Somehow, I can’t remember how I ended up with the number, but I called and listened to the automated telephone message for this program. Has anyone heard of it, it’s almost as much as the black book, and I am only buying one of them, (well right now anyhow). So I went to the website for it (http://www.blackopspizzamarketing.com/pre.php) and was intrigued by most of it, except for the kinda out of place comment about what your wife will do.
Any thoughts?
I got a copy from Paul (the author) and what I can say is I think the post office has changed dramatically from when we all went through what is documented. Any resource is a good resource. Was Kamron Karrington’s Black Book revolutionary? Not really, but since it was a complete view it was priceless on time management as I never had to go scouring the internet etc to compile all that was in the book. This book expands on one of the areas from the Black Book and highlights his success and how it can be replicated.
First thing first have solid operations making great food (we all think we do every time but be honest), Be accurate and be consistent and fast and you will win. Then when you amp up marketing tactics they stick rather than just spike.
I could write a book right now as my shops have been built up then slowed down from 2011-2012 and now setting records for stores that were already doing over a million dollars a year. Would the info in it be revolutionary? Nope, basics, basics, basics!
Honestly I’m looking for anything that will increase sales on a regular basis. We tried door hangers, the sales spiked…but now its stagnant again. Im thinking trying the direct mail letter, but am afraid of spending the few hundred dollars that it will take to get that done. Right now its find something that will work, or close the doors and walk away, not really wanting to do the later…does anyone have any suggestions. I may have gotten in over my head.
Thanks in advance.
Marketing is a continuous activity.
If your marketing includes price incentives (and most pizza store marketing does) menu pricing needs to set so that sales are profitable including the discounts offered.
Many different media work. Each reaches a little different audience. For that reason, I believe in moving my marketing dollars around.
It sounds like door hangers worked. Why not do them again?
I’m not pointing fingers here but this is how I look at it.
Everyone thinks they have the best pizza, which obviously isn’t true. So just because you as an owner thinks it’s amazing and some people tell you its great you could still have bad pizza. (90% of customers don’t complain, they just don’t re order)
So I truly feel you need to evaluate the product that you are marketing before attempting to buy customers with a marketing campaign.
There is no point pushing your product if only 10-20% of people truly enjoy it, if this is the case you just cut your target market down by 80%.
My % are approximate of course. This is just my thought on struggling pizza shops, I know a few guys who struggle and swear up and down they have the best pizza get the can’t sell more then 600-800 bucks a day in product, well your pizza is average at best.
If you truly do have a well above average pizza then your marketing will be cheaper and more effective since people will be hooked and your not having to rope them in with super cheap deals, sure most of us offer a super cheap carry out offer but that’s not the heart beat of our business, that’s just to get bottom feeders in the door and away from the big 3.
Amazing pizza speaks for it self to some degree and the word will spread very fast.
Sorry for my rant, I’m up to early and can’t sleep. This post is not intended to make guys who are struggling feel like crap about there pizza. It’s meant to open people’s narrow minded eyes about the possibility that the quality of their product is effecting sales and marketing effectiveness.
I’ve been reading a lot of posts on PMQ over the Last 7 years and I have not seen this be touched on much, however there is more to it then meets the eye.
And obviously this isn’t about the big 3 they just have enough money to buy more customers.
Adding to this train of thought, the 2nd step after you nail down your product is to have a laser focus on service. If you can not get your product to the customer accurately and as fast as possible then why bother. Customers order when they are hungry and if you make them wait too long and add in the occasional wrong order then you will not get repeat business. Hot, fast and accurate!
I just mailed coupons locally through the post office.they have a program called every door direct mail.they mail a certain size flier for 18 cents a pop,plus print shop costs.I also intend on using these for a couple of different towns close by. it seems some people just 15-20 miles away have never tried our great pizza,and its time to give them an incentive to come by!!Mary Ann is the name of the lady who will walk trough every step of the way with you.GREAT person,knows her stuff.I was very intimidated at first,but come to find it is so easy ,even a cave man can do it!! anyone else do this EDDM with the post office?
No its to expensive for the effort you have to put in I feel
I pay .25 cent a house with postage and print not other fees for 10k postcards 6x11. Not the small 5x8 that most people send out.
I do nothing but tell them the layout and the day I want them to drop and puck the routes I want to saturate
i used eddm for a little while. but its just not worth it for me. i’m in a urban area so i have to deal with about 6 different post offices. and then the lazy ass postal workers…some weeks i wouldn’t get any return on my menus…i know the mailing went right in the dumpster or i would get calls about one customer getting over 20 menus in their mail box. and my complaints always fell on def ears. So, its no wonder the usps is going out of business.
we have been doing well with it so far.I did it locally to see how it works .I am doing it again ,this time I- am targeting the next 3 towns over, that are 12,20 and 25 minutes away as there are customers that go the opposite direction for pizza.I have had a few customers say that they have gotten none and others say they have gotten two.it is a little expensive,with these coupons I am hoping to get new customers to drive in my direction to try our pizza just once.