Great Restaurant Marketing Idea #211: Stop Advertising & Use Technology.
"Whacked out" is what Carola would tell me. Stop advertising? What the heck? The restaurant marketing idea is to stop advertising?
For years I have been a proponent of not advertising but instead create Unique Personal Invitations.
Connecting with individuals based on their interests, needs, wants, lifestyle, geography, passions, pains (and addictions). This is not only possible for restaurants but can save money and increase effectiveness of your marketing dollar.
To simply use the shotgun approach as a small business wastes money. The average American is overwhelmed with advertising and has blocks in place (both mental and gadgets).
Stop advertising. HOW?
Start with Unique Personal Invitations. (if you have read my ebook "10 Magic Marketing Tips" you already have this. :) In my ebook I show how to twist these tools to your advantage. It is free... "10 Magic Marketing Tips" Use the newest technology! Use the power of the database for your "marketing" which turns your advertising into "Unique Personal Invitations". There are several companies which can do this for you. Sales Genie is one such company (I have used for years) and American Clearinghouse is another who has created an online tool to streamline your target marketing. (I love the companies who make how to videos as they have done. I included the how to videos for you below) Before you start your campaign
- Know your customer
- Know your community
- Know what you want to offer the potential customer or past customers to meed their need / want / etc.
- Use a tool to select who would be the most interested in what you have to offer.
Now you can advertise that senior menu for the over 55 to specific addresses, with their name on the letter, postcard, note, etc. By targeting the needs.... you reduce the need for a "coupon driven" offer.
Now you can advertise to those within 2 miles of a grade school and emphasize family events. Yes, services such as this cost money. If you are someone who manages business via checkbook vs. profit & loss or return on investment then you will not want to write the check. If you create budgets and understand how to budget, plan, forecast your cashflow & return on investment for marketing dollars, you will find it less expensive to do target marketing (Unique Personal Invitations) because the return will be higher as you connect with people instead of mailing generic paper to them.
Are you using the latest technology to make your invitations? Or do you find it is easier to simply buy advertsing for 10,000 households and treat everyone the same... (hoping for someone to have interest) How about a video or three to help you out? They are short... and will show you the power of the technology. Please know I have used this strategy for years... even before the internet. Yes, I did the hard way but it was worth it as it works.
Video #1 Basic Count for American Clearinghouse Inc
Video #2 Counts by Radius for American Clearinghouse Inc
Video #3 Advanced Radius Selection American Clearinghouse Inc
American ClearingHouse Inc. offers demographics for direct mailing lists can be selected using the site's freeform mapping tools. Criteria can be narrowed down by state, county, zip code, carrier routes, metropolitan areas, specified radii from a particular address and more. The targeted population group can then be narrowed down, via drop down list, for criteria such as age, birth date, dwelling type, household income, language spoken, relationship status, and even for such things as owners of bank or retail cards and online accessibility. Following selection of the desired criteria, mailing leads can be immediately purchased for download.
Direct Mail is still a powerful tool, especially if you maximize the tools as presented. I am a customer of Sales Genie and have a testimonial about the power it provides.
Do you use direct mail? Do you order the traditional advertising? Do you get a good return on investment?
Let me know either directly or make a comment below.
