RESTAURANT STRATEGY

#64 - Run the Numbers! In theory, running a business is a somewhat simple affair. You make a thing and then charge people more for that thing than it cost you to produce it. This is what it means to run a profitable business. And of course, that’s what all of us want, right? To build a business that is inherently profitable…  And yet, for years now in the restaurant industry, it’s been death by a thousand cuts. As all costs go up, profitability goes down. And still, as an industry, we’ve just held on tight… determined to maintain the status quo. And yet the numbers don’t lie. They never do. In fact, the numbers tell us what is and is not possible. And that's why this is the perfect time to be talking about this. Best of all, I'm sharing my budget template... the one I built more than a decade ago, and use with all of my clients. It is available now on the Restaurant Strategy website.  CLICK HERE to get The ONLY Restaurant Budget You'll Ever Need

#63 - INTERVIEW: Richard Jones, CMO of Cheetah Digital This week, I’m thrilled to be speaking with Richard Jones, CMO of Cheetah Digital. The company describes itself as a cross-channel customer engagement solution provider. They offer everything from acquisition to loyalty and have worked with some of the world’s biggest brands including American Express, Hilton, Walgreens, and Williams-Sonoma. Over the past two months he’s been working tirelessly to help brands navigate this crisis, and on this week's episode we talk all about what restaurant owners can be doing now to SURVIVE... and what they should be planning to THRIVE.  Check out the Cheetah Digital Website Facebook Twitter YouTube

#62 - The Problem with "Better" Why should I eat at your restaurant instead of the one down the street?  Because you’re "better"?  Better in what way? And says who? And when did they decide that? And what criteria did they use to make their decision? Using "better" as an argument to attract customers is a trap that a lot of marketers fall into and I want to show you specific ways to avoid it. This week's episode is the third and final installment of the Positioning Trilogy... three episodes all about how you can successfully position your product in the minds of your customers.

#61 - First, Last, Best, Most, Only On last week's episode we began discussing the idea of Positioning... a key concept that marketers use to introduce consumers to a new idea or product. On today's episode we're going to build on that by exploring these 5 words: First, Last, Best, Most, Only. What do they have in common? They're words used to position a brand at the edges. It's about going to the extremes, and the key to its success is that only one brand can claim a given word. In many ways, it's about exclusivity. There can be only one Harvard, only one Corvette, only one Alinea. It immediately sets a company apart within their particular category. Think of how marketers use these words either explicitly or implicitly in their communications. The iPhone was the FIRST device of its kind, ushering in a new era for devices we came to refer to as smartphones. 2018 was the LAST time you could see Elton John play live, as he traveled the world on his farewell tour. Southwest Airlines is consistently rated BEST in customer service.  Facebook has the MOST users of any social network. HBO is the ONLY place where you can see "Game of Thrones." By identifying which of these positions you can adopt (or which ones you already own), you can identify key ways to attract new audiences.

#60 - The Power of Positioning Humans are remarkably bad at remembering new information. It's why eyewitness testimony is so unreliable. Usually repetition is required to make an impression. In an attempt to shortcut the system, marketers have used a concept called "positioning" to embed themselves into the minds of prospective consumers. And companies use it on you every single day, all day long...  On this week's episode I share a bunch of examples to help hammer home this idea: Coke, Standford, Chevrolet, Apple, Mast Brother's Chocolate, and more.  ** CLICK HERE to download the Marketing Pillars Workbook **

#59 - The Future of Restaurants in Three Phases What does the future of our industry look like? This is something I'm been thinking about a lot uring this crisis, and I'm sure I'm not alone. The way I see it, there are three distinct phases:  Our immediate future -- meaning today, tomorrow, next week -- and the question is how do we continue to get creative during the shutdown? The near future -- meaning the next 6-9 months. How do we reopen our restaurants, welcome patrons back in, and put them at ease? Especially if the government is still imposing strict social distancing guidelines? The after -- meaning the years to come. When the restrictions all get lifted, what are we going to do to make our businesses more successful than ever before? What will we have learned from all of this, and how will that knowledge shape our industry? Join me for a look at what could be...  Also remember, I'm launching two summer workshops and admission is still half price anytime this month!!!  ~ CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ~

