This article was written for a catering publication but applies directly to Restaurants and Catering companies.  ~ Jonathan

To be known as a good caterer and to make your presence felt in your community is a task which demands great patience and hard work. However, the mission is by no means Herculean. We strive for quality and cost effectiveness. Therefore, if you help to make a birthday party or a wedding memorable, if you provide quality service for a reasonable price, customers will be grateful. They won’t hesitate to recommend you to others. This way, your services are being advertised based on the quality of service you deliver. Remember that quality always tends to speak for itself.

There are many other ways through which you can make your catering company’s presence felt in your community. These include the traditional media outlets, print advertising and event sponsorships. This white paper takes you beyond traditional media advertising and attempts to provide you with some insights into this important aspect of your catering business with particular focus on advertising locally. This has become the trend of the times as more and more companies turn to their respective communities for long-term sustenance.

Internet Yellow Pages and your Catering Business
The cost of traditional print and broadcast media advertising has dropped a notch or two in the recent past owing to reduced demand. However, it still continues to remain beyond the reach of many small businesses and start-ups. Internet Yellow Pages can prove to be a winner in this regard because advertising on IYPs, as they are also called, means that you are reaching a global and local audience simultaneously through the Internet. While you may not think you need to reach beyond your local community, consider the increase in business available from out of town customers. Any business setting up an off site meeting will need catering and what better place to start than using the IYPs. Perhaps a family reunion or vacation encompassing extended family is in the offing and catering services are required. With a listing on the IYPs, your catering company will have an opportunity to capture this business, extending your customer base significantly. What makes this advertising avenue even more interesting and bottom-line friendly is the fact that much, if not most of it, is free at least for now. Therefore, it may not be a bad idea to register on as many free IYP websites as possible, serve up the advertising for your local catering business, and hope that you are grandfathered in when these services go live in a paid reincarnation. We introduce you to ten paid and free IYP websites in this white paper to get you started on your “Total Local Mission!”

The Power of Local Advertising for Caterers
You can advertise both globally and locally by creating two distinct identities on the Internet. However, let’s analyze the possibility of local advertising since it is the beginning of the expansion of every business. Local advertising helps you to expand your business locally. It gives you a superb foundation from where you can build your business and expand it beyond your community. After all, we all have to start from somewhere and Rome most certainly wasn’t built in a day. Customers, especially when it comes to catering services, prefer to receive service from their own communities rather than from out-of-town service providers. If your advertisement doesn’t appear on a local search results page of a search engine which an average person surfs, you are at a distinct disadvantage. This white paper brings to you an information-packed and annotated list of ten paid and free Internet Yellow Pages websites which will definitely boost your revenue model in record time by helping you ramp up to the Internet Yellow Pages revolution currently sweeping the nation’s small business segment. It will also put you on the local results pages of Google and Yahoo because it is these websites the major search engines use to build and index local listings. In part two of this white paper, we will introduce you to ten more IYP websites so that you can further enhance your local presence and have all your bases covered.

Record keeping for IYP Accounts
If you decide to list your catering company on more than five or six IYP websites, we recommend that you set up a record keeping matrix so that you can manage your online classified advertising without a hitch. Consider setting up an Excel sheet with all the necessary data such as user ID, password, date of submission, date of renewal, website URL and posting URL. Log into your account to update your listing as frequently as possible. Set up a separate e-mail folder in which you can transfer all the messages you will receive from these websites so that you can locate them easily. Finally, we have set up a mechanism to update you about free and reasonably priced Internet Yellow Page websites each time we come across them. Visit our blog on www.RestaurantSuccessMonthly.com for regular updates to our list.
SuperPages
URL: http://www.superpages.com
Status: Free and Paid

The website claims that most of its visitors visit the website not to browse, but to purchase the services and products. This is a website which allows free business listings. With the help of some estimates of past achievements, this website claims to give you quality leads. It provides pay per click advertisements also with some advanced features. Pay per click is an advertising model in which you pay only if a website visitor chooses to click on your online advertisement. It allows you to control your budget also by changing the price of a click as you wish. This is one of the most popular and heavily trafficked IYP websites on the Internet. Like all the IYP websites this white paper lists, this website too requires you to register.

CitySearch
URL: http://www.citysearch.com
Status: Paid

CitySearch is a group of websites which allows you to advertise with the help of video. Video ads are the trend of the day. Even though you have to pay to advertise on this site, it will never be a loss since your advertisement remains for long in the minds of customers. This will help you to gain and preserve customer loyalty.

Yelp
URL: http://www.yelp.com
Status: Free

Yelp is a local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) guide. It provides comprehensive information about the important cities in the US. There is amazing information on the places to visit, celebrations and a host of other channels. It also allows you to update your internet yellow pages free of cost.

