The most expensive thing in a restaurant is an empty chair. But before you go out and spend hundreds or thousands of ad dollars trying to fill those chairs with brand-new customers, you should consider more cost-effective ways to spread the word. Here’s one to consider: the Value Cards contest.
How It Works
- Print up Value Cards that entitle the bearer to savings in your bar or restaurant. Include an expiration date and place for an employee signature. The cards can be buy-one-get-one offers, offers for a free dessert or appetizer, invitations to a special event, or whatever works for you.
- Distribute an equal amount of cards to your staff members and encourage them to hand them out to friends, family, and anyone except people they know are current customers.
- Run a contest based on the most cards redeemed over a certain period of time. Take it to a higher level by tracking guest check averages when the cards are redeemed and awarding prizes based on those numbers, too.
- Give this promotion an e-spin by creating an electronic version of the value card that staff members can customize with their names and send to their contacts via email or Facebook. Let it go viral, and see what happens!
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