Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

If the hotel does not have a dining facility or a restaurant of its own then it could probably recommend the restaurant to its clients. But this need not involve a stake for the hotel from your profits.

In elevator ads. In a welcome packet that's in the guest room. Ads near the snack machines (if you want something more than snacks to eat). Guest discount card given upon check-in.

Conceirges recommend restaurants all the tine-- even if the hotel has a restaurant on site. They should be your best friend.

Approach hotels without restaurants and ask to be their partner. I was just on a site who listed their "partner" restaurants. It helps the hotel-- many people (me) do not consider a hotel that doesn't have a restaurant onsite, or nearby.

When I owned a restaurant, my menu was in the hotel rooms-- not in the lobby. There is often a book of nearby restaurants and menus.

You have to make it worth the hotel's time and effort.

You can sponsor the card-drop box in the lobby.

Rather than just brochures, see if you can get the front desk to put your coupon in the key card folder each time. Code the coupon and pay an incentive to the front desk agent.

Michael

Don't forget to advertise on bathroom signage in the hotel as well as the elevator signage. You may also be able to get hotel staff to wear a button, "Ask me about great meals" or something like that to get more traffic in the restaurant.

This is a favorite topic of mine. Using hotel whitespace for revenue generating opportunities. As many pointed out on the forum, you have to understand all the customer and digital facing documents that a hotel customer sees. If the hotel sends out confirmation emails, you could buy space on the email. If the hotel hosts their own web, you could buy space on the web. Within the hotel, you have many options. As Michael pointed out above, place the coupon in the key folio holder. Also, dont forget the business centers. When accessing the internet from the room, the hotel typically launches a web page splash in which you could advertise on that page.
As the other's mentioned, get the hotel to recommend your restaurant. This is done by hosting some meals at your expense to build the relaitonship.

Also, dont forget to tell the hotel you will co-sponsor their hotel on your menu or in your restaurant!

Best of luck.

I discuss selling on customer facing documents on my blog. www.transpromo-live.com

One thing that no body mentioned here :)) But it works best of all.

Discounts :)

Offer a 10% discount on food or a free bottle of wine with dinner for 2.

Ask the hotel to give the coupons to the hotel guests when they check in.

There always have to be a 'value' proposition for the diner and for the hotel.

The fact that the hotel gets to offer special discounts to its guests is already great for the hotel (especially if your restaurant is good and in keeping with the level of the hotel).

The guests like it because they are in a strange town and they don't know where to eat so they get a very STRONG endorsement from the hotel and a free bottle of wine or discount.

Trust me, it works. nothing works better than a personal recommendation and a discount coupon combined.

One Caveat - be sure to invite the GM of the hotel and his senior staff, the F&B Director and or the Chef for a free meal with you personally at your restaurant. Once they experience the level of service, the ambiance and the quality of the food for themselves, they will be happy to recommend and give out your coupons.

Make sure that if they want to come back for special occasions like a birthday or to entertain one of their own corporate guests that you give them extra special discounts always as a trade partner. (30% discount for the hotel GM at least - but not free otherwise they will abuse you :)) )

I now that all of these work because I have tried and tested them all many times. :))

Good luck