Strategy #41
Give Away a Million Dollar Bill

      If someone approached you and gave you a One Million Dollar Bill, would it get your attention? Do you think you would show it off to your friends, family and acquaintances? If you are like most people, the answer would be a resounding YES! And that has been the key to the success of John Ferguson’s Million Dollar Bill promotion. John has done an amazing job of creating a $1,000,000 bill that looks like the real thing...and that always gets people’s attention!

      For the pizza operator, it is a tremendous opportunity to reward your current patrons or persuade new customers to try-out your pizza. You can make your customers feel like a Million Dollars!

      Just put a label on the back of the bill and you have lasting name recognition and an opportunity to use the Million Dollar Bill as a bounce-back coupon. This concept would also work well as a mailer.

      Imagine a window envelope with the million dollar bill showing through. You can bet that everyone receiving that mailer would open it immediately!

      Ferguson also recommends using them as box toppers. Have people collect the Million Dollar Bills and redeem them for premium gifts, Ferguson said. For example, get a FREE T-shirt for $20,000,000. People love it! The million dollar bill is as close as you can get to buying word of mouth advertising!

      With a promotion this unique, you could easily tie-in a radio station and promote the fact that you are giving away MILLIONS. There is no limit to the possibilities.

     In fact, there are probably a MILLION ways to use the million dollar bills! If you would like to take a closer look at the Million Dollar Bill and explore the promotional opportunities, visit the web site www.milliondollarsales.com or call John at 1-480-947-0776.

Strategy #42
Mapping Customers Helps Find New Ones

     Once a pizza operator uses a market penetration map, it is hard to go back. A well-constructed market penetration map identifies those best fishing spots for customer prospecting and it provides a useful zoning scheme for local store marketing efforts.

     A market penetration map is not just a map with your customers plotted. It shows the number of customers you have compared to the number that live there. In other words, it simply measures your store’s influence with all of the neighborhoods that comprise your service area.

     Map users will discover some very interesting things, like some neighborhoods with favorable demographics are doing terrible and some bad demographics are actually doing well. That is because although demographics area is important, so are other factors, like your store location, traffic patterns, competition and other factors that determine a pizza stores success.

     Producing a marketing penetration map as seen below is something that you can do on your own or you may want to let a company like Pizza SMARTS do it for you. They will even give you a marketing manual on how to fully utilize the map.

     Producing a Market Penetration Map:

     1)    Produce a computer list of all customers that have ordered during the     last three months. If you do not have a POS system, you can enter customer address information into a database program with your pizza delivery slips or other customer records.

     2)    Count the number of customers in each of the carrier routes that exist within your service area. There is mailing software available for small businesses that will code your customer list with carrier route information.

     3)    Compare the number of customers within each route with the number of households receiving mail in each route. (Ask your local Post Office Delivery Supervisor for this data. This is far better than census data because it is updated every two months by the Post Office.) Dividing customer households by total households will yield your market penetration rate.

     4)    List from top to bottom, the very best carrier routes to the very worst. Color the top third most influential zones red for hot. The bottom third, blue for cold. And the medium group, yellow for average. Now mail, doorhang and market various groups. You will consistently find that your red zone response rates will be much higher. If you have a limited budget, like most do. Be sure to spend most of your dollars here;thereby getting a better return on your marketing dollars. Instead of marketing to all 20,000 homes in your area, why not focus your dollars consistently on the best 5,000 instead. Your marketing dollars will go farther.

     Nothing comes closer to a photograph of your business than a market penetration map. By using your current customers as tracers, you are able to identify the best areas to find new ones.

Strategy #43
The Power of the Offer

     Is it better to give away a free pizza or offer one at half price? Do you ever wonder why the family special coupon does not pull quite as well as the buy-one-get-one-free coupon? Does it make a difference what coupons you send to your current customers and what coupons you send to prospective customers? You bet!

     Whether you are selling pizzas or eyeglasses, it’s the offer that counts. Olde Towne Sports Grille, in Metro Atlanta, has been using different offers in their advertisements for years. As with most direct mail offers, FREE is always better.

