How To Teach Your Employees To Brand And Marker … Brand And Marker Your Restaurant For Free ... 5...

How To Teach Your Employees To Brand And Marker Your

Restaurant For Free

LeeAnne Homsey

Copyright © 2015 LeeAnne Homsey

All rights reserved.

ISBN: ISBN-13:

DEDICATION

In loving memory of my mother Ele Krapowicz and everything she was.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments i

1

2

Introduction

Your Staff Has No Idea How Lucky They Are

Got Ketchup?

1

16

22

3 Inspiring Employees 27

4 Problems with Profits 31

5 Inspiring Employees to Wait 36

6 Controlling Social Media 39

7 Great Food? So Last Year! 45

8 Create Relationships 49

9 Stop Losing Customers 52

10 Take Back Business Cards 56

11 Bussers Who Think Like Hosts 62

12 Take Your Restaurant Viral 66

13 $30,000.00 More Per Month 71

14 Four Days To The Staff Of Your Dreams 78

15 Incomplete Parties = $$$$! 95

16 The Dollars Are In The Details 100

i

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you to all the amazing servers, managers and restaurant owners I have had the honor to have worked with. I learned so much from you.

1

INTRODUCTION

LeeAnne Homsey

2

When employees think and feel like the owners of the business

everyone wins.

Teach employees the “why” in customer service and I can

guarantee superior customer service and higher sales from your

staff!

Teach your employees “Why” it benefits them to create regular

customer after regular customer and I guarantee bigger profits for

the life of your business.

Your staff already knows how much easier it is to sell to a

“regular” customer. They also know “regulars” benefit the

business in a twofold. Now show your staff how to create “regular

customers” and sell to them!

Teach your employees the tools and how building your business

benefits them and sales will soar!

With this book you will show your employees how to make their

jobs easier and make more money at the same time. You will show

your employees how to get customers shopping more often,

spending more money and referring more friends.

With my book you will show your staff real personal benefits of

building a network of regular customers and how they give your

employee more time, money and energy for their life outside of

work.

Why referral customers spend so much more money, and how to

create referral customers twenty four hours a day. Together we will

show your staff why everyone in the neighborhood should know

them by name and be sending them new customers. We’ll show

them how to get “perks” everywhere in town just by mentioning

your business. I’ll give them the simple one, two, three blueprint to

making neighborhood their own personal gold-mine for great

How To Inspire Your Restaurant Employees

3

customer referrals and special treatment everywhere they go.

When we will show your staff the limitless possibilities they have

in your business and in their job, you will not be able to stop the

incredible amount of enthusiasm to begin creating new customers

and new sales guaranteed!

They have learned the technical ways that you want your business

run now empower your employees with all that your business has

to offer, inspire them with all that new customers will bring to their

lives Together you will create an un-stoppable stream of

continuous profit.

Your customers will be warmly welcomed, assisted with their

coats, packages and needs. Your employees will be greeting your

customers by name and offering one unique services that lead to

bigger sales, providing exceptional customer service inside your

business and encouraging new clientele during their time off!

Show your employees how much more valuable a regular customer

is to them personally and how easy it is to create regular customers

and explode your sales!

I teach your employees the superior customer engagement that

creates repeat customers for life.

Let’s face it; your staff knows it is easier to assist regular

customers. They also know “regulars” benefit the business but no

one has ever shown them how to create those customers!

They have learned everything but the most important element to

your success! How to drive consistent traffic into their own store.

After thirty years in the hospitality business motivating employees

who's dreams and passions are focused elsewhere, I know how

difficult it is to keep staff motivated but not when they realize how

LeeAnne Homsey

4

creating new customers benefits them! They’ve been taught to

believe it only benefits you, the business owner. No wonder your

employees are difficult to motivate!

My name is LeeAnne Homsey and having been a N.Y.C. staff

manager and motivator for more than thirty years. I know how

hard it is to keep employees motivated so I created fun and

exciting customer engagement / retention / sales tools that

employees love to use everyday lives! I had been living my dream

of being a New York City Restaurant Manager for years and

thought it would never end but when the economy took a turn, so

did foot traffic and sales and I found myself doing more for less

money. I was working longer hours with a more demanding boss

and staff. It was becoming frustrating. This was not my dream at

all anymore. I was used to turning people away because there just

weren’t any seats left ant the wait was already two hours long. I

was used to Harrison Ford calling me from his limousine telling

me he was running late and then arriving with a bottle of Chateau

Margaux as peace offering. I was used to getting relationship

advice from Diahann Carroll and Kathleen Turner, impromptu

drum lessons from Max Roach, front row tickets to Broadway

Shows from the lead actors themselves and dating Soap Opera

stars.

