You don't need me to tell you that a high turnover rate spells big trouble. It wrecks havoc on your operation. Service, quality, and customer satisfaction all take a hit. Plus it's time consuming headache that sucks big bucks out of your pocket as you constantly recruit, interview and train … More

La Nova Pizzeria of Buffalo New York has been rated the number one independent pizza operation in the country. And unless you know of another pizza store that averages $100,000 per week in sales the title is theirs to keep. How can one store do that much business? Isn’t that … More

PLAYING CUPID Entry #1 This entry was submitted by Aubrey S. Adams, Sr, Owner of Profecto in Niles, OH. With the cooperation of several other local businesses, Profecto Pizzeria has created a wonderful Valentine's promotion for them all.  Their drawing was for a heart-shaped pizza, served in the winner's Sweetheart … More

Jim Jacobs has been hit hard by the competition, but he's fighting back with some pretty smart marketing techniques. Jim Jacobs is like many independent pizza operators today.  They started off in the business 20 or 30 years ago and rode the pizza industry's wave of prosperity and growth.  Now … More

How does your company make marketing decisions? Is it based on gut instincts or measurable results? Before POS systems were common, marketing decisions were only scrutinized on a theoretical basis.  No one really knew who made the best marketing decision because not many people really knew how to measure results.  … More

In an industry that is driven by the printed advertisement, doorhanging reigns supreme.  Even the novice pizza operator knows to put out a bunch of flyers around the neighborhood to get the business going. The term doorhanging is used somewhat loosely among pizza operators to generally signify that something is … More

Victorville, CA . . . John's Incredible Pizza Company.  Incredible is a fitting word to describe this innovative concept:  John Parlet's 16,000 sq. ft. combination restaurant and fun center.       The exterior invites attention, not only because of it's size, but because of its strikingly different design and … More

One of the most popular forms of advertising in the pizza business is fliers.  Customers almost expect to receive a few in the mail each week to tell them the new pizza prices and combos being offered in their neighborhood.  They hold onto them for the next Friday night they … More

In 1904 Giuseppi Toppazzini created a bread dough in Italy that he would one day use at his new "Toppazzini Bakery" in Sudbury, Ontario.  Giuseppi had a son Bruce who carried on the baking tradition.  Bruce Toppazzini handed the recipe and bakery to his son Ron.  Ron, with his sons … More

VALENTINE'S DAY KISSES Tom Feltenstin is the President of the neighborhood Marketing Institute in Palm Beach, Florida and author of The Encyclopedia of Promotional Tactics and Underdog Marketing. Tom's Encyclopedia of Promotional Tactics is a collection of marketing ideas that prevent you from ever running out of ideas. You may … More

How do you increase your profits without raising prices or guest counts? No, this isn't the riddle of the month, it's the business of Greg Rapp, a restaurant consultant who specializes in Menu Programs. According to Rapp, the secret to increased profits is on the menu. After getting a degree … More