By Jenny Brooks

Another topic I’m seeing a lot of these days: Customer Loyalty Programs. Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters is actually covering this topic with an expert on customer loyalty programs for his member mastermind call in November. And it’s been in the news a few times, specifically an announcement from Starbucks.

Starbucks announced changes to its customer loyalty program that ake it much more customer friendly. With its new program, customers actually have a chance to earn rewards and don’t have to pay to get them. And the new program at Starbucks does what every restaurant’s loyalty program should do: provide an incentive to continue to frequent your establishment and then reward them for doing it. Now that $5 latte doesn’t seem so expensive when I know I’m going to get a free one sometime down the road and rewards for other Starbucks brand purchases in stores.

What other things, you ask? Things that don’t really cost Starbucks much to give away to loyal members:

1. Up to two hours of free wi-fi per day

2. Free shots of syrup or soy upgrades

3. A free drink with a purchase of coffee beans for home

4. Free coffee refills

These are great added-value perks with little cost to Starbucks. And it encourages that sense of loyalty, obligation and community.

This is just one example of a loyalty program and one I think that will work much better for Starbucks. I think their former loyalty program was a bit elitist, but they figured out they can’t just go after the elite. We all have $5 in our pocket and if we’re going to drop it on a latte, we like to know we’re earning out way toward some kind of reward for choosing that location. This is true in any establishment – including independent restaurants.

My recommendation? Just don’t make the reward so hard to attain that your customers decide it’s not even worth trying for.

How’s your customer loyalty program? If the answer is, “not so good,” then let us know. A coach from TheRestaurantExpert.com is more than happy to point you in the right direction.

Jenny Brooks is a public relations professional providing expert and strategic methods for businesses trying to increase awareness about themselves and their products. She is also the editor of SMART Systems Insider, a monthly newsletter from Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters. Questions about PR and how she can help your restaurant? Email her or visit her Web site at www.jennybrookspr.com.

By Jenny Brooks

This article about diners’ pet peeves when it comes to servers in a restaurant was in The Dallas Morning News. It’s 10 examples of what diners in the Dallas area hate in a restaurant server.

Do your servers make any of these mistakes? Watch today’s lunch or dinner segements and see how your custoemrs are reacting to each of your servers. Are their tips in a good range?

It’s the experience coupled with good food that makes a good restaurant. Make sure you’re offering the right guest experience and not driving customers away.

Jenny Brooks is a public relations professional providing expert and strategic methods for businesses trying to increase awareness about themselves and their products. She is also the editor of SMART Systems Insider, a monthly newsletter from Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters. Questions about PR and how she can help your restaurant? Email her or visit her Web site at www.jennybrookspr.com.

By Jenny Brooks

I came across this article in Restaurant Hospitality, and I think it’s a good one for indpendent restaurant owners.

It speaks to Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters’ position that discounting devalues your product and attracts the coupon clippers to your restaurant. Once you’re not offering the coupons anymore, the coupon clippers find another restaurant offering discounts. There’s no loyalty among the coupon clippers. But if you offer quality food, the right portions with the right service, at a reasonable price, your customers will be loyal to you.

According to David, discounting is expensive and should be done sparingly and only then to the right target audience. For example, what about a discount offer in a new mover mailer? “New the neighborhood? Try dinner on us.” Or dessert on us, or something. An offer like that gives your potential new customer a reason to drop in without giving them a reason to expect these kinds of discounts again.

After I read this article I also read this one in Business Week, which really sends the message home about devaluing your product. All discounting isn’t bad, but when it’s abused, it’s detrimental.

Jenny Brooks is a public relations professional providing expert and strategic methods for businesses trying to increase awareness about themselves and their products. She is also the editor of SMART Systems Insider, a monthly newsletter from Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters. Questions about PR and how she can help your restaurant? Email her or visit her Web site at www.jennybrookspr.com.

By Jenny Brooks

Read this article for some fall promotional inspiration from the Big Chains.

In offering this recommended reading, I’m not suggesting you should copy the promotional ideas, especially if it’s not right for your establishment. For example, a fine dining establishment probably isn’t going to an outstanding increase in sales if it ties into football!

