Free Restaurant Marketing, Advertising and Information

Having a website doesn't maxmize your visibility.

2011-09-18T08:03:00.000-07:00

Over the years, restaurants believe(d) that having a website built for them meant they were done but the reality is, a website is like a social network. You have to continually drive traffic (like invites to join) to your website. Would you open your restaurant without any signage and just unlock the door? That is what happens when you build a website without using other websites to drive traffic to it. Back-links are good but listings in other websites is better. The more the better.

I know this concept seems like duplication of effort but there is a great article the articulates my point even better: If You Build It, Can They Find It?

I leave with a question: Why do Delta Airlines, American Airlines and many other subscribe to Travelocity, Expedia, etc? (Hint: They have websites....)

Easy Menu Distribution

2011-09-13T10:16:00.001-07:00

I know this is not a new or revolutionary idea but it's amazing how you think you have all your bases covered, when you don't. They next menu print run you do or perhaps you have a ton laying around, box'em up and jump in the car. Take these menus to every motel and hotel within 25-50 miles of your restaurant. When people travel, they don't want to jump through hoops to find a restaurant. When a hotel or motel agree to hold or distribute your menus, be sure to create a route list and check on them every few weeks. If they're out, you need to get them more as that means business. If they're still there, have a conversation as to why. Open communication and partnerships with complementary businesses is key to success. We of all people know this fact.

Growth and new customer is key

2011-09-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

It has been over two years since my last post. Shame on me but I'm committed to you - the restaurant community. I'll write more if you'll do the same!

Growth and new customer is key in the current economy. We hear questions about "when" the economy will return to normal or why isn't the economy turning around but the realization is that perhaps this is the "new normal". Spikes and dips usually reflect results that cannot be sustained and therefore we all need to operate in the middle of the road. What does this mean? It means you can't freeze up but you can't go on a spending freeze either.

We speak with restaurant owners all the time. Is business good? The answer is somewhat inconsequential as everyone's answer should be the same; Business could be better.

Here are some quick and inexpensive ways to drive traffic into your business now:

Offer all customers something (a free drink, a free dessert, a sample of something you want to put on your menu, etc. Use your lowest food cost items to entice frequent visits.

Drive new customer's in with an introductory price. Entree for 1/2 when they sign up as a new customer (obtain name, address, email, phone, etc.) so that you can market to them at a later date.

Plan a monthly event. Think Cinco De Mayo but you create it. Use your imagination.

Lastly, find new ways to get your name out there. Free websites are great but sometimes paying a little can go a long way. As the owner of MenuSearch.Net, I know free is enticing but if you can drive 2, 3, 4, 10 times the traffic customer's into your restaurant for a few dollars, do it!

Too many great restaurants are going out of business like Tavern on the Green and that is not what any of us want.

MenuSearch.Net offers restaurants free advertising in tough economy

2009-08-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

Tampa, FL– As restaurants struggle in today’s economy, restaurant website MenuSearch.Net is offering help in the form of free advertising.

MenuSearch.Net is offering independent restaurant owners their most basic listing, to post their menus on the website, at no charge. This is a limited time offer and is designed to keep the independent restaurant in business through the current recession. The offer does not apply to chain or franchised restaurants.

MenuSearch.Net is an easy-to-use free service to visitors and locals that allows them to visit menus of restaurants in many cities and states but will have representation in all 50 states by the end of 2009. Visitors can simply choose by cuisine or location to decide upon restaurants in their area from which to order. The website also offers quick links to popular searches like “Las Vegas Chinese Restaurants” or “Tampa Thai Restaurants”.

This is one website that users have already declared a great tool and a long overdue idea to make dining out a breeze. Many restaurants have their own websites but you have to know the name of the restaurant or website to find it but MenuSearch.Net give you a one-stop shop. Over the next several months, MenuSearch.Net continue adding many more restaurants to its database. MenuSearch.net can be visited 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at the following

http://www.menusearch.net.

Menusearch.Net is a restaurant database company based in Hudson, FL which specializes in advertising and marketing it’s useful website to local restaurants. Please contact: Pat Foubert at info at menusearch.net or call 727-207-0371.

Menus Online - Survey

2009-04-23T11:10:00.001-07:00

Quick note:

A recent survey was done on YumSugar.com asking the question of restaurant customers: Does it annoy you when a restaurant's menu in not online?

