What MenuSearch wants

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.

Your restaurant "online" - get your feet wet

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

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.

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!!