Community Involvement (1/4)

Community involvement is the most misunderstood area of Local Store Marketing. Too many restaurateurs believe that buying an ad in the local high school annual will be considered by their customers as an effort on their part to become actively involved in the community. Wrong. You can be almost assured that few if any of your customers will ever see your ad. The same is true of any similar type of program advertising such as community plays, local sporting events, musical recitals, or any of a dozen such events that you as a restaurateur are asked to sponsor. Supporting your local high school by running an ad in the football program is fine, but it should not be considered community involvement or advertising. Giving money away like this is called a donation and should be considered as such. Don’t ever confuse donations and advertising. One is tied to the giving of product dollars; the other is tied to giving away actual dollars. Example: If you are asked by a local charity to participate in its fundraising 10K run by placing a $250 ad on the entry forms, stop first and think what will benefit you the most. If you decide that running the ad is a good idea, at least ask for exclusivity so that a competitive restaurant’s ad doesn’t run next to yours. However, a better idea is to spend $50 on printing discount coupons to be inserted in every runner’s race packet. An even better idea is to go one step further and offer to cater a party for the organizing volunteers the night before the race and to sponsor a booth to give away soft drinks and coupons to all race finishers. You should ask the charity to include your name as a sponsor on all printed pieces to any releases to the media. In addition, you should get your soft drink distributor to help you with the cost of the soft drinks. Comments: In the first instance, you are giving away actual dollars for an ad that may give your restaurant little if any exposure. In all the other cases, you are giving away product dollars that cost you less and afford you greater exposure and a higher return on your investment. This illustration is an example of the criteria you should establish for deciding which LSM activities will be of the greatest benefit to your restaurant. When an organization asks for your help, ask yourself several questions. Will this group really promote and publicize my store? Can I tie my donation to actual sales? Will the benefit derived from my participation far outweigh my time and product outlay? It is important that you become part of the community. However, it is more important that you recognize those activities that will benefit you and your community. Both Sides Should Profit You should continually be looking for low-cost methods of getting exposure for your restaurant. Everything you do in terms of community involvement should be analyzed to see if it provides the greatest opportunity in return for the least amount of obligation on your part. The key is to make sure you obtain the maximum exposure for the amount of time or money you intend to invest. However, the community groups you work with must receive a benefit, too. In many instances this may mean simply providing them a way to raise the money they need. Example: instead of buying twenty-five 50 percent discount raffle tickets from the local Boy Scouts, offer to print up special “free 50 percent soft drink on your next visit” coupons that the scouts can give to everyone buying a raffle ticket. He now sees it as being “free” because he gives a 50 donation in exchange for a 50 soft drink coupon. With very little effort and expense you have managed to get your coupons delivered free while having your name connected with a very worthy community organization.