#58 - The Four P's of Marketing If you go to school to study Marketing, you’ll likely learn about this in your very first lecture on your very first day. The Four P’s of Marketing are the foundation for just about everything we do… and that’s true for every kind of business out there. Often referred to as the Marketing Mix, it’s a crucial tool to help us understand how best to serve our audience. In reality we’ve talked AROUND this subject before, but have never tackled it HEAD ON. What are the Four P’s?  - Product- Price- Promotion- Place Also remember, I'm launching two summer workshops and admission is still half price anytime this month!!!  ~ CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ~

#57 - How to Find, Hire, and Work With a GREAT Food Photographer On this week's episode we're talking all about ways to up your content game. One key way to do that is by hiring a professional to come in and shoot your food. I've been a food photographer here in NYC for the past 8 years and so I'm using everything I've learned to help you find a great creative to help you promote your restaurant. Topics covered:  #1 - How do you go about finding a good food photographer? #2 - How to negotiate with a food photographer? #3 - How to prepare for the shoot? #4 - Tips for capturing the very best images possible.  Also remember, I'm launching two summer workshops and admission is still half price anytime this month!!!  ~ CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ~

#56 - Pivoting Your Business to Ensure Longterm Success Restaurants all over the country are being forced to do one of two things right now... shut down indefinitely, or pivot to a new model. I believe our ability to stay creative and nimble is going to determine who succeeds in the long term. In that vein I'm sharing 10 ideas from things I've seen myself. Take these ideas and use them... bend them to fit your business. I've included all of them in a cheatsheet. ** DOWNLOAD THE CHEATSHEET HERE ** The episode was inspired by an interview in the New York Times with David Chang. You can read that by CLICKING HERE.  LINKS TO TOPICS DISCUSSED ON THE SHOW: New York Hospitality Coalition: https://www.instagram.com/nyhospcoalition/NY State Senate Legislation Info - 8125A - https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/s8125Olmsted IG - https://www.instagram.com/olmstednyc/Camperdown Elm IG - https://www.camperdownelm.com/online-ordering/south-park-slope/menuDelicious Hospitality Group - https://dhgnyc.comAtrium Dumbo - https://www.atriumdumbo.com/#new-page-3Beast & Bottles - http://www.beastsandbottles.comGreat Performances - https://www.greatperformances.com/blog/category/CovidCookingCraft Reources - https://linktr.ee/craft_newyorkPetra and the Beast - https://www.petraandthebeast.com/news-and-updatesAmass Distillery - https://www.amass.com Forbes Article about "The Pivot" - https://www.forbes.com/sites/alizalicht/2020/03/28/how-entrepreneurs-are-pivoting-their-businesses-during-crisis/#2fec8eef2f76 Also remember, I'm launching two summer workshops and admission is still half price anytime this month!!!  ~ CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ~

#55 - Exactly What We Need... Stories to Inspire If you find yourself overwhelmed by the news these days, then this is the podcast episode for you. For the past few weeks we’ve been inundated with scary numbers and stories about how the world is falling apart… but I’ll remind you that I’m still here and you’re still here and thousands of other listeners are out there as well. And while our industry has been upended, there are hundreds of restaurants out there with stories to tell… stories to inspire you. So that’s what this week’s episode is all about. I’m sharing six of my favorites:  CANLIS (Seattle, Washington) - Link to their NEW WEBSITE & OLD WEBSITE, and an Eater article about the remarkable pivot they've done since this crisis began.  DANNY MEYER AND THE GIFT CARDS AT USHG (New York, NY) - Visit their website MASSIMO BOTTURA (Modena, IT)- His daily Kitchen Quarantine videos on IGTV IRMA'S SOUTHWEST (Houston, TX) - and the story of a $9,400 tip LEA (Brooklyn, NY) - their pop-up Italian Market DELICIOUS HOSPITALITY (New York, NY) - visit the Parcelle website Finally a reminder about our two online workshops launching this summer!  ~ CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ~