stuff4restaurants

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed so you don't miss any of the NEW IDEAS posted twice per day. Thanks for visiting!

O.K. I admit this is a shameless, self serving, piece of promotion for my new blogsite stuff4business.com .

stuff4business.com has been produced to provide the broader community of business owners with the same type of promotional and Advertising ideas this site provides to the restaurant and hospitality industry.

I have produced this site after much encouragement from readers who have contacted me over recent weeks. You know who you are and I thank you all sincerely for pushing and encouraging me in this exciting new direction.

NOW I NEED YOUR HELP…

Please check the site out for yourself here , and if you think my humble effort is worthy, I would greatly appreciate your help in letting your friends know about it, and please don’t forget to add it to your own r.s.s. reader.

CLICK HERE FOR stuff4business.com 

Send post as PDF to

My favorite business book of all time is: The E Myth revisited, by Michael Gerber.

Over the years I have used quotes from this book and given hundreds of copies away as gifts to friends and prizes at seminars.

It is an immensely powerful book that has the capacity to change the way you think about your business, unlocking you from the thoughts that cause stagnation and providing you with new ways of thinking that regenerate the way you do business.

I was recently reminded of this book when reading John Cricket’s excellent blog “Business Opportunities and Ideas ” where he explains how: he recently read the book after having put off its reading over the years, and how important he too, thinks it is…

Following his post, many of his readers also admitted they too had “put off” reading it, then, when prompted by him, had read it and were “gob smacked” by the power of it.

So, if you too have not read it, or have put off reading it, leave your computer right now and go get a copy of it, it’s not a hard read. Gerber has the unique ability to convert the tomes of academic stuff into a story telling style that is both easy to read and learn from, whilst being emotionally powerful enough, to make you WANT to change.

Thanks for the reminder John

Let me know what you think…

Send post as PDF to

Brian Clark at Copyblogger.com recently posted one of the best articles I have ever read on how to write persuasive copy: the stuff that makes readers ACT…
Persuasion is generally an exercise in creating win-win situations. Your job as a communicator, is to present your case in a manner that your readers will find beneficial to agree with.
You make them an offer they can’t refuse, but not in the manipulative Godfather sense.
He explains in full detail exactly how the use of:
Repetition, Reasons Why, Consistency, Social Proof, Comparisons, Agitate and Solve, Prognosticate, Go Tribal, Address Objections and Storytelling will put real persuasive “grunt” into your writing.

.
Whilst he is mainly talking to the writers of blogs, his advice will work for every business owner that needs words to persuade customers to purchase. i.e. every business owner.
If you do nothing else today READ HIS EXCELLENT ARTICLE here…

Send post as PDF to

This great new way of serving the humble potato chip has the potential to drive your “Take Away” sales clear through the roof…

All this new concept needs to SUPER CHARGE IT is: A branded serviette that will direct the traffic, already attracted by the uniqueness of the product, directly to your sales counter.

The originators call it appropriately, The Tornado, (U.S. readers may wish to reconsider this name)

This exciting product could be developed far further with flavored dips, spreads and salts

.

The original idea comes from Korea, I found it HERE on BoingBoing.com where you will find further links and details.

I love the idea and think it has the potential to satisfy the eternal customer search for new and unique products, thus providing you with an opportunity to achieve maximum prices and profit margins.

Send post as PDF to

When was the last time you looked at your bathroom, I mean REALLY looked… What is it saying about your health standards?

Michael Bauer food blogger at sfgate.com wrote about his experience in one restaurant. His article, and the comments from his readers make absolutely essential reading for every restaurant owner.

In his article he observes “When a restaurant minds the bathroom, it makes me believe the staff has been trained to have an equally serious and healthy attitude about food safety. ”

It is so easy in the rush of everyday business to miss things this obvious…

For those of you who may think this is trivial, I would remind you of the research that shows how many patrons choose to stop at McDonald’s, simply because they know the bathrooms are always clean.

. 

So why all this toilet talk on a site about marketing? It costs an awful lot of money, time and effort to get new customers through your door, then we have to provide great food and service, it seems a pity to lose their repeat business, simply because we don’t make the bathroom someones responsibility to regulary check

. 

Read the full article and his readers comments here .

Send post as PDF to

I see hundreds of coupon ideas every month, Most are little more than bland, ineffectual, and badly targeted discounts that destroy both your pricing and margins.

