ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - January 26, 2007

When I sit down to write the EHC each week, I never really know quite what is going to come out. The Super Bowl note is to be expected, I suppose, but what surprised me was that I ended up passing along two video clips, something I haven't done before.

I liked these two videos because they dealt with important topics and contained ideas that were news to me ... and I always like things that fit into the "I never thought of it like that before" category. I hope you agree.

SUPER SUGGESTIONS
The next week-and-a-half, at least in the US, will be all Super Bowl all the time ... the perfect opportunity for what my Aussie colleague, marketing guru Max Hitchins, calls "slipstream marketing."

The term refers to the practice of connecting a promotion of yours with an event that someone else is paying big bucks to promote. The idea is that every time potential guests hear about the event, they will be reminded of your promotion. At the least, it gives you more top-of-mind awareness.

Do you recall that I suggested that you promote a Week of Love rather than just Valentine's Day itself? This is a similar situation. A promotion that only seeks to build business on Super Bowl Sunday has limited revenue potential, particularly since watching the game is often a home-based event.

In fact, marketer Joel Cohen, my co-facilitator for the Birthday Bash (and also our new Mastermind Coaching Group), suggests that you don't get ga-ga'ed over Super Bowl Sunday.

He says, "Unless you are a sports bar, don't spend money promoting the day. I've never seen it work! However, if you are still tempted to get into the spirit for Super Bowl Week, then change the name of two of your liquor drinks (or sandwiches, ice cream flavors, etc.) to that of the two teams playing in the Super Bowl and have some fun with this."

Taking this route, even operations who don't plan anything special for the game itself can ride the slipstream and make the Super Bowl hype support at least a week-long special promotion. The clock is ticking. Get busy!

AVOID AN IDENTITY CRISIS
It takes as little as four seconds for someone to steal your valuables. They're not only interested in your money and credit cards, they want your cell phones, laptop computers ... and your identity. They especially target individuals who drive SUVs and minivans because of the cover they provide.

We are busy folks, running our businesses, and with personal responsibilities, it's easy to get distracted. The Broward County (FL) Sheriff's Department put together a short eye-opening video that shows how easy it is for someone to rip you off ... and offers practical tips to help protect your valuables. Take a minute to find out how to protect yourself ... and share it with your family, friends and patrons. Watch the video.

GESUNDHEIT!
'Tis the season for colds, flu and other winter woes. These are worrisome enough just from the aspect of staff time lost to illness, but it becomes particularly dicey when you figure in possibilities for foodborne contamination.

Since these bugs are spread primarily by people via coughing or sneezing, it makes sense to learn how to cough and sneeze with minimal risk of passing germs along to others. (How appetizing is it to watch a cook sneeze into their hand and continue preparing food?)

This short video will show you (and your staff) what you need to know to make it through the season in a socially correct -- and medically safe -- way. Watch the video.

SUPER SUMMIT DEFERRED
Based on the signups we have received (or not received) to date, the economic case to hold the Super Summit in late February is just not there. As a result, Phyllis Ann and I have decided to put it off for a few months. Our hope is that with a little more time, we can put together a large enough group of savvy operators with mature concepts to create the experience we have in mind.

So the Super Summit isn't exactly cancelled but it is also not yet rescheduled. The only word I can think of that fits is deferred.

At the moment, Phyllis Ann and I are considering our options and will let you know when we have a Plan B (... or is it a Plan C?) We are still excited about the idea, though, and will continue to pursue it until we either make it work or totally give up in frustration.

If you are still interested in a 100,000-Mile Tune Up, we'd like to know what time of year would work best for you. Summer in Charleston is hot, humid and crowded (definitely not my idea of a good time) so our initial thought is to find dates in late September or early October ... but I am open to anything that works. Let me know what you think.

We are disappointed that we will have to wait even longer to share this experience with you ... but sometimes it works out that way. Find out more about the Super Summit.

LAST CHANCE
Everybody is always looking for the next great idea to jump-start their sales, particularly during the first few months of the year. This month I would like to find out about the most unusual -- and unusually effective -- restaurant promotion you have run across.

It may be something that you came up with or something you saw in your travels, but it would be a promotion that made you stop and think, "Wow, I never thought about an idea like that."

We will shift into the February survey with the next newsletter so this is your last week to contribute to this important topic. As usual I will send a compilation of the responses to all who participate. I look forward to your comments and ideas. (Your radar IS always looking for these sorts of gems, isn't it?)

In the meantime, you can download copies of all past EHC surveys -- including the massive WOW Ideas collection.

Add your thoughts to the January survey.

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

I learned that my recent price increase for coffee was not being well received in spite of the need to raise prices to cover minimum wage increase. -- Anonymous

The good news is that by listening, this operator is at least aware that there is a problem. Awareness is always the first step ... which sounds easy until you realize that the human tendency is for people to only see (and hear) things that agree with their idea of "how it is" ... or "how it's supposed to be."

The willingness to put ego aside and operate from the cold, hard facts takes some personal courage but it is the only way to run an efficient business.

The comment I received didn't specify who was not taking the price increase well. The first assumption is that it was the guests, but it could as easily have been the staff. So the bad news in this little vignette is that apparently the manager did not effectively pre-sell the reasoning behind the price increase before putting it into effect. But there are more lessons to be learned here.

Do you sense a slightly arrogant tone in the note? It sounds to me that just because the manager decided that the way to cover wage increases was to raise the price of coffee, it was therefore the only correct decision. To me, the note suggests that those who don't accept the price increase are somehow wrong ... but again I don't have the whole story.

The only truth in this situation is that if payroll cost increases, there is a need to cover the additional expense. There are perhaps a dozen different ways to do that. Selectively increasing prices is one right answer, but so is increasing sales, creating a more efficient schedule and reducing costs in other areas of the operation.

In life, there are many right answers to any given question. If the manager sat down with the staff to explore all the options and arrive at a consensus, the staff would be firmly behind the decision and could effectively sell it to the guests if necessary.

It may take a bit longer to do it this way, but how much time is likely to be spent straightening out the problem alluded to in the original note?

Never doubt that the most critical -- and perhaps profitable -- 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?

© 2007 Restaurant Doctor