Advertising in restaurant menus

[Abigail]

I just received a call from a man who does the menus for restaurants. What he's offering is a 2x1 3/4, full color ad in the take out menus for this particular. He says there are 4-6 ads total. This will be for all menus produced for a year. He states the restaurant caters to more than 3K a week and I looked online and they offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He also does pizza joints. He is charging $300 for this.

I'm new. Is this a good deal? It sound like it to me, but>>>>>

I got zero response from 40+ flyers I put on mailboxes almost 2 weeks ago - perhaps they will call eventually...... I've already contacted Real Estate offices, NADA. Apartment/condo complexes,NADA. I've spoken to and left business cards at Vet offices to cater to the pet crowd. I've put ads on instore billboads. Nothing

Any suggestions/experience is appreciated.

Thanks all

 

[Mikey P]

If drunk college kids are your desired demographic you MAY get a few calls

 

[Desk Jockey]

Save your money for something with a potential return. Not many will pick their carpet cleaner from a restaurant menu.

 

[Abigail]

OK, by the way, this is a family restaurant

What advertising should I be doing then? There is a small local paper (more like a news and advertising flyer, called the Bee; similar to the nickel or pennysaver, but only a few personal classified ads), but they are about $50 for a weeks worth of advertising in 2 geogrphical areas (the Buffalo area is not large but they have it divided into 9 areas).
There are a lot of carpet cleaners. I thought direct would be better, but I'm rethinking that

 

[Desk Jockey]

While thats better, it really won't affect the odds of getting work. You'd be better with an every door direct offer. At least then your odds would be a little better.

 

[Shane Deubell]

The second you start a service business all these nichee advertising businesses call you everyday.Menus, internet this or that, yellow pages, business card displays, grocery receipts. Most of the time if they call you run away.

Buffalo is a tough market, lots and lots of moonlighters, hasbeens and part-timers. Blue Collar town and very few good paying jobs anymore.

Sorry Stacy, i was out of action for a little while there. I will pm you and we can meet.

 

[TomKing]

First run from advertising that is like that.

Calendars, school items, grocery carts and menus all a bad idea.

Carpet cleaning is often a impulse buy and these locations are not where a client is going to either put it in their pocket or bag or pick up the phone right away to call.

How often do put out flyers, see realtors or other referral sources?

These are not one and done calls. You must set up a route and see them on a regular frequency.

Don't give up. It takes 1000's of flyers if you are just shot gunning. Pick some better areas and flyer them once per month. Over time you will see it pick up.

If you need work right away. Go to commercial fastest way to control your growth.

 

[steve_64]

first get a bunch of fridgerator magnets and leave one in every job you do.

second, take out an ad in a local paper. not a free paper but the local newspaper that people have to actually buy. those get read.
get as big of ad as you can afford and talk about yourself, your family, and why you started your business.
start branding with that also. put your business card or whatever logo you want to stick with or what your magnets will look like.

the newspaper folks will help you but they are often misguided on what may work for you.
dont put in a price but mention you are competitive and affordable and if they mention the ad they will get a discount.
give a deadline, maybe up to a month after that paper hits the doorstep.

stay away from placemats and coffee mugs, local maps. they do not entice calls and forgot as soon as they leave. when was the last time you called a tow company or mechanic from those.

third, keep cards with you and everywhere you go look down when you walk in. ask who takes care of the carpets and hand them a card.

fourth, join the local chamber of commerce. maybe a BNI or other referal groups. you will rub shoulders with other business people in the area and you can learn a lot from them.
always ask questions, dont be shy. people like helping others out.

fifth, if you dont already, start going to church. again keep cards on you and tell people who you are.


it takes time to build so maybe have a second income until things pick up.

 

[hogjowl]

Very little advertising actually give direct response. If you find an avenue that does, grow a pony tail and market it to cleaners.

The advertising you are thinking about DOES work, but it's results are realized over the long haul. It can take years to see results, and only then if you are consistent, multi focal, and still in business by the time your market has reached the appropriate level of exposure.

 

[Becker]

I can not ay I'm your demo..

But I never take notice to ads at golf courses, shopping carts.menus, phonebook covers, school sports calenders ( but give in per client request ) many of these ad spaces are sold with that fact your demo requests these locals. Problem is, are they in the state of mind of buying?

Hell NO!

IMO.. A complete waste of money.. And I have been approached with just about ever angle to capture a restaurant customers attention.