Rather, I’m suggesting you read this article as inspiration. I don’t know about you, but when I think IHOP, I don’t think football. Yet, the company has signed up as the NFL’s official “full-service restaurant partner.” Their marketing team looked at a not-so-obvious opportunity and decided the demographics lined up correctly, the message could be made clear and the tie-in could work. They saw an opporutnity to expand their reach and increase their sales with this promotion.

In addition, the NFL looked at ways they can extend their brand, the excitement for the game and the teams. They’re looking for ways to increase their customer participation and sales as well.

Do you have your targeted demographics outlined? If not, start there. Who do you appeal to? Who do you want to draw to your restaurant? What would your ideal customer do for a living? Where would they live and how much do they make? What are these people interested in? What will bring them into your restaurant?

Involve your team in a brainstorm session, looking for all the different subjects, themes and media where you could create a special promotion that appeals to your targeted demographics. Look to the chains as inspiration, but look in your own backyard and what you know about your neighborhood.

Don’t forget to tell people about it, whether it’s on Twitter, your facebook page, in a news release or with simple fliers in your restaurant.

Jenny Brooks is a public relations professional providing expert and strategic methods for businesses trying to increase awareness about themselves and their products. She is also the editor of SMART Systems Insider, a monthly newsletter from Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters. Questions about PR and how she can help your restaurant? Email her or visit her Web site at www.jennybrookspr.com.

By Jenny Brooks

Have you read anything about Papa John’s lately? How about Papa John’s Camaro? If you answered no, I don’t believe you!

Papa John’s summer PR campaign and tour of the US was really well executed and is one of the best I’ve seen in a long time.   

This story today inspired this post. I was hoping he’d find his old Camaro!

Papa John’s hasn’t reported on whether its campaign directly impacted the company’s value or sales, but it sure is getting them attention at a time when no other major pizza chain is getting any (or recovering from negative attention). And I’m willing to bet they’ll see a return on the investment of Papa John’s time and the agency’s time that executed it all.

So what can you take away from a national campaign executed by a 3,400 chain carry-out pizzeria?

1. Every chain has to start somewhere. Papa John’s started with one guy selling his Camaro to build his empire. What did you give up to start your restaurant? Do you remember that sacrifice every day? Was it worth it? If you could do it again, would you? Maybe you have to sacrifice more to get further. You may not be driven to build an empire, but to run a successful business that is profitable, you have to be smart and use your sacrifices appropriately. What can you invest in now to build long-term success?

2. Tell your story. Before this “Papa’s in the House” campaign, I knew very little about the founder of the company. I knew I loved those breadsticks, but I didn’t know how they came to be. I read that Papa John was often mistaken for an actor, not the real entrepreneur behind the company. People didn’t believe he was the real founder. Now he’s telling his story and connecting with his customers. Do your customers know your story? Do they believe in what you’re doing and how they support it? Tell them. Put it on the menu, on the walls, at the register, mail it to them. You’ll find your customers and your employees will be more loyal and more supportive when they know the person behind the business.

3. Make your effort consistent with your brand and your campaign. This PR campaign done by Papa John’s was consistent with the founder’s story and his personality. They saw a problem with their brand – lack of recognition of the founder and his story. They came up with a campaign to educate and inspire the public, and it alligned nicely with the man behind the brand, who is the brand. He delivered pizzas. He worked in the stores. He connected with customers, media and his employees. He was there and he was committed. Define what you’re going to do and then do it.

4. Think ingeniously when it comes to milestones. Connecting the Papa John’s milestone anniversary back to the Camaro he sold to make it all possible is truly ingenious. Instead of just giving 25% off pizza orders on the 25th anniversary, the company invested in a thoughtful and fun public relations campaign. Papa John toured the country in a replica Camaro. It’s exciting, fun, relevant to his story and unique. What can you build a PR campaign around? What will make your PR campaign stand out? What’s unique about your story? What could people learn about you and your business that would inspire them to be loyal to you?

I point to the chains often because they develop great campaigns and promotions. But you know what? They pay big public relations agencies some big money to come up with these campaigns. The average independent restaurant owner doesn’t have a budget to hire for ingenuity. Instead, look for things that inspire you and think how you can incorporate it into your business. Then hire someone to connect the dots and pull it off.

Jenny Brooks is a public relations professional providing expert and strategic tactics for businesses trying to increase awareness about themselves and their products. She is also the editor of SMART Systems Insider, a monthly newsletter from Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters. Questions about PR and how she can help your restaurant? Email her.