     In their ongoing direct mail campaign to prospective customers, the buy-one-get-one-free pizza offer out performs the family special offer by a 4-to-1 margin! Since the mailing hits both current customers and prospective customers, a purchase is required in order to get a free pizza.

     For their new mover program, they offer 10 free chicken wings to one geographic area and a free pizza to the other-no strings attached. The goal of the new mover program is to get new customers to visit the restaurant for the first time. And it works! With a 75% response rate, it has a higher redemption rate than most direct mail programs. Does one coupon pull better than the other? You bet! The perceived value ($5.25) and pulls almost 2% more.

     An offer expressed differently is a different offer. A major U.S. department store tested several offers for their eyeglasses in a direct mail campaign. The offers were ½ off, 50%off, 2 for 1, or buy-one-get-one-free. While all the offers were essentially the same, the buy-one-get-one-free offer had a 28% better response rate than the others.

     So what offer is right for you? Come up with the most attractive offer you can afford and present it so your customer perceives it as too good to refuse. And by all means, use the word FREE whenever possible.

     Julie Henry, president of Market, provided the research information contained in this strategy First. If you would like more information on how to put direct marketing to work for you, contact Market First, Inc., at 1-770-425-9911.

Strategy #44
Multi-Stores...One Phone Number

     The challenges of marketing one, two or three stores can sometimes seem overwhelming. For those marketing 10 or more restaurants...it is a whole different world of stressful demands.

     A few years back, several software and marketing companies felt the solution for multi-store operators was to centralize the order taking by using one telephone number for all stores. In theory, this was a stroke of genius. In reality, the concept was cumbersome and full of pitfalls. The reasons were many and there really isn’t time to explore the previous problems.

     The good news is that, today, a company called One System has developed a program and system that allows ten or more stores to centralize their call-ins with a system they call One Number Call Center.

     The key to One Number Call Center revolves around an integrated central control POS system that routes the call-in order directly to the individual store’s One System POS System.

     The advantages of getting the phones out of a store are many. With the phones removed from the store, it can concentrate on the production and delivery of pizza; all calls are coming to a central location which allows for stricter supervision and training, which, in turn, allows for better up selling.

     The bottom line is that everyone is concentrating on order taking or production and delivery and this leads to efficiencies that directly affect the real bottom line...profits!

     For marketing efforts, the one phone number aspect means you can really promote the One Phone Number ease of ordering. It is really easy for consumers to remember a single phone number versus twelve different numbers for twelve different locations.

     According to Stan McCabe, CEO of One System, many operators base their entire advertising message around the one phone number concept. The phone number becomes your identification and can even become a part of the store logo. And it works, we’ve seen year over year gross sales increases as high as 20%.

     If you are managing a multi-store operation, it may pay for you to look into the new technology that One System has developed for its One Number Call Center system. To find out more, give them a call at 1-805-965-7007 or check out their web site at www.onesystem.com.

Strategy #45
Floor You Customers with This Under Utilized Marketing Tool

     If you have a restaurant then you probably have several floormats placed in high traffic areas.

     Naturally, they serve the purpose they were intended to do, but are they helping you sell more pizza? Are they helping position your store against the competition? If not, they should! That is the philosophy behind an innovative mat company that more and more restaurants are relying on.

     A well-designed mat should help market your products by delivering a message in those strategic areas where your customer traffic flow is the greatest.

     Mats are really signs that just happen to lie on the floors.

     It is simply taking advantage of a piece of in-store equipment that previously was not seen as an advertising tool. They are very affordable! They cost no more than what you would pay for a sign at one of those one-day sign shops.

     Another terrific marketing application of the floor mat is to use them off premises to delivery locations like hotels, local universities and schools, office buildings, etc.

     Oh, if you have thought ahead to keeping these signs clean, they are rugged and washable. Throw them in a Laundromat washer and they are clean. If you would like to get some great design ideas, just check out their web site at www.logofloormats.com, or call Randy Bush at 1-888-628-5646. Be sure to ask for their free color idea catalog.

