10 New Low Cost Ways To Market Your Takeout Menu
© By Michael Dagostino ~ takeoutprinting.com
Your takeout menu is probably your most important piece of low-cost advertising, but a lot of restaurants, pizzerias & diners across the country fail to take advantage of the endless possibilities. Your takeout menu is an extension of your restaurant, your food and your passion. Today it costs pennies to print a professional full color glossy takeout menu and if marketed correctly, can yield thousands of dollars in extra business. Stop pumping money into yellow page ads, Local cable , radio , newspaper ads & “ penny saver” type magazines. This is a waste of time & money. Just focus on a 3 - 5 mile radius around your restaurant & you will see great results ,increase your sales & save money.Remember, you only get one chance to make a good first impression. Give your customers what they want , convenience and choices. Here are 10 new low cost ways to market your takeout menu & save thousands a year on your marketing dollars .
Mail your 11 x 17 glossy takeout menu Every Door Direct mail for only 19.1 cents each with
The U. S. Postal Service
The United States Postal Service has a New direct Mailing program...& it’s FREE!!! By mailing your
11 x 17 full color glossy takeout menus to local Homes, Businesses and New Movers in your local area, with the New!!! Every Door Direct Mail Program (EDDM Retail) You can increase your sales & generate new customers. You can now mail your 11 x 17 full color glossy Takeout Menu for only 19.1 cents postage. That’s only $191.00 per 1,000 Takeout menus mailed to every mailbox in any carrier route nationwide! Direct Mail is still the most trusted form of advertising to baby boomers ages 45 - 65. Market your takeout menu where the money is!!!
The EDDM program, setup & mailing permit are all FREE !!! You pay for postage as you go & there are no minimums, no tabbing, no addressing & absolutely no contracts. You also can request a “drop date” for your menus to be delivered on a specific day of the week. Plus get FREE help from the postal service, just ask to speak to a “business solutions specialist “or visit www.usps.com/eddm & sign up today. Every Door Direct Mail Money saving secrets Revealed !!! Team up with local non competitive businesses.... Get them to print a flyer, postcard or brochure to insert inside your takeout menu & split the postage costs ( Law firms, chiropractors, pharmacies, car dealerships, florists, landscapers, real estate agents, furniture stores are just a few examples of businesses who do alot of direct mail. )
Another great tip is to get your hands on a local Sunday newspaper, call all the local businesses who have their advertisement inserted inside. 8 out of 10 companies will be interested in “merge mailing“ their offers with your every door direct takeout menu mailer. You can insert as many flyers, postcards & brochures in your Every Door Direct Takeout Menu up to 3.3 ounces & still pay only 19.1 cents postage each. Ask your Business Solutions Specialist for more details ..... Every small business owner is in need of low cost advertising. Direct mail works better then any other form of advertising.
Add a Coupon Strip on your takeout menu
Putting a coupon strip on the side of your takeout menu, works great when you mail or hand them out. For the takeout menus in your restaurant you can cut off the coupon strip with a $20 paper cutter, which you can buy at any office supply store. This is so customers don’t use your coupons when they order at the counter or in the dining room. Another idea is to have your coupons say “for delivery only” or “coupon good Monday - Thursday Only” You can also ask your printer to trim off a few thousand during the printing process. Don’t use the same old offers. ($1.00 off or 10 % off a $10.00 purchase.) Be creative and blow your competition out of the water. Give a free pasta dish and a two-liter of soda with the purchase of two entrées or order one large pie & get three free toppings (of course you can list six or seven low cost toppings that the customer can choose from.) People don’t want money taken off, they want choices. Give them choices. “Free garlic bread w/cheese and a two-liter soda” or “Free pasta w/three choices of sauce.” Ask some of your loyal customers, what kind of offers they would like to see on your next takeout menu. Let the customer feel like they received something of value. Don’t listen to the critics, in this bad economy everyone’s looking for a good deal. Coupons are a great way to increase sales & generate new hungry customers.
