How to Generate More Restaurant Business FAST – Part 3
By David Scott Peters
This series of marketing ideas for restaurants is all about getting out of your restaurant. You can take to the streets and give people a reason to come in as I described in Part 1 of this series. You can go to the people around you and show them what they’re missing not coming in as I outlined in Part 2 of this series, and you can take your inside outside. Read on for Part 3 on how to generate more restaurant business fast.
Music to My Ears
Objective:
- Boost weekend business
- Increase community goodwill
Basic Idea: Have local musicians playing inside or outside store location. (For the purpose of this article, think outside.)
How to Implement: Once the performance is scheduled, the key is to advertise to area customers at least two to three weeks in advance.
In suburban locations, weekends (Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons) can be a good time, particularly if your store is in a busy shopping area. It can draw attention to your store and possibly bring in new customers.
In a downtown location, space permitting, on a bright and sunny day you can have musicians immediately outside the store’s location, especially during lunch in order to provide a lighthearted and fun environment for customers and local area employees.
The cost for musicians, whether you hire professionals/paid musicians, will depend mainly on the local market conditions. The best resource for contacting professionals is your local area radio station DJs or the phone book.
Another option is to use gratis (free) musicians from the local community universities, high schools or community organizations who are interested in having an audience for their music and are happy to play in exchange for that opportunity. A major benefit for gratis musicians is that they will bring supporters, parents, friends, etc., to your location during their performance.
Music Type: Use your imagination. Pick music related to your customer base.
Other entertainment options include a mime or a clown for children, which are very successful in attracting attention and bringing in new customers. But do keep your target market in mind. This is not likely to be a huge success for a fine dining establishment. It’s an idea better suited to the family-friendly variety of restaurants.
Support Materials: Upon scheduling a performance, advertising to the potential customers, is key. Give yourself plenty of time to print flyers, banners, etc., in order to get the word out to the community.
Check back for Part 4 in this series of restaurant marketing ideas.
David Scott Peters is a restaurant expert, coach, trainer and speaker, specializing in systems for independent restaurant owners. He is the nationally acclaimed restaurant coach whose unique “SMART Systems” approach to boosting profits has earned him the title of, “The man who can walk into any restaurant in America and find $10,000 in undiscovered cash before he hits the back door – Guaranteed!” Visit www.TheRestaurantExpert.com for more. Learn more tips, tricks and secrets in David’s free five-part e-course, “How to Explode Your Restaurant Profits NOW!” Simply sign up to receive the e-course at TheRestaurantExpert.com.
