I am half way through my 5th year…WOOT WOOT! I feel the people i have trained and currently have are finally at a point where they know what is expected and how to achieve those expectations without me here open to close 7 days a week. SO… I need to take the next few steps in growing my business.
I was thinking about starting by visiting the local schools and starting a school promotion Monday and Tuesday program. 15 % to the school.
Visiting with the neighboring office managers to promote our lunch club cards and VIP programs for lunch business.
and was looking for items 3) and 4) from the other former cheif bottle washers as to what worked for them when they were able to make the jump.
NETWORKING!! consider getting involved in the local merchant association and/or Chamber of commerce. They can be a good source for business-to-business referrals, and they always need food/catering for their events.
Consider getting involved in local government commission or committee. Something low key, but where you can make a contributon to economic prosperity in the area.
Consider getting involved in local government commission or committee. Something low key, but where you can make a contributon to economic prosperity in the area.
dont underestimate the value of this, we have been fighting a new sign ordnance with the town , getting to know and networking other business owners have been invaluable.
I really enjoy being a member of Rotary. It is a service club NOT a business networking organization and it costs some time and money to be a member, but I find the time and expense are well worthwhile as the organization is really tremendous… AND I do more than cover my costs with the networking value which does exist. Just don’t make the mistake to think that service organizations like Rotary, Lions etc are there for the benefit of your business… they aren’t. But the benefit exists.
In our town, time spent schoozing the lodging community by visiting front desks, providing pizza to non-profit events etc all pay off as time well spent as does spending an hour every couple of weeks really taking the numbers apart to understand your costs and look for savings.
If you donate pizza to a non-profit event, try to be there to serve it yourself. The value you receive is many times greater when you ad the impact of meeting the customers face to face. Also, put your best foot forward and donate your BEST combos not your cheapest ones. If you are going to donate 10 pies the food, labor and delivery might be $60-$70 for cheese or pepperoni… why not double the impact by adding another $10 in food cost and send really great combos with 4-5 toppings on them?
The best thing that is working for us is getting involved in the community, I drop off lunch to all of the teachers once a month. It costs me about $100.00…and I can hit about 300 mouths. These people think i’m a f’n saint. They look at you in a whole new light. You should be handing out free pizza at football games and other events. Half time at the highschool games maybe a free throw contest and you hook the winners up with food. You need to stir it up…get people talking about you.
Something else that may work…find one item you know you do great…something nobody else does…give it a funny name and market the hell out of it. Something like “the Sloppy dough”…just make a sloppy joe calzone…thats not my item its just the first thing that come to my head. maybe im on to something…
One of the things that I have picked up on here is a very simple marketing idea that works. You all have the bits and pieces that make it all add up. Everyone spends a lot on advertising and marketing but in the end… just put some of that money into giving away your product and as Steve said… be there when you do. Let people taste your offerings and put a face to go with it. A good saleperson will make their product stand out and sell themselves and the product at the same time. Not too mention you look good in the community for giving back.
