All Blog Posts Tagged 'ideas' (21)

Operator Under The Covers: Beatles, Business & Bamboozling

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Added by Ty Sullivan on March 6, 2012 at 6:30pm — 4 Comments

Text Message Marketing Testimonial

Amigos Tex Mex thought to try mobile marketing after we seen that a few restaurants in our area had been successful with it, says John Lannin, General Manager. It seemed like a good way to drive business since everyone is looking for a coupon and what better way than to put it directly in their hands via text. We currently still use the entertainment book and have a few Waterford Lakes coupons out there for the movie theater and the town center. …

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Added by Brandon Munson on June 12, 2011 at 8:43pm — No Comments

What's In A Name? Better Yet, What's In A Campaign?

I'll be the first to confess that when classically-trained marketers start using their "market-speak", my mind heads for the doldrums (or dulldrums). I've read and heard larger restaurants designing campaigns to promote a particular product, promotion, or event. The explanation is usually vague (as they probably don't want to give away any secrets).

But remember, you don't need a high-dollar social media or PR firm to make your campaigns effective. Here are some…

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Added by Josh Hersh on February 15, 2011 at 4:00am — No Comments

Non-Operator Is Your Boss A Tyrant?

If you are reading this then you are either the owner of a restaurant or you are an exceptional employee and deserve an…

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Added by Russ Reynolds on January 10, 2011 at 5:12am — No Comments

Non-Operator 12 New Years Resolutions For Restaurant Owners

This is reprinted from my monthly newsletter for my insider's club:

Restaurant Owners New Years Resolution #1 - Set Aside One Day Per Week Solely For Marketing Activities. This one resolution alone will improve your business immensely. You know marketing is paramount or you wouldn’t be reading this newsletter (and I also just told you so).

…

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Added by Russ Reynolds on January 6, 2011 at 12:25pm — No Comments

Restaurant Text Pager Systems and Cell Phone Pager Systems - A Cost Benefit Analysis

The purpose of this article is to explore the practical applications of Cell Phone Pager or Restaurant Text Pager system, to evaluate their return on investment and speculate as to the future of the guest pager.

Guest Pager system technology has evolved beyond the Coaster Pager to what is now known as the "Cell Phone Pager" or "Restaurant Text Pager".

Savvy…

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Added by Brandon Munson on July 4, 2010 at 6:00am — No Comments

First the car Phone, then the iPhone and now the Restaurant Text Pagers?!

The evolution of the mobile phone from the analog bag phone of the 80s to the slim down digital flip phones ofthe 90s to the 4G web enabled smart phones of today is simply a remarkable example of technological improvement and value. Whether you have a feature phone or a smart phone the fact is you also a restaurant text pager.Yes, that’s right, if your phone can receive a text message or even a call it is now a restaurant text pager or hotel text… Continue

Added by Brandon Munson on April 6, 2010 at 8:34pm — 2 Comments

500 Words to Change America: As if Food, Farms and Fertility Mattered

Folks across the country know something is wrong. There’s just something about the system we’ve created over several decades that is inherently flawed. Some blame the government, others big banks, still others blame political parties, but all agree that there’s something that’s just not quite working the way it should. People are losing homes, jobs, and health coverage at an alarming rate because of the societal turbulence in the enormous yet formless thing we call the economy.

Enter… Continue

Added by Kurt Michael Friese on March 11, 2010 at 10:22am — No Comments

The Holiday Edition

‘Tis the season to be festive and do something special with your restaurant décor so that it’s not just business as usual, are you ready?

It’s time to dust off your old decorations, or invest in some new ones. Hang them up and turn your restaurant into a winter wonderland. Don’t have time to put up your decorations this year? Try hiring a holiday decorating company that specializes in restaurant and retail decorating, just open your… Continue

Added by Christine van Rooy on December 1, 2009 at 9:00am — No Comments

Operator Your Idea & Resource Center Beyond the Plate

We are excited to announce the launch of a new source of information and inspiration for foodservice professionals and foodies--the Beyond the Plate.com Idea & Resource Center.

In this new Food Channel series, you will find the latest information about new products, marketplace trends and just plain enjoyment of food.

Starting with a deep dive into seafood--to be followed by explorations into… Continue

Added by The Food Channel on September 14, 2009 at 3:43pm — No Comments

What style of restaurant marketing you should employ for your business?

