| Of course, the best way to promote your | | | | 5. Skip the Yellow Pages and get a website. |
| restaurant or catering service is to provide | | | | Yellow Page ads are notoriously expensive, and |
| excellent service and food quality. This will quickly | | | | they generate fewer and fewer referrals every |
| become glowing "word of mouth" advertising for | | | | year as the internet takes over as the "go-to" |
| you. But how can you get new patrons to come | | | | place for information. Maintaining a website is |
| in and try your place? | | | | crucial for any business today, and that includes |
| Traditional advertising, such as TV or radio ads, | | | | restaurants! If you have some computer skills, |
| can be very expensive for a start-up restaurant. | | | | you can easily create a nice website using an |
| You don't have to spend thousands of dollars on | | | | online template, or you can pay someone to |
| advertising if you spend your money wisely. | | | | design a nice website for a few hundred dollars. |
| Smart marketing is the key. | | | | Make sure your menu is online, as well as all your |
| 1. Create a Loyalty Program. Loyalty programs | | | | special offerings, such as catering, reservations, or |
| are cheap, easy to implement, and deliver a high | | | | party hosting. |
| return. All they take is a little time and effort. | | | | 6. Use all the free web resources you can. I am |
| Loyalty Cards (buy ten, get one free) are used | | | | still amazed that some restaurants and clubs don't |
| frequently by coffee shops and cafes. They are | | | | bother to create a website for themselves, even |
| good for restaurants too; especially those that | | | | though it can cost less than $50 per year. In the |
| offer discounted lunch choices. "Lunch Punch" | | | | 21st century, having a website is a necessity. |
| cards have become a successful way to get | | | | Your website serves as your online brochure. It |
| repeat business-offer a free lunch after ten visits, | | | | works for you twenty-four hours a day, and is |
| and customers will think twice about going | | | | always there when a potential customer wants to |
| somewhere else. | | | | find information about who you are and what |
| 2. Create a menu flyer. Hand it out EVERYWHERE | | | | your business has to offer. |
| you go. Give it to all the businesses in your local | | | | Your website will work best for you if it is simple. |
| area. Don't be shy! Attach a coupon, or contact | | | | Your home page should be like a simple company |
| the manager or owner of every business near | | | | brochure. It should be attractive and not about |
| your restaurant and give them a coupon for a | | | | you, but all about the benefits that your |
| free meal. If you deliver great service and get | | | | customers receive by patronizing your restaurant. |
| them to come back and recommend their friends, | | | | Your contact information should be easy to find. |
| you're already closer to success! | | | | Include links to more specific information about |
| 3. Advertise more for special events. If you have | | | | your services and credibility. That's it! Keep it |
| the money, spend some real advertising dollars | | | | simple. If you are in a hurry and don't yet have |
| for special events like Father's Day, Secretaries | | | | your own website (which requires your own |
| Day, or Mother's Day. These holidays bring big | | | | domain name and a hosting service - inexpensive, |
| dollars into your restaurant, and you should spend | | | | but takes a bit of time to set up), all is not lost. |
| your advertising dollars on the days that bring in | | | | There are many social networking sites where, |
| the most money. | | | | once you join, you are provided a profile page. |
| 4. Join your local Chambers of Commerce. Go to | | | | You can use that as your temporary website if |
| their monthly business "mixers." Use the | | | | necessary. |
| opportunities for networking, cross-promotion, and | | | | I recommend that you create a MySpace page, a |
| making new connections. Invite community | | | | Twitter account, and even a free blog on Blogger. |
| business owners to patronize your restaurant for | | | | None of these networking sites charge you to |
| free-if they love your food (you know they will!) | | | | create a website to promote your business. If |
| then they will tell their employees, family, friends, | | | | you have fifteen minutes, you can create a profile |
| etc. You get the idea. The trick is to get your | | | | or website through these providers and promote |
| name out there-once people find out how good | | | | your business online. No matter how busy you |
| your restaurant is, the more they will want to | | | | are, everyone has at least fifteen minutes to |
| come back! | | | | promote their business. |