Strategy #46
Feedback-Feedback and More Feedback

     Boy, wouldn’t it be nice if you could find out how every customer in your restaurant felt about your food, service and value...the very evening you were there? It would be like cheating. You could head off potential problems before they really impacted your sales. You could make menu and policy changes overnight! Well, thanks to some really great technology and a company called Electronic Marketing Systems, this instant feedback scenario is a reality.

     Electronic Marketing Systems has developed an electronic survey taker that allows customers to voice their opinion on any number of questions on which you want feedback. The survey device, QS-1000, can be handed to customers after their meal or it can be mounted on a stand in your lobby so that customers can leave their opinions anonymously.

     This device works by allowing you to choose from lists of pre-programmed questions that come with the system or create custom questions of your own. Once the questions have been answered, they are reloaded into your computer where some simple, yet often enlightening, reports will be printed.

     According to Cal Eriksen, director of sales for EMS, people really love using this survey device. It is almost like a video game, once someone begins using it, they will always finish answering your questions.

     The really nice thing about this kind of feedback is that it is sincere. With traditional table card response messages, you generally only hear from the unhappy customers which is good, but you also need to hear from your average customer who never takes the time to tell you how you are doing and what it is that keeps them coming back.

     This neat little device will also help you elevate your marketing efforts. A simple question like, How did you hear about us? will probably pay for the system.

     Eriksen said many managers are using the survey device with their employees to allow them to voice their opinions on management and working conditions. As you know, if your employees aren’t happy, it is going to be hard to run a tight ship. If you agree with me that a little feedback can go a long way in making your operation more efficient and profitable, I suggest you visit their website at www.emssurveys.com, or contact Cal Eriksen at 1-800-789-8034.

Strategy #47
New Ultra Removable Coupon

     Now there is finally a coupon that will not get lost with the rest. How many times have you looked for that coupon that you just can’t seem to find? Have you ever tried to hang a magnet on a piece of wood or glass? Impossible.

     Although magnets have proven to be a great marketing tool, they have their limitations. True Label, Inc. has solved both these problems with their new Stick-n-Save ultra removable coupon.

     The Stick-n-Save coupon allows you to appeal to your market with a colorful, dynamic advertising piece that can be stuck in plain view on a box top, door,automobile window or anywhere else you might like to distribute it and can be easily transferred to a refrigerator, wall or cabinet. The coupon is more versatile than a magnet and can be purchased for a fraction of the cost.

     Steve Dartt, marketing communications specialist of Marcos Pizza, of Toledo, Ohio, said, Because the coupon design allows our customers to conveniently hang it in a highly visible location, there is an ongoing response to the multiple part Stick-n-Save coupon. Many of our locations experienced as high as 25% response rate with the Stick-n-Save flyer.

     The unique versatility of this product is tremendous. If you have been looking for something special with which to door hang, box top, direct mail, or insert into your local paper the Stick-n-Save coupon is the real deal. It will grab customers’ attention and produce higher sales and profits than traditional flyers. For more information on the Stick-n-Save coupon, call 1-888-381-8898.

Strategy #48
Let Animated Characters Help You Sell More PIZZA

     Are you looking for that perfect employee-an employee with the real charisma to attract the attention of anyone in the vicinity, the ability to deliver the perfect sales or promotional pitch and someone with the stamina to work really long hours for little or no money?

     Well, I have found a company that can supply you with the absolute perfect employee...Characters Unlimited!

     Characters Unlimited has designed hundreds of life size, human and animal, animated characters. The beauty of these characters is that they interact with your customers.

     The characters are designed so that the head, eyes and hands can be animated with gestures to punctuate your pre-recorded message or sales pitch.

     To add a magical touch, your animated characters can operate with a wireless microphone so that you chat with customers as they approach the character. The mouth of the character is even synchronized to your changeable voice message. All you have to do is find out some funny information about a customer and watch their reaction as the character teases them about that new haircut or how old they are.

     Olaf Stanton, of Characters Unlimited, said the animated characters will help turn your restaurant into an attraction. People just love to interact with the characters and people quickly identify your restaurant with the animated mascot.

