Talk to me about marketing
 

Seems like everything is digital yet I still get a ton of print advertising. Sure, in 100% it mentions a website and social media. But almost print all is about services and food. Places that you have to physically connect with like stores and restaurants as well as home improvement or things like pet services. Gyms, other 'destination' businesses. I'll leave medical out for now as that is different.

I come from a line of ad men. If I had followed my father and grandfather, I would be retired now as the 3rd gen ad man. No children so the business wasn't going to continue with me. It closed when I was about 30 anyway. My dad went on to work in L.A. for one of the big names in the biz. He was Don Draper from Mad Men to the core, so he died on the job so to speak. You can't live like that and live long.

Obviously it is a different world today just as it was for my granddad seeing television come to the household. They were print guys anyway from 1927 to 1975. Lots of newspaper and magazine campaigns, some radio, very little TV. Mostly local businesses until my dad went uptown and had American Airlines and Peugeot, to name a couple. They did TV, but it wasn't his deal. Actually by then he was involved with huge blocks of purchased TV time that was divvied up amongst advertisers (not resold as that is illegal). But they did have clout negotiating with the Networks and local stations.

Back to the beginning, almost all print is directed at the web, and most have a coupon which is the hook to not toss the whole bit in the can. I recently ate at a fledgling restaurant that didn't have much traffic. They are in restaurant row and next door to a going enterprise. Family affair with good intentions but not much marketing experience. I know it's a shoestring operation but I told them they had to reach out — reach out with coupons. People eat them up. Some are more realistic rather than "10 % off for seniors." I hate that; it's pure BS and my dad wouldn't have done it. My grandfather was too clever for that anyway. He also ran a mail order business on the side. If it wasn't for my grandfather, my dad would have sold cars or something.

Talk to me about marketing. What some or many businesses need is to drive customers to the door. The necessary social media aside, what motivates you to get out and go through that door?

Some answers I expect will hit on

• Word of mouth (that can be manipulated)
• Coupons, of course
• Displays and Event presence
• Call us, we're there for you
• Foot traffic (location)
• Local promotions (including charity)
  

If it's a restaurant, good food will get them coming in the doors for sure, especially if it's good quantity for the price charged.

Other than that I've got nothing to add.

Thanks, Scott. I need to go back before you got a taste. Or maybe I should say I'm not talking about repeat customers. That's another story, how to keep them after you attracted them. And that's not really marketing, that's being successful.

Google search. Plus a coupon would be a bonus but not a clincher.
Don’t have ****ty yelp reviews is big.

It’s what I do every time I’m in a new area.
Home too sometimes to see if anything new opened.

Marketing is pure sociology.

If you're asking how to market a restaurant, I'll assume people live nearby. The food should be fabulous and unique. Better to not be priced low, and to differentiate on other factors.

Keep the menu simple and have fabulous service.

They should design the menu around their local market, e.g. if they have offices nearby, have a lunch menu which is inexpensive and gets served FAST so people can be done start to finish during a lunch break.

If family homes nearby, have provision for kids, such as e.g. somebody who comes in and does face painting or hair braiding for free on a Sunday for kids.

They should have themed evenings highlighting different types of food e.g. kebab night, pizza night etc. Make them regular e.g. weekly so people can get into a habit of coming every week to the thing they like.

They should have an email newsletter containing offers, money off, for newsletter members. But don't give away your prime time high paying slots when the restaurant's full. Use it to get people in to e.g. the kebab night on a Monday when the restaurant would otherwise be under capacity.

Since prices are not low, discounts given in the newsletter still leave you profitable.

Flyer the local houses with your weekly calendar of offers, menu, takeaway details if you offer that. Include a voucher so the flyers have a value and people will retain them.

Facebook/instagram advertising will probably be effective in getting local people through the door, but the experience has to be excellent for them. If they book online, take their email and add to the newsletter. Don't sponsor posts. Instead make a video or carousel ad and don't use the audience network. These are low quality off-platform pages plastered with ads. Keep your ads on the native platform, ideally in the main news feed.

