Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

First, I'd get a small menu and toodle to all those local biz's -- hand carrying it in and asking for their biz.

As far as grand opening-- the beauty of restaurants is you can create your own holiday. Blues Mondays, Over the hump Wed special. And you have the biggest holiday season of the year coming up!

Ask a local school to sing Christmas carols, ask local artiists, 4h, or senior center to host an art show. You can rotate the show and kieep it fresh. Do a holiday fashion show with a local shop. 30 days of holiday cookie of the day. Do a mother-daughter high tea on Saturday.

If you serve alcohol, tap your reps-- they have deep pockets.

Consider sending a press release to local news sources indicating change in management. Stress outstanding service and, like Carol Blaha says, get the menu out to the locals. A high-quality, minimal copy sign in the window, with complimentary flyers to post in local businesses would underscore local connectiveness. Got a new, novel idea for a sandwich, snack, whatever, use that as a hookm offering discount coupons for the specialty. Consider photographing locals (and local celebrities--and especially anyone 'famous' who comes in for a bite) and hang them up where customers can see them.

As far as a grand opening, don't you mean a 're-opening under new management or a 'fresh start'? Perhaps taking that tact would lessen the 'anxiety' that the 'regulars' who came about due to WOM won't feel aggreived. And, you could win a few points by given those 'existing customers' a discount coupon for their loyalty.

Best,
jag
MarketBase

Do something to draw in first-timers and reward regulars - offer something for free like a free appetizer with entrée, buy-one-get-one-free or 50% off second entrée. Offer discount coupons to local businesses (and have people post them on bulletin boards); participate in local couponing mediums (Entertainment books, ADVO/Val-Pak, CART-sort direct mail drops, local newspapers and the like).

Encourage repeat business (and larger purchase sizes) with a frequent diner loyalty program (i.e., points for every $ spent redeemable for cash off food, a free meal, etc.)

The Fresh Start concept is good - leverage it by referencing the freshness of the food and ingredients (with a payoff in taste). If you source ingredients locally, play that up as part of the message as well - it's a nice reinforcement for Fresh and also demonstrates local community support/involvement.

Have a "Happy Hour" with special pricing /discounted drinks and/or appetizers whether or not you serve alcohol: Also use it to boost sales in otherwise slower times of the day. Similarly, create promotions that build business for other meal occasions / days of the week to level-load your traffic -- whether weekend brunches or special food promos for nid-week dinners.

Cheers!
-Steve

You have customers, right? WHY do they come. Be visible in the place and talk to the clients. Don't do a survey. Stop by tables. Tell them you're new. Ask what they like. Tell them you appreciate their business. Have business cards made that you can stamp "Free meal" on. Should be catchier than that, but something.

Talk talk talk.

Michael