     Characters Unlimited truly offers an unlimited variety of characters to choose from. There are characters from the old west, showbiz personalities, scary creatures and cute animals. If you would like to add some real fun to your restaurant, I recommend you call Characters Unlimited at 1-800-489-1686, ask for a brochure, and check out all the characters that can turn your establishment into a real attraction.

Strategy #49
Dancing Inflatable

     We have discussed in previous issues the impact that inflatable characters and balloons can make on your store traffic. They serve as attention getters, store locators and they burst through the sign clutter that most retailers must overcome. From giant balloons to huge pizza slices-retailers have been using inflatables to draw customers through their doors. Now, a company called TubeWorks introduces the next generation of inflatables with their SkyDancer Active Motion inflatables.

     TubeWorks has now turned the static inflatable into a dancing, jumping and waving attention getter. SkyDancer ActiveMotion displays use air to inflate and move. This produces movement that is similar to animatronic devices.

     The difference is that SkyDancers rely on gravity, air pressure and special wind baffling to deliver movement. As wind travels through the inflatable and contacts specific points throughout the inflatable, movement takes place. The result is traffic stopping.

     Imagine driving down the street, and all-of-a-sudden, there on the side of the road is a giant clown waving his hand and stomping his feet. If you are like most folks, you are going to slow down to get a better look-and if there are kids in the car-you’re pulling over.

     Drake Diamond CEO of TubeWorks, said, I warn people, if you don’t want a traffic jam and a building full of customers, then don’t consider a SkyDancer inflatable. They simply take people by surprise and draw them into your location!

     TubeWorks offers a catalog of stock products or they will customize a SkyDancer to fit your needs. Diamond said that TubeWorks has SkyDancers to fit every budget. If this new SkyDancer inflatable sounds interesting, I suggest you give TubeWorks a call at 1-800-962-2556 or check out their website at http://www.tubeworks.com.

Strategy #50
Take Your Restaurant On The Road

     Are you tired of waiting for your customers to come through your doors? If so, try taking your restaurant to your customers. That is the premise behind Hotshot Delivery Systems Inc., a company that specializes in heated and refrigerated food delivery vehicles.

     As you probably know, there is a tremendous opportunity in the catering and delivery business. For the pizza operator, the problems arise in getting a large quantity of hot and cold food products to a destination fresh and intact.

     Here is where Hotshots Delivery Systems can make the difference. The Hotshot unit will allow you to carry a large amount of hot products which stay fresh thanks to an oven compartment equipped with a custom stainless steel convection oven that has a two-door access, pass-through interior that is thermostatically controlled to maintain temperatures of 180 degrees Fahrenheit. The refrigeration compartment is 72 cubic feet and can be customized to fit your cold delivery needs.

     The catering opportunities are nearly endless...school lunches, civic meetings, corporate functions, sporting events, work-site and construction lunch setup. The list goes on and on. The key is that you are expanding your sales while introducing your product to people who might not otherwise visit your location.

     Bernie Pfeiffer, of Hotshot Delivery, said, The Hotshot delivery vehicle can make almost as big an impact as opening a new location, but with much less cost. Plus, you get the added benefits of the impression your custom vehicle makes as it travels around town. It’s like a traveling billboard. It is great advertising.

     Another strong point for the Hotshot Delivery System is the sanitary method in which the food is delivered. Many markets are cracking down on traditional street vendors and catering companies that are delivering food that is not being kept at proper temperatures. You will not face this problem when you use the Hotshot unit.

     If you would like to explore the opportunities offered by Hotshot Delivery Systems, I recommend you give them a call at 1-800-468-7478.

Strategy #51
Pets Sell More Pizza

     Here is one of the most innovative pizza promotional concepts I have heard of in a while...pizza for your pets.

     At first, you are probably thinking this sounds somewhat crazy. Really, who would order a pizza for their pets?

     Truth is, lots of people. And thanks to Pavlov’s Bark Market, you can offer your customers a nutritious pizza (dog biscuit) that is made specifically for dogs and cats.

     When you think about it the concept is right on target. Statistically, 60% of your customers own a dog or cat. And these pet owners love the idea of giving their beloved pets a special treat.