Advertise in bursts when you have high opportunity, e.g. at month end when people get paid, when you expect more people to be out. Going in bursts also helps you assess whether ads have impact. Don't think about the immediate profit on the customer, think about their lifetime value. You may initially lose money to build your clientele. Be aware of the opportunity cost of an empty restaurant.

Consider PROFESSIONAL food photography. If so, get a wide range of shots of all your dishes so you can market them all. If you use a pro, make sure they specialise in food and check their portfolio first. Take their advice and get every aspect of the shoot set up in advance so you can really make the most of their time. Make sure they agree you will have copyright in the photos, or at least will receive the photos and an unlimited license for their use for all purposes. In many places the artist owns the copyright even though you paid for their time.

Consider whether you should provide local delivery via a 3rd party online food app like Just Eat.

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In 2023 if you are not spending money in social media you are done.

As much as I hate "social influencers"... They can make you or ruin you

Not a restaurant necessarily although they are a prime candidate.
Good suggestions on the newsletter, I had omitted that. Although I thing NL's are Pass. Real estate loves them.

I didn't specifically say no social media, but others cover that too well. The lack of replies here gives me thought that there is an opportunity.

I have a degree in marketing that predates the internet. My granddad used principals he found in books from the 1800's. He was very successful in his time 100 years later.

The theme nights/or days mentioned above is what keeps me coming back...and I hear people mentioning "Wed lunch has a great roast beef sandwich special"...stuff like that.

^^^Word of mouth. Very good to have positive WOM. As I said, that can be manipulated. I should have said enhanced. There are ways to boost WOM. But honest pier to pier recommendations are the paramount force driving people to your door.

Yelp is as corrupt as the BBB. I personally know 2 people closely that pay Yelp around 500/mo. for posting only 5 star reviews and pushing their business listing to the top. Actually pretty cheap for what you get and I'd recommend it if it doesn't bother your conscience, which it shouldn't. But don't rely on Yelp as a customer. It's very manipulated. There, that's where that word belongs.

Do they use facebook?(I know everyone hates FB, but it's a tool and its free) Are they listed with google. These are all free to set up and don't take that much time.
When we changed form tastee freez to an independent restaurant I redid the google and the apple maps listings and it helped.
I got an email this week from google that our listing has had 400K views since 12/17/2019.

A few good pictures of menu items shared on facebook can really get things moving.

LET ME SAY THIS AGAIN. I am interested in non social media marketing and advertising that gets you as a customer to check out a business. Even if that means going to social media to do so.

Let me give an example for those that are challenged with understanding the question: Google ran full page ads in the newspapers for 2 weeks recently. Imagine that, Google.

Get it now?

You could do direct mailings or coupon inserts in local papers.

Thank you. When people wake up, they wake up and realize.
As the list shows, that comment about coupons was anticipated. I kinda know about those.

Want to examine a successful marketing plan? Look at Lee Valley tools, and how they market.

Products that are not very good or excellent don't get sold there. They identify their target market and contact them regularly, in an interesting and informative way. They build on quality, easy transactions, and no questions asked guaranteed satisfaction.

They still have catalogs, full of interesting items, and all excellent quality.

I have bought from them. Never heard a word back. Actually, I can't be sure as I've bought so many tools for antiques repair that I didn't have as a finish carpenter. And if I did, I may have been purged due to a time out built into their software. I know I have been purged from Rockler. Funny that as I have bought on Amazon and they were the sellers. I guess that would be correct as Amazon surely prohibits sellers from mailing a catalog directly. I could have bought directly from Rockler but it was actually a bit cheaper to use Amazon Prime even though I know shipping isn't "free."

The Lee Valley example is a good one, for sure. I suppose they and many like them such as Duluth Trading are all similar. Unfortunately, if I'm going to help a business with marketing outside of social media, or digital marketing as it's called, I won't be working with major mail order businesses.

