ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - November 4, 2005

My head hurts! I am halfway through a four-day Internet marketing program in Dallas and am rapidly approaching mental overload. There are so many possibilities ... many of which hold serious promise for the independent operator. Look for me to share some interesting new sales-building ideas at the Birthday Bash in Las Vegas next week.

LESS IS MORE?
I got some interesting reactions to my suggestion last week regarding seconds. To clarify my position, I offer this exchange with Janis Vazquez of Marisol Restaurant in New Orleans. She wrote:

If a restaurateur follows your advice and offers second helpings, wouldn't the guests feel "cheated' out of their dining dollar if they DIDN'T ask for seconds? Wouldn't they automatically ask for seconds (and then a doggie bag) so they could have two meals for the price of one?

How about those folks who want the smaller portions. Wouldn't they automatically ask for their bill to be cut in half, since they didn't want the other "half" of their meal? It sounds like a fun idea, but who is actually using this and how does it really work?

I replied: To my way of thinking the seconds are a lagniappe -- a gift from the management. Of course there will be some who ask for another helping ... and then a doggie bag ... but that's what comes from dealing with the public. I don't know anyone offhand who is doing this. I also don't know why it wouldn't work.

Or you could go the other direction and have some fun with portion sizes. How about offering "All You Can Eat Shrimp for $386.50?" It would give people something to talk about ... and there is no word-of- mouth without it.

ATTACK OF THE CLONES
I apologize in advance to all my readers who operate chain restaurants, but I was struck by a bout of depression driving to the hotel from the Dallas airport. All along both sides of the freeway it was one chain restaurant after another. I knew what to expect in each of them ... or at least thought I did ... and it filled me with sadness.

Not that they are not good at what they do -- they are -- but what they do can get boring. Perhaps because consistency is a requisite quality of a successful chain, these operations didn't hold out the promise of any surprises for me ... and I like to be (pleasantly) surprised by a restaurant.

To my point: In their quest to gain more chain-like discipline, independent restaurants should not lock themselves down so tightly that they lose the ability to spontaneously break a few rules in the interest of delighting their guests. Have more fun than your corporate competitors, and give your guests great WOW stories to tell their friends.

Likewise, I think many chains could benefit from loosening up the corporate control a bit. I have been pleasantly surprised in a chain restaurant from time to time, but it is usually because the food and service were better than the mediocrity I expected! "They executed consistently" isn't much of a story for guests to tell their friends.

Chains have done a good job of differentiating themselves from one another. Now the challenge may be to differentiate themselves from themselves!

50 TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR TIPS
Many of you are familiar with my little book for servers. The good news is that I have sold over 10,000 copies of this little gem at prices of up to $5.95 The bad news is that I am down to my last box and it is time to reprint.

The only difficulty with being in this situation is one of cash flow. The print run will cost around $3000 and I would prefer not to have to advance that much money right before the holidays.

So I am making a limited time offer: you can purchase advance copies of the new print run -- in bundles of 20 books -- at the special pre-publication price of only $2.50 each or $50 for the bundle. That is even lower than the regular price if you bought a full box of 180 books.

This offer is strictly a creative financing ploy and is limited to a total of only sixty bundles. When they are gone, they are gone. Click here to take me up on the deal.

THE BIRTHDAY BASH
Just over a week now until the Birthday Bash. This year Joel Cohen and I are exchanging quantity for quality, going much deeper with a smaller group of operators. These self-selected people will come away with a working plan in place that will put more cash in their pockets and propel their restaurants to new levels of sales success.

Needless to say, this is quite a different learning model from the typical "50 Ideas in 50 Minutes" sort of program that we usually offer ... which is also why we are so excited about it. The focus and the format is all about making sure you get past the "good idea" stage and actually start implementing ideas that will have a positive impact on your bottom line.

We will deal with fewer topics ... but in much greater depth. We will take all the time necessary to be sure you fully grasp Topic #1 before we move on to Topic #2. You will leave this unique restaurant marketing clinic with a solid start on a few proven sales-building plans that will not only pile more cash on your bottom line ... but help you have enough free time to enjoy it!

We still have a $300 birthday gift waiting for you ... but only if you register by midnight on Monday. Click on the link below to get the whole story on this uncommon event ... but do it now. Click here to get the whole story on the Birthday Bash.

THE NOVEMBER SURVEY
I will be sending a compilation of the comments on the October survey to all who contributed to it. Look for an e-mail early next week. Next week I will have a new survey for you.

THE PERPETUAL QUESTION
What did you learn from your staff today?

Over the years I have been in this industry, what I have learned is that there are never bad kids, just bad parenting. Likewise there are never bad staff, just bad management. When I read some of the "horror" stories in your newsletter, I can only conclude that the management (or the lack of) of these establishments created the environment for poor service.

How can they be oblivious to shortfalls when they have a greater investment in the business (ostensibly) and their customer pays them a return on that investment? -- Naved Noorani, Vancouver, BC

When you master the art of listening -- really listening -- you will find that it will quiet your mind and suddenly you become aware of exciting new possibilities. The problems Naved points to are symptomatic of management that does not listen, but only hears what they already believe to be true. You can entertain possibilities without having to agree, disagree or have an opinion one way or the other.

Learning to listen to your staff -- and being intensely interested in what you hear -- will deepen the respect you have for each other. That will show up in the form of increased productivity, lower turnover, a more positive working climate and fewer on-the-job "emergencies."

Never doubt that the most critical management skill you can develop is your ability to truly listen.

I will continue to collect your answers to this important question ... and you can add comments as often as you want. Just click on the link below and contribute your insights for the common good (and your own as well!)

What did YOU learn from YOUR staff today?

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