Inside Hospitality

Restaurant Marketing Wizardry – Daily Tip for Monday July 26th.

Posted on 26. Jul, 2010 by Guest Blogger in Marketing

Post by guest blogger Michael Hartzell

Restaurant Marketing Wizardry

Today we will combine:

• Restaurant Marketing
• Dorothy
• The Wizard (of OZ)
• The Yellow Brick Road
• The Curtain
• You  (A Restaurateur)

First we must think about you.  How will others describe you?  How do your daily activities highlight your identity?

Do you:

• The desire to stand behind a curtain.
• Remain out of sight and out of contact behind a curtain.
• Pull the levers; push the buttons while watching from a distance with technology.
• Want others believe you are very powerful.
• Make yourself look bigger than reality.
• Secretly manipulate the actions of others with your technology.

IF you or one of your managers can be described with these characteristics, these describe a restaurant marketing wizard.

Yes, we have journeyed to the movie “The Wizard of OZ”.

There are people on a restaurant team in search of answers, fulfillment, success and celebration.  They are looking for the yellow brick road (the path to success).  There is risk and resistance with every step.  Each person has their own baggage and skills to work on.   Courage, heart and smarts to name a few.

Without the right kind of support and leadership, those on the teams may wander aimlessly with no direction and focus on their own issues vs. a common purpose.  Here may be reasons why:

A restaurant marketing wizard does not talk to people or connect one on one.

A restaurant marketing wizard of oz tries to appear as more than they really are.

A restaurant marketing wizard of oz relies only on data.

A restaurant marketing wizard of oz does not listen to real people who must execute the ideas.

A restaurant marketing wizard of oz will not be transparent.

A restaurant marketing wizard of oz will act more defensively than offensively. (Protecting ideas vs. listening and adapting.)

If you know a restaurant marketing wizard of oz standing behind a curtain and not sharing the vision, the plan, the purpose and they spring “last minute sales ideas”; then I would say there will be frustration, disbelief and a lack of cooperation.

If you think about the temptation to sit in a room, look at data, watch the competition via technology, use the automated push button tools to create advertising campaigns.  Someone who is in the advertising / marketing role could literally get it done behind the curtain of the Internet and have not contact with the outside world.

People contact is time consuming.

Interaction to get feedback from the team may be tough since schedules conflict.

Analyzing and comparing the feedback with hard numbers may take longer than 5 minutes.

It is tempting to take the easy route, use data vs. people and hope for the best.   It is appealing to make a decision from behind the curtain and use the bells and whistles to make things happen and then pass the expectations off electronically with a click

“How odd!  The plan was perfect and yet the results did not pan out.  It couldn’t have been the plan that was made from behind the curtain.  The managers and staff are at fault.”

Once you decide that being a restaurant marketing wizard of oz is not your style, here is the challenge;

What time is blocked each day to connect with live people?  How much time?  Who will the key connections be to ensure accuracy and relevance?  How will the connection occur?  What are the two most important questions to ask?

The Internet acts as a curtain and allows people to appear successful when not being so.

The Internet also allows live connection with people to get real feedback quickly to confirm that “numbers” are accurate.

As the world is now a database, the temptation to lump decisions increases.  Fortunately, the opportunity to sort the database and connect with people also improves.

Hopefully, you will not be tempted to become a restaurant marketing wizard of oz and use the new technology to connect.

Michael Hartzell – Inbound Marketing Certified Professional, entrepreneur, writer, speaker, restaurant marketing coach.   Co-Author of “The Reality of ROI & Social Media Marketing”.   Member of the American Marketing Association.  Read more at www.michaelhartzell.com/restaurant-marketing

________________________________________________________________

Today’s tip is brought to you by Inside Hospitality™, a comprehensive and innovative guest experience management and measurement company whose integrated suite of hospitality business solutions from restaurant focused mystery shopping to online reputation management achieves tangible results in the marketplace and is the choice for restaurant and hotels worldwide.

Contact us today and learn how Inside Hospitality™ can create a custom solution for your organization. We can be reached anytime @ (888) 260- 0380.

Click the “RingMe” button and we’ll call you back within 1 minute.

Restaurant Marketing is Inbound Marketing – Daily Tip for Monday July 19th.

Posted on 19. Jul, 2010 by Guest Blogger in Daily Tip, Inside Hospitality, Marketing, Operations

Post by guest blogger Michael Hartzell

Restaurant Marketing is Inbound Marketing

OR should I say instead:  Inbound Marketing is Restaurant Marketing?

To train a restaurant owner or manager how to be the best inbound marketer on the planet, I believe you put a manager in a marginal restaurant with low sales and tell them:  “You have $50 a month marketing budget, low staff, bad operations and sales are down.  Turn it around yesterday.”

Yes.  This is a part of my past.  More than once.  More than twice.  In fact…   let me count – - -   Too many to remember.

Inbound marketing in my mind starts a bit like this:

Ignasius wakes up in the morning.  He is already hungry.  It is in fact part of the human condition that he must eat to stay comfortable through the day.  You could say that he is … well, addicted to food.  In other words, he will not go a day without taking action to reduce his personal craving.  Ignasius woke up this very morning and as usual he is already pining for a double tall latte with just a bit of sugar.

Will he have time to make a latte for himself?  Is he feeling up to it?  Of course he knows that caffeine alone will not be enough and he must also have something called breakfast.  Soon after that there will be lunch and how lucky is Ignasius, because he gets to have dinner just a few hours after that!

Food stays at the edge of his mind all day long.  It is part of his passion.  Eat or die.

Now comes the best part.  A restaurant serves food.  Restaurant owners have a ready and willing audience.  There is already a top of mind passion and need in place.  This is what Inbound Marketing is about.  Finding a passionate audience already looking to fill their needs and wants.

Ignasius might ask during the day about 15 minutes before lunch, “Hey, do you know any good barbecue restaurants around here?”  Someone will refer Ignasius to a location they feel will not only meet his need but also a place they can proudly show off. (They know the best place to go, after all.)

For Inbound Marketing, someone will type their passion or interest into the Google search box online.  They already know what they are interested in.  The world is a giant database.  GoogleFriend (my new name for Google by the way)  refers the searcher to the point of interest. (Along with a million options.)

Inbound marketing is about getting found at the right time by the person searching.  A website can get found by having links to a website or a referral via email, Facebook or Twitter.

Restaurant marketing is about getting found at the right time by the person who is hungry and has a pang for a specific flavor.  A restaurant can get found by having a referral which could also be in the form of a link on Facebook, email or Twitter.

Inbound marketing is about “converting”.   The person coming to a website page must be impressed, have trust, find it easy to use, and definitely believe there is value.