At the time of this post, 553 people had answered the question and 517 said YES - that's 93% of the total. Check out the survey: http://www.yumsugar.com/3015523

This is just some of the valuable data we have to share with you.

Now's the time

2009-02-18T05:21:00.001-08:00

As I travel the U.S. and speak with restaurant owners and general manager, they've been telling me they're waiting for the economy to turn around. I've let it stew for a few weeks and I'd like to share a thought.

When you think about challenges in your personal life, the only one that can make the improvements is you. I believe the same goes for business.

The economy will turn around when you get involved with improving it. People aren't eating out as often. This is true BUT what is their incentive to do so. Are you offering a special menu that will be less expensive or equal to a meal prepared at home?

If you aren't, come up with one. If you are, have you told the world? If you haven't, start. Print off 1000's of fliers and bring them to church groups, schools, colleges, office buildings, etc. PS. I know of a few printers that will do 1k fliers for under $100. That type of investment is worth the increase in traffic.

Invest in the restaurant economy. People WANT to eat out! Give them a reason to support your business.

Focus Group Results

2008-12-19T09:24:00.000-08:00

MenuSearch recently conducted a focus group. Let's review who we spoke with

6 males: ages 18, 24, 32, 40, 47, 59 and 6 females: ages 19, 22, 28, 35, 47, 59. Salaries ranged from $18k - $150k. They were representative of the following states: MA, CT, NY, CA, NV, FL, SC, TX, WA, OH, ID and GA.
Our focus groups have told us the following:

Users want as much information in one location.
Users want a website to load fast.
Users will wait up to 30 seconds for a menu to open.
Users search for things like Tampa Restaurant Menus rather than a restaurant name.
Users like to see photos, hours, prices and what’s on the menu
Users like a directory that has the menus – not just name, address and phone.
Users like options for dine in, take-out and delivery
Users are warming to the idea of online ordering but it will take some time before they’re 100% comfortable with it.
Many don’t know the name of every restaurant in a city. Many Users have difficulty with spelling or just don’t remember a restaurant name.
Users don’t like to bounce from website to website
Users don’t like pop-ups
Users don’t like ads
Users don’t like to “get lost” from the original website from which they started.
Users believe good reviews or ratings are put up by the owners or managers
Users believe bad reviews and ratings are valid. (Many are put up by competitors)

Much of this information continues to match our original focus group from October 2005 - when we were determining our database development. We're also developing a survey about more specific wants/desires and likes/dislikes of users. We'll be happy to share the specifics soon.

Please feel free to let us know if you find this information useful.

Quality vs. Price

2008-12-19T08:13:00.001-08:00

Many of the restaurant-goers that we've spoken with have made a very strong statement that we feel we must share with you.

The want quality food OVER low price. It sounds odd with today's economy but the fact remains they will choose quality over price. Considering that today's consumer hasn't stopped going out to eat or ordering takeout (they're just being more selective and reduce the frequency of visits), it's now time to focus on a quality product. This doesn't mean offer smoked provolone at $100 an ounce. It means offer a quality product at a fair price.

For example, we've got a customer that does a huge business selling pizza. His average price for a two topping pizza is $16. We all know that chain pizza delivery companies and some of the local pizza stands can beat this price but his customers are willing to pay the extra for the quality. We asked him about his pricing...originally it started at about $13 per pie but due to cost increases, he said he'd rather raise the price then sacrifice quality. We agree. His customers agree. And the consumers agree too.

As last snippet of wisdom: Always work to improve on quality and let your customers sample the item(s) and provide feedback. They'll let you know all you need to know if you ask!

Restaurant Reviews

2008-12-18T05:58:00.000-08:00

A potential client reminded us recently of why we don't do restaurant reviews. A local newspaper reviewed the restaurant, had some "criticisms" and published their article. About a week later, an advertising representative for the same newspaper tried to solicit them. It became a large issue in the local community.

This brings me to reiterate why we do NOT do reviews:

My taste is different from yours, my family's, etc.
Reviews are opinion and other than eating a lot, what makes them an expert.
We don't want one unhappy customer (or competitor) to defame your business. This is the trend on the Internet.
If we're paid to promote your business, we want to let the customers decide if they like your cuisine.

