How do you attract business? Does anyone have any decent advice? Things are not going well at my place of business. The menu is adequate, the atmosphere is better than average, well-stocked bar etc...yes, the economy sucks right now, but people are eating out. Just not where I work. The neighborhood where we are located consists of alot of seniors on fixed incomes and lower income families. Welcome to my world. Everyday I get dressed and go to work with the hopes of making a living. I made $16 off of two tables tonight. My spirits are sinking. Yesterday was Mother's Day, busiest day of the year in the business, we had a total of 4 tables..sales of $180 in food..I think the biggest issue is that we are replacing a neighborhood bar with a restaurant. We just got approved for our entertainment license, that starts June 5th..But than are we just going to become another karaoke bar, watching drunken couples singing I Got You Babe????? Can't wait, been there and done that..I have always made a decent living serving the public..How long do you wait for "it" to happen? When do you cut your losses? We had one fabulous week and than all of the sudden, poof, it died again. I am tired of shopping at the $1 Store. Would you like some fries with your happy meal?????
2 comments:
Dollar stores and resale shops are the vogue among the young Lori. Get Young!
You know the place you work has a very good concept, but your employer should have gotten himself established first, then his son could have come in. I believe this would have been a better business model.
But what is done is done yet you are not powerless and neither is your boss. First on your side bar put up a link to the glass blower/ bar. Seek out other blogs in the Baltimore area, make contacts. You found me honey you can find others.
Advertise the place. Put the name up! when I have a name I will post it and I will write to a friend in the area who works for the Gov. They may be interested in something not in the Harbor area.
Ask you boss about seeking out some local area internet advertising. They have to work to bring customers in because it sounds like the place is in a depressed area of the city.
You know what to do Lori. Your ship isn't sinking here. The concept is good. If the food matches it then they and you have to work to build the business. Most people have reduced their going out to dinner, but if its only every other week then why not try to capture them who are out on any given night?
You have the customer service down Lori, that in itself is a boon, but not enough you have to reach out by talking.
While writing this Lori I am thinking of my gig as a host for a poetry open mic. It started with 5 people there and 18 months later when I left there was over a hundred in regular Sunday night attendance. This was no magic formula Lori. It was work to build that venue to that size.
I talked about it everywhere. I handed out business card of the place to everyone, old folks in grocery stores, people in the waiting room of the docs office. Young gas station attendants. Just everywhere. It was subtle but effective. The word got to them interested, even if not to them I handed the card out to.
No effort goes unrewarded Lori.
Peace
""He says, bill, I believe this is killing me.
As the smile ran away from his face
Well Im sure that I could be a movie star
If I could get out of this place""
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