Sales & Marketing for Restaurants, Cafes, Hotels, Clubs and Bars

There are hundreds of great staff training videos on YouTube and other sites. Here's how to share them around, using iPods and iPads - the technology used by and familiar to all your staff. . . . keep reading

#308 - Local Marketing: How to Build Loyalty & Sales With the 'L' Word
When you promote all your local connections, customers see you as better than your bland, anonymous competitors. And it's a great way to side-step price competition. . . . keep reading

How to Use Foursquare to Promote your Restaurant or Bar

'Location marketing' is the latest social-media marketing opportunity for restaurants, cafes, hotels and bars. Here's how to use the leading online service to build and reward customer loyalty - they all have mobile phones, so let's put them to work! . . . keep reading

#304 - How to Boost your Lunch Trade
What happened to the customers? They're stilll around, but their needs have changed. Here are the core strategies from smart operators we've talked to in the last 12 months. . . . keep reading

#303 - No Hype: How to Buy Word of Mouth Recommendations
Customers want recommendations from people they trust. Genuine, no loopholes and easy to experience. This is solid-gold 'word of mouth' advertising, and there are guaranteed ways to create it. But first, you need to understand how it starts. . . . keep reading

#301 - Toughen Up: how to be firm with demanding customers
As well as customer service training, we need 'customer training': firm and friendly guidance so they're less annoying, unreasonable or forgetful. Be too firm and they go elsewhere; be too accommodating and you're running a zoo. . . . keep reading

#299 - Invisible? How to Stop Customers Forgetting or Ignoring You
Before you go spending on expensive promotion, check that you've covered all the small, personal promotional items within your 4 walls. You could double your business if everyone came back at least once! . . . keep reading

#298 - How to Make Discounts Work For You, Not Against
Most discounts are treated with cynicism, and need to be VERY good to make an impact (which means you probably give away your profits). Make sure the offer is actually understood by potential customers, and that it really moves them to action. . . . keep reading

#292 - How to Avoid a Price War with Your Competitors
Most customers don't think of price first. Step One is deciding on an area/type of food or bar/theme etc, then for Step Two they start checking the details. Value is a combination of Quality, Quantity, Convenience and Price - make sure your offers tick all 4 boxes. . . . keep reading

Pre-Opening Marketing Checklist for a New Restaurant, Cafe or Bar
So much can be done before you open, to build interest and anticipation. Don't just rely on word-of-mouth to spread the news - use this pre-opening checklist to ensure everyone is well-prepared for the new business and keen to visit. . . . keep reading

Fast Way to Create a Diary-Blog for a Restaurant, Cafe or Chef

This free, easy online service allows you to email photos, menus or comments and shows them up on the web for everyone to see. Perfect for informal photos taken with a mobile phone or from the collection on your PC. . . . keep reading

Selling to Seniors in Restaurants and Cafes

There's big business in the 50+ demographic: they want a nice place to eat, drink and relax, and most restaurants, cafes and bars let them down. In their 50's, they're at the peak of earning power, with fewer responsibilities and ready to play. . . . keep reading

#290 - How to Make More Sales to Seniors
There's big business in the 50+ demographic: they want a nice place to eat, drink and relax, and most restaurants, cafes and bars let them down. In their 50's, they're at the peak of earning power, with fewer responsibilities (like kids) and ready to play. By their 70's they may be slowing down, but there's still plenty of demand for good places to visit. . . . keep reading

Text Message and SMS Marketing for your Restaurant, Club or Bar

You've gathered mobile & cell phone numbers for customers and staff. Now what do you send them? Use these tested examples to build up a 'message bank' for different promotions. Monitor which have the best responses and at what time of the day or week. . . . keep reading

How to Create a Hotel, Bar or Restaurant Media Kit

Make it easy for journalists and media people to find the information and photographs they seek, in the format they need. If you want them to write and talk about you and the business, use this checklist to be 'media friendly' and helpful. . . . keep reading

How to Create a Photo Gallery for your Website

Fresh, attractive pictures are an essential part of your website and marketing material. Customers 'eat with their eyes', so great photos of food, drinks, tables, rooms, views, staff and customers will really make your marketing material stand out from the competitors. . . . keep reading

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