Blog

November 1, 2008

• Catering: The New Rules…While Rome Burns…

  Today the New York Times carried a story titled:
  “Forget Caviar: Holiday Parties feel the Pinch”
  Even the venerable, Danny Meyer, CEO of Hudson Yards Catering and Union Square Hospitality Group, said: “(his) catering company has lost three grand-scale holiday parties by three different investment banks that we had done last year."
  The article went on to state: “…and the Grinch came to ABC News last week in the form of a cost-cutting memo announcing that there would be no company-sponsored Christmas celebrations this season. (…)

October 29, 2008

• Are You Ready For The Credit Card Squeeze?

  Today the New York Times carried an article about the tightening of personal credit. (…)

October 6, 2008

• Give 'Em A Bit More Rope…

  Recently I mentioned how some restaurant review sites, like Yelp in particular, have been used to bludgeon the unsuspecting restaurateur. (…)

October 4, 2008

• My e-Book Gets Reviewed….

  Recently I was interviewed by Liz Campbell, who is the editor of a quarterly magazine read by nearly 5,000 members of the world's most prestigious food service consultants association. (…)

September 23, 2008

• Restaurant Marketing for Free…..is now published !

  'Just a very quick note to let you know that after a few "cyber gremlins" have come and gone; I am proud to announce that the free e-book, Restaurant Marketing for Free is now available. (…)

September 9, 2008

• Have You Heard of the Underground Umbrella?

  Yes, it's true. (…)

September 5, 2008

• Are The Rumors True?

  The rumors have been spreading about my new book on Restaurant Marketing.
  Well…they're mostly true. The new book is ready. (…)

September 2, 2008

• Ease The Pain That Comes With Change…

  A friend of mine asked me if I would help him with a restaurant he owned. (…)

August 27, 2008

• A follow-up on the need for "Crisis Planning"…

  I had no sooner written and posted the previous item, when I stumbled upon (no Internet pun intended) this announcement about an interesting (and not at all expensive) seminar on this very topic. (…)

August 26, 2008

• Eating This Could Kill You!

  How would you feel if the name of your restaurant, firm or chain was part of a front page story titled:  "Have You Eaten Any Of These?"
  The sub-headline is:  "Check your fridge: More and more of our favorite meat dishes, sandwiches pulled from shelves."
  This is today's front page for the Vancouver Sun. (…)

August 25, 2008

• Do You Know What Your Customers Are Saying,Watching,Doing?

  Here's a blast from the past…
  "…The WWW now has many commercial sites that seek to get companies' messages to the public in a new and untested medium. (…)

August 22, 2008

• Should You Generate More Sales…or Cut Your Costs?

  Which is the smartest thing to do: generate more sales, or reduce operating costs?
  Actually, the ideal is to do both simultaneously. (…)

August 20, 2008

• How To & Why Market to Solo Diners — Part 2

  Yesterday I reported how one world traveler felt about solo dining and how any restaurateur could improve business by ‘catering’ to these customers. (…)

August 19, 2008

• How To & Why Market to Solo Diners — Part 1

  "‘Just one?’" “The maitre’d in Miami asked almost condescendingly, as he then scanned the floor of tables for two, four and more, all mostly without customers, and spotted one in a dark corner. (…)

August 18, 2008

• What's Marketing Without 'Hospitality'?

  What happens to folks who find themselves in an “institutional” food service establishment (nursing or extended care facility, university or staff cafeteria) and they’re not happy with the menu offerings? (…)

August 15, 2008

• Strategy versus Tactic

  I always find it interesting the number of so-called ‘experts’ who don’t know the difference between a ‘strategy’ and a ‘tactic’. (…)

August 13, 2008

• I Hate 'Consultants' — Part 2

  In the previous post, I was talking about the difference between a ‘coach’ and a ‘consultant’. (…)

August 10, 2008

• I Hate 'Consultants'

  Independent restaurateurs often feel that they need to hire a consultant or someone who can help them increase their sales, reduce their expenses, or any number of ‘problems’ they may be facing. (…)

August 8, 2008

• What’s Your Story?

  Everyone has a story. We all do.
  One of the best kept secrets of marketing is “story-telling”. (…)

August 6, 2008

• Do You Want To Come Out Of This…A Winner?

  If you want to be a winner in this economy, you have to change your focus.
  Walk with me a few yards with this will you?  Let’s look at this thing. (…)