Owning and managing a business is not just about profit margins, inventory, and employees. It’s about constantly thinking of ways to promote your Tampa restaurants and attract customers to it. It’s about improving every single day, whether it’s upgrading the menu or offering freebies to loyal customers. You cannot get stuck in one marketing strategy if you own a business. It needs to evolve constantly and find ways that would bring it to success.
Conduct a market research and survey
What a lot of business owners don’t know is that scrimping or not believing on the validity of market research is disadvantageous to the business. You will know a lot by studying the results of a market research or a survey. You will get a feel of what your market wants and what they expect from you in terms of products, services, promotions, gimmicks, etc. Whatever the results are of the market research will bring you closer towards crafting a sound marketing strategy that would benefit your customers and the business.
Ask ideas from your employees
You hired your employees for a reason. Surely, it isn’t just because they have vast experience in waitressing? More than serving food, your wait staff had a lot of experience dealing with customers—both the good and the bad—and managing the expectations from their service and the products they bring to the table.
They know a lot. They heard a lot of comments and suggestions from customers. Sometimes, they will tell you these but most of the times, it just gets lost in the exhaustion of everyday work. Take time to meet with them and ask them what they have been hearing around the restaurant. What kind of complaints have they been hearing from the customers?
Be open to suggestions from customers
Place a suggestion or comment box in the reservation’s area. Allow your customers to speak directly to you by answering a short questionnaire about their experience with the food that you serve and the wait staff that you hired to serve them. Be open to their suggestions and acknowledge mistakes as they are made. Some of the complaints may be irrational, but those who actually care about your business and would like to come back in the future would bring suggestions you can use.
Attend trade shows and fairs
You’ll learn a lot from attending trade shows and fairs where like-minded businessmen like you are participating as well. Restaurant owners can exchange ideas and strategies about what works and what does not in the industry. You’ll get knowledge from the very best in the industry—that’s something no academic experience could replicate.