Articles like this aren't doing you any favors

This just came out on Yahoo and I realized, as I read it, it really doesn't help the restaurant industry. They're encouraging coupon programs that dig into your pocket. I'm not against coupons, just not 2 for 1 or buy one get one free, etc. $2.00 off, a free drink, a free dessert, a free appetizer and many others will work just as fine and not break YOUR bank!
Here is link to the article:

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/105134/Dine-in-Style-Without-Breaking-the-Bank

I may be wrong but its negative press like this that really hurts independent business owners.

Everyone knows the economy is hurting but why try to create a post-depression era panic. I've said it before and I'll say it again: People will continue to eat out, just not as often. You can offer them deals but don't get trapped into the 2 for 1 free fall. Seek out those partners that offer fixed agreements: Annual pricing without any *'s! You'll be glad you did and get more bang for your buck.

Now IS the time!!

Over the past couple of months, we've talked to restaurants about joining MenuSearch and one of the common rejections is "Not at this time" or due to the economy "we're not spending any money on advertising or marketing".

WHAT?

Are you kidding?

Do you only advertise when business is "good"?

NOW IS THE TIME - more than ever.

Let me explain. When the economy is good, people will eat out breakfast, lunch and dinner. They'd rather pay for convenience as they have the funds. It makes sense.

When the economy is down-turning (like RIGHT NOW), people will still go out to eat, just not as often. They're still going to take their significant other out one or two nights a week. The difference will be that they'll be more selective in where they are going. That means if your name isn't out on the internet (in multiple places), your business is going to slow down.

People always try to tell me "I have a website. I don't need you."

That is when I begin my retort of "How do people know your name?" This isn't Cheers (Where everyone knows your name)!

People do searches online for Tampa Restaurants or Tampa Restaurant Menus. That is how they see "the list" of possibilities. If you're not there, we can help but I don't want to get off topic. Let me breakdown these searches really quick:

Tampa Restaurants: The person who types this is what I'd call a window shopper. They like to see the list and read reviews but they're not as likely to make a "buying" decision.

Tampa Restaurant Menus: (on the other hand) are true "buyers". Why? because they want to see the menu. They want to make choices before going or perhaps they're calling in a take-out or delivery order. These are the serious folks. Granted there are not as many as the "Tampa Restaurant" folks, but they are the most focused, decisive of the restaurant researchers (I like to call them the "eyes" of the industry).

There's plenty more where this comes from but the plain old fact is: In a down turning economy, you need to spend a bit more to bring the people into your restaurant. We understand the urge to "buckle down" to weather the storm but sometimes you have to do some "small" things to increase your chances of being open after the storm. Please forgive the metaphors but everyone I've talked to sounds like their preparing for a "business" hurricane.

Simply, my advice is research on your own and only spend where it's affordable. Try new things:

1. Try MenuSearch.Net
2. Try Pinellaslife.com
3. Try both (I have special pricing for you)

With these two products, you'll see a significant difference in traffic. Let us guide you through this storm! Even if it's not us, open your doors (and your wallets) to try new things but be sure you do your homework. Free is rarely "free"!

What is MenuSearch

MenuSearch is simply a restaurant menu directory that focuses on independent restaurants. We believe in you and we hope you believe in us. We're a family owned and operated company that is highlighting the mom & pop restaurants (currently in the Southeast and Las Vegas) that is trying to be a national website by the end of 2009.

The concept is simple. Please like one location to find all the restaurant information. Travelocity does this for airlines and we do this for you. We're offering discounts for a multitude of reasons:

1. We're new
2. We're still building
3. We're naive (just kidding)

Really, the most important reason is that we want MenuSearch to be affordable to any size restaurant.

Where else can you get your restaurant information in a website in under 24 hours? Yes, we can give you your own web page with photos, maps, phone numbers and any verbiage you'd like to add in less than 24 hours.

Just opening: Contact us

Been open for decades: Contact us

Need traffic: Contact us

We know you've been burned in the past by newspapers, radio, TV, web developers and competitors similar (but not like) MenuSearch. Consider this: Just as you want us to believe in your restaurant, we want you to believe in us. We're slowly growing and you'll be happy you joined us early on.

