In a funk...

[Daddio]

canukfanlady:

Pakula, you are right, and that is something I am working on. It is time to get out there. I have the personality to do this. Being in sales for along time (who would have guessed, sigh) But ugh, I am just to A type, I think it won’t be done right if I am not here, and I am afraid of paying to much in wages, but man, if i pay out 50 bucks in wages, but in that 2 hours bring in a grand in business…I am doing to much negative accounting. Not figuring in what I could be drumming up in sales. I am only counting the money going out, and not enough on the potential coming in…does that make sense? I am so tired…stressed…and what not, well, I dont need to tell you all. You are all so great, I look up to you all so much, I truly admire your nerves of steel! Most of the time I just read on here, never say anything cuz you are all so dang intimidating, but let me tell you, I have learned so much!!!

When I was younger(way last century) I ask a businessman why he hired people to do work that would easy for him to do. I was quite amazed at the answer he gave me. “If I hire someone to do a job the money I invest in them will come back to me in several ways. The person I have hired will use my business rather than my competition in most cases. They will also tell their friends and family when they have received the kind of service that I strive to provide. In addition to this I can generate more income by selling my service during the time it would have taken me to do the job than the job cost to hire out.”

I have too often forgotten these word of advice and wasted time and potential income because I felt I was the only one who could do the job the way I wanted it done.

 

[ResortPizza]

Hey Canuck, some rambling for ya… thinking maybe some value added type promos may be something to look at. Like the Ben & Jerry’s promo thread last week. BJ’s is more pricy here than the USA but maybe you can offer a pint with any large 3 topping or something for $1.75 or buy 2 large pizzas for the family tonight and get a free pint of Ben & Jerry’s for the kids, whatever is feasible for your pricing etc, hey summer is approaching. But I defiantly think value value value is the ticket for you. Your customers prefer quality to quantity and why not give them some more quality and a reward for coming in to pick-up, it will really drive word of mouth and thats when you hit them with a referral program. I know if I was into take and bake i would love a second reason to keep me coming back. How about getting aggresive with the family market? thats a whole new ball game… kids toys, kids pizzas, family day and get the kids to make their own pizzas, they love that!!! Get the moms and little ones to hassle dad all the time to drive over to see you. Give your customers more delicious reasons to get in the car to come and see you. I think with this newer type concept, you kinda have to re-invent the wheel and stick out like a sore thumb

 

[Wizzle_Wassell]

canukfanlady:

Thank you MPM.
As far as my pricing, I am resonably priced for the product I offer. How do I put it, I am more expensive than the junk pizza around here. LC etc. But as far as the chains I am comparable such as Domino’s, Panago etc. And less than our premium competitor like Boston Pizza, and its a better product with more heavily topped pizza’s than them.

As a take and bake I would (as a customer) expect your product to be far less in cost than most of these as I (the customer) has to pick it up and cook it. Do your prices reflect this otherwise why don’t I let someone else cook it for me?

 

[pizzaguy]

Oh Ya and dont be so hard on your self! Ok so you slacked off and werent quite on the ball but guess what we all do it from time to time

 

[Pakula_s_Pizza]

I just recently posted ^ as you can see but would like to add some more…Churches have alot of functions from religion class to senoir citizens ball…Try to pick up an acct with a local church for their ppizza, heros, and dinners…

Do you serve anything besides pizza?..We do Apps, salads, wraps, sandwiches, pastas and dinners too…We send out a fax every morning (mon-fri) and recieve a ton of business back from it…I think its 100$ a month with 300 faxes and unlimited e-mails…

Is there a hospitol?..thats a great place to distribute food and or menus…

One more thing id like to add…I said sit at the bar and meet people…A quick funny story, a mexican restaurant opened in our shopping center last month and did a crazy cinco de mayo party…My partner was there with some people and met a ton of potential customers…Believe me when i say this, that week business was up 5%…just because he went to have a good time…He even met someone who said they heard our pizza wasnt that good…She now is a 5 day a week lunch customer…Its funny how things work out…Good luck and let us know what happens…

PS if you want to see what our fax and emails look like feel free to sign up at Pakulas.com…

 

[canukfanlady]

Ok, so this is what I have done so far as a result of your excellent advice.

1. I had already sent out my menu’s which increased sales by 45% on Friday over the last 4 weeks! Wow, I had not seen Friday sales like it since Febuary! Awesome. Saturday was up 25% another great one. Which is great as well.
2. I will be sending out my menu’s to pre determined blocks of my area each and every week.
3. I have stapled elastics to a TON of menu’s and will be sending out staff whenever there is a lull in business, or I can get someone in to specifically do this.
4. I have created, and already have on the way new referal business cards. I am pretty excited about these! (Thanx pizzaguy!) I mean I already have customers reffering us all the time! And some come, I am sure most do not. It is so hard to know. Now I have a way to thank my referring customers. AND have given potential customers another great reason to try us on their next pizza purchase.
5. I am spending today making a list of all proffessional people in my area to send them something. As I said, I am working on it. We will see how it pans out throughout the day…You may see another HELP post as I try and go through this. There are some limiting issues on this…but I am including the local police department which is on the next block, the fire halls, etc. We will see how this pans out.
   Question: Do u give a discount to ambulance, police, fire persons? What is the discount, or bonus or…
6. I have a excellent coupon coming out in 3 weeks for our ice cream. I am very glad I didnt have this set up to do right now. We have been having terrible, cold, windy rainy weather. When the coupon comes out its supposed to be the beginning of our hot weather, God smiled on me with this decision!
7. I am being referred to our local Rotary Club which one of my customers, who owns a catering company is involved in and said she has gotten A TON of business from members, and networking opportunities through this club. So we will see what happens with that.
8. I have also met up with someone who desperately needs someone to make sandwiches for her. We are doing a little i’ll scratch your back you scratch mine, with the stuff she needs but is bringing me 10 new, LARGE order caterers who need a food assembler after their last supplier dropped off the face of the earth. So…I am heading in the right direction, I also sampled them on my new lasagna’s and cannelonni’s it was a HUGE success, so I am very excited and have a very large order to fill for them all this week.
9. I am tired…

 

[NicksPizza]

Rock on pizza sister, eh?

 

[system]

it comes down to marketing…your store is not in a good situation any more with 6 other outlets…and some promotianal work needs to be done…but the problem with promotions is if on cost…sales typically fall back to usual levels after the promotion…