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Once you have identified your target area and your potential customer base, your next challenge will be to create a plan to let potential customers know about your new restaurant. This will form an essential part of your business plan, and will be part of developing your marketing strategy and putting together an advertising and promotions budget.

The focus and objective in this early stage will be to find ways to “get the word out” and tell your story — generate a buzz about the new place in town, and create hype and anticipation about your opening. You must have clearly defined your customer base in your feasibility study as this is the groundwork you will use to select methods for reaching customers. Here are some means by which you can spread the news:

• Grand Opening “invitations” — a direct-mail piece to your target audience

• Flyers to be distributed within your target area

• Radio spots on selected stations, appealing to your potential customers

• Ad with coupon incentive in local newspapers

• Banner/signage in the window — a “dress the window” countdown to opening date

• Media attention: Use a well-written press release to tip off local food writers about some unique aspect of your restaurant, such as your creative menu or talented chef.

• Internet banner ad and link placed on your town or city’s website or your local newspaper’s site. Explore websites of related food and beverage businesses and advertise on their sites. Try restaurant supply companies, food and beverage vendors, professional chefs’ associations, restaurant news sites, local community colleges, and convention bureaus.

• Invitations to potential customers in your target area to participate in “focus groups” by way of a menu tasting or sampling

• A “joint” special promotion with one of your beer, wine, or spirit suppliers

• Announcement in the local business association or economic development publication

Your sales team in a restaurant is your service staff — word of mouth in the industry spreads quickly, so rely on them to pump up the opening.

We recommend that you marshal all your ideas and then find an advertising or marketing professional to help you with the final presentation of your ideas. Such professionals can help you create the look of your ads or promotional pieces so that they reflect your restaurant’s concept and project a professional image. A graphic artist can assist you in developing a logo — a unifying image or graphic that can be used on all your communication pieces, including your business cards, letterhead, menu, and advertisements.

This marketing information can be used in your business plan to show potential investors that you have a plan for introducing your concept. Chapter 12, “Marketing,” will focus on your ongoing marketing strategies once you have opened your restaurant.