YOUR TAKEOUT MENU IS YOUR # 1 MARKETING TOOL
If your takeout menu is just 1 or 2 colors or even worse a black & white photo copy, you need to update your takeout menu in order to compete in today’s restaurant market. With full color glossy takeout menu prices at all time lows, you can now afford to print your takeout menus professionally in full color for pennies. When looking for a printing company, don’t just use any printer, use a restaurant printer. Not all printers are created equal. Make sure the printer you choose specializes in restaurant marketing, menu engineering & custom design of your menu. You can then show off your restaurant in style & generate more business. Hungry customers eat with there eyes, so use high quality professional food photos & graphics. Studies have shown your takeout menu is your # 1 marketing tool . Some customers in our study stated to us “if this restaurant owner is cutting corners on his takeout menus, is he cutting corners in his kitchen ? or with his food? Another said “I would never order from a restaurant with a bad looking takeout menu !!! If they can’t invest the money & time in to the presentation of their restaurant & food, how much do they really care?” Think to yourself, would you hire a lawyer for a $2,000 job if he handed you a black & white photo copy of his business card. You would not take him seriously!!! Remember we are in the food business ... Presentation Is Everything . Invest the extra money into a new takeout menu & you will see results & increase your weekly sales !!!
A $ 10.00 MAILBOX CAN MAKE YOU $1,000’S
In New York City, many restaurant owners buy a small mailbox from the local hardware store in which they place their takeout menus. They then attach the mailbox on the outside near their front door. You will be surprised to know that people are embarrassed to come in and ask for a takeout menu if they don’t plan to order at that moment. People might want to take your takeout menu home or back to the office and look it over for future business. You are making it convenient for the customer & that’s what customers want. A good tip is to buy a small rectangular mailbox that opens from the top to keep your takeout menus dry during bad weather. Also put a “Takeout menus...please take one” sign on your mailbox. You do not want to confuse your mail carrier
A MENU IN EVERY BAG or BOX THAT LEAVES YOUR RESTAURANT
Yes, in every bag & box that leaves your restaurant ... doggie bags, takeout bags, catering orders, paper, plastic and yes even on your pizza boxes. Why, You ask??? Because you never know where that bag or box is going. That customer could be taking your food to a friend’s house who has never heard of your place or back to an employee break room. When they all try your great food they will have a takeout menu for future ordering. Pizzeria owners, don’t forget to put your takeout menu on every pizza box & bag that leaves your restaurant. Don’t “harbor” your takeout menus behind your counter; mail them out, display them on your counters, hand them out to local businesses & always have a bunch in your car. When you meet someone in your daily travels give them a few takeout menus. This is like putting out pennies & getting back dollars. It’s that simple !!!
PUT THEM ON YOUR COUNTER
I walk into thousands of restaurants a year. I can’t tell you how many times owners scramble when I ask for a takeout menu. You should have your menus neatly placed in a brochure rack and placed on both ends of your counter, in the front & back of your restaurant. Make it easier for your customers to get them. The more customers that get your takeout menu, the more your sales will increase. Don’t forget to trim the coupon strip off your menu, so dine in & pick up customers can’t use them in house.
YOUR STAFF AND WORD OF MOUTH
Your staff is a valuable tool that is overlooked. Your staff, whether it is your pizza man, cashier or delivery person, all live in or near your business. They have friends, family, go to school and are members of local clubs. They are your voice, “your word-of-mouth advertising”. How do you make them talk and recommend your place? Incentives. Everyone loves incentives whether it is a night off, a free meal, movie tickets or a cash bonus. Assign every staff member a number and a few hundred takeout menus. Let them go out and promote your business, when their menu comes back you give them the incentive you worked out.
IN YOUR BILLS AND STATEMENTS
Why not attach your takeout menu to your soda bill, distributor bill or insert it in your bank statement? Someone has to open your mail or cash your check. These people have to eat also. The most important point is how much money do these companies collect from you a month? Do they ever order from your restaurant? They have to eat somewhere. Remember, people who you give business to should give you business back. Write down a list of everyone you wrote a check out to last month, then mark off who gave you business back. A customer of mine tried this one idea and now provides $200 worth of lunch every Friday for his local bank.
MAKE UP A LOCAL TRAVEL GUIDE FOR YOUR AREA
This guide needs a local map of your area with points of interest. List important phone numbers as seen in your local yellow pages. The best part is the restaurant section. You are the publisher so you say who’s in or out. You can put other non-competing restaurants in your guide, but leave your competition out. Place your menu on the first page of the restaurant section. The only cost to you is time. You have your menu and whatever it costs to get some binders and clear insert pages. You can charge a small fee to the other advertisers. When you have the guides ready drop them off at all your local hotels, motels & don’t forget the places of interest. The staff at hotels & attractions love to recommend local restaurants to tourists.