     According to Bob Andrea, director of marketing for Pavlov’s Bark Market, the sad truth is that too many people are treating their pets to the family’s left over pizza and this is not healthy for the animal.

     Andrea says, We’ve taken great pains in developing a pet treat that is high in protein, fiber and the important nutrients that dogs and cats need. Our customers are generally surprised to learn that our Pet Pizzas contain many of the same ingredients used in their pizza. We’ve just left out the stuff dogs and cats don’t need.

     Key to the success of the pet pizza lies in its customized pizza box. Pavlov’s Bark Market can custom imprint your restaurant logo and other information directly on the box at no charge. This lends itself to any number of bounce-back coupon opportunities.

According to Andrea, many restaurants use the pet pizza initially as a free premium item. The delivery person simply asks the customer if they have a cat or dog. If the answer is yes, they are given the free pet pizza.

     Imagine the delight of the customer when they realize they can treat their precious pets to delicious pet pizza. It is a great way to build customer loyalty and encourage a lot of great word-of-mouth advertising.

     And once the customer realizes that they can purchase a healthy pizza treat for their pet, their repeat visitation will increase substantially.

     If you are looking to really get the attention of your customers and make pets in your market happy, consider pet pizza. You can contact Pavlov’s Bark Market at 1-330-945-7854.

Strategy #52
Keep Your Customers Cool

     If you have an outside dining patio or deck, what happens when the temperature gets hot? Customers stay inside! This means you lose all your outside seating. Well, not anymore. I have discovered a company that has a cooling system that will bring your customers back outside.

     People Misters International, Inc. uses a high-pressure mist to drop the outdoor temperature up to 35 degrees without surface wetting. This is an inexpensive way of increasing your square footage and making outside activities comfortable even in hot climates. As a bonus, the mist is eye catching and is sure to draw a crowd.

     Rhonda Sears, CEO of People Misters, says, This type of technology has been around for over 50 years. It was actually the first form of air conditioning and until People Misters developed their unique process, only large companies could afford this cooling process. We now can offer this great cooling system starting at around $500.

     The People Misters’ advanced technology, known as Thermal Dynamics, cools the air by means of flash evaporation.

     In the most basic terms, evaporation cooling is the process by which water is applied to the air where it vaporizes, absorbing the heat, transferring it away from the environment by means of air movement. Sears further explains, This process works on two very simple truths: First, water evaporation in moving air disperses heat, and second, reduction in heat increases production, lifts spirits and generally makes customers happier. And we all know that if customers are happy, they stay longer and spend more money.

Strategy #53
Let Your Customers Play with Their Food

     I am not suggesting that you break your mother’s golden rule, Never play with your food. However, I am suggesting that you take a look at a neat pinball game, which uses a gumball as the game ball. The company which developed and markets this unusual game is Sports Blaster.

     The machine is really neat because once a person drops their coin into the slot, the gumball turns into the pinball and provides the chance to win more gumballs.

     It is a game of fun and skill, which pays off every time by rewarding you with your original gumball and gumballs, you were able to win during the game.

     So, how can Sports Blaster benefit your restaurant? First, customers love to play the game, which translates into increased visitation to your store. Let’s face it, if kids are hooked, the parents have one choice for pizza-yours. Second, according to Kim Harris, president of Sports Blaster, the average store can earn between $50 and $200 per week. With a machine cost of around $1,295, it will only take a few months to pay for itself.

     Harris also points out that the Sports Blaster will help add an entertainment element to your establishment. It is a great way to attract families. And to keep people interested in the Sports Blaster, you can change the base to reflect seasonal sports. The sports motifs are football, basketball, baseball, soccer and hockey. Don't worry if you are cramped on space...the Sports Blaster takes up very little room.

     If you would like to add dollars and excitement to your restaurant, take a look at the Sports Blaster. It just might score a homerun for your business. You can contact Sports Blaster at 1-208-529-8169.

Strategy #54
Put Your Customers on Hold and Increase Sales!

     It happens to every pizza operator daily. You have to put a customer on hold and when you return, they have hung up.

