More Bums on Seats

This question is in the mind of every restaurateur I have ever spoken to.  Its seldom voiced but it’s there none the less.  It’s a strange phenomena that exists in our industry, a belief that the “need to market” means that the business is unsuccessful.Could you imagine that in other industries?  “Oh look at Apple having to resort to using U2 to launch iPods they must be really struggling!”  Or “look at Coles spending all that money giving away petrol discounts they must be going out of business!” Yet when a restaurant owner begins to use marketing strategies he/she feels some kind of disappointment that they couldn’t do it without having to offer a discount or bonus.Here are three reasons why you should market your restaurant and all of them apply to your business regardless of whether you are in the regions, suburbs or the big end of town; - .    People are too busy to remember you and your business; it’s your job to remind them that you are there.  Although your restaurant is central to your life it isn’t that important to your customers.  Think about it, when was the last time you thought about your motor mechanic?  He probably thinks about his business every day but you won’t think about him until you have to or he does something to grab your attention (marketing). - .    Discretionary spending is shrinking.  Since the GFC hit, the amount of visits to restaurants per month/year is reducing per client and the same has to be said for the amount spent per visit.  So if you do not promote your business and “stand still” you are actually going backwards.  Worse still, because of increasing costs you are going backwards fast! - .    If you don’t market to your customers someone else will!  Like it or not, you must market your business because other people in your market area will.  And your customers and prospects will be lured away to try the new things that are on offer elsewhere.  I saw recently that 30,000 Great Wall cars have been sold in Australia that’s 30,000 people who were lured away from Ford, Holden, Toyota and so on.  People are fickle, you cannot rely on customer loyalty any more!  So when someone comes along with a shiny new offer people will be attracted to it – make sure it is you that’s making that offer!Why don’t restaurant owners market their businesses?  I think it’s a pride thing.  I understand that but I also know that pride doesn’t pay the bills so if you are serious about having a profitable business make the decision to tell people how great your restaurant is.  Want to know how to do it effectively?  Visit //www.restaurantprofits.com.au or //www.morebumsonseats.com.au to learn how.Howard TinkerRestaurant ProfitsPh: 02 4362 2468[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected];[email protected]?subject=Lead from SCK Blog)www.restaurantprofits.com.auwww.morebumsonseats.com.au