MarketingProfs' Members Register for B2B Forum 2010 for just $695! (good until 11/30) »

Ask your question ... sign up today! It's FREE!
Strategy     
 
This question has been closed, and points have been awarded.
Need Marketing Ideas To Bring In New Customers
Posted By: brentnormand on 6/18/2006 12:41 AM (CST) 250 Points
Hi 9 weeks ago my wife and I bought a Cafe in the New Olreans area. We've been doing radio ads and are locked in for about 8 more weeks. Radio has helped our lunch crowd increase but we are looking for ideas to bring in a breakfast crowd? Maybe specials, 2 for 1's, buy so many breakfast and get 1 free?

I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas to bring in different age groups.
Thanks a bunch.
Brent

Posted by: rbauman* Accepted Answer
6/18/2006 8:18 AM (CST)
If there are hotels in the area that do not have restaurants, see whether they will provide referrals. They may also work with you to create a fixed price package that includes a room at their hotel and breakfast at your restaurant. You might consider taking breakfast reservations for referred hotel guests.
 
Posted by: dloupe Accepted Answer
6/18/2006 10:56 AM (CST)
Brent,

I was born and grew up in the New Orleans area so I applaud you for investing there. I worked in several elite restaurants there in the 70’s and early 80’s (LeRuth’s and Wily Coln’s) when the oil boom spawned large amounts of expense account spending. I got married and have since moved away to the Kansas City area and now run my own small consulting business….but my heart belongs to the Crescent City.

Obviously this question can’t be answered properly until you tell me where you are located (street address…I know the area well so chances are I will know your location) who is your targeted customer base (tourists, locals, construction workers etc.), What type of restaurant is it? What is your price range? Are you from the area etc? All of these questions would really need to be answered before I would give you tactical advice on advertising or promotions. Sure a promotion will drive some short-term business but my guess is you’d like to survive for the long-run.

You really need to view this market as pre and post Katrina. Pre-Katrina the New Orleans market was one where if you served great food and people found out about you then you’d last forever. New Orleanians are perhaps the most sophisticated restaurant customers in the U.S. when it comes to knowing good food because chances are their mama or daddy cooks better than 95% of the restaurants in the U.S. If you are a local you already know what I mean…if you aren’t well you better get some local input because what you think is great might be viewed as average by the locals.

Post-Katrina you have a unique opportunity… Large numbers of restaurants closed and so the supply of restaurants has dwindled. So in the short-term you will do well because there aren’t enough restaurants…but you need to think long-term to really survive.

My guess is that for a while restaurants will do well just by being open but in the long-run the city will revert to it’s pre-Katrina self meaning great food will keep you alive …maybe even more so than before. Once you have been through a catastrophe like that hurricane...why would you want to spend time eating lousy food!

So my biggest piece of advice is this…make sure your food “kicks-ass” or else you won’t be around more than a year. Doing 2-1’s will bring em in the first time but the great food will keep them coming back. Repeat customers are what assures a restaurant's survival in New Orleans…in New Orleans they will come in once for the deal but if the food sucks….they won’t be back. Ask the locals this simple question…”Is this food as good as your mama’s food…and hey be honest with me baby…I want to make my customers happy?” If it’s not ask them if their mama needs a job. New Orleanians are a gregarious lot and they love to talk food! Make sure that you are asking a local and ask how long they have lived in the area. If the locals give you similar advice on what’s good and what’s not you had better take it.

Second: Pay attention to the people who come into your restaurant and notice the repeat customers…Get to know their names…..these people are the ones who will tell their neighbors and cousins and everybody else….Ask them what they like about your place….and what they don’t and then slip them some lagniappe …a free drink or a free dessert to thank them for helping you out. Give them some coupons to give to their friends. Everybody knows everybody down there and if you get a few of your customers "selling" for you ....you'll have the best networking system in the world.

Two for ones, Radio etc are short-term things… you need to think long-term to survive.

Answer some of those questions from above (where are you located etc.) and I'll be able to give you more specific advice.

Good Luck to you and once again thank you for opening a restaurant in the New Orleans area. Focus on the food first and you will do great.

Bon Apetit!

Davis Loupe
 
Posted by: mbarber Accepted Answer
6/18/2006 9:25 PM (CST)
Gidday Brent - hard to go past the advice offered by Davis.

I guess I'd be looking to keep pushing your lunch crowd via the radio but add a line into the voice over like 'and remember to ask about the two for one breakfast deal' (or something similar)

Then in store set up a loyalty card so that for every 4 lunches they get a breakfast deal free. I'd really focus on leveraging the existing clientele base. Now given that not all will transfer across, you might also do the same thing in reverse for whatever existing breakfast clientele you have. This time the deal would be a little different, say 'for every 5 breakfasts, lunch is on us' (or similar).