Restaurant marketing relies on every aspect of what a visitor sees online and offline.  Even the flowers that die, the broken tiles, the dark exterior, the smelly bathrooms, the 20 year old menu can add up to, “We heard good things but let’s go across the street.  That restaurant looks better.”

Inbound marketing is about measuring results and eliminating the bad while doing more of what makes people glad.  Measuring Inbound Marketing can be done with Hubspot software (I’m Hubspot Certified so I had to mention it) or a variety of other tools such as Google Analytics.

Restaurant marketing is about measuring results and eliminating the bad while doing more of what makes people glad.  GuestPulse is not the only tool Inside Hospitality provides.  Every business will have its own Point of Sale computer system that breaks down every aspect into measurements.  What were people interested in?

When restaurant owners hears about “social media” and the various tools, they should shout with glee.  Social media tools are key to Inbound Marketing.  If the purpose is to “get found”, “convert” and “measure results” and social media tools help to make this happen more quickly, then why the heck wouldn’t a restaurant owner say, “I am going to Vegas!”

If you could double your marketing speed and reduce the time to test and measure by half, would you take the time to learn how?  That is your next move:  “Learn how to leverage the social media tools to my best advantage.”   (I hear there is a Restaurant & Hospitality Social Media BootCamp in Las Vegas)

Will you think about how to listen better and connect better?

I hope so.  Ignasius wants to eat at your restaurant but he does not know where you are or what you serve.  The buzz has not yet reached his ears.  Don’t worry.  There are thousands of other restaurants that will take care of Ignasius.  You keep working hard and maybe he will find you.  Maybe.

P.S.

Remember last week?  All about HTFCSM Labeling?

See the snapshots below.  Notice how people will talk.  You don’t even know they are.   Sure, you can save time and have everything delivered to your inbox.  www.guestpulse.com (free trial)

PPSS

I know.  It sounds a bit like a commercial doesn’t it?  Sorry.

I have learned bucket loads over the years.  It starts with a spark.  These came from events, workshops, college classes and people on the street in the community.  There was one common rule for the best ideas:  “Go outside the normal path.”  Restaurant ownership can make a person feel trapped (and indispensable.)  At least twice a year, go where you can get fresh thoughts and think about the path you are on.  You will double business just as I have.

Michael Hartzell –, Inbound Marketing Certified Professional, entrepreneur, writer, speaker, restaurant marketing coach.  Member of the American Marketing. Read more at www.michaelhartzell.com/restaurant-marketing

________________________________________________________________

Today’s tip is brought to you by Inside Hospitality™, a comprehensive and innovative guest experience management and measurement company whose integrated suite of hospitality business solutions from restaurant focused mystery shopping to online reputation management achieves tangible results in the marketplace and is the choice for restaurant and hotels worldwide.

Contact us today and learn how Inside Hospitality™ can create a custom solution for your organization. We can be reached anytime @ (888) 260- 0380.

Click the “RingMe” button and we’ll call you back within 1 minute.

Daily Tip for Tuesday July 13th.- HTFCSM Labeling Guarantees Restaurant Marketing Success

Posted on 13. Jul, 2010 by Guest Blogger in Daily Tip, Marketing

Post by guest blogger Michael Hartzell

Erase everything about how you analyze your restaurant business for a moment.

Bring it down to its simplest form.

Name all the reasons someone would possibly walk into the door of your restaurant.

Hunger

Thirst

Fitness

Celebration (Party)

Show off to someone

Meeting

Are there others?

Here are the labels:  HTFCSM

Every transaction is counted not by what guests eat, not by how many are dining … but by their purpose.  Each gets a label.  If hunger and thirst are the primary motivators, you can satisfy your guests easily since they are simply visiting for personal maintenance.

Do you know the current ratios?  What percentage of your guests come simply for “maintenance” and could eat anywhere?   Do you know why your place exists in the mind of those who visit?

If your restaurant primarily exists for what I call “maintenance food” then you will have a tough time getting more money from anyone.  (Low check averages and discounts will be your motto.)

If your restaurant is a place to have meetings, celebrations and give someone a chance to show off, then your marketing changes.  Your chance that the menu price point is less of an issue improves.

There are some restaurants that should put up a sign that says “Food Maintenance” instead of “restaurant”.  “We are here to … fill you up.”  What a concept.  Just fill them up and move them out.  J

Next step in breaking it down to its simplest form:

Who is the boss?  Who influences your business the most?  Who makes business happen?

Look very closely at your restaurant.

Here is a test question:

Ask the management team:  Which person do you learn from the most?

1. The owner?
2. Your peers?
3. The persons on the team?

When I have asked this question over the years, the majority of managers have said:  The team.

Who influences the return of those guests whom you have labeled HTFCSM?  Is it the manager, the owner or team members?   You could reverse the question and ask who influences the guest not to return?  (It is no surprise to hear the team or staff since they have 100% contact with the guests.)

If the team members have a great influence on the boss and they are also a primary determining factor in whether guests return, will this change your relationship with those on the team?  Or will you continue to view them as simply soldiers following orders?

Here is my verdict:  Treat every staff person as if they were the boss.  If you look very carefully, they already in many ways determine the course of your business whether you like it or not.

Now add social media tools where texting, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, blogging and review sites can be txt, liked, followed, tweeted and commented on by anyone on the staff.

1. Anyone who owns a restaurant must know the REAL reason for the guests visiting.  HTFCSM
2. Any restaurant business has an army to blog, tweet, comment and review.
3. Any restaurant owner better look very carefully at who is truly influencing the business and ensure nothing gets in the way of their success.

Sure, you need a leader but that leader must understand the power which is at their disposal.

Don’t forget HTFCSM labeling.  You will be surprised at what you learn.

PS to you the reader:

This is another test for you to follow.  It is about branding and being found in the search engines.  The unique phrase of “HTFCSM labeling” should come up within a very short time after this blog is posted.  You can ensure this by bookmarking this blog post on www.delicious.com, tweeting it on Twitter, sharing it on www.digg.com and sharing on Google Buzz.

Google Caffeine is so fast that it responds in minutes.  Do you have a very unique brand, phrase or menu item that you want to impress your community with and have NO competition?  Pick something fun and relevant to your community and begin to tweet or blog about it.  Create products with the name.

While in the beginning there will be no one looking for your unique name and you will not be found, over time you will dominate the term as you make it a household name in your community.

Here is the alternate plan:  Try to rank in Google for a term everyone is trying to be found for.  A small business will NOT be found on Google for a popular term.  Chances are the term will be only more difficult and you will NEVER be found in Google.  Seafood Tampa Bay for small restaurant businesses would be always tough to beat.   How about seabayfo?

