3 Big Marketing Mistakes--and How to Fix Them

This week, The Pizza Insider turns to Linda Duke, owner of Duke Marketing, PMQ’s resident marketing maven, and author of Recipes for Restaurateurs, for advice on potential marketing mistakes and how you can easily bring new customers—and increased sales—through the door by giving away something you make every day.

1.     What are three marketing mistakes currently being made by most pizzeria operators? 

a.    Not getting out of their stores to generate sales.

b.    Not being actively involved with their business on a day-to-day basis.

c.    Not spending any money or food cost to promote their brand.

2.     What are three proven ways to bring more customers through the door?

a.     Get out into the community with pizza and menus to drop them off at large businesses and generate large sales.

b.    Get more involved in your restaurant and motivate your crew to be more involved and provide great service.

c.     Always be marketing---take pizza to area businesses, post photos and engage guests on Facebook, and get creative with original promotions.

3. What percentage of profit should be put back into marketing each month, and where is the most valuable place to spend it?  

Operators should plan to spend at least 2% of their gross sales on marketing. Many will find that they spend less than 1%, and that is a mistake with so much competition today. The most valuable place to spend marketing money is with food—taking pizzas to generate news at TV and radio stations, generating catering sales and large to-go orders all by dropping off pizza! Get your food into people’s mouths!

4. Can you give an example of a great marketing promotion that brought in a lot of business?

Giving the First 100 Guests Free Pizza for a Year at a grand opening and again on their anniversary. Guests love to eat for free, and the promotion should be advertised on radio, newspaper and Facebook-social channels. The first 100 guests share their prize and spread the word.