Yet the biggest complaint I get from restaurant owners around the country is:
“I CAN’T GET ANYTHING DONE!”
Here’s why:
You are working in your business, not on it.
Many restaurant owners spend most of their time in the kitchen or on the floor, leaving little to no time to focus on marketing, strategic planning, and growth.
Constant distractions
From dealing with customer complaints to managing last-minute supply issues, in a restaurant, your day is filled with distractions that pull you away from important tasks.
Lack of focus
With so many tasks demanding attention, it’s easy for owners to get overwhelmed and lose focus. This can lead to procrastination and unfinished projects.
Staffing issues
Hiring, training, and retaining staff is a persistent challenge. Staff shortages or high turnover rates can create additional stress and workload.
Vendor issues
Late deliveries or subpar supplies can throw a wrench in operations, requiring immediate attention and problem-solving.
Putting out fires
Unforeseen problems, like equipment malfunctions or sudden staff absences, often arise and need immediate resolution, taking time away from planned tasks.
How To Fix This
Delegate
Empower your staff by delegating responsibilities. Train them well and trust them to handle day-to-day operations, allowing you to focus on strategic planning. Try it. You might be surprised.
Set clear priorities
Identify the most critical tasks for your restaurant’s success and allocate specific times to tackle them. Use tools like task management apps to stay organized and focused. Do what will make the most significant impact on your bottom line first.
Kill distractions
Create a distraction-free work environment. Allocate time slots for checking emails, taking calls, and addressing unexpected issues so they don’t interrupt your flow. LOCK YOUR DOOR!
Plan for emergencies
Having contingency plans for common emergencies can save you time and stress. Think ahead about potential problems and how you’ll address them.
Here’s The Secret To Getting To Done For Restaurant Owners
You may consciously or subconsciously feel it’s too “painful” to learn, implement, or both of these solutions. So what happens? You don’t do it.
You avoid it because of the “pain” you perceive doing it will cause you. I call that “the doing pain.”
That pain could be having to work a little longer one day, learn something new, invest in some technology, change something you’re doing now, get out of your comfort zone, or do something you haven’t done before.
But “doing pain” is the wrong thing to focus on. Instead, if you’re avoiding implementing specific tactics or strategies in your business that you know you should be doing, ask yourself the following: “How painful will it be for me in the future if I DON’T do it?” In other words, you take your focus off the pain of doing the “thing” and focus on the pain you’ll experience if you don’t do the “thing”. That should help refocus your efforts and get things done.
Remember- you want to get it to “done”.
No Slow Season Marketing? Take 10 Minutes, And We’ll Do The Rest
DON’T Do This: When you know you are going to have a slower month, DON’T wait until the last minute to pull the trigger on shotgun marketing that you hope will work and bring in sales.
Do This:
- Dig the well before you thirst.
- Plan ahead.
- Review your sales for the next three months, and if you know there will be a slow month coming up, plan now.
Some great direct-response marketing ideas you can do to help combat the slower times to pump up sales on demand are:
- Red Envelope Summer Promotion (my personal favorite)
- Postcard Featuring a Slip Stream Promotional Idea
- Scratch Off Promotion- Dog Days Of Summer (another DFY Money Maker!)
- Have an Event- Brews And Blues, Hawaiian Luau, Theme Festival
- Birthday Party for You or Your Business (Nobody knows the date have it during your slow month)
- Contest with a Big Prize for Your Customers- Customer of the Year, Menu naming contest, Spin the wheel contest, Horseshoe contest in your parking lot, Trivia
These are just a few ideas to help you combat those slower months in your business. If you are looking for something more customized, click on the FREE Strategy Session link. Fill out the form, and we can jump on a quick call to see what can be done to turn your next slow month into the busiest for your business
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Michael Thibault
Known as “The Done For You Marketing Guy for Restaurants.” International Speaker on Restaurant Marketing. Published contributing author of 4 Marketing Books. Industry expert on Google Searches and Review Sites. Recovering Independent Restaurant Owner and Caterer of over 21 years. And, all-around good guy.