Michael Hartzell, on 3/21/10 4:39 PM
Free restaurant marketing is my preference. However, if you understand the importance of investing in a restaurant marketing strategy, here are a few tips on where to look for funds. The goal is to ear-mark dollars which can then be invested and re-cycled as each marketing campaign pays off. If your restaurant has a sales issue and is short cash then investing in anything, especially marketing, seems an impossibility.
Michael Hartzell, on 1/15/10 11:12 PM
What daily & weekly non-negotiable tasks are included on a restaurant checklist?
Michael Hartzell, on 12/18/09 9:26 PM
Its never too late to create a new restaurant marketing calendar. Today can be that day you tell your team "We are no longer going to buy advertising based on what salespeople have to offer and will instead become pro-active."
Michael Hartzell, on 12/5/09 7:13 AM
A Christmas restaurant marketing idea never came to you? You can use this idea next year of if you are scrambling at the last minute, this may be perfect.
Michael Hartzell, on 11/22/09 6:28 PM
Ever had a restaurant marketing idea in the middle of the night only to have it drift off as you snooze? Here is an idea for your marketing campaign and a free online tool to assist you.
John S. Harris, on 11/20/09 3:28 PM
'Tis the season to think about the holiday gift card options. Will you make your own gift certificates or will you hire a gift card services company? John Harris from Lynch + Harris offers certificate and gift card ideas and options.
A Must for Independent Retailers, Restaurateurs & Service Establishments
By John S. Harris
Michael Hartzell, on 11/9/09 10:27 PM
We did a a little restaurant marketing research on Halloween. Instead of just handing out candy, we thought it might be interesting to learn what kids love.
Here is what we put on a tray for their selection:
Michael Hartzell, on 7/22/09 2:40 PM
Tough to believe a little restaurant business in the middle of nowhere could change the world... but it did. Two million people a year visit the little town of Leavenworth, WA each year. No, there is no sandy ocean beaches, there is not one of the wonders of the world. In Eastern Washington, Leavenworth has a population of 2,206, and is located in Washington's Chelan county, about 71.8 miles from Bellevue and 77.9 miles from Seattle. Do the numbers add up? Don't seem to...Does not seem possible.
Michael Hartzell, on 1/29/09 10:04 PM
What is your belief about the barriers to effective restaurant marketing? If the belief is that business is poor because times are "bad", there are always bad times, During the worst of times, restaurant companies born and achieve great success.
Michael Hartzell, on 1/27/09 8:19 PM
My restaurant marketing ideas can get a little crazy. There was a quote I heard long ago:
Michael Hartzell, on 1/11/09 2:02 PM
Why do you have a business card? What is the purpose of spending money to have a company print business cards? The intent today is to change your perspective.
Over the many years in the restaurant business, the only people who wanted a business card were people who wanted my time or money. Think about what a business card truly does for you in your restaurant business.
It provides your name, email, phone number, website address, online ordering site, fax number, name of business, title and of course the address (for snail junk mail?).
Since you are in the restaurant business, the game is NOT the same as other businesses. And think about whether you have many of the tools others do. To create a gourmet meal, it does not require any of these items which are found on the business card:Michael Hartzell, on 11/22/08 9:57 PM
Too often over the years, when things get tough, cutting costs is the primary objective. The accountant or boss says "Cut costs in the restaurant by 3% next month."