But at last I’ve found a coupon system that has a proven track record and most importantly is flexible enough to be tailored to suit the specific sectors of your business that YOU want to grow…

.

PLUS… the graphics looks good, and will be exciting for your customers and team…

.

PLUS… If used correctly, it will supercharge the “WORD OF MOUTH” growth of your business.

.

PLUS… It provides “Instant Gratification” as prizes are discovered instantly at the point of prime decision making.

.

This concept is simple, stylish and powerful. It is an ABSOLUTE MUST DO for any owner who wants to quickly, efficiently and (I’m assured) cost effectively, grow their customer base and get existing customers to come back more frequently.

Here’s the link for more information

Where you will find some very powerful proof of what other owners have achieved with this thoroughly comprehensive “instant win” coupon process

And NO, I’m not getting a commission or any form of payment for making this strong recommendation!!!!! I genuinely believe they have got the best coupon process I have seen.

Send post as PDF to

 O.K. I admit to loving anything WEIRD… here’s eleven of the weirdest hotels in the world.

Why would I add any more to this…

simply click here and enjoy…

Send post as PDF to

Over recent days I have received record traffic and emails to the post “how to turn every cup of coffee you make, into a powerful promotional device”
So, I sent out flocks of specially trained homing pigeons with digital cameras, I scoured the net, and I employed every nuance of diplomatic persuasion I could muster, to find for you, the best instructional sites and photographs I could.

and here they are:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonx/sets/48921/

This link will take you directly to a gallery of Latte Art photos that should provide you with hours of inspiration.

http://www.coffeegeek.com/guides/frothingguide/examples

Coffeegeek.com is a site jam packed with everything you ever wanted to know about coffee and this link will take you directly to comprehensive, illustrated instructions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF_6JvJTQoE

This link will take you to over 200 video tutorial clips which will teach you exactly how to produce  some truly great patterns.

http://www.latteart.nl/fotos_gallery.asp

This will link you to a European site with a photograph gallery packed with stunning award winning patterns.

 .

 So, now you have no excuse not to implement this simple, yet powerful, FREE  promotional strategy that will drive your “Word of Mouth” referral Advertising, provide your customers with a delightful experience and shift the humble coffee from mere commodity into a highly valued finale to a meal.

Send post as PDF to

I came across this excellent article recently on the “RESTAURANT MARKETING BLOGG … it is well worth a visit…

In an article entitled “Two Kinds Of Restaurants. Which One Is Yours?” the author of the article Joel Cohen states…

There are two kinds of restaurants. “Commodity Restaurants” and “Heart & Soul Restaurants.” “Commodity Restaurants” do knee-jerk marketing, send out discounts all of the time and are convenient to go to. Management is hired just to keep the status quo. There is no growth in “Commodity Restaurants.” There is no growth from discounting. There is no growth from hunting down target groups and seeing the very few which fall for the gimmicks. The “hunting” approach to marketing is dead.

To read the full text of this article click here

Send post as PDF to

Already the rage in Europe, Australia, L.A and New York and Montreal.  A restaurant that invites you to experience food, drink and conversation like never before - TOTALLY IN THE DARK!

.
“It’s a sensual dining experience like no other!” says O.NOIR General Manager Moe Alameddine. “When you eat without your sight, your remaining senses are heightened to savour the smell and taste of food. Even simple, everyday dishes like potatoes or plain yoghurt take on a culinary flare.”

.
But O.NOIR does more than just fire the imagination and stimulate the senses. After a few hours in complete darkness (that’s right, no flashlights, matches, cell phones, cigarette lighters or luminous watches), customers gain a better understanding of what it’s like to be blind - just like the restaurants’ entire wait staff.

.
This socially conscious concept sprang from Jorge Spielmann, a blind pastor in Zurich who used to blindfold his dinner guests at his home so they could share his eating experience. In 1999, Spielmann opened Blindekuh (German for Blind Cow), a project aimed at teaching the sighted about the sightless world, and provide jobs for blind people.

.
“It’s not the easiest of undertakings” explains Moe, who has elicited the help of Horizon Travail (an organisation affiliated with Emploi Quebec), which helps prepare and train visually impaired people to enter the mainstream job market; a population that experiences roughly a 70% unemployment rate.

http://www.onoir.com