If you get a good review, we're happy to include it and, of course, assign credit to the reviewer. Showcase your menu, your specials or your signature dish. Help customers decide that you're worth a try.

Coming Soon!!

2008-11-07T12:05:00.001-08:00

We'll be in the following cities before the end of the year:

Denver, CO
Boston, MA
Philadelphia, PA
Austin, TX

And many more.....

No-Brainer

2008-11-07T12:01:00.000-08:00

From now until 12/31/2008, we're offering a no-brainer for all restaurants in all cities: $75 for a highlighted listing for the entire year. We're not talking about the rest of the year, but 12 months from the date of subscription.

Check out our other options at www.menusearch.net/pricing.php.

**In some states, we do have a FREE option. Ask us about it.**

MenuSearch can now offer online ordering!

2008-10-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

MenuSearch.Net is proud to represent Atlas Restaurant Solutions as of 10/15/08. We can now assist you with Online Ordering and a full suite of merchant services including POS, credit card transactions, etc. We can help you with all of your online needs. Just ask. We'll come up with the solution to fit your budget.

What MenuSearch wants

2008-10-10T11:14:00.001-07:00

We want to represent your restaurant on MenuSearch.Net. Visit us, see if it’s something you need and call or email us. Having a significant, web presence is no longer optional. Your customers are using the web and you need to be everywhere.

What we do is relatively self-explanatory but if you’re a restaurant that can’t afford or don’t understand the Internet, we can help you with a few solutions. If you have a website, we’re still a profitable solution.

All restaurants that appear on MenuSearch must have a menu attached. We can also provide you with an affordable online ordering solution. In today’s economy you need to do something and we’re that something!

I promise that when you hear what we do and our affordable prices; your decision to go with us will be a no-brainer. It will be the best 5-minute investment you’ll have made in years.

My Website and MenuSearch

2008-10-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how many restaurants build a website and expect visitor traffic to be huge. It is not this simple! The first thing to understand is that unless you are giving away your food, the probability your website will be flooded with traffic is zero.

You can’t just build a website and hope that people will show up and use it. Even when you stick your web address on your menu or business cards, the number of new visitors to your website (and restaurant) will be disappointing.

Restaurants generally find themselves in a situation where they have built a website to promote and sell and because customers want it, but it is surprising how many businesses fail to promote the website once it's up. If you’re a restaurant that can’t afford or don’t understand the Internet, we can help you with a few solutions.

Without a doubt the best place to start to build traffic is on the Internet itself. It makes good sense, and you don’t have to be a marketer to realize that if you open a restaurant, you need to advertise the store to tell people you're open for business and how to find you. To take this one step further, you need to advertise in the places where your customers will be looking for your restaurant while on the Internet. This means paying for space on websites relevant to your business and avoiding paying for space on websites that are not relevant to your customers or restaurants.

Making sure your website appears on the major search engines when customers type in your business name is a great start and a great way of learning the online marketing ropes. But you have to consider that your customers may not know your name or be considering you at the time of their search. They like options.

You also want to consider that your website will not appear in the web searches for a while (6-12 weeks with Google and Yahoo respectively) and it can take a few more weeks to be indexed in the search results. If you have optimized (Search Engine Optimization) your website, you should at least appear in the results for your business name. If you still do not appear after a few months, you need to either investigate more about search engine optimization or ask us to help you. MenuSearch can help get the process going quicker as we're already ranked and indexed with Google and Yahoo. Being linked from MenuSearch gives your website "credibility" in the online landscape. Plus, your posting page will be optimized as well.

Freezing out the economy

2008-09-25T04:44:00.001-07:00

Do you think that stopping all advertising or investment into developing new business will help you tread water until the economy turns around? This is a long question but I want to chime in with my educated opinion on this topic.

If you do, let me try to change your mind. To quote Edmund Burke (Irish orator, philosopher, & politician 1729 - 1797):

"No one could make a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little. "

Here is what I've learned in the restaurant business. Don't stop advertising or investing in projects to bring in new customers. Change your approach.