Consider your customers when building a website

My friend Mark and I designed MenuSearch using a three step process:

1. We asked ourselves (and website users): What do people want to see?
2. We also asked: How do people want the information to be relayed?
3. Finally, we were told and we made it "as simple as possible".

With this in mind, we did multiple focus groups along the way to make sure we created something people wanted. Everyone that has heard about MenuSearch and visited the site has been very supportive and love the site. I have yet to hear any negativity about the site (except from those users that don't have PDF installed on their machines).

I noticed many restaurants have chosen to develop their website in flash. Having some SEO experience, I know flash isn't the best if you're looking for good SEO. The best explanation for this was given at an SEO conference: Flash, to a search engine, is like a television ad being played on the radio. It's only looking for the words - the pictures are lost to search engine spiders.

Still, I wanted to see if there was a desire for more flash websites. I've asked a few dozen people their opinion on flash websites to see if it was something to serious to consider and this is what I heard:

• I don't wait for those sites
• I hate those sites - they take too long
• I want information, not a show
• They're too hard to navigate

I asked them about how long the wait was: less than 30 seconds. But in reality, users will only wait a few seconds before being "bored" and moving on to another site (without flash). With all the downsides of flash from the perception of the user and limitations on SEO, I still like an HTML or PHP site. I think we'll stay with that for a while.

Lastly, if you have a choice, build something that gives people all the information they want but remember: Even though you have a website, you still need to drive traffic to it!

Why you don't want reviews or ratings

MenuSearch.Net doesn't do reviews, ratings or other type of community input. Why? Opinions are subjective; What I like you may not like. Also, there a some folks out there (sometimes your competitors) that are vindictive. Let's say you sign on with MenuSearch and we did reviews. How would you feel about this actual example from another website:

"I went here based on high recommendations from friends and reviews. I wish I hadn't. The experience was a disaster from the get-go. I went for lunch and the place was obviously understaffed to handle the lunch crowd. The 'host' also served as bus boy and waiter, and he was a raily, greasy-looking kid who acted as if he'd rather be anywhere else than at work. After the initial order, which took a while to give, he never came by to ask how the food was or if I wanted anything else. The Japanese paper screens were flecked with old food and soy sauce. There was a large hole in the ceiling above my table. The music was too loud and inappropriate. It took two people and 20 minutes to clear off the table next to us. They didn't sweep under that table, and there were chopstick wrappers and other filth left for the next diners to step on. There was only one guy making the sushi. I have never seen less than two (especially at peak dining hours). He looked overworked and not too happy to be there. It took half an hour for my soup and salad to arrive, and that was after I had to ask the second waiter about it. The second waiter said, "Oh, he must have forgotten." (Great.) The miso soup was dull and after a sip or two I gave up. The little cup to hold the soy sauce was dirty underneath. I wonder if they have a dedicated dishwasher back in the kitchen? The sushi was pretty good, not the best I have ever had but it kind of made up for the bad service and dirty surroundings. At least it was fresh and the portions generous. My advice to this place would be to clean the place up, fix the dirty and broken fixtures, hire better staff, and make the theme more Asian (get rid of the bad pop music) and make customer service a priority rather than an afterthought. I'm not going back - there are better sushi places in town that do it correctly."

If you're paying for this website's services, this type of review will result in a decline in business. If someone was to email this to MenuSearch, we would forward the feedback to the restaurant but it would not appear on our website.

We also talked MenuSearch users and restaurant patrons about reviews. Many said they ignore many positive reviews as the believe "the owners probably wrote it". So it's truly a double edged sword.

We try to be a non-biased, informational tool for people to choose where to dine. That is why people choose to do business with us.

1/2 off gift certificates or 2/1 programs

I'm not trying be a wise guy but I've seen and heard some really outlandish situations from restaurant owners. I'm speaking of the 1/2 off gift certificates sold on some websites and in newspapers. Restaurant owners that have tried this programs have said the same thing: "You don't make any money with them". I asked them to elaborate and this is what I've found:

• The advertising/marketing company that runs this program makes $$$$.
• The customers save $$$$ each visit they make.
• You lose $$$$ on food cost and lost revenue by signing up and accepting them.