TAXI CAB CONFESSIONS
Taxi, limousine, shuttle drivers & hotels are a great asset for promoting your takeout menu. These drivers & staff are always in constant contact with fresh leads. Tourists and visitors trust local recommendations. Same as with your staff, provide each driver with a special number to put on his or her menus. When people bring in a menu with a number on it that person gets an incentive. Another idea is to have a Free dinner night for local tourist workers. Invite them all, let them try your food so they can recommend your restaurant first. If you take care of them they will take care of you.
The U. S. Postal Service
The United States Postal Service has a New direct Mailing program...& it’s FREE!!! By mailing your
11 x 17 full color glossy takeout menus to local Homes, Businesses and New Movers in your local area, with the New!!! Every Door Direct Mail Program (EDDM Retail) You can increase your sales & generate new customers. You can now mail your 11 x 17 full color glossy Takeout Menu for only 19.1 cents postage. That’s only $191.00 per 1,000 Takeout menus mailed to every mailbox in any carrier route nationwide! Direct Mail is still the most trusted form of advertising to baby boomers ages 45 - 65. Market your takeout menu where the money is!!!
The EDDM program, setup & mailing permit are all FREE !!! You pay for postage as you go & there are no minimums, no tabbing, no addressing & absolutely no contracts. You also can request a “drop date” for your menus to be delivered on a specific day of the week. Plus get FREE help from the postal service, just ask to speak to a “business solutions specialist “or visit www.usps.com/eddm & sign up today. Every Door Direct Mail Money saving secrets Revealed !!! Team up with local non competitive businesses.... Get them to print a flyer, postcard or brochure to insert inside your takeout menu & split the postage costs ( Law firms, chiropractors, pharmacies, car dealerships, florists, landscapers, real estate agents, furniture stores are just a few examples of businesses who do alot of direct mail. )
Another great tip is to get your hands on a local Sunday newspaper, call all the local businesses who have their advertisement inserted inside. 8 out of 10 companies will be interested in “merge mailing“ their offers with your every door direct takeout menu mailer. You can insert as many flyers, postcards & brochures in your Every Door Direct Takeout Menu up to 3.3 ounces & still pay only 19.1 cents postage each. Ask your Business Solutions Specialist for more details ..... Every small business owner is in need of low cost advertising. Direct mail works better then any other form of advertising.
Add a Coupon Strip on your takeout menu
Putting a coupon strip on the side of your takeout menu, works great when you mail or hand them out. For the takeout menus in your restaurant you can cut off the coupon strip with a $20 paper cutter, which you can buy at any office supply store. This is so customers don’t use your coupons when they order at the counter or in the dining room. Another idea is to have your coupons say “for delivery only” or “coupon good Monday - Thursday Only” You can also ask your printer to trim off a few thousand during the printing process. Don’t use the same old offers. ($1.00 off or 10 % off a $10.00 purchase.) Be creative and blow your competition out of the water. Give a free pasta dish and a two-liter of soda with the purchase of two entrées or order one large pie & get three free toppings (of course you can list six or seven low cost toppings that the customer can choose from.) People don’t want money taken off, they want choices. Give them choices. “Free garlic bread w/cheese and a two-liter soda” or “Free pasta w/three choices of sauce.” Ask some of your loyal customers, what kind of offers they would like to see on your next takeout menu. Let the customer feel like they received something of value. Don’t listen to the critics, in this bad economy everyone’s looking for a good deal. Coupons are a great way to increase sales & generate new hungry customers.
YOUR TAKEOUT MENU IS YOUR # 1 MARKETING TOOL
If your takeout menu is just 1 or 2 colors or even worse a black & white photo copy, you need to update your takeout menu in order to compete in today’s restaurant market. With full color glossy takeout menu prices at all time lows, you can now afford to print your takeout menus professionally in full color for pennies. When looking for a printing company, don’t just use any printer, use a restaurant printer. Not all printers are created equal. Make sure the printer you choose specializes in restaurant marketing, menu engineering & custom design of your menu. You can then show off your restaurant in style & generate more business. Hungry customers eat with there eyes, so use high quality professional food photos & graphics. Studies have shown your takeout menu is your # 1 marketing tool . Some customers in our study stated to us “if this restaurant owner is cutting corners on his takeout menus, is he cutting corners in his kitchen ? or with his food? Another said “I would never order from a restaurant with a bad looking takeout menu !!! If they can’t invest the money & time in to the presentation of their restaurant & food, how much do they really care?” Think to yourself, would you hire a lawyer for a $2,000 job if he handed you a black & white photo copy of his business card. You would not take him seriously!!! Remember we are in the food business ... Presentation Is Everything . Invest the extra money into a new takeout menu & you will see results & increase your weekly sales !!!