If you've been advertising in Newspaper, TV or Radio, slow or stop your campaigns and invest in online advertising (many run 24 hours per day, 7 days per week). Consider this: One year with MenuSearch is less than a one-day ad in your local newspaper.
Plan events that showcase your menu or signature dishes. Have a once a month trivia night - team competitions.
Create coupons that can be distribute both on the web and on paper. Don't give away the farm, offer 10% or 15% off the total check. If you choose coupons, be sure to place unique coupon codes so you can see where your efforts are paying off.

Look, some of what I write is to warm you up to MenuSearch but most of it is about sharing my failures with you. Much of the above is what I didn't do for my restaurants but the competitors did. They succeeded. We didn't.

If you read just one sentence from this blog it should be this: Create a monthly budget of $100-250 for new business development and do try new things! It doesn't need ot be that amount but create a budget and use it. You can combine two months if you're planning a bigger event or if a good advertising opportunity comes up.

Your restaurant "online" - get your feet wet

2008-09-25T04:18:00.000-07:00

We've talked to hundreds if not thousands of restaurant managers and the reality is many don't completely understand the Internet landscape. They're still living in the world of "hits per month" or "I've got my own website". They don't know that search engine optimization, directory placement, inbound links and other strategies are what drive traffic to their websites (which translates to customers). They're not seeing that the landscape has changed. More people are blogging, creating myspace/facebook accounts and really embracing the social networks.

Just yesterday, I met with a restaurant owner and his objection to MenuSearch was that he doesn't know anything about the Internet. He doesn't have email. He doesn't have a website. He doesn't know how to get on to the world wide web. I've talked and blogged about this perception. What this owner won't accept is that 55-60% of his customers have email, surf websites, blog about or link their myspace page to their favorite restaurants. He's missing a vast group of customers by telling himself his "customers don't use the Internet".

Many restaurants "base" customer demographics are changing and the restaurant need to recognize this and adapt if they want to keep the doors open. Many restaurants are "buckling down" to ride out the economic hardships and we understand that but you can't freeze your operation. You'll be out of business (see next blog).

Here's "the" formula that will help your restaurant.

Implement a web presence - join a directory (or better yet, a network of directories) that will highlight your restaurant and your signature dishes. Approximate cost $100-300.
Let us create a temporary website - We have a solution that is affordable and less than a web development project but we know you will eventually want/need a website of your own. When that day comes, expect to pay between $500-2000 for a website to be developed and about $100 a year in hosting fees.
Incorporate your website and directory listings in your literature (menus, coupons, signage, etc.) so that people know where to find you. See us on www.xyz.com or something like it. There is very little cost to do so.
Once you've gotten your feet wet, you can now consider online ordering. This is something that is really catching on fast. We know this is the future of restaurants and we're partnering with an exceptional company to provide you a solution - when you're ready. Depending on the service, you can pay between $700-2000 per year with a percentage of the online sales being paid back to the service. When our solution is in place, we'll be below this estimate.

This is a lot of information to digest but in this day and age you need have a web presence and grow with the times. Start small and grow into tomorrow's web solutions.

MenuSearch.Net is now powering dining guides

2008-09-16T15:54:00.001-07:00

To all webmasters, community and college newspapers:

MenuSearch.Net can work with you and your sales force to "power" and deliver the ultimate dining guide for your local website, newspaper or college paper.

Check out www.menusearch.net/power.php.

Drop us a line!

Drive traffic into your restaurant

2008-09-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

There has been much talk about people not eating out anymore. This is simply not true. We've said it before and we'll say it again. They're just not eating out as often. You really need to offer reasons for people to come in:

Offer a tasting event

Offer a free drink or dessert day

Offer them a reason to go out to eat.

Pricing is important but a quality event will bring them out as well.

This "quick hit" of information is just that. You'll have to get the word out when you decide to hold an event. Be sure to make flyers and plaster them in a 5-10 mile radius of your restaurant location. Most of your business comes from a 3-5 mile radius but for events, reach out to the community!

New Partnership - Tampa/St. Pete Restaurants

2008-06-16T10:55:00.000-07:00

MenuSearch.Net has partnered with PinellasLife.Com and TampaBayRestaurantGuide.Com to offer you the best bundle in the Tampa Bay Area!

