days of the week, Bluesky Local will automatically detect and counteract these conditions by delivering coupons instantly to local customers.BlueskyLocal.com
Money Mailers are good (the envelope you get every few weeks with local advertisements) this lets you target a specific market via regional area.Depending on your target market (e.g. if you re looking at college age kids/budgets you can go to the local university or clubs and hand out flyers with a coupon.)