An example of old fashioned marketing that is no longer viable was matchbooks. Beer companies made can openers stamped with their brands. These things don't exist anymore. Pens and other promotional items still do. There's always the ubiquitous T-shirt and caps. Overdone and now overrated. But necessary and the funny thing about those is they are for sale!

Imaging charging for a book of matches. Match books are somewhat unique as people would collect them like postcards. I ought to write a book about old fashioned marketing from medicine shows forward.

A great case study is Ringling Bros. It's long and involved so not for here. Fabulously interesting.

It's unclear whether you want to learn from experts or show everyone else what an expert you are. Maybe it's a bit of both.

Aside from Facebook, which is the best medium for a restaurant, the other great marketing medium which hasn't been mentioned above is a good footfall past your shop window full of happy diners eating delicious food.

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^^^never saw that. Love the cameos! Aretha, Ray, James, have to think about the coboy.

Both, but no one is an expert. There is one genius on here that may stop by. He was part of Chiat Day when Apple was barely out of the garage. That will never be duplicated.

Expert. I would call my grandfather an expert. He started out with 2 years of college and was dressing windows in a dept store in St. Paul when he got married to the daughter of the guy that put RyKrisp on the shelves as a wholesale grocer. My Great-grandfather then sold RyKrisp to Ralston Purina.

My granddad became an ad agency owner, president of Rotary and the local private country club. My dad was president of the American Association of Advertising Agencies and lectured at USC, his alma mater.

Lots of pedigree for this mutt. I just wasn't lucky enough to not have some disabilities.

There's nothing I can teach you about marketing.

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Fify

Getting back to the original question...sponsoring a local athletic team (Little League, youth soccer, etc.) might get you some additional exposure. You might also find out about having a banner or sign placed at the local HS field or public stadium if that's done in your area.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1691874088.jpg

Marketing strategy?
the 4 P's - product, place, promotion and price.

^^^Very good idea there that can be extended to many areas. I've been told, though, that if you do, you need to attend the games to get max results.

That is rather generalized, but true. Sounds like a good opening for a seminar.

Dang, what are the chances? Turns out you were already more expert in optimal strategies for little league marketing than the person suggesting it.

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I friend of mine has been in marketing for 40 years. First he marketed products for sale then services. When people ask what exactly is marketing and what does a marketing person do? He responds a shill for strippers with a laugh. Oddly its true since he markets the automobile industry. He carries a brass Cross pen in his pocket. Honest truth.

You are correct that a small operation needs help or a clever idea to get people in the door and bring them back. Who is the customer? People who eat first. What area do they serve and cater to? Focus on the local surroundings and neighborhood. Coupons, flyers are inexpensive and can be done at home on a shoestring expense. What to offer? Free soft drinks. Cost is low markup is high when they are for sale. Cost is still low to give away with a meal purchase. How about a flier or coupon sheet handed out on site towards the next visit or 10 coupon punches gets you something in return? What is the advertising budget? Can they afford to? Banners or signs at local gatherings, sporting events etc.

How about Google Reviews? Talk about free adverstising.

The business needs to be consistent in quality and service. This is at the expense of good employee's or serious family members working the business, means everything and customers remember how they are treated as well as the experience.

Business hours: This is a form of marketing also. A local Thai food place and is very small near me is open weird hours. I mean really weird hours. 11am to 1:30pm, closes and then reopens at 4:30pm to 8:30pm. I asked the owner why? First it is the peak hours people eat and about 12 actual hours of business is focused down to 6.5 hours. Costs are reduced. Employees happiness is important to the owner. Employees work 2 hours during the time the business is closed to the public prepping vegetables and cleaning up at final closing. (The place is really clean). The business runs very lean and is very profitable. The owner told me they do not sit around waiting for the phone to ring, it rings constantly for pickup and delivery and they have about 8 tables that will seat 4. The owner also told me his sales are about double in 7.5 total door hours than when he was formerly open 12 hours straight. Those odd hours created a focused productivity zone for both the business and customer base. The customers know they have to get in by the window or they miss out. I usually order to go but if I dine in the flow of customers is non-stop.