Customers who use these programs use them habitually. "They won't come in unless they have the discounted gift certificate", one owner told us. "Yes, we get traffic but we're not making any money!"

Traffic doesn't equal revenue or profit. There are other ways you can bring people in without giving away the farm. Talk to you staff, talk to your customer or talk to us (as we talk to your staff and your customers too) and you'll come up with some great ideas. But please, don't get locked into giving your hard-work away.

Keep in mind - this is from you average, independently run restaurant. If you're average entree is $18-22 per person, you may break even with an appetizer or drinks. If it's higher, this program may work for you. Here is a great article along the same lines: http://www.restaurantreport.com/greatdebates/2for1dining.html

PS: A soup kitchen even makes $$$$ with donations - you don't.

Your Website

I'll make this one quick:

1. Make sure everyone on staff knows it.
2. Make sure its updated.
3. Make sure its working (daily).
4. Have a monthly calendar and keep it updated.

I'm sure you know someone on your staff that would gladly take on the website "stuff" for no extra charge.

Making your menu available

I just returned from an 8 day road trip to visit restaurants in the Southeast part of the United States and it was interesting to say the least. I don't claim to know it all but there are a few things that should be a norm in the industry:

1. Make your menu available outside. Don't just tape a copy (of a copy, of a copy, of a copy.....) in your front window. Actually let people take copies with you. Your menu gets some mileage on it and you can get more than one (recurring) customer from it.
2. If your open, you need it to be obvious. There had to be dozens of restaurants that we couldn't tell if they were open for business or closed for good. With poor signage and marketing, they'll be closed soon enough.
3. If you have a website, it should be obvious to everyone. Put it on business cards, menus, signage, etc.
4. Be nice to everyone (even salespeople). Everyone is a potential or existing customer. I went in to discuss MenuSearch over lunch in one restaurant and they were so rude, mean and disrespectful, we didn't stay for lunch. Can you afford to lose $30-50 customers because of poor staff?

Please don't think I'm lecturing I'm just trying to tell you what is obvious to the customers that you may or may not see.

Here are a few quick (true) stories from the road:

We went into one restaurant and asked for a takeout menu.

They said they were "out but they could find us on their website".

We said "Great! What's your web address?"

The hostess retorted "I don't know", turn around and shouted "Does anyone know what our website is?". Sadly, there wasn't a response.

LESSON(S):

1. Be sure your staff is up to speed. Pull pop-quizzes and "shop" your restaurant via phone, email and secret shoppers.
2. BE SURE IF YOU'VE GOT A WEBSITE, IT WORKS AND ITS UP TO DATE! If you don't call us, we'll help you.
3. MAKE IT EASY FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS - Have takeout menus available and have back up business cards (for when you run out) but be sure you have all of your information on them - INCLUDING THE WEB ADDRESS.
4. If you're out, offer to email it to them. Have an email sign-up sheet and email the menu to them. You may have to send 5 or 6 emails each day but the customer service points are priceless.

I'm sure I'm leaving a lot out but just think about all the ways you can help your customers. Make a list. Talk to your staff. Update your list and then implement it.

Business is slow - spend money?

In today's economy, the restaurant business is down. It's not surprising as many people are reducing their dining habits. They're not stopping, they're slowing down. They're being more particular as they want to enjoy their experience as they're not dining out as much. Here are how people determine where they're going:

1. They go online and look to see what grabs their fancy. "55% of people go online first".
2. They may search for specials or deals.
3. They may be looking for entertainment while dining (live band, belly dancer, etc).