YahooLocal
URL: http://local.yahoo.com
Status: Free

Yahoo provides you with free local advertising. It allows you to add descriptive information about your company also. There is no need to use keywords to advertise here although using your niche keywords in your listing is always a great idea. You can upgrade your business free of cost to enhance your customer base. With its global base, YahooLocal can be a perfect choice especially for those caterers who cater to the needs of large international conventions and conferences.

InsiderPages
URL: http://www.insiderpages.com
Status: Free

InsiderPages is yet another platform for mostly free local advertising. This is a place where people share their views about local business. Through the recommendations of friends and neighbors, it allows customers to find what they need. The website gives you a chance to update your business listing free of cost. If you want social media and Web 2.0 to work for you with very little effort, this is the website to check out.

YellowPages.com
URL: http://www.yellowpages.com
Status: Free

YellowPages.com helps you gain a foothold in your community. Known as Creative e-world, this portal helps you stay ahead of others in the competition. With the help of the necessary expertise and e-marketing skills, this site helps you to make your online presence known and gives your traditional advertisement a fresh look. The website has a clean look and categories are arranged logically.

BizJournals
URL: http://www.bizjournals.com
Status: Paid

BizJournals helps you to make your presence felt in your local community. The website caters exclusively to US businesses. We are directing you to this informative press release first which you should read after which you can register for free extra services.

AreaConnect
URL: http://www.areaconnect.com
Status: Free

AreaConnect is an exciting group of websites, a search tool which helps customers link to a good local merchant. The motto of the site is: “Find what you need faster…” This website works with its partners to produce quality results.

MagicYellow
URL: http://www.magicyellow.com
Status: Free

To advertise on MagicYellow is simple. You simply need to complete an online form about your catering business, and a representative will contact you. It’s free of cost. This website provides the facility of a searching tool also. If your advertisement appears on the top pages of other search engines like Yahoo and Google, you will be listed here so that the customer doesn’t have to come to the site directly.

SwitchBoard
URL: http://www.switchboard.com
Status: Free and Paid

SwitchBoard connects national advertisers with both local merchants and consumers. SwitchBoard provides its services both nationwide and statewide. It is of the view that no merchant is so small that it cannot pay for services. If leveraged intelligently, the website can generate excellent results.

MerchantCircle
URL: http://www.merchantcircle.com
Status: Free and paid

MerchantCircle is a growing IYP company. The company’s website aims to connect local business owners and customers online to help build a stable relationship. The website permits free advertising. It is based on the Web 2.0 social networking mantra which allows business owners to write blogs and upload pictures free of cost. In addition to these services, MerchantCircle has two unique products, “Neighbors” and “Answers.” The “Neighbors” helps the customer follow up with the local business with the help of blogs about new promotions. The service “Answer” allows customers to get their queries solved on the spot. If they click that link, they will be connected to a local business owner or expert who can give them proper advice. Additionally, this website provides a service which helps business owners to take their advertisements to the top pages of the major search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. This service is called “Pay per Click.” Business owners pay according to the performance of their respective clicks.

GetFave
URL: http://www.getfave.com
Status: Paid

Fave helps prospective customers to find you on the Internet. The website works in partnership with major search engines to help business owners to increase their rankings on the search result pages of different search engines. In a true spirit of social media, the website concentrates on video advertising. Customers can search on this website for the businesses in their own communities. The motto of the website is: “GetFave and get found!” It has a service called “Targeted Banner Campaigns” which helps business owners to reach out to customers in a specific area. It has a service called “Priority listings” which helps business owners to find themselves on the top pages of the organic results of different search engines. If you own catering companies at multiple locations and wish to geo target your search campaign, this websites is surely for you. To know more about the method of payment and current promotions, please call 877-311-3283.

Yellowbot
URL: http://www.yellowbot.com
Status: Free

Yellowbot is a local search website admirably inspired by Web 2.0 which helps consumers to find what they want through reviews and blogs. It provides information about the places you usually visit in your community or elsewhere. You just have to type your location, keyword or your zip code. It is easy to add your business listing here. You simply have to register on this website or create an account and provide the necessary information about your business. This service is free of cost. With the help of reviews from users and site visitors, the website rates businesses. We recommend that you first spend some time on this website and get a feel for it before you register.

Yellowpages.Lycos.com
URL: http://yellowpages.lycos.com
Status: Free and Paid

Yellowpages.licos.com is a social media website established in 1995. The website has many services like online games, blogging, tools for sharing and viewing video. Customers can search in this directory and find what they want. The website has many advertising agencies which can help you make an online deal successfully. It allows you to create an advertisement flag with the starting rate of $1.83. You can advertise in different media like newspapers and magazines. The rates will differ depending on the medium you choose and how long you want the advertisement to run. Licos is one of the pioneers in the Internet information space and continues to remain ever popular.

