This is a debate that many restaurant marketers have, and there may not be just one way, but here is a thought.

Do people try a restaurant because of the story of how the restaurant was concept was created?

Do people try a restaurant because of the story of your staff, where they are from, and their history?

Do people try a restaurant because of the story of your recipe or the origin of food?

The answer is.........maybe!

However, the story that gets people excited is the guest's story that your restaurant helps write. The experience provided while two friends reconnected, a family enjoyed a night away, a first date, or a 50th anniversary.  Those are the stories that are the most important to share and attract new guests.

So are you concentrating on sharing your story, or are you focusing on helping guests with their story for them to share?

"Every business owner takes on three distinct personalities in how they think about—and work within—their business. The Technician lives in the present and is focused on doing the work of making it, selling it and delivering it. The Manager focuses on achieving results through people and systems, focusing on the present and strategizing for the future. And the Entrepreneur defines the business and focuses on closing the gap between where the business is today and where they want it to be."

As a restaurant owner its hard not to get caught up in the daily grind. Budgets are tight, you are short-staffed, and sometimes you do things better. As a business owner, you need to have all three of these personalities. But for your restaurant to become successful, you need to spend less time as a Technician and more time as an Entrepreneur.

The E-Myth by Michael E. Gerber, is a great read and inspiration on creating systems so that you can focus on the important things.

But don't just take our word for it; read the book.‍
Michael E. Gerber, The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It

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Most people are not reading your entire newsletter.

Instead of designing a newsletter, create a landing page on your website with all the graphics and information.

Your email should have one focus and a link to more information.

Measure the success of your email based on how many people clicked the link for more information.

BONUS - you can now link to your landing page in all your media, creating a consistent message across all the platforms.

Got 60 seconds? Check out the video.

A house has all the same components.
Foundation, walls, and a roof.

So why do you need a plan?

The foundation needs to be strong enough to support the walls. The walls need to be strong enough to support the roof. So once you decide what your house will look like, an architect needs to go back and create a plan to ensure that all of these elements work together and create a stable structure.

Then each trade uses that plan to make sure it fulfills its obligation of the construction process to create the final product.

What's your plan to get new guests into your restaurant and have existing guests come back more often?