What does this mean? Spend some money and get your restaurant into regional directories that locals know about. Locals are you life's blood when visitors just aren't coming. If you've upset the locals, apologize and welcome them back! Second, offer up specials. For example, Offer up a soup and sandwich lunch for $4 or $5. Make sure it's something simple and affordable but also appeals to a wide range of people. Chili and a grilled cheese sandwich or Tomato Soup and a BLT. Limit the lunch menu to just a few items where you can prepare it quickly yet make some money. Lastly, bring in some entertainment or host theme nights. Ladies nights are very popular as well. Change it up. Have a calendar of events but be sure YOU GET THE WORD OUT!

Bringing people is hard but you can really have fun with it. Have an old-fashioned "cook out" or something to really grab people's attention.
This means, you need to spend some money to grab their attention. This especially goes for restaurants that don't open for breakfast or lunch. Try opening for 1 day and offer a limited menu with a skeleton crew. BE VERY SURE YOU DO YOUR MARKETING though!

Support local, independent restaurants

If you look back at all the restaurants that have opened in the last 100 years, most started with one owner and one location. Some have come and gone. Some have been fortunate enough to be in business for decades. They've succeeded because they had the support of the local residents and businesses.

It wasn't until the success of these independents prompted the idea of franchises and corporate-owned "chain" restaurants. Without the independent, the franchises and chains don't exist.

I have to say, I'm more partial to the independents. They strive to provide a quality product, at a reasonable price and create a welcoming atmosphere. They usually do business with local food vendors and try to offer local fare. Fresh local ingredients for local customers. Sounds good, doesn't it?

In fact, I try to do most of my business with independents. Growing up in New England, we were always looking for that little restaurant with exceptional, worldly flavor. Many times you find more than one. Encourage this type of enterprise. Independent restaurants need your support to feed their families and compete in today's marketplace.

Don't get me wrong, I love an Outback steak every now and again or a Kobe burger at the Cheesecake Factory. They offer some good stuff but I choose to frequent the independents!

Handling sales people

Disclaimer: I used to be one of those business owners that dodged sales people but I have since found a courteous and professional way to manage any sales requests for my time.

Every business owner gets a wide range of calls each week from advertising salespeople, food supply sales people, print companies and God knows what else. I used to abruptly rebuff any requests for my time by cutting them off and saying I'm not interested. Or perhaps you have one of your staff block their way (the "gatekeeper" philosophy) or just simply be the renegade owner that absolutely no-one can reach.

Consider this - What if your customers had to be called to set meeting times with them to sell your restaurant services? Can you imagine how difficult it would be? Put yourself in a sales persons shoes - they've got a tough job.

Here is a brief and simple way to manage all the requests:

1. Block off time each week to meet with solicitors or salespeople. For example, I pick 3 days a week that I have blocked off 30 minutes for this type of thing. This is the only time I will speak with them unless I REALLY have some free time to talk with them.
2. When someone calls, I check my calendar and advise them I can meet (or speak) with them on Sept 5th between 2:30-3pm. Yes, it's May 7th and that is a ways off but that is the earliest you will meet with them. If they persist during this time, advise them they just lost the appointment and you will not do business with their company. Most will wait as they now have an appointment with them.
3. During you schedule meeting time, honor your appointment. Don't blow them off or fill the meeting time with a subordinate. You've made the commitment - honor it!
4. Be open minded and ask questions. Ask how this will help your business. Ask for references from happy customers (like they'd give you unhappy customers). Engage in the conversation!
5. Budgeting is great but many times pricing is controlled by how quickly you can act. Leave room in your budget for opportunities you may not have thought to consider. I recommend 30% of your advertising budget, 20% of your food expenditures, etc. Your the restaurant owner and I'm sure you know the numbers.
6. Never accept an appointment you don't plan to attend! You will open the flood gates to more phone calls and pop-ins from salespeople. You really leave them no choice.

Salespeople are just that: people. Treat them like you would your customers as many of them ARE your customers. I've called on many restaurants for MenuSearch that were my favorite restaurants that I may eat at once a week. When the owners treated me poorly, I made this commitment: "I'm no longer a customer of their restaurant".

Yes, salespeople want to sell you something. More than likely you need it and more than likely you're dealing with a customer. Show them the respect and if you're happy with your current supplier or can't afford it, be honest. Tell them the reason why you will not do business with them but will keep their information on file. You never know when you need to make a change!