Kudzu
URL: http://kudzu.com
Status: Free and Paid

Kudzu is a nationwide online business directory. The website helps local merchants to manage their reputations online by providing necessary advice. It allows you to create customized advertisement programs on a reasonable budget. It varies depending on what kind of advertising program you choose. There are two kinds of profiles, basic and preferred, which is a paid service. To sign up for a preferred listing, the cost is $2,000/year. The website allows you to add your photo and details about your company. The website will update you with the results you achieve and seems to be able to deliver excellent results.

DiscoverOurTown
URL: http://www.discoverourtown.com/NewListing.php
Status: Free

The website allows you to create your business listing free of cost. This is also a local city guide, which provides you with information about the interesting places in your town, different shopping centers and the information about weather. The motto of the website is: “One stop…straight to the point.” The website presents a crisp and clean user interface so that site visitors can locate information easily and quickly. It is a great source of facts and figures for all who wish to relocate, or want to buy gifts for their loved ones. The website provides service nationwide. If you happen to own a restaurant which also provides catering services, this website is for you.

Local.com
URL: http://www.local.com
Status: Free and paid

Local.com is one of the best private label local search engines. The website has separate yellow page sections for every state in the US. To add your business here is simple. You should first see if your business is already listed here. If not, you can easily add your business. The necessary instructions are provided by the website. It has a Pay per Click service which allows you to advertise and pay only if a customer clicks on your advertisement. The website has a live chat service which makes it possible for business owners to submit surveys and respond to customer inquiries.

Local.Ingenio.com
URL: http://local.ingenio.com
Status: Paid

Local.Ingenio.com, a premium business service from AT&T Interactive, uses a highly innovative “Pay per Phone” sales lead generation model to drive business to subscribers. For $99/month, the website claims to provide you 3000 guaranteed targeted hits to your website. The company facilitates business growth through the use of traditional snail mail and e-mail messaging as well. Ingenio is an excellent alternative for those businesses which seek an online-to-offline business model and wish to drive business through the use of both the telephone and the Internet.

YellowUSA
URL: http://www.yellowusa.com/categories.html
Status: Free

YellowUSA is a value rich Internet yellow page directory for locating businesses online. The website claims to provide most up-to-date information about businesses ranging from restaurants to travel agents. It provides you with an opportunity to add your business to the website’s listings free of cost, allowing you to attract customers from all the states in the US. The website helps you to make informed decisions about how customers can spend their time and money in the most effective manner. The directory provides ample opportunities for restaurant owners and catering companies for expansion and growth through a carefully managed online advertising program which won’t hurt your pocket book.

IAF.net
URL: http://www.magicyellow.com
Status: Free

To advertise on MagicYellow is simple. You simply need to complete an online form about your catering business, and a representative will contact you. It’s free of cost. This website provides the facility of a searching tool also. If your advertisement appears on the top pages of other search engines like Yahoo and Google, you will be listed here so that the customer doesn’t have to come to the site directly.

Local Search goes Global
Although this movement is referred to as local search, it is actually global in nature because the Internet is global and presents you with an opportunity to reach out and touch someone globally. Moreover, customers relocating to your community or heading to your area can also locate you through online yellow pages prior to their departure. Managing an online local campaign yourself can be time-consuming. It is still worth the effort you will put in because it is not only mostly free thus helping you to conserve your resources at a time when the economy is attempting to head north, but also because since accessing these websites costs potential customers nothing, they tend to visit these websites by the millions.
Preserving the Momentum as a Super Duper Caterer
Listing your catering business on these Internet Yellow Pages websites will involve both time and effort on your part. The rewards, however, could be rich especially since more and more people are turning to the Internet for answers about everything that matters. The use of mobile technologies to access the Internet has also gained immense popularity and you no longer need to own a desktop or a laptop to access the Internet. Given this set of circumstances, taking the time between catering assignments to submit and update your company listing to these websites may eventually emerge as the most productive form of advertising you have tried so far. We invite you to read part two of this white paper in which we introduce you to ten more free and paid IYP websites complete with annotated listings, descriptions and access information.

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In a previous post I talked about a simple system to build your Restaurant Sales. My restaurants and catering companies are rigorous when it comes to following an exacting system that we created to maximize our sales.

Today I want to share with you our Everyday Catering Sales Building System and I encourage you to S&D it (Swipe and Deploy it). This too is not pretty and may even come across as hieroglyphics for some of you. Others that have heard me speak will appreciate the cut to the chase approach.

