#50 - The REALLY BIG Recap Episode Fifty episodes feels like a milestone worth celebrating and so that's what we're doing this week. A bunch of listeners have been with us since the very beginning, but the majority of the Restaurant Strategy audience has found us just recently over the past few months... and so I want to recap everything we've discussed so far to provide a strong base of knowledge as we move forward.  Topics covered:  Defining "marketing"... what is it? Just three questions?  Why is "marketing" important, and how can it transform your business?  I walk you through my 5 Pillars of Marketing to make sure you understand how to articulate what it is you do and who your product is for. We talk about market research -- how to identify your competitors, and discover new ways to stand out from the crowd.   We talk about the tools, tactics, and strategies that are working for restaurants and set us up for future episodes.  Important Links: CLICK HERE to get the Marketing Calendar Template CLICK HERE to get the Marketing Pillars Workbook Finally, a reminder that I'm launching two online workshops this summer. Regularly priced at $197, I'm offering spots at 50% OFF until the end of March. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS

#49 - INTERVIEW: Bob and Kate Carpenter, Sunny Side Kitchen On this week's episode I had the pleasure of chatting with two Restaurant Stragey listeners, Bob and Kate Carpenter, who run a charming little cafe in Escondido, CA called Sunny Side Kitchen. The restuaurant is listed on Yelp's Top 100 in the United States (yes, the entire country) and is gearing up for their 5th Anniversary Celebration.  All of this from a couple of people who, until they opened Sunny Side, had no experience in hospitality. As it turns out though, they've discovered the secret to their success and are sharing it on this week's episode. Topics covered:  How a lifetime in journalism helped prepare them for restaurant life Their strategy for handling Yelp reviews The best way for keeping a low overhead How the lessons from Restaurant Strategy helped solidify their plans for future growth How a trip to London inspired them to make changes at Sunny Side Advice for people looking to open their first restaurant Important Links: Sunny Side Kitchen Website Sunny Side Kitchen on Yelp Facebook Page Instagram Feed Finally, a reminder that I'm launching two online workshops this summer. Regularly priced at $197, I'm offering spots at 50% OFF until the end of March. Plus... PLUS... the first 25 people who reserve a spot will get a FREE Restaurant Strategy Tote Bag. (We've got just a few left.) CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS

#48 - Marketing Resources and Tools I LOVE Valentine's Day is here and since love is in the air, I'm sharing the tools, courses, websites, and resources that I LOVE... the things that help me market restaurants! My camera, the Nikon D750: As I say over and over... it's crucial these days to be able to show off what it is you do best. We are a visual culture these days and so the best way to attract new customers is to SHOW them what it is you're offering.  Photoshop & Lightroom: These are two powerful programs by Adobe that allow me to edit and catalogue my work, and create stunning graphics at the drop of a hat.  Canva: This is an easy-to-use site and app that helps beginners create eye-catching visuals.  Sprout Social: Social Media Management software that's relatively affordable and extremely user-friendly. Save time and energy by scheduling out your social content.  My Marketing Calendar...If you haven't done it yet, CLICK HERE to download my template. Dropbox: a cloud-based powerful file-sharing program Squarespace: Drag-and-drop website builder with tons of stylish design templates Mailchimp: Intuitive and easy-to-use e-mail service provider Seth Godin's Akimbo Workshops and his Akimbo Podcast Do-it-yourself merchandising: UPrinting / Vistaprint / Zazzle Finally this week on Episode #48, I announced a Pre-Sale Special for two online workshops I'm launching this summer. Regularly priced at $197, I'm offering 50% OFF until the end of March. Plus... PLUS... the first 25 people who reserve a spot will get a FREE Restaurant Strategy Tote Bag.  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS

#47 - Crafting Your Elevator Pitch CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE ELEVATOR PITCH CHEATSHEET There are two things that are absolutly crucial to creating a profitable business... understanding WHAT your product is, and identifying WHO it's for. The tricky part, however is articulating those things successfully.  In this week's episode we're talking all about building a short, medium, and long elevator pitch for your business. You'll use these for press releases and whenever you find yourself talking to potential investors. More than that, these pitches will become the base for your marketing efforts moving forward.  There are three things that are essential for a great elevator pitch:  Clarity Efficiency Passion I've put together a freebie for you this week to help you with the assignment. The Elevator Pitch Cheatsheet will show you short, medium, and long pitches for 4 successful restaurant brands, plus it'll walk you through the 4 steps to building a pitch of your own. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE ELEVATOR PITCH CHEATSHEET Your assignment then is to write 3 different elevator pitches for your own restaurant.

EPISODE #1: What is Marketing? ** Download the 3-Step Marketing Worksheet HERE ** Since this is a podcast all about marketing, I thought we would start off by first agreeing on a definition for marketing. And so that's what this episode is all about... articulating a clear way to talk about a subject that people tend to overcomplicate. For me it's not about fancy jargon or academic explanations. It's simpler than that. And so I'm sharing my approach. What is Marketing?  I can sum it up in three questions... What's your product? Who's it for? How can you reach them? In this, the very first episode of Restaurant Strategy, we start building a foundation for the rest of the work we'll do. I know many of you out there are small business owners, putting in countless hours trying to build a profitable restaurant. And so you have limited time. I get it! So do I. Each episode is purposefully short and ends with a short exercise - something you can do right away to start implementing the ideas we talk about here on the show. QUESTIONS? E-mail me directly at chip@chipklose.com ** Download the 3-Step Marketing Worksheet HERE ** CONTINUING EDUCATION: Purple Cow by Seth Godin