The question is the business open the appropriate hours to be profitable or a deficit? Food for thought.

You mentioned marketing for Peugeot? My friend has the red 505 that flew and landed on the bed in the commercial. Drives it regularly as a daily driver. In fact he has two red 505's. That bedroom scene sticks in my mind and that was a long time ago. All due to marketing advertising genius. It worked.

<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lDfq_8on81A" title="Peugeot 505 (6 cyl turbo) advert US" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Direct mailing of coupons in a highly local area. We have a pizza place near us, take out only. Jets Pizza offers a Detroit-style pizza and they periodically mail these little snap-off coupons into the neighborhood. It's good pizza of course but the little plastic snap-offs get me nearly every time.

How is it that if I was 'told' (otherwise informed) that following up sponsorship with direct involvement makes me more expert than you?

Maybe you are the consummate marketing genius with disdain for others with lesser knowledge. Maybe you are just insecure. Whatever, your message is clear. That's good AFA marketing goes.

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Restaurants seem to be the subject of many comments. A study of only restaurants and their marketing techniques compared to other service businesses might be enlightening.

I have often wondered about the limited hours of operation concept. The business location incurring overhead expenses 24/7 and not being productive for some 15 hours out of the day makes me wonder if a secondary use might be a good idea.

That's outside of the subject, though.

I was in Hanoi in the Spring. A couple of Americans. Hungry. Didn't want to eat dog or get sick. We gravitate to Google. Find a great place (Many, actually) and have lunch.

After the meal, a slick, English speaking local asks us to give a review and has a QR code that goes straight to his reviews. He had 29K 5 star reviews and was making BANK.

Traffic and a machine. That guy had it figured out.

I was in Hanoi in the Spring. A couple of Americans. Hungry. Didn't want to eat dog or get sick. We gravitate to Google. Find a great place (Many, actually) and have lunch.

After the meal, a slick, English speaking local asks us to give a review and has a QR code that goes straight to his reviews. He had 29K 5 star reviews and was making BANK.

Traffic and a machine. That guy had it figured out.

It depends on the product/services

I have a tech services company and have done it all: direct mailers, Google, trade shows, print ads, all resulted in nothing. Best results have always been word of mouth for the past 29 years. CIO’s and CEO’s move around and talk to each other, but again it depends on the product/services.

If we’re talking non-social, non-digital in look but not in function, direct mail and print ads still work, but only when they point somewhere useful. I’ve seen campaigns perform well when the print is just the bait and the real conversion happens online. This breakdown of SEO trends for orthopedic surgeons hits that idea, using physical touchpoints to drive search traffic and boost local rankings. Different industry, same mechanics.

^^ FARGIN' SPAMbot! ^^

The original post was in July 2023
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1751166031.jpg

This hit home—grew up around small business and watched print slowly shift to digital, but never disappear. Worked with a local bakery once that barely had walk-ins. They started with simple print flyers and coupons, but the game changer was tying it all back to their website and tracking results through tools like searchseo.io. Seeing which promos drove traffic gave them the confidence to try more.

I see it’s been a while since this was posted, but I wanted to ask—have any of you tried running small test campaigns on different platforms just to see what sticks? I’ve been playing around with short, cheap ad runs on Facebook and Reddit to gauge which messages get attention before sinking more time or money into anything. Curious if anyone else here is experimenting like that or has different ideas?

I’ve been messing around with different ways to get eyes on a small biz, and organic traffic has been way more helpful than I expected. I learned a lot from the startup seo guide—it breaks things down into plain English and helped me figure out where my site was weak. SEO still feels like a slow game, but the guide gave me some quick wins I could use right away.