Dale J. Venturini
President/CEO, Rhode Island Hospitality Association
"Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising." - Mark Twain
As you probably have noticed, I have been on a kick lately about not discounting your service or brand. It seems like a quick pick-me-up for businesses in a down economy, but in actuality, it’s a slippery slope that once you start down, is almost impossible to climb back up to ‘normal’ pricing.
In the world of public relations, the mantra ‘first, best, unique’ is what plays heavily into getting noticed by consumers and media alike. The same is true in marketing. While many of you reading this are probably not sitting at the helm of a marketing budget fortune, I’m sure the majority of you are clever, smart individuals who want to get noticed, don’t necessarily have the advertising or marketing dollars to make a big splash in this economy, and are genuinely interested in trying something new to entice more business.
In addition to my position with the RI Hospitality Association, I also sit on the Board of the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority which oversees our arena, the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence. I cannot help but notice all of the Justin Bieber hype going on right now, and it got me to thinking about what a coup it would be for local restaurants to tie-into this national, upcoming concert tour. And, with all of the advertising promoters airing on TV, print and radio, awareness has never been higher. I’m sure wherever Justin is performing, the same hype will be following and consumer awareness is going to be high.
Using the Bieber concert as a tie-in, why not capture the entire family for this teen and tween-focused concert? Perhaps, restaurants could create a complete family meal for a set price and theme it around Bieber Fever? Restaurants could either create an experience for families prior to heading to the concert, or for parents who are dropping off their older children to see the concert, perhaps target them with a different offer to occupy them during the concert period. There are so many ways – that are not copyright infringements – to tie into existing big events. Put your creative minds to use!
Similarly, New York’s famous Radio City Rockettes are currently embarking on a 25-city, nationwide Christmas tour. Not only does nearly 90% of the American population know who the Rockettes are, but they’re also appearing on national morning television promoting the tour, so again, awareness is at an all-time high. If your restaurant is located close to a theater that is showcasing the Rockettes, why not make a special theater dinner package that includes a prix fixe dinner geared to get patrons in the door before the concert, include a special holiday ornament or other celebratory incentive, and market it in conjunction to the show? All it takes is a little ingenuity and creativity. Use your restaurant as your first line of communication. Put up signs or add tent cards detailing the special offer and let word-of-mouth begin!
Additional popular shows like Disney On Ice – Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3 is currently on tour through December nationwide. It screams for a fun dinner package for the whole family that includes a Buzz Lightyear or Sheriff Woody character giveaway for the kids and a fun, themed menu. Again, build in the price of the item into the offer – you don’t have to discount or giveaway, it’s all about perceived value. And, it’s all about fun, new, different.
I encourage you to make some community connections with your local theaters or arenas and see what’s coming down the pipeline and what you might be able to create based on the event or show. Again, it doesn’t take a big advertising or marketing budget to get the word out – you have a built in audience with your existing customer base. Use them as the point of contact to spread the news on what’s new. Or, if your business uses social media, use it to push out fun specials that you’re running. Don’t be afraid to try something new as long as it’s not a deep discount.
What’s the worst that happens? You don’t sell that offer, but at least you haven’t created the perception that your brand/offer is only worth a percentage of its value.