     It is really annoying, but have you ever thought about the money you lose when you lose that phone call? Let’s say your average order is $12.50. If you lose one call per day, that adds up to $87.50 per week, $350 per month and a staggering $4,200 a year!

     Ok, so how do we go about saving these customers? One effective way is to give the customers something to occupy their time while they are sitting on hold. Dead air really turns people away. Customers will stay on hold if you provide good music and a compelling recorded message.

     One company that has pioneered the marketing applications of on-hold recording technologies is the Message-On-Hold Network. The Network’s system centers on the right mix between licensed music and customized messages.

     You might be interested to learn that a study done by AT&T and Nationwide Insurance have shown that companies with Message-On-Hold instead of plain music, a radio, or silence were able to reduce hang-ups by 50% to 80%. In addition, the amount of time callers were willing to hold increased 130%, plus 90% of callers learned about a product or service they had not known about. Now that is compelling!

     According to Mike Wick, representative of Message-On-Hold, suggestive selling moves more profitable products and increases your average check tremendously. Wick says, When you have got a customer on hold, you’ve got a captive listener who’s already sold on your product. It is very easy to sell them on a new product or suggest that they add an item to their order. It’s a simple concept: you stop losing calls and you increase the average check by as much as $.54 per order.

It really adds up! Utilizing a telephone holding system just might make a significant difference to your bottom line.

     If you would like to find out more about the Message-On-Hold system, you can reach their sales office at 1-800-392-4664.

Strategy #55
Put a New Face on Your Business

     Does your restaurant have a strong visual image? Sure, you have a nice logo, your storefront is bright and recognizable and you have really great uniforms. So what is your visual image? The answer...not much. There is not one defining image that says, This Is My Restaurant!

     When you see Ronald McDonald, what is the first thing that pops into your head? McDonald’s. It doesn’t matter where you see him-parades, a children’s hospital, on television, at community events-the second your eyes focus on that red hair...it’s McDonald’s.

     Now that is a strong visual image. And it is the reason that so many companies and organizations use costumed characters to help them draw attention. A costumed store mascot can help get your restaurant into those highly visible community and charity oriented events.

     In addition to public event promotions, there are many in-store opportunities for your new mascot. You can simply promote the fact that your mascot will be in-store on certain dates.

     Make a big event out of the appearance by giving away balloons and letting parents take pictures of the children with your lovable mascot. Offer your costumed mascot as part of a birthday party package.

     Big Dave, of Big Dave’s Pizza, told PMQ about a very successful promotion in which he took his Pizza Dude costumed character around to homes in his trading area and offered residents $100 if they could show the Pizza Dude a Big Dave’s pizza magnet. The promotion finally ended when 8 out of 10 homes visited had a Big Dave’s pizza magnet on hand. Dave said people loved the thought of this giant slice of pizza coming to their home!

     Ok, so where do you go to get a quality costume? Well, Big Dave went to Costume Specialists for his Pizza Dude. Costume Specialists is one of the country’s leading designers and manufacturers of character costumes.

     They can take your two-dimensional drawing and turn it into a walking, talking, three-dimensional life form. Or you can choose a character from the predesigned stock. For the personal touch, Costume Specialists can place your store logo on any of their costumes.

     According to Wendy Goldstein, president of Costume Specialists, no matter what your budget calls for, Costume Specialists can get you into a really attention getting costume. And for multi-store operators, Costume Specialists offers a costume management service whereby they store, clean and ship your costumes to various store locations. Your store managers simply call Costume Specialists when they need to reserve a costume for an upcoming promotion.

     Creating a visual image-it really is an important ingredient to the success of your restaurant. If you would like to find out more about Dressing Up your store image, I strongly suggest you contact Costume Specialists and let them advise you on creating a really fun visual image. Their telephone number is 1-614-464-2115.

Strategy #56
Make a Lasting Impression and Make Money

     An essential element to success in this business is to make a lasting, positive impression on your customers. Naturally, you are focused on delivering an outstanding product and unbeatable service, but sometimes, that is not enough to keep your name exposed.