If you think this is crazy then take another look at the big names today.  Squidoo?  Google?  pipl?

You decide:  In 24 months you will dominate your market with a unique name for a product no one else serves.  It will be your signature and it will become bigger than the word fish in your community.

This was just an example.  Make up your own unique name here:  http://www.bustaname.com/

Michael Hartzell –, Inbound Marketing Certified Professional, entrepreneur, writer, speaker, restaurant marketing coach.  Member of the American Marketing. Read more at www.michaelhartzell.com/restaurant-marketing

Daily Tip for Monday July 5th. – Ultimate Hospitality People

Posted on 05. Jul, 2010 by Guest Blogger in Daily Tip

Ultimate Hospitality People on Your Restaurant Marketing Team

blog post by resident blogger Michael Hartzell

How can you be sure someone returns if you are simply an assembly line for meals?  Restaurant marketing is not a push button task nor is it something you can just order from a central location 1000 miles away in a home office.  Restaurant marketing starts at the very core of the restaurant.  It is the culture and belief of the restaurant team.  Restaurant marketing is not what you do, it is who you are.  Restaurant marketing is not an activity.  Restaurant marketing activities are a symptom of the essence of belief.  Belief turns into thoughts and thoughts into action.  Every day there are new opportunities for a person who is restaurant marketing, so have a calendar and clipboard ready.

Just as this blog is hosted on Inside Hospitality, those who hope to be successful in the restaurant business must have a heart for hospitality.  A restaurant business must be a place where every guest knows they are experiencing ultimate hospitality.  (There you go.  That is the name of your new program:  Ultimate Hospitality People – UHP for short.)

I can hear it now:  Are you UHP?  I want to hear a yes!

Who is on your restaurant marketing team?  If you say there is one, two or even three, I challenge you to think about the structure of your business one more time.

Survey for restaurant owner or manager.  How many times do you participate in the following each day?

• Wash the windows.
• Sweep the floor.
• Send out thank you cards to guests who visited yesterday.
• Verify cash.
• Personally thank a guest as they leave with a handshake.
• Check the temperatures of refrigeration.
• Inventory critical food items.
• Cook in the kitchen.
• Vacuum the floor.
• Monitor plates on the way to the dining room.
• Check the status of sales vs. historical and vs. projected.
• Monitor what is being said via social media.
• Share via social media valuable and helpful to one or many.
• Say thank you to a team member.
• Do a random act of kindness to someone on the team.
• Wash dishes.
• Do a random act of kindness for a guest.
• Verify the status of labor costs for the day.
• Verify the status of “up-selling” for the day.
• Verify hand washing is being done.
• Inspect restrooms personally.
• Talk on the phone to a consultant or advisor.
• Talk on the phone to an associate.
• Order food products.
• Invite a local leader or volunteer to lunch or dinner.
• Guerrilla Marketing Squad calls to local community to recognize and celebrate.  (Google “Guerrilla Marketing Squad” for secret weapon to dominate in your community.)
• Search online for new products, services, equipment or vendors.
• Learn and practice with new software or push button tech tools.
• Give special instructions to team member(s).
• Make comments on website review sites.  (Including special secret offers.)
• Role play with team member(s).
• Bus tables.
• Role play with team member(s) with how to get a better connection with guest to the point of having contact information. (Such as address, email, twitter, facebook, LinkedIn, cell phone numbers, etc.)
• Motivate guests to say something via online review sites. (While mentioning the name of the person who might have WOW’d them.)
• Act as cashier.
• Inspect garbage to determine waste, guests’ happiness with products and staff training levels.
• Do prep.
• Audit guest checks to verify accuracy, trends and patterns, satisfaction, speed of service and that all guest expectations were exceeded.
• Walk a guest out in the rain holding the umbrella.
• Walk a guest into the building when it rains holding an umbrella.
• Give out samples of brand new menu items to create smiles and hear feedback.
• Look for and read the advertisements in the local newspaper with the question: “Who can be collaborated with?”
• Review Jay Conrad Levinson’s book “Guerrilla Marketing” with team members and possible options to apply today.
• Help a guest celebrate something great to give a reason for a photo, email and/or greeting card.
• Stop people in the community and invite them for lunch or dinner.

These are but a small few of the activities you may be engaged in.  You may be one who snickers at this.  That is fine but when I recently was greeted at the front door of a restaurant by the owner who said:  “I don’t have everything done yet and I am short staffed so I will be opening an hour late today for lunch,” it was very apparent he is not an Ultimate Hospitality Person.  He was too busy cooking to provide hospitality.

Here is the question:

Which activities ensure that you connect with the guest?  Which are you personally involved in more as a restaurant owner or manager?  Which activities are defense and which are offense?  (Defense keeps business while Offense creates business.)

Create reasons for listening, interaction, education and inspiration.  There is more than food in the restaurant business even though it is one of the few businesses which will stimulate all five senses.

What is on your checklist of daily activities that is reflective of your true nature?  Do you  manage things, do you lead people or are you a restaurant marketer?  Who is on your restaurant marketing team?  I say:  double the number and boost sales.

Michael Hartzell –, Inbound Marketing Certified Professional, entrepreneur, writer, speaker, restaurant marketing coach.  Member of the American Marketing Association and Guerrilla Marketing Association. Read more at www.michaelhartzell.com/restaurant-marketing

Daily Tip for Monday June 28th. – Which is the Best Inbound Marketing Strategy for Restaurants?

Posted on 28. Jun, 2010 by Guest Blogger in Daily Tip

By Guest Blogger Michael Hartzell

Inbound Marketing is based on the conclusion that someone is already looking for you online.  This can apply to restaurants just as well as other industries.  I have already shown you in previous articles that people are online searching for a product or service you offer.

Question: Marketing plans include “inbound marketing” to get a restaurant found at the top of Google organic search results for specific keywords.  How do new changes in Google affect the plan?

Possibilities, Answers and Thoughts:

Fuel

• Consider that the brightness and length of time something can be seen is based on fuel. There are a variety of fuel types.

Lighter fluid for the barbecue gets your attention…it gives a big whoof and is then gone quickly.

For instance, have you noticed?

Sometimes a Craigslist ad pops to the top but its fuel quickly dwindles.  Videos are also a good example.  (Though if you use www.tubemogul.com and post videos everywhere at once, it is interesting to see which sites are more found and which are not.)

Here are various types of inbound marketing methods to be found in the search engines.