A $ 10.00 MAILBOX CAN MAKE YOU $1,000’S
In New York City, many restaurant owners buy a small mailbox from the local hardware store in which they place their takeout menus. They then attach the mailbox on the outside near their front door. You will be surprised to know that people are embarrassed to come in and ask for a takeout menu if they don’t plan to order at that moment. People might want to take your takeout menu home or back to the office and look it over for future business. You are making it convenient for the customer & that’s what customers want. A good tip is to buy a small rectangular mailbox that opens from the top to keep your takeout menus dry during bad weather. Also put a “Takeout menus...please take one” sign on your mailbox. You do not want to confuse your mail carrier
A MENU IN EVERY BAG or BOX THAT LEAVES YOUR RESTAURANT
Yes, in every bag & box that leaves your restaurant ... doggie bags, takeout bags, catering orders, paper, plastic and yes even on your pizza boxes. Why, You ask??? Because you never know where that bag or box is going. That customer could be taking your food to a friend’s house who has never heard of your place or back to an employee break room. When they all try your great food they will have a takeout menu for future ordering. Pizzeria owners, don’t forget to put your takeout menu on every pizza box & bag that leaves your restaurant. Don’t “harbor” your takeout menus behind your counter; mail them out, display them on your counters, hand them out to local businesses & always have a bunch in your car. When you meet someone in your daily travels give them a few takeout menus. This is like putting out pennies & getting back dollars. It’s that simple !!!
PUT THEM ON YOUR COUNTER
I walk into thousands of restaurants a year. I can’t tell you how many times owners scramble when I ask for a takeout menu. You should have your menus neatly placed in a brochure rack and placed on both ends of your counter, in the front & back of your restaurant. Make it easier for your customers to get them. The more customers that get your takeout menu, the more your sales will increase. Don’t forget to trim the coupon strip off your menu, so dine in & pick up customers can’t use them in house.
YOUR STAFF AND WORD OF MOUTH
Your staff is a valuable tool that is overlooked. Your staff, whether it is your pizza man, cashier or delivery person, all live in or near your business. They have friends, family, go to school and are members of local clubs. They are your voice, “your word-of-mouth advertising”. How do you make them talk and recommend your place? Incentives. Everyone loves incentives whether it is a night off, a free meal, movie tickets or a cash bonus. Assign every staff member a number and a few hundred takeout menus. Let them go out and promote your business, when their menu comes back you give them the incentive you worked out.
IN YOUR BILLS AND STATEMENTS
Why not attach your takeout menu to your soda bill, distributor bill or insert it in your bank statement? Someone has to open your mail or cash your check. These people have to eat also. The most important point is how much money do these companies collect from you a month? Do they ever order from your restaurant? They have to eat somewhere. Remember, people who you give business to should give you business back. Write down a list of everyone you wrote a check out to last month, then mark off who gave you business back. A customer of mine tried this one idea and now provides $200 worth of lunch every Friday for his local bank.
MAKE UP A LOCAL TRAVEL GUIDE FOR YOUR AREA
This guide needs a local map of your area with points of interest. List important phone numbers as seen in your local yellow pages. The best part is the restaurant section. You are the publisher so you say who’s in or out. You can put other non-competing restaurants in your guide, but leave your competition out. Place your menu on the first page of the restaurant section. The only cost to you is time. You have your menu and whatever it costs to get some binders and clear insert pages. You can charge a small fee to the other advertisers. When you have the guides ready drop them off at all your local hotels, motels & don’t forget the places of interest. The staff at hotels & attractions love to recommend local restaurants to tourists.
TAXI CAB CONFESSIONS
Taxi, limousine, shuttle drivers & hotels are a great asset for promoting your takeout menu. These drivers & staff are always in constant contact with fresh leads. Tourists and visitors trust local recommendations. Same as with your staff, provide each driver with a special number to put on his or her menus. When people bring in a menu with a number on it that person gets an incentive. Another idea is to have a Free dinner night for local tourist workers. Invite them all, let them try your food so they can recommend your restaurant first. If you take care of them they will take care of you.