“Link Up” with 3 websites – You get a Featured Membership with MenuSearch.Net. You have the broader, regional directory in Pinellaslife.com, Tampabayrestaurantguide.com and the niche, industry specific directory in MenuSearch.Net. Includes Listing with Name, Tag Line, Address, Phone and Website at Top of Page above all complimentary listings in City and Cuisine Category on Both TampaBayRestaurantGuide and PinellasLife.com. Your menu will be posted on MenuSearch.Net and a link can be provided as well.

Annual Membership - $499 per year

People are still dining out....

2008-06-16T10:41:00.000-07:00

I've heard many people concerned about people not going out to eat anymore - based on the economic news via the media. This is NOT the case.

People are still going out - just not as often. They're being more selective and really researching where they'll be going out to eat.

Ask yourself this: What sets me apart from my competition? How am I trying to reach out to my customers?

Some of you are pulling back on your advertising/marketing budgets and this is not the best way to weather this type of economic change. Do you only advertise when you have a full restaurant?

Work with local advertising/marketing firms and come up with a plan to reach out to the locals that are researching restaurants. Many of them are online:

54% of people have replaced the Yellow Pages with the Internet-Kelsey Group.
According to Digitrends, "52.7% of the online business directory users visit a merchant because of what they saw online,and 87% of the online users depend on the Internet to access local information."
U.S. Department of Commerce: "Those businesses that use the Internet grew 46% faster than those that didn't."

Do your homework, scrape up a bit of money and try new things.

I want to share one of my latest exchanges with a decision maker in the Tampa area:

Restaurant Owner: "We're not doing anything right now!"

Erik: Why?

Restaurant Owner: "Money is tight."

Erik: I can understand that money is tight but there are some really affordable things you can do to bring people in the door.

Restaurant Owner: "I'm just not going to do anything right now."

At this point, this owner has dug his heels in the sand but the economic fact is that if you "Do nothing" you will "Get nothing".

Here is my philosophy and I shared this with my new client:

I'm not a know-it-all or just selling my product. There are free things you can do - get you menu in front of people (community centers, shopping centers, etc). Offer your customers something that your competition isn't; perhaps it's a discount or a free appetizer.....give the customers a reason to make YOU their choice!

Restaurants - Tell us what you need/want

2008-06-05T04:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Restaurants:

We want to work with you. Please comment to this blog with:

What you need
What you want
What's keeping you from getting either what you need or want
What's working
What's not

Also, if you're comfortable doing so, include what you're currently doing to achieve these goals. Tell us what's working and what's not.

Sincerely,

MenuSearch.Net

Intent of this Blog

2008-06-05T04:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I posted a blog directed to restaurant owners and their availability. After re-reading the post, I've removed it. It's a bit naive and out of context. Here is the anonymous comment that really made me think about it:

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Restaurant Decision Makers - are you out there?": "As a multi-concept restaurant owner, my immediate reaction to your hypothetical question is - you must not understand the restaurant business. If owners even thought about doing what you are suggesting, it would consume their entire schedule. A conservative estimate is that I get salespeople like you selling (and promising) miracles at the rate of about 20 per day. When an owner does decide to review the contacts, we find just what we have here on this blog. Nothing new and even less about the person's background, experience or references.If you do have something different to offer, use your skills to market it different than the multitude of other "consultants". Good luck - you will need it!"

So, with his comment, I'd like like to provide the information that this person would like to now.

My background: I've worked in the New England restaurant industry for a total of about 5 years at varying levels including operations manager for a start-up pizza delivery company. I worked in fine dining seafood restaurants on Boston's North Shore and a pizza company in a town that had 33 other pizza companies and the town only had a population of 39,538. We knew a lot about competition and how to live in the same city with them. It really only came down to delivering a quality product. After I left, the product quality went down and so did the company. As the anonymous person said in his/her post, nothing new.

I also have significant Operations experience at the Director Level, I have a Bachelors degree in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing and Accounting. Since my college days, I've since worked for two fortune 500 companies, an experiential education company, a propane gas company, Las Vegas show ticket company, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit fundraising company, a Nevada-based job board and I decided (with urging from friends) to launch MenuSearch.Net. I also do consulting on the side for websites (mainly SEO and SEM) and the occasional updates as needed. As you can see, I have a diverse background where I've learned a lot.