1. Links to your website from other authority websites.  (Longer lasting)
2. Fresh content on your website, frequently.  (Longer lasting)
3. Social media, classifieds, press releases are now in search engine results. (Fast and dwindles quickly.)
4. Articles on article sites (Can add authority and last)
5. Online press releases. (Fast and dwindle quickly)
6. Kindle books, ipad books, ereader books are new in town.  What will they provide?  Will you write short books for e-readers?   (To be determined.)
7. The i-Phone or mobile App.  How will more push button technology affect this?  What type of fuel will this be for search engines?  Or does this bypass search engines?  Watch this grow.  Push button is the goal.  (To be determined.)

As with any fire; the wind blows, the rains come, and anything fuel-based will be affected.

Prediction: It is only a matter of time until “tax” is a word spoken more on the Internet.  When will there be a tax per consumption?  Isn’t the Internet, in a way, a utility?  Don’t you wonder how that wind will affect things?

Two ways to approach changes in Google

1. Reactive: Trying to figure out the next change or current change…chasing the chicken like everyone does and never quite catching it since the chicken quickly changes direction.
2. Proactive: Thinking 12 to 18 months in advance and anticipating what the goal of those in the search engine business are about:

Which might be: Read the minds of those who search and give them what they want before they even know what “it” is themselves.

Being in the restaurant business for 30 years teaches one a thing or two:  Anticipating wants and needs and giving it before guests ask makes you “unbelievable”.  This creates FAT.  (Faith And Trust).    When FAT is high then prices can be higher.  When FAT is high then there is less competition.

If the goal of a Google-Yahoo-Bing is to read the mind of the searcher and understand the truest nature of every page via bots, widgets, and eyeballs…then wouldn’t it be crucial to simply be the most amazing resource on a specific topic?  Then no one will be able to help but say:  That is the best place to go.

If some restaurant businesses would work just as hard on serving and being amazing with their guests as they do with search engine results and being on top, they would hear only the very best comments on tools such as GuestPulse.

Considering the options, pro-active and reactive, chasing the chicken and the ultimate goal; here is a solution list for the small restaurant business owner:

1. 1. Use the free resources on Google Places, Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, Bing Maps.
   2. Include Social media, blogging, and fresh content.
   3. Videos, classifieds, press releases
   4. Asking guests for their feedback during their visit.
   5. Monitor your progress with GuestPulse and respond to the comments.
   6. Restaurant marketing is not only about tasks to be done, it is a culture.
   7. Everyone on staff is part of the marketing culture

These will improve the chances for a restaurant owner to keep a business competitive online.

Question:  What do you believe?

Which will people respond to more?

• Your website that has links to your restaurant website?
• Comments on the various review sites, social media and word of mouth?

The answer depends on the reputation of your business and the community. Monitor it and you will know.  Someone is searching for your type of business online.  What are you doing to get found?

Once you know the answer, that will determine where you spend your time and how you invest your money.

Here is a dashboard to consider for measuring success:

1. Online Presence:  Happiness Factor, mentions, comments, buzz. (Use GuestPulse.)
2. Dining Room: Comments, feedback, opinion.  (Your team and managers can do this.)
3. Website: New connections, new emails, new contacts. (Send them a welcome card.)
4. Guerrilla Marketing Squad: Number of responses to invitations in community.
5. Internal Daily Snapshot: Sales, labor, COS, Cash, menu mix, promotion results.

As you can see, my measures of success lean heavily on restaurant marketing and people.  Controls are very important but the connection to people is the most valuable of all.

Question:  What are your measures of success based on?  How do you measure your people connection?

The information I have reviewed is neither new nor original.  It is simply a reminder.  Sadly there those of you who work very hard for people to find you in the traditional methods.  They still work but more is needed.

Take-Away:

• List of options for inbound marketing.
• A decision to make based on Reactive or Proactive.
• A solution list for the small restaurant business owner.
• Five measures to include on your dashboard.

Michael Hartzell –, Inbound Marketing Certified Professional in Seattle / Tacoma, entrepreneur, writer, speaker, restaurant marketing coach.  As a self proclaimed Professor of Magic Marketing, author of “10 Magic Marketing Tips” and over 30 years experience in the restaurant business, Michael helps business owners “Boost Sales & Build Teams” on the foundation of Knowledge Empowers so Learn & Teach ™.  Member of the American Marketing Association and Guerrilla Marketing Association

Daily Tip for Monday June 7th. – I am your Restaurant Marketing Boss Next Week

Posted on 07. Jun, 2010 by Guest Blogger in Blog

By guest blogger Michael Hartzell

My Dad’s Dad probably taught me the most about restaurant marketing and he was a carpenter.  Alfred was his name and every day he met each person with an outstretched hand and said: “Hello friend”.  Everyone he met.  Didn’t matter if he knew them or not.  When Grandpa Alfred passed on, the church was full.  Friends one and all arrived to say thank-you and share in a celebration of his life and what he believed.  Father’s Day is just around the corner.  It is a good time to remember Alfred.

Here are the words to note:

• restaurant marketing
• outstretched hand
• hello friend
• friend
• celebration

He was the best of the best (other than his son, my dad).

Now then.  It is time to put that foolishness behind us. We have work to do.  You have to build business and you have to do it now.  I am going to be your boss for a week.

First I have to know what you believe:

What is your target for increase in number of guests per week?

(Or do you call them customers in your building?)

• What is your target for increase in number of guests per week?
  • (Or do you call them customers in your building?)
  • What is your target increase in sales dollars?
  • On a scale of 1 to 5  (5 being highest)
    • How important is the phone book to your business?
    • How important is face to face meeting people for impacting business?
    • How important is direct mail to having an impact on your business?
    • How important is the newspaper to impacting your business?
    • How important is Facebook to having an impact on your business?
    • How important is repeat guests to your business?
    • How important is the weather to your business?
    • How important is your dining room, counter, lobby and parking lot to your business?
    • How important is your telephone to making an impact on your business?
    • How important is television to having an impact on YOUR business?
    • How important is having one guest personally tell another guest “go there”?
    • How important is radio to having an impact on your business?
    • How important is reaching out to every guest and saying “hello friend” to your business?
    • How important is having an Internet presence to making an impact on your business?
    • Of all the choices, which has the most impact on your business?

• If you have 2000 people dine at your restaurant next week, do you know why they are in your restaurant?
  • How do you know the answer to this question?

Remember:  I am now your boss.  (Just go with it.  Don’t worry, I have experience with this.)

Your task is to find out where they are coming from and why they chose your restaurant.

I don’t care what tools or style you use.  At first it may seem odd.  There will be some ideas that are dumb.  That is ok.  Call it a test.  A few of you will use tools that Inside Hospitality offers.  That is fine with me.   It will be interesting to see what methods you use. (No I won’t cheat and tell you the best method.  You won’t learn the lesson then.)

The point is this:

A restaurant business owner or manager assumes too much.  When you tally everything up and learn where people are coming from and why they are visiting you will give them more.  You will connect with them more via the methods they are using.

Again, what do you believe?

• Is it better to send out 10,000 “advertisements” and get a 1% response?  Or is it better to send out 500 Unique Personal Invitations and have a 10% response?

By the way, if you are not getting a 10% response when you make the invitation you need to do a test.  Give this invitation:  “I would love to have you for lunch at my restaurant.  We have a special dish I would like to share with you.  Why don’t you let me buy you lunch?  Can you make it in this next week?  Be sure to let the staff know to grab me when you come in so I can take care of you special.”  If you made 500 invites like this and you only have a 10% response then you better look closely at your reputation management.  Inside Hospitality does this for you quickly.  (I do not work for Inside Hospitality nor do I gain a reward for helping you see the benefits of their service.)  It is a sad day to make personal invitations with gusto and enthusiasm and have people say:  “no thank you”.  That should make you think hard about your restaurant, your message and your reputation.

If the test overwhelms you with responses take away the section that says “Let me buy you lunch and keep everything else the same (including your passion).

The next task will be to invite 500 people as quickly as possible. Nope.  There is no marketing calendar.  There is no plan. There is just survival.  It is war against failure and each day is a new battle.  This is not how I operate a business but there are many who do, so let’s go with it.  Instead of saying:  “Do it my way with a plan”, let’s just go with the flow and grab the sales as quickly as possible.  I see this too often.  It is not OK, but you know what?   Let’s go for it.  What the heck.

(Some say I get crazy.  Maybe so.  Then again, I just saw four more restaurants close last week.  That is not OK.  It is avoidable.  Systems and planning can get it done but if you are not interested in that then you can do it the messy way.  Maybe after a few messy campaigns, you will be ready to create a plan. )

Note: Take out a 3 X 5 blank card.  Every time you come up against a barrier, write it down.  What is the barrier?  Why?

If you can figure out a way to send an invitation to 500 people in the next 7 to 10 days and you received a 10% response because you were so enthusiastic and have a great reputation, then I suppose you could say about $1500 would come your way.  (500×10%x$30)  Change the numbers to fit your situation.  Need to double the numbers to survive?  Then do it.

How much would you invest to get $1500 in sales increase? I am thinking … $300 is a budget.  (Rule of thumb.)  Combine that with elbow grease, personality, innovation and imagination?  I think you might have something.  You don’t think it is possible?  Too bad.  It has already been done again and again so just because you don’t believe it doesn’t mean it isn’t so.

How? Ahhh…. that is when a little magic marketing comes in handy.

If you had my Dad’s Dad still around and you hired him, he would greet EVERY guest with a smile and “Hello friend”.  Every person would leave feeling as if they owned the restaurant themselves.

Your immediate tasks:

1. Be like Alfred.  Hire people like him.  Interview, recruit, empower.  Hire Eagles.  Let them soar.

• I want to see them on your schedule ASAP.  (Call them Alfred if you want.)

1. Know where people are coming from and why they chose you.

• I want a report.  How will you break it down?

1. Make 500 unique personal invitations with enthusiasm and commitment. (Do a test if you have to.)

• The trick to this is to find the people who are already carrying the burden of leadership and responsibility and make their life easier any way you can.  They can be found in places like Business Examiner, Associations, Universities, and Hospitals.  I am sure you get it, right?   Help leaders solve problems.
• The more closely you get into their inner circle, the better the rate of response.  The more you use automated systems, the lower the response.  When you find ways to use the automated systems and have it appear in every way like a personal invite, it is a good thing.  (Ever heard of Bubble Joy?  How about Phone Evite?)
  • If you can’t think of anything, go to the dollar store.  Pick up some special invitation cards with envelopes.  Personally hand them out to every business owner and tell them you are celebrating the community next week in your restaurant.
  • I want to see a list of who you made the invites to, how many, what the offer was, how you made the offer (vehicle) and the time it took.  Be sure to include $$ spent as well.

I remember a question someone once asked:  “If you really want to do it then who is going to stop you?”

Any questions?  Time to go to work.  If you have any barriers written down on your card, as your boss for a week, I am here to ensure your success.  Contact me at  ask@michaelhartzell.com It is not a matter of if it will get done, it is only a matter of when.

Along the way, remember Alfred.  Make people’s day, extend a hand and say:  “Hello friend” and mean it

About Michael

Michael Hartzell – Inbound Marketing Certified Professional, entrepreneur, writer, speaker, restaurant marketing coach.  As a self proclaimed Professor of Magic Marketing, author of “10 Magic Marketing Tips” and over 30 years experience in the restaurant business, Michael helps business owners “Boost Sales & Build Teams” on the foundation of Knowledge Empowers so Learn & Teach ™.  Read more from Michael at Restaurant Marketing Ideas Blog or contact him at ask@michaelhartzell.com.  Member of the American Marketing Association and Guerrilla Marketing Association.

Daily Tip for Monday May 23rd.- Restaurant Marketing is all about the VIPINI list

Posted on 24. May, 2010 by Guest Blogger in Daily Tip

By guest blogger Michael Hartzell

The VIPINI List.

Who is your most favorite person?

Ok.

That is too difficult.

Who are the top ten most favorite people in the world?

Hmmm… still seems pretty hard.

Why don’t you just make a list.  First names is fine.

Then put a VI, PI, NI next to each name.

This is the VIPINI grade system.

• Very Important  =  VI
• Pretty Important  =  PI
• Not Important  =  NI

Don’t you have one of these?

Of course you do.

You probably just don’t consciously do it on a piece of paper.

Now.

Which of the people on your VI (Very Important) list did you show some type of appreciation for within the last 60 days?

This is where the dividing line begins between those who talk and those who walk.

The talkers say “They are so important” and keep on talking without showing any real appreciation.

The walkers say the same but have proof as their actions provide confirmation.

Dad’s Day is coming.  June 20^th.  I would assume many of you have your father high on the list?

Here you go.  I am going to give you a free gift.  There is no obligation.  Don’t pay attention to anything else but the free gift.

• I want to Click Here and then send your Dad a Father’s Day card.  It is free.  It is complimentary.  No strings attached.

• Yes, you will have to share your contact information.  If you can’t trust me (who helps you with your restaurant marketing), then who can you trust?  They need to put an address on the envelope.

When you begin to set it up take note:  You can choose when to mail it.  You can pick the date in advance.  Do you notice how the system will then remember this and you can return at a later date and send … a Thanksgiving Card?  A Christmas Card?  A Birthday Card?