• Take Orders Well
• Deliver Flawlessly (driver check outs are critical)
• Street Market After Delivery (this is critical)
• Driver Completes Daily Duties Upon Return
• Call Back Every Client/Order (ask the right questions)
• Have  A System of Ongoing Marketing and Communication (also critical)

Stay on top of, Stay in front of and know your clients!

Read The Whole Article>> For my members I have spelled out the whole system in an easy to follow format I normally don’t restrict much but the complete article is for “Inner Circle Members and above”

Members login to view this content.(Not a member? Join today!)

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Communicate Promotions and Specials “What’s New”, speak from the heart – This is what we cover in our Restaurant Marketing Planner

Repeat it all again – just like shampoo

Our Goal Is Every new Customer is in Our Club so they become Guests/Clients for Life
Our Club does the majority of the heavy lifting
Automation – Removing the Human Element has been the key to consistent sales growth

Click here to obtain details on our loyalty program

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Here is quick read on how to stand out with your business card.  i think it is very applicable to the restaurant business and wanted to share ~ Jonathan

10 Ways to Revamp Your Ineffective (and Boring) Business Card
by Noah Rickun

I just returned from a week in Phoenix, Arizona, where I attended an industry conference and had the chance to rub elbows with roughly 1,500 potential partners, vendors, and customers. As I unpacked my bag, I grabbed the stack of hundreds of business cards people gave me and I found myself struggling to remember who some of these people are. A handful of the cards have handwritten notes on the back (I always write something to jog my memory if I know I intend to follow-up after the show), some have photos on them, but most are indistinguishable from the rest. Isn’t the point of a business card to provide a tool for follow up after meeting someone for the first time? A business card should reflect your personality. If you’re boring, have a boring business card. If not, then here are 10 ways to revamp your ineffective (and boring) business card:

1. Be creative. Especially with the title. Have fun and call yourself something that will make people smile. Don’t be a salesperson, be The Sales Cowboy. Don’t be a Customer Service Representative, be a Customer Loyalty Specialist. Don’t be a receptionist, be the Director of First Impressions. Don’t be an assistant, be the Chief Executive Assistant. Don’t be an Account Manager, be The Princess of Profits. Got it?
2. Be clear. About what you can DO for someone, as opposed to using a nondescript and professional (think, faceless) title.
3. Be memorable. If someone lost your card, would they call and ask for another? Or would they not even realize they had lost it?
4. Be valuable. Provide a tip, an idea, a link to more information, or a code for online redemption.
5. Be different. Be so different that ANYONE you give your card to shows it to EVERYONE they know.
6. Be “WOW-able”. If people say, “WOW! I’ve never seen anything like this before,” then you know your card is working for you.
7. Be easy. Include your office phone, your cell phone, fax number, email address, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts.
8. Be shapely. If your card is the standard size and shape, it fits nicely in a pile of all the other cards people forget about. Make your card a different shape or size so that it stands out — and stands alone. A great card can’t be put in a pile.
9. Be YOU. Put your picture on your card.  And not your high school yearbook picture—make sure your picture looks like you do.  If you’ve changed your hair color, lost or gained more than a few pounds, or aged more than a few years, get a new card.  You want people to look at your card and remember meeting YOU.
10. Be independent. Worried that your boss won’t pay for your new cards?  Or that your boss won’t allow you to make creative cards?  Ask for forgiveness rather than permission.  And you probably won’t have to ask for forgiveness when you bring back success stories as a result of all the new connections you’ve made with your creative business card.  About the money—you can now buy business cards online in large quantities for less than the cost of that new shirt you bought to wear at the tradeshow.  Your boss didn’t pay for your shirt, did he?  Invest your own money in the most important person in the world – you.

As I began sorting the cards in my hands, I made two piles:  one for scanning and filing, and one for immediate follow up.  Guess which pile is bigger?  I’ll help you. From the hundreds of cards I started with, I kept twenty on my desk. There are two ways to get into my short stack—the one that means I’ll be reaching out to you within a week after meeting.   You need to offer GREAT value when we meet or you need to have a GREAT business card.  If you have both, you’re guaranteed that I (and most everyone else you meet) will want to get in touch quickly.

Think you’ve got a great business card? Email a copy to noah@gitomer.com and, if I agree, I’ll post it on my blog at www.rickun.com.

Noah Rickun is a Speaker who presents to companies on sales, customer loyalty, and attitude. His seminars are both engaging and memorable. For bookings, please contact his friendly office at 704-926-5582. Click here for more information on Noah Rickun or visit www.rickun.com.

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