How Would You Market This Lemon... and Win?

[Forza]

I have a fast food shop on a main road corner site. The problem is, it's not actually visible until you are almost right in front of it and if you're driving you generally won't notice it because it seems to be positioned for low visibility!

And the parking is not good either although there is a decent amount of parking. People just have to walk to a bit, and maybe cross the road (I didn't choose it).

We have usual shaped shop signs because my partners were too tight with the money, but now they realise their mistake.

We want to build several of these shops, but first we need to make this one busy. What are some ways to market this shop inspite of its low visibility and bad parking, that isn't really expensive long term?

Thanks!

 

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[Runum]

Web page and SEO? Have you promoted to local colleges? Provide some wifi and market to the kids. What kind of food?

 

[andviv]

if you can post pics of the place maybe people here can give you more tips.

 

[PurEnergy]

Does it have easy access? What's the speed limit on the road where you enter?

For some reason over the years I've paid attention to this matter. It seems like if you have easy access to entry and exit of the parking lot you're good. If not, fix it. By easy I mean wide enough and paved in a manner that allows you to enter or leave without going over a bump or through a ditch.

I've also seen fast food places that are just off the beaten path. You need big lighted signs up in the air and a lower one the point of entry. Copy the big guys. They've already figured it out for you.

My two cents worth from stopping at fast food places for the last 40+ years and living in a state where we still have unpaved roads.

 

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[Kung Fu Steve]

Like andviv says, if we had pictures we could give you some better tips.

I know in my area the city will allow me to put up a black sign on the road for 30 days. It paid off big time for me. Use it at the right time and you may get great results also.

Maybe I can just put out the reminder that attracting new customers is not always the goal. KEEPING customers is. If you have a revolving door, yes, you always need to spend money on advertising to drive new traffic. BUT if you have a lot of repeat business or what I call retention, then you will be a lot more profitable. Here are some of the retention tips I use personally, and maybe some that gear more towards your business.

#1. Cleanliness. - Starbucks does a great job of this, they have a strict every 20 minute cleaning schedule.

#2. Being Friendly - Having outgoing staff that joke and have fun and are always smiling makes me want to come back. If not for anything else, the entertainment.

#3. Hire good representations of you and your product - That 300 pound dude behind the counter doesn't make me want another cheeseburger, but that cute blonde could get me to buy extra food any day of the week.

#4. ALWAYS get the order right. - I have so many fast food shops around me that I couldn't care less who gets my business. Hell there are 2 Wendy's within a 5 mile drive on my way home at night. I won't go to the one closest to me on my way back because they tell me that the cheeseburger I want doesn't come with ketchup. Well dude... I said I want only ketchup... if you can't be smart enough to do that... forget it... instead of arguing I'll just go to the other one from now on.

(4.5 - I hate having to check my order and bag. The constant "you really don't care so I better check this to see if you one, got my order right, two, gave me what I needed, and three didn't spit in my food!)

#5. Thoughtfulness - I see businesses these days skimp on napkins and straws and condiments but you know what, nothing pisses me off more than not having a straw or a napkin... If you go the extra mile you won't always have to attract new customers, you will get many repeat customers.

I have to face the same situations all the time. Even though we are in two different industries retention is KEY to my survival. And I'm sure it's the icing on the cake for your profitable fast food business.

 

[mtnman]

Promos

A helium sign (inflatable "shape" that captivates with a slogan, very large 6' to 8') attached to a cable. It's not a permanent sign, and can often be "reeled" in and out, if you know what I mean. High impact colors, eye catching movement.

 

[CVentures1B12]

All of these are great ideas! One thing, in particular, stood out to me when reading about how you should market this thing and, I believe, that to be successful, you should take it viral. Create a buzz about the place, even if that takes paying students of a local school a small fee to recommend it to friends (is that legal??). If that is not legal, then obviously don't do that; however, I hope that is getting the point of what I mean to say.

Obviously flyers, signs, and a general attention attracting sign, etc. would be great. But I think if you really create a great atmosphere, chill place where people feel like family and welcome, once it goes viral, there is no stopping it! Not sure about the specific ways to do this, hopefully some others can comment.

Best,
Josh

 

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[fanocks2003]

I have a fast food shop on a main road corner site. The problem is, it's not actually visible until you are almost right in front of it and if you're driving you generally won't notice it because it seems to be positioned for low visibility!

And the parking is not good either although there is a decent amount of parking. People just have to walk to a bit, and maybe cross the road (I didn't choose it).

We have usual shaped shop signs because my partners were too tight with the money, but now they realise their mistake.

We want to build several of these shops, but first we need to make this one busy. What are some ways to market this shop inspite of its low visibility and bad parking, that isn't really expensive long term?

Thanks!

Hire some students to promote and guide people to you. Create some uniforms for your biz. So people know that: "This is XXX shop", when they see your uniforms.

Maybe create a contest. Let the students walk around ask people if they want to win some kind of free food supply from your store for 6 months. Of course they want that (who would say no?), then tell them they can only take part of the contest if they visit your shop at XXX road (or Ave or whatever is the case). People will come to the shop and maybe even buy something.

Cost: hiring some local students with nice appearance. A uniform for the students (and for the people standing in the shop). 6 months food supply to the winner.

I guess you could play around a lot with contests. When you have customers coming to you, then sign up their email adress for future promotional news from you. Build a website to represent you and for signing up more people to your newsletter etc.

Many things you can do, really.

Another contest you can do after the first one is: Who can get the most signed up people/members to your newsletter? Give one kind of price to the best recruiter and something free or price reduced to the people signing up (just to give an incentive to people for contributing there time).

Create a service to do home delivery.

Man, I can go on and on. There are so many angles you can take advantage of here.