Benefits:  Personalized.   Cheaper than buying something in the store.  Mailed for you.  No licks.

Do you think your father will open the envelope when it looks like a special card?  Yes!  He can tell it is special just by the envelope.  Someone sent him a card!  He will be excited.

No, he won’t tell you how excited he is.  He will be cool.  Your dad, after all, knows how to be cool and aloof.  He is your dad.

Now… Did you send it yet?  If not, then Click Here and get it sent.  It will take a few minutes.  That is ok.  We will wait for you here.

Once you have sent a card to your father for Father’s Day (setting it up to send later), you are ready for the next step.

Who spent over $250 in your restaurant last week?  If you do not know, then you need to think about your hospitality and how your team connects.  In fact, I’m sure that anyone who has spent over $100 would be on your VI list.  Do you know their names, contact info and even their shoe size?

Jay Conrad Levinson says:  “Treat them as if they are friends, family or royalty.”

You just sent your Dad a Father’s Day card.  It is time to go find the VI (Very Important) list for your restaurant and send the person at the top of the list a card.  Free.  Here is the link again:  http://bit.ly/ihgift

Unique Personal Invitations is one of the five essentials to business success.  If you are not yet familiar with these, Google “Five Essentials to Business Success” and you will find me.

There is no specific reason necessary to send a card.  It might be for a thank you.  It might be just because.

Everywhere are ways to create Unique Personal Invitations and I am about to share a few with you.  Some are automated.  A few cost money.

The reasons I appreciate the system you used to send your father a card include flexibility, personalization, convenience, and it is less expensive than a card shop.  It is a tool.  It is not meant for every situation.   It can be done very quickly with no lick, no inventory.

Here are options to consider for following up with your VI and PI list.  If you have anyone on your NI (Not important list?), why have a list of NI?

Everyone you meet is:

1.      Someone to invite to your restaurant.

2.      Someone to work at your restaurant.

3.      Someone who already works at your restaurant you can train and develop.

That covers it.  There are three types of people on your list.  If someone is PI (Pretty Important), why would they not be on your VI list?

They are all VI (Very Important).

Here again is the link to send your Dad a card and your favorite customer last week / month / year.  http://bit.ly/ihgift It is free.

Here is a list of other options you might consider to follow up with Unique Personal Invitations for those on your VI (Very Important) list.

o   Cartoonlink.com

o   Twitter.com With a # hashtag.

o   Animoto.com (Make a video for them.)

o   Wordle.net

o   Slydial.com

• Bubblecomment.com
• Bubblejoy.com

o   jacquielawson.com

o   Sculptured Chocolates by Gosanko Chocolates – this is cool!

o   A blog article about someone (for businesses).

o   A link to their website (for businesses).

o   The Dollar Tree Store online  (You can buy bulk.)

• Facebook Fan Page
• (Did you know you can start a Facebook Fan Page for anyone yourself?)

You can have a guest Fan Page – appreciating your guests just as if you have a bulletin board on your wall in the restaurant.

o   A person to person handshake and smile (and a big thank you!)

o   What will you see this gives opportunity for more Unique Personal Invitations?

Be sure to include the reason for your contact.  Many times it is simply a thank you.  It could be “I miss you!” or “Happy Birthday” or “You won a prize.”  Also include an invitation.  Some sophisticated marketing savvy people will say a “call to action” but in reality, think of it as an invitation.  Could be to “try something new”, “party”, “celebrate”, etc.

The point of this?

• VIPINI list.  Pay attention to it.  Concentrate on your VIP’s.  Show them how important they are, walk the talk.

• Follow up with a thank you.  Doing more than just talking about who is important will change your business.

• Restaurant marketing is about more than traditional mass mailings.

The new tools available simply expand the opportunity to do what has always been.  If you can’t connect in person, the new tools probably won’t be much of a substitute.

Of course, no need to mention it again (but I will), GuestPulse is a way to know who is saying what about who and when.  If anyone says something good or bad about your restaurant via social media or online?  Send them an animoto, wordle, card, etc.

For you leaders who are unable to wrap your mind around this:

20 staff members.  Each person inviting or following up to 25 people (VIP) a week.

You will get a ______% redemption.  (My history is 10% to 30%)

20% of 2000 is about 400?

400 X $25 is about $10,000 in sales.

It is just an example.

We are in the social media age.  That is the purpose of tracking the new ways people communicate with GuestPulse.  Restaurant marketing is NOT a one person show.

Go send your Dad a card now… and then your most favorite customer.

Say hi to both of them for me.  I hope you made their day.

About Michael –

Webinar on June 1^st – Push Button Tech Tools – Doing Twice as Much in Half the Time.

Sign up at Texasonthego.com – 25% of all registration income will be donated to The Sturge Weber Foundation

Michael Hartzell –, Inbound Marketing Certified Professional, entrepreneur, writer, speaker, restaurant marketing coach.  As a self proclaimed Professor of Magic Marketing, author of “10 Magic Marketing Tips” and over 30 years experience in the restaurant business, Michael helps business owners “Boost Sales & Build Teams” on the foundation of Knowledge Empowers so Learn & Teach ™.  Member of the American Marketing Association and Guerrilla Marketing Association.

Daily Tip for Monday May 10th- Restaurant Marketing Backwards

Posted on 10. May, 2010 by Guest Blogger in Blog, Daily Tip

by guest blogger Michael Hartzell

Turn around and start walking backwards.  Think of your restaurant while doing so.  Now start marketing while walking.  It’s easy.  Take fliers, walk backwards and whenever you think you hear someone coming, just keep a flier stuck out.  Maybe they will take it.  Maybe not.  Keep walking.  People will probably avoid you so no worries there.  If you come to an obstacle such as a wall?  Turn left or right and keep walking.

That restaurant marketing tactic is not working for you?   Allow me another suggestion?

The phone is ringing… You won’t be able to continue reading this great blog article.  There is someone on the other end who will tell you about a great opportunity to get advertising for half price if you move quickly.  The set up will be no charge and all you have to do is leave a 25% deposit.  It will be very tempting.  An advertisement for half price and no set up fee is not an everyday thing.

Let’s just suppose you take the deal. (You have already probably done just this as a marketing campaign.)  Now that the commitment is made, you will be thinking about what it is that you will advertise.  It is a radio spot, a print ad, an insert, a door hanger… it could be anything.

The question in your mind now is:  “What are you going to say?”  I know.  Look at the competition.  (They too were approached about the half price advertising deal.)  Maybe you will ask other business owners you know.

Still stuck?  OK, go ahead.  Google the question:  “What message should be on restaurant marketing I just bought?”  Did you get the answer?  There are a few good resources.  Maybe Jeffrey Summers will know.  Jeffrey stays up to date with trends and his website at www.restaurantworx.com has enough information to teach a class.

Looks like you are still stuck?

The first example was of you walking backwards with flyers in hand and hoping someone would be willing to take the flyer and then do business with you.  This of course didn’t work nor does ordering advertising before you know what your message is.  Filling in the blank spot for advertising already ordered will set up ineffective advertising for a restaurant owner (to which the restaurant owner will say: “Marketing doesn’t work for me.”).  Of course it doesn’t work when done backwards!

Now try this:

Go back to that moment in time just before the ringing of the phone.  There, it’s ringing again.  Don’t answer it.  Have someone take a message.

Before you make a commitment with anyone selling advertising, LISTEN.

There is chatter everywhere.  People are actually talking in the dining room!  While I have never done it, there are now “super hearing devices” where you can put a device on your ear and listen to conversations from across the room.   Why is the most popular restaurant so popular?  What are they offering?

This list plus a few more of your own will tell you what is hot and what is not.

• The other popular restaurant. (What are people saying in their lobby?)
• www.guestpulse.com (What is the buzz about?)
• Socialoomph.com (You can get alerts based on specific key words.
• Your staff who have contact daily with your guests. (This is important.)
• Empty plates (not really empty as food is left but no comment as to why).
• P.O.S. gives daily data (of course this shows the mix of what people are ordering).  Give people more of what they love?
  • Caution:  What guests are ordering may not be based on knowledge of best product.
• Mystery Shopper Service could give feedback (Combine with other tools.)
• Follow up calls after the dining experience. (Yes, you would actually have to talk, text, email, Facebook, Twitter, the guest after they left.)
• Community (There are events happing every day where people have needs.)

Hmmm.  I did not put my name on the list.  Nor did I put national resources on the list.  Think Local and Act Personal is the mantra NOT Think Global and Act Local.   (This is a tidbit out of Jeffrey Gitomer’s presentation.) Everyone will have an opinion.  The opinions that count are those closest to understanding the needs and wants of those spending dollars in your community.

A new mind set and new habits are required to create effective restaurant marketing messages.

• What is it that people rave about when they speak of your restaurant?
• What celebration that is around the bend?
• What is the staff are so very proud of?
• What is it that is so unbelievable that it leaves them scratching their heads?
• What is it that you get so excited about that people can’t seem to shut you up?
• What is happening in and around your restaurant which needs to be told?

Then, when you have the answer (hopefully there will be so many awesome answers that your marketing calendar is packed) take time to think:  Who would want to know?  Where do they hang out?  How can you connect with them?  Online or email?  Text messaging?  TV or radio (the traditional way)?  Or will it be with Inbound Marketing, which I love with a passion?  Could it be that you will use personalized post cards or team up with a non-profit group to collaborate on a large campaign. You might decide it is with an announcer at a packed ball field or it could be the traffic in front of your business with a wild and crazy attention-getter.

By the way, remember this the next time you have a party at your home.  Do you first decide the way you are going to invite everyone?  Or do you first set a date, a time, a theme, a reason to celebrate THEN go about creating a message and ways to make the invitations?

If you think of how you will send a message before you understand the message, you are going backwards.  Don’t be waiting to do restaurant marketing until the moment a very smart sales person decides to call on you.  The temptation may be too great for you to pass up which will leave you walking backwards handing out fliers.

About Michael

Michael Hartzell –, Inbound Marketing Certified Professional, entrepreneur, writer, speaker, restaurant marketing coach. As a self proclaimed Professor of Magic Marketing, author of “10 Magic Marketing Tips” and over 30 years experience in the restaurant business, Michael helps business owners “Boost Sales & Build Teams” on the foundation of Knowledge Empowers so Learn & Teach ™. Read more from Michael at Restaurant Marketing Ideas Blog or contact him at ask@michaelhartzell.com. Member of the American Marketing Association and Guerrilla Marketing Association.

Daily Tip for Monday May 3rd. – The Restaurant Marketing M.A.D. Log

Posted on 03. May, 2010 by Guest Blogger in Daily Tip

by guest blogger Michael Hartzell

A Restaurant Marketing M.A.D. Log is one of the handiest tools to put in your business tool box.

It is a log to record the accomplishments and awesomeness of those who make a difference.

M.A.D. = Making a Decision.

When someone is M.A.D.?

They can also be really M.A.D.!

The second M.A.D. is short for Making A Difference.

I love going into a business and asking the team: “Are you MAD today?” I am hoping to hear: “Yes, absolutely, sure enough and a cry of Sir-Yes-Sir.” (Kidding about the last.)

The next question I ask: “OK, are you really MAD?” Again the hope is to hear the big “Yes.”

The questions always at the top of my mind:

Are those on the team making great decisions?

Are they also making a difference?

A “No” answer to either one of these questions will affect the very core of how well a business operates.

To have team say they are MAD and then confirm with a REALLY MAD is more than inspiring

(Yes, the first time the question is asked causes perplexity until the definition is shared which then gives everyone a smile.)

To know if your team is MAD, there needs to be a Restaurant Marketing MAD Log.

This is simple enough to do with low tech paper and a clip board. If you are more sophisticated? Then you can create a spreadsheet or online community or use a private Twitter feed I suppose.

1. It starts with a blank form. (It is NOT a checklist.)

2. A huddle is next. This includes all key people who are MAD every day.

3. Next is the review of what the log does and is used for:

o Every time someone does marketing or promotion activities (Which I like to call making an invitation), it is logged.

The Restaurant Marketing MAD Log can have

•A list of Who made the contact

• To whom? (group or person),

• How Many

• Where

• How distributed

• Date and Time

• What Special Offer was in the Invitation?

• Response to Invite (if known)

4. The clipboard is reviewed and the various contacts, responses, resistance to invitation and barriers to making the invitations are chatted about during the next huddle. One of the things on the MAD Log can be “Spin the Bottle Marketing Plan”. Another could be fundraisers, personal invite to the mayor, or a phone call to the coach who just won a championship.

As the Restaurant Marketing MAD Log becomes filled with details, it shows the team’s activities.

This works great because the creativity from those who are MAD and really MAD begins to shine. There are no rules. “Hire eagles and let them soar” is the quote that comes to mind. People will come to the restaurant if there are invitations. The invites will come in the form of telephone, text, email, mail, flyer, blog, comments online, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Biznik, meetup.com and even to guests as they leave in the dining room. “When are you coming back to see me?” could be on the lips of someone on the team. “Would you share your email address so I can give you the inside scoop of anything coming up?” is a must from everyone who serves the guest.