 

[jcooper]

Concentrate your time and money on the internet.

It's the most bang for your buck.

 

[mirf]

Put 20 business cards in your pocket every morning.
As you go thru the the thank those you came in contact with
who gave you good service. Tell them you like to treat people with great customer service too.
Write $20.00 off on back of card or what you want and give it to them. Maybe one for a friend too.
If you get only 1 for every cashiers out of ten in a week you can do well.
OH yea hand one to the nice lady who was behind you for tying up the line for your 30 second sales call.
We come into contact with a lot of people in a day that could use our services if WE only started a conversation.
At the end of the day is your pocket empty?

 

[Shane Deubell]

The good news is stacy lives in a great market, smack in the middle of 50k upper income households. Many of the neighborhoods are dense subdivisions also, so she can go door to door. She is super nice and authentic {almost too nice }, over the long term this will work out very well.

Bad news... starting up in buffalo when winter is kicking in will be rough.

If anyone has any upholstery cleaning information pass it on, she already has been to cct class but needs to learn basic furniture cleaning.

 

[TomKing]

I believe you can download Bill Yeadons upholstery manual from the Jon Don site for free.

 

[bob vawter]

and for Gawds sake..
stay away from the
menu flim flam man......

NOW LISTEN.......
you NEED a vactat...
right square dead on yor arm
right where ever body can SEE it...
i guaranty you will get two ..three...or more jobs a week from it....REALLY!

call me crazy

 

[steve_64]

and for Gawds sake..
stay away from the
menu flim flam man......

NOW LISTEN.......
you NEED a vactat...
right square dead on yor arm
right where ever body can SEE it...
i guaranty you will get two ..three...or more jobs a week from it....REALLY!

call me crazy

youre crazy...

 

[Shawn Abbey]

fourth, join the local chamber of commerce. maybe a BNI or other referal groups. you will rub shoulders with other business people in the area and you can learn a lot from them.
always ask questions, dont be shy. people like helping others out.
/QUOTE]

I totally agree with this one! This will be your best investment of time, and money! Don't go there to get sales.. Attend to make friends....

Start there!

 

[Russ T.]

Mandatory ingredients for success:
Truckmount (sharp looking, pro looking logo)
Website
$ to push your online presence via SEO and Adwords for initial boost)
Integrity
Personality
Perseverance
Some $ to keep you fed and bills paid while in the early stages.




The Clean Machine

 

[Abigail]

UPDATE; I can't believe this. The guy never sent me any contract and I never received any type of proof. He made up the menus and called me for payment!
He says this is how he has run his business for 30 years. He speaks with potential clients on the phone and when the job is done he collects payment.
I can't even conceive of doing this. Has anyone heard if this?

I did tell him it sounded like a good idea, but I understood him to say he would be sending me something to review. I started this thread to ask your opinions on it.

 

[Desk Jockey]

If you didn't agree to it, don't pay it. Can you call the Better Business Bureau on him or are businesses able to do that?

 

[Abigail]

I didn't agree to go forward. I did say it sounded good. I also recall saying something about reviewing what he sends, or looking it over. Something like that. He said he expects payment, but also stated there may have been a miscommunication.

I am an honest person, but I didn't agree to this and I've no money to give him. Not even from a personal account; I'm trying to figure out how to pay a $627 propane bill by the 22nd, and still do Christmas!

I have got to believe I will get a few jobs from this menu and assuming that, the first $300 is his, but I can't see how I can pay it in the near future.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Screw that stacy, no contract/no payment.
He cannot legally force you to pay and chances are he doesn't even have them printed up yet. This is old school selling...

Do NOT let this guy bully you into this.

Matter of fact do not even meet him.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Fast talking high pressure smooth operators look to blame you and hold you responsible. Have they truly been printed? He could just be doing this to agree to get you to pay. Either way I'd pay the gas bill before I'd make a payment to him. Then I'd negotiate at least 50% discount because he has as much to blame (purposeful!). Probably more! IF you really feel some responsibility the most I'd do is make payments.

 

[Shane Deubell]

If i were stacy, wouldn't even meet him.
IMO, he knew you were a rookie and is following the playbook.

and yes you can ask me how i know this....
Already been through this many o times.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

We've all been there Stacy. BAD form of advertising, as are most of the ones who call you.

To add to the ineffective waste of money, the sleezy tactics of ad salespersons have caused a lot of grief for young businesses.