 

[jaytrader43]

If the customer doesn't come to you, you have to go to them. Is there a college/high school nearby (<10 minute drive)? If so, get permission to give free samples of your products at the place, and hire students to hand out flyers to their friends.

 

[I85]

Have you done a radio promotion? Maybe you could give away entries to a giveaway with each sandwich purchased. Maybe the radio station could give away tickets to a sold out concert/sporting event etc. and you could give away gift certificates and maybe find a few sponsors to get prizes from.

Is the food and service excellent? If so that should get you plenty of people coming back as well as plenty of people spreading the word on how great the place is.

A proper sign is important, new customers can't buy from you if they can't find you. However, a big huge sign alone isn't going to convince me to stop in, especially if it's just another regular fast food place.

I think more info is needed. It is hard to say how to market a food place without knowing what is special about it.

Why should the customers go there instead of the next place? A big sign does nothing without the answer to that.

 

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[Runum]

Have you done a radio promotion? Maybe you could give away entries to a giveaway with each sandwich purchased. Maybe the radio station could give away tickets to a sold out concert/sporting event etc. and you could give away gift certificates and maybe find a few sponsors to get prizes from.

Is the food and service excellent? If so that should get you plenty of people coming back as well as plenty of people spreading the word on how great the place is.

A proper sign is important, new customers can't buy from you if they can't find you. However, a big huge sign alone isn't going to convince me to stop in, especially if it's just another regular fast food place.

I think more info is needed. It is hard to say how to market a food place without knowing what is special about it.

Why should the customers go there instead of the next place? A big sign does nothing without the answer to that.

Oooo that's good. How about a joint radio promotion along with a Toys for Tot's promotion? Tis the season.

 

[rcardin]

Really depends on the product you are offering and where.

You can offer the best food, or the cheapest food, or you can Market towards families in the middle ground.

One of our favorite restaurants is a Mexican food place. We are lucky if we get a waitress that speaks English. Even if she doesn't get it right the food is still good. The place is always packed based on the price. WE go there for the more expensive items because we know we can't get it anywhere else for the price.

 

[rocksolid]

Even though parking is not a big issue how about making a drive thru to make it easy for people to get their meal and go? What type of food do you serve? Who do you compete with and what makes yours the best?

 

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[hakrjak]

I have the answer for you, and it's as easy as adding 1 $4 an hour worker or whatever minimum wage is in your state to your staff....

Dress them up in a ridiculous suit and have them hop around on the street nearby with a sign aimed at your location. It works and lots of businesses are now profiting from this one. I didn't believe it worked until a Little Caesers did this right up the street from me and I watched how effective it was. Wild Wings does this also, along with lots of others -- Even Jiffy Lube is now doing the dancing sign waving guy thing out in front of their places when things get slow!

Cheers, :fastlane:

- Hakrjak

 

[biophase]

Is the food good? My opinion is that if you make your food the best you don't have to market it at all.

I have a friend who has a hole in the wall fast food shack in . It's consistently voted in the top 3 burgers in Chicago every year. There is usually a 20 minute wait to get to the counter and people wait outside in the cold in line. He has seating for 10 people only so most people eat in their cars. He says he has way too much business, he's open from 10-5 M-S and it's non stop customers. He gets mentioned by radio disc jockeys because they love the burgers. He was on the Food Network last year in Diners, Dives and Drive Ins.

His shack is along a busy road but a little difficult to get to, there's not much parking, people park blocks away.

I guess my point is... if the food is good, you will have no problem finding customers. If the food is bad, the biggest sign in the world will only get a person there once.

 

[Inphinity]

I think this has been hinted at without being said directly - but I know for myself & most of my friends / family, you want to identify what type of place it is easily and quickly BEFORE you have to go inside. People have talked about having great service, good food quality etc - which are both a MUST don't get me wrong, but IMO those are about repeat business. You seem to be asking about getting people in in the first place.

The sign, as mentioned, AND the store itself, needs to be clearly visible (ok, harder with store location, but the sign you can position within reason), clean, tidy, and the styling should indicate the style of takeaway/restaurant place you are running.

If people's first impression of your fast food place is dirty, or junky, don't expect too many casual passers-by to want to come in. It needs to be clean, friendly and inviting. This can come down to what colours you use, lighting, etc.

What sort of fast food place is it? What is your target audience? Are you just a run of the mill burger place selling slop for $2 or are you more "upmarket" than that? As asked, any chance of some photos and more detail?

 

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[williell]

Try marketing on Facebook, Myspace, and Hi5. Offer discounts if people order and say something like a facebook password, a few pubs did something like this and they got so packed they had to turn people away for weeks. Offer discounts to college students.

 

[TaxGuy]

Is the food good? My opinion is that if you make your food the best you don't have to market it at all.

I have a friend who has a hole in the wall fast food shack in . It's consistently voted in the top 3 burgers in Chicago every year. There is usually a 20 minute wait to get to the counter and people wait outside in the cold in line. He has seating for 10 people only so most people eat in their cars. He says he has way too much business, he's open from 10-5 M-S and it's non stop customers. He gets mentioned by radio disc jockeys because they love the burgers. He was on the Food Network last year in Diners, Dives and Drive Ins.

His shack is along a busy road but a little difficult to get to, there's not much parking, people park blocks away.

I guess my point is... if the food is good, you will have no problem finding customers. If the food is bad, the biggest sign in the world will only get a person there once.

Can't believe I missed this, what's the restaurant? where's it located? I gotta check it out :coolgleamA:

And oh yea that sounds like the McDonald brothers when they first started, great product and viable business, but not the giant that Ray Kroc ultimately turned it into :smxB:

 

[Manofprinciple]

Check with the code enforcers in your area but bandit signs, flyers and the radio station do a live on-site promotion.

 

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