Which kind of marketing (Institutional vs. direct response) is the best for a restaurant that is trying to:

1. Establish it’s image?

2. Generate customers through the doors?

No marks for deducting the accurate answer. Brand marketing will not necessarily invite inquiries from likely restaurant customers in the second case; while immediate response marketing might not work in the first. Therefore the right choice for the first is brand marketing and that… Continue

Added by Andreas Breitfuss on May 25, 2009 at 5:00am — 1 Comment

Does your staff have ideas? Are you listening?

I was speaking to one of our clients a while back and we were talking about a contest he did. He asked employees for suggestions and would reward any ideas that were implemented with a cash prize. He posted the details for the contest in all five of his restaurants and employees could email in their suggestions any time over the course of four weeks.

I believe he told me that he got about 5 suggestions (none of which were usable). With about 80 employees at each restaurant, he has… Continue

Added by Jeff Schacher on March 10, 2009 at 10:45am — 5 Comments

Mexican Restaurant Serves "Hilli-rellanos" and "Bar-Taco" Obama's?

During the hype of the campaign, I had such a blast re-naming some of our favorite dishes after the candidates, that it actually caught the attention of the media...who would of thought that taking my Chili Rellanos and naming them Hilli-rellano's ,would of excited the media enough to come to my restaurant to cover my restaurants political campaign?

It all began with a simple email blast asking my guests if they would vote for one of the following candidates....or as I wrote,… Continue

Added by Ben Martinez on January 6, 2009 at 10:03am — No Comments

BLOG-Humbug

Okay, so I not only love to do restaurant marketing, but now I love to blog. I just love sharing and reading ideas. But have you ever sat down to blog and you just can't think of what to write? I guess I could say that I have 'writer's blog'....(yes, I sit here and crack myself up)....writer's blog comes to me, but I can clear it exactly the same as I do when I work on marketing pieces....I talk to my customers. I get up, get out of my office and go out and talk to my customers. They share… Continue

Added by Ben Martinez on December 15, 2008 at 12:44pm — No Comments

Clock's ticking for the FohBoh Innovation Challege.

Other than stand there and bogart all of the lobster, what would else would you do to operate an efficient lobster station at a wedding reception and provide a scrumptious experience for friends, family and crashers?

That's the question for this week's FohBoh Innovation Challenge presented to us by Chef Oscar M. Gayer.

There are some… Continue

Added by Judy "the foodie" Asman on September 23, 2008 at 10:56pm — No Comments

The "Not to Do" List or Sleeping with the Boss

Today is my wedding anniversary and I plan on sleeping with the boss tonight.

Now before you start thinking I'm a terrible nasty lady, let me explain.

The boss happens to be my business partner as well as my husband of 7 years. We've known each other for over 15 years and have worked together in our business for the past two years.

I'm guessing there are plenty of other husband and wife teams out there that face some special issues that come from living and… Continue

Added by Leslie Allison-Seei on July 14, 2008 at 3:01pm — No Comments

Non-Operator Don't give your customers what you want

How to make sure your products will sell

Pretty confusing main title, isn't it? I'll bet you're wondering exactly what I'm talking about.

Along with the other biggest mistakes restaurants owners make, offering customers what the owner thinks is good, instead of what the customer thinks is good, is a surefire… Continue

Added by Brandon O'Dell on May 2, 2008 at 1:15pm — 8 Comments

CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR RESTAURANT OWNERS

My website is designed for restaurant owners/operators, and prospective restaurateurs to find products, services, and suppliers for almost everything they need to conduct business.

In addition we try to provide information that will help them be successful through a series of articles related to the restaurant industry.

So here's the catch. We constantly need new material. If you are a consultant who likes to write and want to… Continue

Added by Richard Lowder on March 27, 2008 at 4:51pm — No Comments

Putting Innovation on the Front Burner

How can you inject more creativity into your restaurant, or generate more innovation in your marketing?

John Sweeney is world leader in workplace innovation. Years ago, John left a successful corporate real estate career to follow his passion for performing improvisational comedy. Today, he has found a way to combine his business…

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Added by Roy MacNaughton on February 14, 2008 at 1:22am — 2 Comments

Steal This Idea - Number 3 (who knows, it might become a series)

You've probably all noticed the trend of giving long established jobs new more powerful titles. I don't know where it all started, but it may have been back when the garbage collectors became Sanitation Engineers.

Even though changing the title doesn't change what a person does, I think the hope is that it will change the way people think about the position.

In the restaurant industry, I found an instance where even just talking about giving a position a new title can…

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Added by Randy Stefan on January 9, 2008 at 11:13am — 3 Comments