Unique Personal Invitations are one of my Five Essentials. You can Google “Five Essentials to Business Success” and read all about it. The Five Essentials should come up on first page close to #1 on Google search results.

So, do you have it down?

Clip board.

1. Restaurant Marketing Mad Log blank form

2. MAD team Huddle for intro

3. MAD team Huddles once a week to talk about the bumps and barriers, the fun, and of course to celebrate.

How many will be important. If you have 10 People on your MAD team and each invites 20 people a week? That comes to 200 Unique Personal Invitations. If those people who are invited are leaders in the community? They reach out to another 4,000. (Note: This is an important piece.)

A blank at the end of the week will mean coaching, support, training, interviewing and listening.

Here is the best part, but it is only for the Boss. If you are not the boss, you have to stop reading at this point and go no further.

Best Part for the Boss: www.GuestPulse.com

In order to know whether everyone is making those invitations? You need to follow your team around. What would happen if you had a system that scoured the internet for certain keywords? Every time your business is mentioned on the Internet, there would be a notification sent to you. What happens if your team is not only inviting face to face but also via the new social tools? If you have a monitoring system, you can know WHO on the Restaurant Marketing MAD team is really MAD. (Really Making a Difference)

The more a restaurant owner empowers those on the team to reach out and connect with people, the better the results become. If you get stuck, you can pop me an email. Hopefully your mind is already churning enough to see the potential.

Warning: No checklist here. The purpose is to have fun, see who is creative and who truly makes great decisions and makes a difference. If you make a list and hand it out? People will do what is expected. If you set up a plan where people will be rewarded for creativity, invitations made and being MAD, then you just might be surprised at the ideas, the initiative and who will have an impact.

If your team gets stuck on what to celebrate? What options might they consider? Download the free restaurant marketing calendar. It has dozens and dozens of considerations along with a reason to celebrate every week.

• Be MAD.

• Be really MAD.

• Empower your team to be MAD.

• Everyone wins if everyone contributes. Log the results. Celebrate and reward the awesome.

• Keep the Restaurant Marketing MAD Log in a place where everyone has access. By focusing specific time and tools on restaurant marketing and tracking results, there will be a paradigm shift, there will be more sales, and there will be reasons to say: “Great Job!”

Find a way to monitor the new buzz your Restaurant Marketing MAD Team will be creating each week. www.guestpulse.com has a video to watch and a free trial. Download a free sample Restaurant Marketing M.A.D. Log. Keep it simple. Edit it to your needs. Have fun and get ready to rock. (Don’t forget to include “Spin the Bottle Marketing Campaign” on the MAD Log! No doubt you will have bumps. Get over them by calling Jeffrey at RestaurantWorx.com. He has a guarantee.

About Michael

Michael Hartzell – Entrepreneur, writer, coach and Inbound Marketing Certified Professional. As a self proclaimed Professor of Magic Marketing, author of “10 Magic Marketing Tips” and over 30 years experience as a restaurateur, Michael helps business owners “Boost Sales & Build Teams” on the foundation of Knowledge Empowers so Learn & Teach ™. Read more from Michael at Restaurant Marketing Ideas Blog or contact him at ask@michaelhartzell.com. Member of the American Marketing Association and Guerrilla Marketing Association.

11 Attributes of Restaurant or Hotel Leadership

Posted on 02. May, 2010 by Guest Blogger in Operations

As a restaurant or hotel manager, part of your value to a company comes from your ability to “manage” certain metrics leading to service excellence and store profitability. Metrics such as Food Cost, Labor, and Ticket Times are things for which you are compensated for managing, monitoring and improving. While some restaurant managers think they are also to manage the people in their charge, the exceedingly successful managers realize they are to “manage” things and “lead” their people. The following are important factors of leadership every manager desiring to succeed and excel should master:

1. UNWAVERING COURAGE – This attribute is based upon your knowledge of your abilities, and of your function within the restaurant. No staff member wishes to be dominated by a manager who lacks self-confidence and courage. No intelligent employee will be dominated by such a leader very long.

2. SELF-CONTROL – The manager who cannot control himself/herself, particularly under pressure, can never control others. Self-control sets a mighty example for your crew, which the more intelligent will emulate, resulting in “grace under pressure“.

3. CONSISTENT JUSTICE – Without a sense of fairness and justice, no manager can command and retain the respect of his staff. Your restaurant’s policy handbook should be your first point of reference for maintaining a consistent consequence for specified infractions. Remember, consistency is the key. An effective leader cannot play favorites.

4. DECISION MAKING – The manager who wavers in decision-making shows that he is not sure of himself. He cannot lead others successfully.

5. EFFECTIVE PLANNING – The successful leader must plan his work, and work his plan. A manager who moves by guesswork, without practical, definite plans, is comparable to a ship without a rudder. Sooner or later he will land on the rocks. Every restaurant should have Systems in Place which aid in this regard.

6. DOING MORE THAN EXPECTED – One of the burdens a leader must bear is the necessity of willingness to do more than he requires of his followers. Not only must you be able to manage the training of your staff, you must also be able to perform all functions in your restaurant yourself, at least adequately, in order to help where needed.

7. PLEASANT PERSONALITY – No rude, overbearing, careless manager can become a successful leader. Leadership calls for respect, of others and of self. Followers will not respect a leader who does not exhibit a Pleasant Personality.

8. SYMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING – The successful restaurant manager must be in sympathy with his staff. Their performance affects the success of the restaurant’s operations. Therefore, a leader must understand them and their problems and come to their rescue when necessary. The guest is always right, except when they’re WRONG. There are times when you as their leader must defend your staff from certain situations. A great leader recognizes those situations.

9. EYE FOR DETAIL – Successful restaurant leadership calls for an eye for detail. See the restaurant through both the guest’s eyes as well as the staff’s. Vigilantly seek ways to improve the guest’s experience as well as ways to make the job functions of your staff more easily executed.

10. ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY – The successful restaurant manager must be willing to assume responsibility for the mistakes and the shortcomings of his staff. If he tries to shift this responsibility, he will not remain the leader. If one of his followers makes a mistake, and shows himself incompetent, the leader must consider that it is he who failed and take steps to prevent the situation from happening again.

11. COOPERATION – The successful restaurant leader must understand and apply the principle of cooperation and be able to cause his followers to willingly do the same.

While this list by no means is intended to be exhaustive, it does contain a foundation upon which a restaurant manager can successfully develop a style of leadership that his/her staff will respect and follow. Without the ability to lead, a manager will find there are no followers. And if you’re leading and nobody is following, you’re only taking a walk.