| Although consumers know that those huge pizza | | | | always stick with it. Use it on your menus, your |
| chains don't make the best pizza in town, it is simply | | | | business cards, your flyers or anything whatsoever |
| easier to order from them because they have made a | | | | that 'identifies' your establishment. Branding, then, is a |
| name for themselves both on a local as well as a | | | | major form of advertising. Your name becomes |
| national level. As a matter of fact, they are even | | | | synonymous with the best pizza in town. Use your |
| famous on an international level! It isn't necessary to try | | | | 'branding' in absolutely every communication with |
| to remember the name of the pizza place they want | | | | consumers and 'advertise' as frequently as possible |
| to order from because everyone in literally every | | | | whether it is through pizza menus and coupons as |
| developed country around the world recognizes | | | | newspaper inserts, direct mailing or whatever form of |
| Domino's, Pizza Hut, Papa John's and Little Ceasars. | | | | advertising you employ. Branding is your identity and |
| The point is, those chains got where they are by | | | | advertising 'introduces' your identity to the public. |
| saturating the market with advertising. They started | | | | Those pizza mega-chains often run specials. They are |
| small in the areas where they began and branched out | | | | famous for their coupons and special promotions. This |
| from there. | | | | is where your business can outshine them in a major |
| In today's market there are even more options | | | | way. You know your market and you know your |
| available for advertising your pizza restaurant because | | | | demographics. For example, if your business |
| we have the benefit of the World Wide Web. | | | | establishment is in an area populated with college |
| However, you really don't need to go worldwide with | | | | students you know when their games, homecoming, |
| your ads but would rather target a select market area. | | | | fraternity and sorority initiations and other important |
| The internet can still be utilized but on a smaller, more | | | | events are scheduled. You can run special promotions |
| target area which can help to significantly increase | | | | based on your particular market. The specials that the |
| traffic. Those large chains make ordering online | | | | big chains run necessarily speak to a much larger and |
| available to save consumers time and you can do the | | | | broader population. It is possible to trump them by |
| very same thing. It is only problematic in getting word | | | | keeping up with current events in your community and |
| out that you have online services available. That's | | | | running specials and offering coupons based on those |
| where target marketing through the use of pizza menu | | | | events. |
| flyers comes in handy. But before you can even get | | | | And finally, don't let them snag all the business just |
| to that, it is important to look at some of the | | | | because they offer the option to order online. Setting |
| advertising techniques that those mega chains used to | | | | up a website doesn't need to be extremely expensive |
| build their businesses to the level where they currently | | | | but the revenue that it will generate will more than |
| stand. | | | | compensate for the investment. We live in a fast |
| Local pizza shops can model their campaigns after the | | | | paced society and consumers are already running on |
| methods used by the big guys. The main difference is | | | | empty. By giving them the option to order online you |
| that you will be targeting a localized market area | | | | will be saving them time which is always an incentive - |
| whereas they run huge campaigns on a national or | | | | a huge incentive. Make your web presence known in |
| international level. You will be utilizing the exact same | | | | your flyers, pizza menus, business cards and |
| techniques that they use to make the name of your | | | | throughout all of your advertising. Run specials (like the |
| restaurant a household name in your specific market. | | | | big chains do!) that can only be used online. |
| The four key areas that you will be employing are | | | | By following the marketing strategies utilized by the big |
| branding, advertising, specials/promotions and online | | | | guys, but scaling them down to meet your local needs, |
| presence. | | | | you can beat them at their own game. Learn from |
| Branding and advertising go hand in hand. Branding is | | | | your brothers and sisters in real estate. Their motto is |
| simply giving your restaurant an identity by choosing a | | | | "location, location, location." In order to trump the |
| concept that identifies your restaurant to establish | | | | mega-chains it is necessary to use their number one |
| credibility and visibility in the community. Once you have | | | | strategy. "Advertise, advertise, advertise." You have |
| chosen a thematic message that will be your 'brand' | | | | the best pizza in town, now get out there and tell them! |