At the same time, try to get your clientele to convert others for you. Ask people if they ciould write a few words about your food - how good it is etc. Each week, someone gets drawn out of the 'barrel' for a free lunch. The key then would be to leverage those comments on your shop front window if possible. So in big bright letters you have signage that says something along the lines of "Here's what our customers think of our great food" with a big arrow pointing to the comments. But you don't make their comments big - you just put them on a normal sized piece of letterhead. That way passers by stop out the front to read. People driving by will get curious.

And every week you change your comments as they come in so that you constantly get a fresh set of great comments about your food.

best of luck, hope it goes well
 
Posted by: Frank Hurtte Accepted Answer
6/19/2006 10:04 AM (CST)
As a person who has breakfast out many many morning... I asked a group at breakfast what they look for...

1) price - I hate to spend more than 4 bucks with tip for breakfast. Lots of people feel the same way. We are not talking facny here... instead 2 eggs, toast, coffee
2) quick - any time I spend waiting for breakfast is time I could be spending billing or sleeping.
3) a paper -- not one you have to buy but a community paper
4) an open table... ready for anyone to join a group


The cafe where I have breakfast has everything from presidents of companies to tree trimmers. Many have had breakfast there for years.

 
Posted by: ShannonD* Accepted Answer
6/19/2006 4:18 PM (CST)
Brent,

I am still a local to your area. I live right above Slidell, which is your Northshore. I also worked in New Orleans and still find myself in downtown many evenings.

First, what radio station are you using. B97, rock, country, AM? I know the early morning AM 870 I believe is the hot one that all the business folks and travelers listen to. Get your ads on there, and on the evenings on B97 and you have prime radio spots.

Where are you located at? I know a lot of owners (because I used to sell them cars) in New Orleans East, Chalmette, and Across the River. I know a few in the Meterie area. Just keep in mind its all location vs. Reputation. Billboards are very important in New Orleans. Try and get a few up. Maybe I've even seen or heard you ads. Since the storm, billboard, radio, and the newpaper are going to be your hot spots. TV can have it's benfits in the area, but if you'll notice that every GREAT place to eat in New Orleans doesn't use the TV at all. It will be based on rep, but get yourself some starting customers with your advertisment.

Do check with the construction crews in the area, if you get a couple coming, they will all come. If you can make your food portable, the car guys will do pick-ups. A big business option in the East is breakfast delievery. One group was doing it, but they didn't hardly give you any food, so they died off fast. (They were located off Chef by the Jubilee) Cater to some of your locals, and you will find them to be very big fans.

You are competing with a LOT of gas stations in Louisiana with short order cooks, and heaters. The breakfast bisquits in the temp heaters sell quickly too. Find some way to compete in the same field if you can. Get the "Best bisquits in town" or something of that nature and maybe you will get some extra attention.

You need to do as much as you can with Press releases as you know how. It's free, and if you target the morning papers, then you're bound to get a return on your effort. Publish a morning menu or something of that effort that will help establish what you have to offer.


If you need any help from a local, E-mail me at shannonD@interstate Entertainment.

Good luck with the cafe!

Shannon D
 
Posted by: MANSING Accepted Answer
6/20/2006 4:57 AM (CST)
Brentnormand,

Started new business? Nice to an entrepreneur, doesn’t matter small or big! We learn so many things in small scale business than large scale business. I have bit knowledge about the city - multicultural heritage, port city and historically the largest city in the U.S. state of Louisiana.

A restaurant is a "sink or swim" industry, I am sure you have worked out 4P factors- Price, Promotion, Place, and Product. If there is no customer there won’t be any business so something has to done to fix the problem. As I am unaware about above 4 factors, it is hard to give you good guideline to follow.

If I assume your business is running well and you are looking to bring new age group then it is necessary to understand their characteristics – what they want? Where they want? Pricing policy? Place to serve?

Product (Menu) and Price play a big role in restaurant business. As you already thinking to do Buy 1 get 1 free offer to promote your business, I have few areas which will give you broad promotion guideline and suitable for your budget.

1. Sending a standard press release about a new menu may result in a small write-up.

2. Public relations have been called advertising that you don’t have to pay for – word of mouth.

3. Point of purchase on popular services to encourage the guest to try your restaurant another time

4. If you create events that have only local appeal, you’ll be limited with your media exposure potential and may not even make the local paper.