     That is where a creative premium item can help set your restaurant apart from the competition. It has always been my belief that the most effective type of premium item is one that the customer can use and enjoy. That is why Coke gave away and sold millions of bottle openers. Miller gives away can-huggies and every insurance company in America gives away calendars to policyholders. I think I have found another real winner. It is a pizza slice potholder. This innovative product is colorful, decorative and useful (an essential ingredient to its success), and it looks like a real pizza!

     The pizza slice potholder is part of the PizzaArt collection, which is the brainchild of artist and entrepreneur Barbara Fellman. In a telephone interview, Fellman said she loves creating pieces that look like the real thing.

     She has accomplished that with her PizzaArt potholder. It looks good enough to eat!

     As a marketing tool, these products are great because they grab attention and have a high-perceived value. Your customers will keep them and use them every day in their kitchens.

     By printing your restaurant’s name, telephone number and message on the back of each potholder, they are like having little billboards in each customer’s home. Imagine using these as premium items in a new customer welcome kit. What a great way to welcome new folks into your neighborhood. Or how about putting one of these premiums in a pizza box filled with coupons and delivering them to businesses in your trading area?

     Talk about making an impression. Always be creative when trying to get the attention and business of customers. These clever PizzaArt products are winners! If you are looking to make a lasting impression, give Barbara Fellman, the creative developer of PizzaArt a call at InedibleArt, 1-412-521-7999.

Strategy #57
Designing Your Menu to Sell More Pizza

     Is your menu doing a good job of marketing your restaurant, or is it merely a product road map?

     If you have a road map menu, customers simply use it to navigate from appetizers to salads, then it hangs a right to pizzas, next it takes a U-turn to beverages.

     Chances are, if you have a road map menu, you are looking at a menu with very little color, little or no photography and the paper is as thin as a piece of stationary.

     Look! Your menu is one of the most important marketing tools you have, so make it work for you. Make that menu sell more products and paint a quality picture of your establishment.

     You menu should act as a brochure. It should be filled with high quality photography and bright colors that lead a customer through the menu.

     You may want to incorporate coupons into the design of menu. The menu should show employees at the counter and in the kitchen...it is a tour of your restaurant.

     This type of menu is what Don Allen, owner of D&A Printers, calls a marketing menu. According to Allen, a marketing menu should be your first line of marketing tactics. It should be a tool to build your business, Allen said.

     The menu should be designed so that it can also be mailed. This is a great way to get your message out to a large number of potential customers, especially new customers.

     You should also send a menu out with every order. Take a stack of menus to businesses and factories in your trading area. Let your menu do the selling!Allen said. Make sure the paper is high quality. A cheap looking menu can reflect poor quality food and service.

     Take a look at your menu. Is it a marketing menu? If not, now is the time to make the change. If you are looking for a full service marketing/printing specialist, I suggest you give Don Allen, of D&A Printing, a call at 1-888-335-1998. He can help you design the right menu and can even supply you with a mailing list so that you can use the menu as a mailer. The bottom line...Put That Menu To Work!

Strategy #58
Larger Than Life Attention Getting Device Sells Pizza

     Imagine the attention you would get if he tallest man in the world agreed to stand in front of your pizza store, wave to traffic and greet your customers. Ok, so he is busy this weekend doing something else. Don’t worry, you have another option. Giant inflatable costumes give an average sized employee a larger than life presence...in front of your store, or anywhere in your community.

     Yes, we highlighted this same marketing tool in our page 38 story about the Pepperoni Celebration Promotion in Joplin, Missouri.

     An inflatable costume simply waving to motorists raises awareness levels of your stores. And this can translate into extra pizza sales, tonight.

     The new line of inflatable costumes has been engineered for comfort and quietness. A battery powered motor forces air inside to inflate the costume and cool the user at the same time. This means that the suit can be worn for much longer periods of time, allowing the user to shake hands, move and talk without excessive difficulty.

     Bryan Schneider, marketing director for Signs & Shapes, a manufacturer of inflatable costumes, said his company has designed two models specifically for the pizza industry.

     We currently have many pizza restaurants now using our inflatables to host birthday parties and other private functions, Schneider said. The key is to be creative and get them in front of the public. You will be surprised at how many phone calls you’ll get from organizations wanting your pizza man to make an appearance at their function.

