Figuring out times is not rocket science. Ask the landlord, since he operated there at one point he will know. Figuring out the weeks will be harder. Talk to the local chamber and see if they maintain a bed count/occupancy report. Our local chamber produces a report that shows occupancy by the week with Wednesday and Saturday forcasts and actual numbers based on a weekly survey. Our business tracks that very closely.
How many people is tied to the kind of menu you have and how efficient your kitchen is in addition to how busy you will be. Ask the former operator/landlord. Figure on wasting some money being overstaffed while you sort it out.
I have no idea what the “black book” is. The advertising challenge in a resort is that you probably can not give the consumer the idea to have pizza but you CAN be where ever they look when that idea comes up. Most likely it is too late to get into the in-room directories but you should find out who the publishers are and call them so next time around they come to you. Depending on the publication cycle for yellow pages you may still get in… you should be there for sure in a resort. Just hope that there are not too many of them! In my town there are four yellow pages. One is great, one is OK and the other two are a complete waste of money. Go after visitor contact people like front desk clerks in lodging, shuttle drivers, taxi drivers, chamber info center and all your business neighbors within walking distance. Print up some business cards good for a FREE small pizza with a couple of toppings and give one to EVERY person like this you can find once you are open and have a product you are happy with.
Direct mail is pretty good for finding locals but does not reach visitors. Door hanging in frowned upon where I am and the lodging staff would throw them away if we did it. Look for events to sponsor. Join your chamber, join Rotary or the Lions or some other group depending on which has the lasrgest memebership in your area. (Just remember that these are SERVICE organizations and the reason to join is the community service not the business benenfits… the benefits are real but if you go in with the attitude that that is why you are there it will not work out.)
How many people is tied to the kind of menu you have and how efficient your kitchen is in addition to how busy you will be. Ask the former operator/landlord. Figure on wasting some money being overstaffed while you sort it out.
I have no idea what the “black book” is. The advertising challenge in a resort is that you probably can not give the consumer the idea to have pizza but you CAN be where ever they look when that idea comes up. Most likely it is too late to get into the in-room directories but you should find out who the publishers are and call them so next time around they come to you. Depending on the publication cycle for yellow pages you may still get in… you should be there for sure in a resort. Just hope that there are not too many of them! In my town there are four yellow pages. One is great, one is OK and the other two are a complete waste of money. Go after visitor contact people like front desk clerks in lodging, shuttle drivers, taxi drivers, chamber info center and all your business neighbors within walking distance. Print up some business cards good for a FREE small pizza with a couple of toppings and give one to EVERY person like this you can find once you are open and have a product you are happy with.
Direct mail is pretty good for finding locals but does not reach visitors. Door hanging in frowned upon where I am and the lodging staff would throw them away if we did it. Look for events to sponsor. Join your chamber, join Rotary or the Lions or some other group depending on which has the lasrgest memebership in your area. (Just remember that these are SERVICE organizations and the reason to join is the community service not the business benenfits… the benefits are real but if you go in with the attitude that that is why you are there it will not work out.)
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