5. Discounting tells your customers and prospective customers, “We don’t deserve full price, so we’ll be happy to lower our rates to make up for the difference.”

6. Value-added perks such as free valet parking, complimentary services, merchandise, etc.

7. Partnering with a business or charitable organization works on many levels and can help you stretch your marketing budget while still delivering higher returns on investment than can be achieved with traditional advertising.

8. Tasting is believing and if you would grade your food a B minus or above, you need to get it in potential customers’ mouths

9. Hosting food events such as the “Taste of (insert your town)” is a great way to position your restaurant as a center of the food scene in your market.

10. Simply create bingo cards that have different menu items in boxes. Have the cards designed with five columns and five rows.

11. 50 percent of all Americans eat out on their birthday. This presents an opportunity for establishments with solid birthday programs

Smart marketing is best achieved through non-traditional techniques that are executed inside your restaurant and among your existing customer base. If you want to increase your traffic and new group to join your restaurant you should follow primary promotion methods.

I hope this will help!

Regards,

M Bhor
 
Posted by: catherine shaw* Accepted Answer
6/20/2006 3:50 PM (CST)
Hi Brent,

Years ago when I managed restaurants, I teamed up with the Girl Scouts. They have a patch that they can earn by making and eating a healthy meal. I brought the Troop into my kitchen before we opened to the public and we made 2 or 3 simple dishes. I charged nothing at first and the kids and parents were crazy about it. After 3 months, those kids, their families and their friends were regulars. I eventually designed a patch that the girls could show off and I charged $5.00 per child and it included the meal and the patch.

I can't begin to tell you how many people knew of my restaurant and the exposure from the girls showing off their patches, it was like a walking billboard. It is an inexpensive way to promote your restaurant and do something good for the community.

Good Luck!
Catherine Shaw
 
Posted by: brentnormand Author Response
6/30/2006 12:24 AM (CST)
These are some really good ideas, and I will follow up with a few of you to get some more info.
I appreciate your input.
 
Posted by: Interlux* Accepted Answer
7/2/2006 12:17 AM (CST)
This one is all in your advertising. With Katrina, you've been given a whole new chance here.

The food promotions are good, but won't help if you don't bring people in to the cafe in the first place. So try ads with an atmospheric feel to them....

"Helping Rebuild NO, one breakfast at a time"
"Scrambled Eggs. Here to stay"
"Good breakfast. Great soul."


Off the top of my head ideas...but with a good advertising strategy you could potentially link your cafe to the efforts of a whole city...capitalize on the community rebuilding process, and your message becomes a brand, in that patrons aren't just buying breakfasts and meals, they are buying into the idea that New Orleans is very much alive.

Good luck.
Joel, Interlux Design
 


Get more answers ... ReTweet this!

Would you like to post a response?
Welcome to Know-How Exchange!
This is a collaborative community. We welcome everyone's participation.
All you need to do is login. Enter your account info in the box above (top right).
Not a member? Not a problem. Register here (it's FREE and EASY).




Know-How Exchange powered by MarketingProfs


Sponsored Links

Buy a Link Now

Just Released ... Download Today!
Just Released ... Download Today!
Look inside
Included with Premium Membership
User Name:
Password:
Remember Me
Forgot your password?

Top 25 KHE Experts
(Strategy)
ASVP/ChrisB (39143)
Jay Hamilton-Roth (36484)
mgoodman (31658)
mbarber (28529)
Frank Hurtte (24822)
W.M.M.A. (24343)
telemoxie (24010)
CarolBlaha (20554)
wnelson (18695)
Peter (henna gaijin) (16342)
NuCoPro (16053)
michael (15775)
stevea (13066)
thinkmor (10820)
SteveByrneBranding (9826)
PhilGrisolia=Results (9649)
Puru Gupta (8760)
Deremiah *CPE (8318)
Wiglaf (8292)
SRyan ;] (7862)
darcy.moen (7712)
Pepper Blue (7080)
Gary Bloomer (6359)
Mikee (6119)
Michele (5978)
Recently Posted Marketing Jobs
Director of Marketing and Communications
Demand Generation Manager
Marketing/Advertising Faculty
Director of Marketing
Market Analyst
Sr. Field Marketing Manager - Business Intell.
Associate Vice President of Marketing and Corporat
Marketing Manager
[more jobs]

Join over 355,000 members ... SIGN UP!

My email address is and I'd like my password to be .

Already a member? Sign In!

My email address is , and my password is .


HACKER SAFE certified sites prevent over 99.9% of hacker crime.