Opening a restaurant (Phase IV): Post Construction Phase
Opening a restaurant (Phase IV): Post Construction Phase
- Prepare inventory for: food, beverages, utensils, pots and pans, office supplies etc.
- Conduct a soft opening (this is optional, but it’s a good practice so that your staff can get a feel of the foot traffic and the other features of the space)
- Conduct a Grand Opening! Post a banner! Offer promotions and deals as gifts to the neighborhood. When people love you in the community, they will help you spread the words fast!
- Join the local chamber of commerce. By joining the local chamber of commerce or other community organization, it sometimes entitles you to “business after hours,” “grand openings” and/or “ribbon cuttings.” These are usually offered to members at low cost. Often the mayor or other local official will show up to welcome a new business to town (especially when invited). And when the mayor gets involved in an event, there are usually photographers and reporters around representing newspapers, TV and radio programs.
- Call the local news paper and spread the good news! Prepare for a press kit before you talk to the media. This can include fact sheets about your business and products, frequently asked questions, any feature articles you may have authored. Contact information and a business card will allow for any follow-up by the media. Although not necessary for media exposure, it always helps to share with them any promotional items or favors that you will be sharing with customers. You never know whom the media person will pass it on to.
- Register your restaurant online and let people to review your food and service!
- Monitor your e mail and website for customers’ feedbacks and promotional activities.
- Maintain a good PR (public relation). Building and maintaining good relationships with your customers and staff is the key factor to good PR. Whether it is current friends and associates talking to their friends and associates, or relationships that you build during the course of doing business, all will be important to spreading positive word-of-mouth comments about your restaurant. This will require showing up at anything and everything and following up on all leads.
- Log your daily income and report to your accountant once a month.
- Be a happy owner! Happiness may bring you good energy and good Feng-Shui!