     If you would like an existing model or would like something customized for your specific operation, you will probably want to give Signs & Shapes a call at 1-402-331-3181.

Strategy #59
A New Era in Indoor Signs

     What is your most important marketing tool...coupons, newspaper advertisements, door hangers, maybe direct mail or fliers?

     Ok, these are all very important to your overall marketing mix, but the one tool you must have to advertise and sell product is your indoor signs.

     That’s right! Your menu boards, translights and product posters are your number one marketing tool.

     After all, they are speaking to an audience that is ready to buy. Well, now that we have established the importance of indoor signs, I would like to introduce you to the next generation of indoor signs...Indoor Motion Billboards.

     Indoor motion billboards is a new technology that was originally developed and marketed in Europe and is now available in the States.

     Basically, motion billboards are multi-message translights that scroll images and messages across a screen.

     Now, instead of being stuck with one message per translight, you can now have more than a dozen. The images just move across the board with adjustable viewing times of 3 to 30 seconds. You adjust the speed and you control your messages.

     These fantastic indoor motion billboards are being distributed by Ads In Motion.

     According to Tom Ebel, president of Ads In Motion, these new indoor signs will soon be a fixture in every restaurant in America.

     People are attracted to the motion and the image quality, Ebel said. As soon as a person begins watching the sign, they become almost hypnotized. They wait for every changing message. It’s funny when you see people getting transfixed on the sign...what an opportunity to do some real selling. Imagine being able to promote new products, promotions and services via one sign. The signs come in a variety of sizes, from 18 x 24 to 36 x 48 (vertical or horizontal) and they are available with a variety of floor pedestals or you can mount them on the walls or ceilings. It really makes a lot of sense-mix bright, eye catching color with continuous motion and you have a sign that is going to get attention. If you are ready for the future in in-store signs, give Ads In Motion a call at 1-504-818-2767.

Strategy #60
The ATM Marketing Strategy

     This idea really works!

     Is it because pizza is primarily a cash business, and they see your ad at the same time they have cash in hand?

     Imagine going through a week without stopping at an ATM machine for cash. Chances are you probably make the ATM stop several times during the week. And you're not alone. Millions of consumers are visiting their bank's ATM machines daily.

     Now think back to your last ATM visit. What did you do after the machine gave you your money? Chances are you checked your receipt to see your balance. Wouldn't this be a great place to put a coupon? You bet! And it will probably come as no surprise when I tell you that pizza marketers are already utilizing the ATM machine as an advertising vehicle.

     Pizza Hut, in San Diego, has collaborated with Union Bank of California this summer in a cross-promotion they call "Go for the Dough". The program revolves around free pizzas for new accounts and the distribution of one million promotional ATM receipt offers throughout 138 ATMs.

     Discount offers will be printed on the front of ATM receipts, ATM screens, statement stuffers, deposit slips, in-branch table tent cards and posters.

     This incredible promotion was developed and implemented by EFT Promotions, in Atlanta. EFT Promotions is an ATM advertising company that specializes in complete ATM promotions.

     Maureen Kuzminski, a principle in EFT Promotions, Inc., said she believed that ATM marketing is one of the most effective advertising vehicles around. Her reasoning: 1) ATM receipt offers are hand delivered; 2) they get the undivided attention of the consumer; 3) there is a gradual distribution, unlike FSIs and shared mail which are all dropped at one time; 4) ATM advertising gets into the hands of consumers with money.

     Another important plus to ATM marketing is the fact that your receipt offer gets into the hands of your potential customer at the beginning of the purchase cycle. Register tape coupons reach their audience at the end of the cycle. One very important key to incorporating a successful ATM  marketing campaign is to support the program with in-store posters, ATM screen advertising and by utilizing traditional media opportunities (television, radio, outdoor and newspaper) to promote the campaign. It is a total marketing campaign that works! If you would be interested in exploring ATM marketing, you should give Maureen Kuzminski a call at 1-800-981-0404. She has many strategies and success stories that she would love to share with you.