EVERYONE THAT CALLS OR WALKS THROUGH YOUR DOOR IS A POTENTIAL CUSTOMER - If they aren't a customer now, they may be in the future. I'm a customer of all my MenuSearch.Net clients. Don't shoot yourself in the foot.

It's electric!

If there is one piece of advice to all restaurant owners it would be to create an electronic version of your menu. Your customers will agree. They may like the elegance or artistic design of your regular menu but they'll love you for giving them alternate ways to get your menu. Also, if you had your email professionally printed, they can provide you with a copy of it electronically. Be sure to ask them for it!

I've called on hundreds of restaurants - many without a fax, email or website. My entire business is based on helping these restaurants step into the 20Th century (yes, it is the 21st century) but it takes baby steps. Let's just tackle the email controversy today.

If you have a computer:

1. Get an email address from Yahoo, Google, MSN or another free provider.
2. Put it on your menu(s). Encourage comments from your patrons. Yes, you will be solicited by a multitude of people but you can handle them with courtesy and professionalism and they'll appreciate you for it.
3. You can get an inexpensive, inbound fax service like myfax.com or fax.com but if you have email, many people have opted for it electronically.
4. This email address will allow you to email a copy of your menu to anyone who requests it and perhaps will keep you in touch with customers should you have special offers.

Not sure if you need to do this? Ask your staff: Do people call and ask for our website or menu? Do we fax many menus? How many fax orders do we get now? They may not even be sure but if they can say they get the questions - there is a demand for it.

Consider how much paper you'll save every quarter - cut down on your print costs. If you run out, you can print some relatively quickly.

Now, if you don't have a computer, there are still options. Restaurant owners have "shut down" when I start talking about technology because (and I quote) "I don't understand computers". Well, talk to someone who does know something about computers like your family and friends. Call me and I'll tell you what we can do to help.

In closing, there are inexpensive, easy ways to get your menu out there. Try some - it's inexpensive so there is little risk.

Website Urban Legend

Build it and they will come! Although Field of Dreams is a great movie, the tag line doesn't quite work in the world of websites. You can spend thousands of dollars building your website but it doesn't automatically get indexed by Yahoo or Google. There are multiple things you (or your webmaster) need to to do including submitting your website to Yahoo and Google. Keep in mind, it can take a few weeks to months to get indexed in the search engines.

Quick side story: I worked with a gentleman who asked my team to develop a website for him. He was checking in with us every day in anticipation of "launch day". We worked on his site for a week and finally launched his site. About three days went buy and the phone rings.

"Erik, It's been three days and my phone isn't ringing! Why isn't my website working?"

Well, the very simple answer is the website is working but you need to drive traffic to it for it to "work" to the degree that you imagined.

This client believed that building a website, flipping the switch and instantly millions of dollars in sales would be generated. That is not the case. It takes Search Engine Optimization (SEO), some Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and some good old fashioned marketing.

You need to tell the world that your website (and your company) is open for business. The best way to do so is by working with established websites (linking to yours).

With this said, be careful!

Some people charge you a monthly fee but read the fine print. There may be pay-per-click charges - you get charged an additional fee every time someone clicks to your link. This gets costly.

Second, the free listings. Free listings are rarely free. Ask for the full detail in writing!!

Menu Information

This will be a brief post but I've stumbled upon a multitude of restaurants that barely even have the restaurant name on their menu. Your menu is an extension of your business - it should be complete.

First and foremost, your menu should include all of the pertinent information about your restaurant. You should include your full address (include Suite #), City, State and Zip, Phone, Fax, Website(if you've spent the money, drive traffic to it) and most importantly: HOURS!

Secondly, ask yourself this: Does my menu visually represent my restaurant? If not, let's get it updated.

Thirdly, handwriting is a no-no. People see that and they run in the other direction. Consider this: If I quote you a price from my price list and I've hand written a higher one, do you trust me enough to pay the higher price?

Finally, are you proud of your menu? Then share it with as many people as possible. Get it out there!