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How to Market Restaurant Specialty Items for the Holidays
A question was posed by one of our Restaurant Success Monthly Members, Buddy Guilbeau:
Do you have any ideas on how to increase my corporate hams sales for the holidays? How about ideas on advertising my hams for the holidays?
I thought this may be one of those questions that others may want to 'hear' the response, so I'm posting it for all to see.
My response:
I think that advertising for Ham Sales, in your case, or Gift Cards or even specialty meals packed to go for the holidays all have a similar approach.
The low cost / no cost restaurant marketing tactic is always "4 Walls Marketing". Make sure the 4 walls of your place are communicating the message you would most like to push. This includes a multitude of ways and media to communicate the message.
4 Walls Marketing explained with examples and strategies
Signage
Bathrooms Signage (one of my favorites) on the mirror or the back of the stall. Think about the captured audience potential.
Entrance Signage - Hit them before they even get in the door. You program them to be thinking about anything you want before they even open the door. I like to use a question "How Can You Get A Free Ham This Holiday?". It plants the question and they will want to figure it out and will most likely ask.
Interior Signage - Wherever appropriate, get a sign conveying your message. You can even play off the door signage and either answer the question or ask more questions and make it a game.
Table tent or flyer on every table in the place.
Bag stuffer in every bag that goes out the door - whether it's To Go food or delivery. Get one on every plate or tray served or with every check you present. Don't just bury it in the check presenter; put it right on top. Put the bag stuffer with every catering order and in every box lunch.
Email your list - craft a series of emails that keeps your message in front of your guests and intrigues them.
Website - Post it on your website. Have a link from the promotion in your email to more details available online. Online you can spell out all the details and benefits and exactly who the offer is perfect for or applies best.
Contest - Have a contest to give away a FREE item that you are promoting then have a big sign and a business card drop or little form to be filled out. The people that "Opt-in" the contest must want the prize so even if they don't win send them a runner up prize for a special discount or offer that works with what you are promoting.
Mail your list - A direct response mail piece targeted to your existing guests, that already know you will cut through the mail clutter and can draw a huge response. It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. It could even be part of a regular mail cycle like a newsletter. Something you may want to try is drop out piece/insert that takes them out of the newsletter and is obvious when they open it.
Buy a list of the top 50 employers in your area and mail them. This message needs to be a little different because they may not know who you are. In this case you want to use direct response tactics like we teach in the Restaurant Success System, i.e. Headline, compelling copy, offer, expiration to just mention a few.
At the end of the day there is no magic bullet that is going to sell a million products but when you combine a bunch of methods you will reap results from all of them and your overall response will be tremendous.
Just like with everything else you have to take action. Start with the items that you like from above and that are easy for you. Then work to add one a day until at the end of a week or so you have a tremendous amount of communication and marketing all working to sell your product.
For details and examples of everything mentioned above check out RestaurantSuccessSystem.com/noriskoffer/
In the Restaurant Success System you not only get examples, tactics and strategies you also get done for you downloadable pieces. Yes the actual pieces that all you have to do is change your restaurant name and print. It is worth a minute to check it out. RestaurantSuccessSystem.com/noriskoffer/
Thanks for the question, Buddy. I'm sure your interest has helped others out!
Jonathan Munsell
Founder & Creator
Restaurant Success Monthly
Restaurant Success System
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