How to Make a Pizza Parlor Successful
Running a successful business, especially a small, individually or jointly owned business, requires making sure the operation is well received. Establishing and maintaining a good reputation is one way to run a successful business. When catering to customers through both goods and services, such as a pizza parlor, you need to get the message out to current and potential customers regarding why your pizza and establishment are better than others.
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Instructions
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Operate the pizza parlor in an area not serviced by competing pizza parlors. Know your area and set up your shop close to heavy foot, car and public traffic. Make your location easily accessible, have ample parking and be located in a well-known, well-lit spot. Customers will be more apt to visit your establishment if the location makes getting in and out easy.
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Offer delivery service for your food. Make sure to use minimum delivery amounts to help control overhead costs, especially those associated with gas costs and labor rates. Specifically designate a delivery radius, somewhere around five to 10 miles surrounding your pizza parlor. Make sure to advertise delivery services to draw customers to your business.
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Diversify your menu to include various types and styles of pizza. Specialize in one type of pizza and expand your menu to incorporate additional flavor combinations, crust options and pizza styles to enhance your menu offerings. Know that customers loyal to your pizza parlor will try new foods at your establishment once they have become accustomed to the good food and service you provide.
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Implement a customer loyalty program at your pizza parlor. Hand out punch cards to customers. Punch each card every time a large pizza is purchased and offer a discount after every 10 hole punches. Run similar loyalty and discount programs to encourage repeat business.
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Advertise your pizza parlor in traditional ways, such as in a phone book and newspaper. Employ additional marketing tactics to draw new customers to your pizza parlor. Have a website created for the pizza parlor, including full versions of your menu and pricing. Use social media to create pages for your pizza parlor and offer fans or friends of your social media sites coupons for discounts on food.
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Host a family or student night once per week at your pizza parlor. Use this method to encourage customers to try new foods on your menu. For example, if you add salads and hot wings to your menu, offer steep discounts on those items during family night as a way to get customers to try new menu items. Run at least one pizza special per week to keep customers constantly coming back to your shop.
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Place suggestion boxes at the cash register section of your pizza parlor. Allow customers to make menu and food suggestions to help keep you aware of how your customers feel about your shop and food.
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Make sure your pizza parlor maintains a good reputation in the community to promote good business. For example, donate pizzas to community programs for events, offer discounts to members of law enforcement and first responders in the community, and sponsor sports teams for children in the area.
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Sell gift certificates or gift cards for your shop, especially during the holidays to encourage more business by having current customers give the cards as gifts to friends and family. To further utilize this method of generating business, offer a free $5 gift card for every $50 in gift cards purchased.
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Tips & Warnings
Talk to your customers as they enter and exit your pizza parlor. Never miss a chance to get firsthand input from customers regarding the taste, quality and reputation of your food and business. Keep notes and make changes as required.
Do not run advertised specials if you are financially unable to honor those requests.
References
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