Promotion Planning Checklist
As you map out your promotion strategy make sure to take the following into account:
- Identify your goals. Do you want to increase check averages? Boost bar sales? Increase lunch traffic?
- Decide on the timing and length of the promotion.
- Check to make sure the product is available at cost-efficient levels.
- Decide on a theme and gather marketing materials.
- Conduct employee training.
- Get the word out. Explore ways to reach current and new customers.
The Wait Staff is Key
Your wait staff is the key to a successful promotion. A well-informed, trained and motivated team can increase your volume and check averages by creating an upbeat environment and by using suggestive selling techniques.
An informed server is a better salesperson. Make the investment to train your staff and you'll see the difference in your bottom line:
- Involve your wait staff in meetings and brainstorms to plan your promotion.
- Conduct wait staff tastings of menu items.
- Teach and encourage suggestive selling techniques through role-playing.
- Create an all-staff incentive program. Prizes can include t-shirts, movie tickets, etc.
- Follow up by soliciting advice and feedback from your staff.
Promotion Ideas
Five o' Clock Fiesta Promotion
- First Course Fiesta: Offer a special five o' clock fiesta menu from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., featuring Mexican dinners with a California guacamole and tortilla chip appetizer plate as the starter.
- Frequent Fiesta Cards: Create frequent diner cards for five o' clock fiesta meals. Rotate special dinner meals on a regular basis to bring customers back.
- California Happy Hour: Fresh California guacamole can help drive your happy hour sales. During five o' clock fiestas, offer groups of five or more an order of nachos topped with fresh California guacamole or sliced California avocados. Or, with any bar order placed between 5:00 and 5:55 p.m., offer an order of California guacamole and chips.
Marketing Tips
- Display a large alarm clock at the bar that rings at 5:00 p.m. to announce the start of the promotion.
- During lunch and other high traffic periods, advertise promotions planned for slower-traffic periods.
Suggestive Selling
During other parts of the day, encourage wait staff to remind patrons of the 5:00 Fiesta early-bird menu or happy hour promotion.
Made to Order Promotion
What better way to display fresh ingredients and spectacular service than items prepared right in front of the customer?
Fresh California guacamole, prepared to order at the table, adds a touch of showmanship. Bring a special serving cart or bus tray to the table, then split, seed, scoop and mash avocados and blend with other ingredients.
Tableside Tools and Set-Up
- Knife
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon for scooping
- Fork or other implement for mashing fresh avocados
- Lemon or lime
- Chopped onion
- Cilantro
- Diced tomatoes
- Salt
- Garlic (fresh, minced, powder or salt)
- Tortilla chips
Marketing Tips
Create posters, table tents, menu clips and wait staff buttons.
Wait staff Training
- Teach the basics of halving, seeding and peeling avocadoes.
- Prepare for the showmanship of preparing, mixing and serving guacamole.
California Guac-Around-The-Clock Promotion
Try adding a little "guac-and-roll" to your operation throughout the day.
Create a "California Guac-Around-The Clock" menu insert with a list of signature specialties featuring a scoop or side of California guacamole.
Make sure your customers know that guacamole isn't just for Mexican specials -- it can add interest and texture to everything from omelets and grilled fish to baked potatoes and burgers.
- Breakfast
Huevos California: Top huevos rancheros with guacamole.
- Lunch
Guac On Top: Top sandwiches, burgers and tacos with guacamole.
- Happy Hour
Skinny Dip: Fresh vegetables get a boost from spicy guacamole.
- Dinner
Fresh guacamole can add a signature touch to everything from dinner salads and baked potatoes to steak and salmon.
Marketing Tips
- Play 50's "Guac 'n' Roll" music
- Create posters, t-shirts, visors and sunglasses with the "California Guac-Around-The-Clock" message.
Suggestive Selling
- Promote specials as alternatives to regular orders.
Baseball Promotion
Use these baseball-themed promotion ideas to boost sales throughout the day.
- Step Up to The Plate
Feature stadium favorites topped with California avocados -- sliced, cubed or guacamole.
- Short Stop
Guarantee speedy delivery (set your own time limit) of any order off the "Step-up-to-the-Plate" menu featuring California avocados. An ideal lunch-time promotion.
- "Pitcher on the Mound"
For every order of California guacamole and chips, patrons receive a discount on any pitcher of beer, margaritas or other beverage.
- "Home Run" Take-out Menu
Offer a special take-out menu for your active, on-the-go patrons. For picnics, little league meals or quick office lunches, include an order of guacamole with burgers, tacos and sandwiches.
Marketing Tips
- Provide wait staff with buttons, baseball caps and t-shirts.
- Decorate bar area with baseball souvenirs, pennants and team posters.
- Offer baseball cards to kids dining with parents -- one with every meal.
For Kids Only Promotion
- "Early Bird"
Create a children's early-bird menu featuring half-portions of family favorites served with fresh California guacamole or avocado slices.
- "Monster Smash"
Offer California guacamole with chips and child-friendly vegetables such as peeled baby carrots, celery sticks and black olives.
- "Ninja Nachos"
Invite kids to create their own California guacamole nacho special.
- "Slammin' Skins"
Serve potato skins with guacamole.
- "Guaco-Wacko Wing Dings"
Serve chicken wings with guacamole for dipping.
- "Avo-taco-saurus"
Place chunks of avocados in the center spine of a taco. Use slices of avocado for a tail.
Marketing Tips
Provide children with their own "For Kids Only!" menu, a pack of crayons and a California avocados balloon when seated.
Suggestive Selling
Mention the "For Kids Only!" menu to families as they arrive. Promote menu items directly to children: "How does an 'Avo-Taco-Saurus' sound?"
Family Fiesta Promotion
In every form, from guacamole to avocado halves filled with salad, California avocados appeal to the whole family.
- Family-style eating is fun. Fill the skin of an avocado half with fresh guacamole, surround with tortilla chips and dig in.
- With every California avocado menu item, offer a coupon for a discount off the next meal.
- Offer a choice of dippers such as tortilla chips, homemade vegetable chips and crudités.
- Offer California guacamole in a choice of sizes to accommodate larger families, couples or single diners.
- Big Dipper: Served family-style in a bucket for 4 to 6 diners
- Little Dipper: Child sized serving
- Shooting Star: Single serving
Marketing Tips
Display California guacamole posters and table tents throughout the bar and dining areas.
Suggestive Selling
Display fresh California avocados on a cart with pit bags, balloons, table tents and a mound of chips. Let children pick their own avocado for their pit bag.