I love the restaurant industry and I want to help. With a failure rate of about 61 percent among independent restaurants (over three years), I'd like to see if I can help. I also understand that many of failed restaurant owners attribute their failure partly to family issues such as divorce, poor health or simply a desire to retire.

There is a great quote sitting on my desk:

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge but rather a lack of will".

I've been in positions where I get 20 requests for meetings each day and I will honestly say that I didn't take all of them. What I did do was ask them to send me information and then to call me in a weeks time and at that point, if I'm interested or not, I advise the person of my decision.

I've talked to many people about MenuSearch.Net. They always say "What a great idea" or ask "Why hasn't someone else thought of this?". The idea isn't new but restaurants rarely give new concepts a chance and many people would give up. The one reason I continue to really make MenuSearch.Net work is simple: YOUR CUSTOMERS WANT AND LIKE IT!!

In all honesty, can you (restaurant owners/managers) go back 15 years ago and if someone told you that you'd be spending $600-2000 for a website, you'd say "Great idea, sign me up!"? I don't think you can.

MenuSearch.Net is affordable to any size restaurant and we're willing to work with you to find the right solution. Think about how many of the 20 per day are asking for $500-1000 per month for ad space or monthly fees (with pay-per-click fees on top) or would like 30-50% of your revenue for a gift certificate program. We are less than $1 per day!

As for "Nothing new", we've got plenty that is "new" but we want to keep our proprietary information just that. Sometimes you need to have a conversation to learn about new things.

Sincerely,

Erik Foubert

President

MenuSearch.Net

PS: I'm going to post an open-ended blog to restaurants and the floor will be yours.

The size of your menu

2008-06-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

I want to briefly talk about the size of your menu:

the items are actually on your menu
the "physical" size of your menu

Part 1 is a topic that has always boggled my mind. If you're a restaurant that offers 100+ items on your menu, I have some questions for you. How do you offer that with consistant quality? Do you offer it all the time? How do I decide? Of these three questions, you can probably only answer two of them but from a user and a diner, I implore you to cut me some slack. If I see too many items on a menu, it takes me forever to decide. If I want Italian, I'm going to an Italian restaurant. If I want Chinese, I'm going to a Chinese restaurant. Sorry Cheesecake Factory - you lose. Pick a culinary path and make it the best possible product you can. I'm sure many out there agree and you'll actually save money in the long run.

Part 2 is something that always makes me laugh. I go in and ask for a takeout menu and it's the size of a movie poster. How am I going to put that in my back pocket until I get to my car? I understand you may want to have an "over sized" menu to fit your items that are legible to those over the age of 35 but c'mon. Anything that can't be folded and put in my pocket can't be a takeout menu. Some restaurants have tried to give me the insert from their dinner menu and call that their takeout menu. Again, c'mon. Take your menu and simplify it so people can share what you have to offer you're missing out. Try not to have a billboard sized menu for your diners to take with them.

These two considerations will really go a long way in the eyes of the consumer and both will save you some money in the short and long runs.

Articles like this aren't doing you any favors

2008-05-30T13:44:00.000-07:00

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!!

2008-05-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

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:

Try MenuSearch.Net
Try Pinellaslife.com
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

2008-05-24T07:03:00.000-07:00

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:

We're new
We're still building
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

2008-05-23T13:59:00.000-07:00

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

We asked ourselves (and website users): What do people want to see?
We also asked: How do people want the information to be relayed?
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

2008-05-21T14:58:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-20T11:10:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-20T11:09:00.001-07:00

I'll make this one quick:

Make sure everyone on staff knows it.
Make sure its updated.
Make sure its working (daily).
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

2008-05-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

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:

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.
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.
If you have a website, it should be obvious to everyone. Put it on business cards, menus, signage, etc.
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):

Be sure your staff is up to speed. Pull pop-quizzes and "shop" your restaurant via phone, email and secret shoppers.
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.
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.
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?

2008-05-14T05:48:00.000-07:00

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:

They go online and look to see what grabs their fancy. "55% of people go online first".
They may search for specials or deals.
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

2008-05-08T08:31:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

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:

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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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!

2008-05-06T13:56:00.001-07:00

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:

Get an email address from Yahoo, Google, MSN or another free provider.
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.
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.
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

2008-05-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-01T14:04:00.000-07:00

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!