Now I’m looking at food and liquor cost all morning and long

faced waiters all night. Sitting in meetings and trying to “plug

leaks” is not my idea of managing so I decided to create something

to manage. I started looking at ways my staff and I benefit from

being busy and making connections. Next I developed ways we

could each start creating our own stream of customers since we all

had this restaurant at our disposal and a fantastic chef ready to

cook, no inventory that we would have to purchase. Why not start

controlling our own destiny? Our meetings became more like

brain-storming sessions and soon roll-playing and competitions for


5

the most customers. The team building was inherent and infectious

and soon the environment was back to a constant, up-beat buzz of

activity, sales, smiles and most of all profit! We kept to our

scheduled daily staff meetings my staff had grown to love and

strangely had begun inviting friends who did not work in our

industry. When everyone claimed to be making more money,

loving their job and getting more respect I knew I had stumbled on

something really good. My husband became gravely ill during my

last management job and I was forced to leave work to care for

him 24/7. I knew I had to come up with a way to make money

from his hospital room. I came up with a monthly event where

each guest was introduced to the other and a new wine or two was

poured and discussed. It worked well and I was selling on-line

tickets to complete strangers and leaving my husband only once a

month for about three hours to host a party and tell people about

one another. In a room of sometimes more than fifty people this

was no small feat but we needed the money and each guest seamed

to really appreciate all the connections being made for them. This

skill I discovered is something which translates to a different type

of customer service which is easily utilized in any industry or field.

I was simply sharing information that I had gotten. I began sharing

all sorts of information not just interesting facts about each guest

but about things my guests may not have been aware of or could

use. I took my role as master of ceremonies very seriously and my

guests felt very accommodated and attended to. They referred

friends and began attending more often. It was a complete surprise

to me that it became such a success.

After my husband passed away I could no longer manage. His

failing health had become such an overwhelming presence in our

lives every single second of every day over the course of fourteen

years that I really could not even manage myself much less a

restaurant full of employees or room full of party guests full of life

LeeAnne Homsey

6

and promise. I was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

and it was devastating. I couldn’t process his loss and couldn’t

admit that after hundreds of infections, the side effects of

chemotherapy, radiation, transplants, the comas, injections,

medications, 4am 911 calls, antibacterial wipes on every doorknob,

phone, handle, even remote controls, screening the health of

guests, making his excuses, pretending to smile, informing the

family… that is was really really over. I just couldn’t believe it. I

couldn’t believe he wasn’t coming home so I sat down and waited

for him so I wouldn’t miss him if he came. After a few weeks I

started fiddling around on my computer writing him letters that I

knew he could find if they were on his Facebook page when

suddenly an e-mail came from a former employee who wanted to

know if I would come an train his new staff the way I had done

when he worked for me years ago. He was now out in California

and I couldn’t afford it so I promised him a video of my basic

ideas. Two days later he said he couldn’t believe the difference in

his co-workers and suggested that I write the ideas in book form so

that everyone could benefit. The following pages are the result. I

hope you enjoy.

What to expect in this guide:

1) A step by step guide complete with script to get your staff

creating regular customers for your business 24 hours a

day.

2) The ability to motivate your staff to create more sales and

only provide superior, consistent, uncompromising

customer service and provide it enthusiastically.

Having worked in the hospitality business my entire life, there is

one thing I know well and that is people. Assisting and "guiding"

the decisions of sometimes hundreds of people per night, I have

learned several things that make customers happier and my staff's

life easier. The best part is that what I learned is time tested and


7

transferable to any business in any industry!

Now I motivate your staff showing them tools that will build their

tomorrows. I have employees all over the country waking up every

morning thinking about how to drive more customers to their

existing business. Your business.

As long as you have customers to interact with, I can show you and

your staff engagement and retention tips & tools that will have

customers coming back, spending more money and referring more

friends than you could even dream!

Your employees see how the contacts they make today will help in

every aspect of their lives in the future.

With me, employees learn the building blocks of customer

engagement and what triggers customers return again and again

plus refer friends. Why referral customers buy so much more, and

how to create great referral customers. I teach your employees why

everyone in the neighborhood should know them by name.

This is the best two hours your staff will ever spend! I make sure

they treat your customers the way you treat your customers.

Customers will be warmly welcomed, assisted with their coats,

packages.

Your employees will be greeting your customers by name and

offering specialty services. You will not believe your staff's

transformation in one day.

My guides are exciting, intensive, fun tools that show your

employees how much more they get from their jobs by creating

new customers plus how to easily create repeat customers from

new customers.

These fast-paced and full of networking, trainings are rife with

LeeAnne Homsey

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clientele building tools that your employees will use for the rest of

their lives in every endeavor! They will be so glad that they work

for you and that you brought them this this life-changing seminar!

Call or E-mail To Motivate Your Staff And Crush Your

Competition!

Thank you,

LeeAnne Homsey

Feel free to call or text me anytime with questions or to schedule a

customer service sales seminar for your staff and start making

bigger profits. 1-(646)-462-0384

Expect tour staff to want to:

Promote & Market Business Your Business 24/7!

Sell More!

Find & Create New Customers Everywhere They Go!

Create Great Relationships With Current Customers!

Build New Relationships With Old Customers!

Hand Your Restaurant’s Business Card To People Everywhere

They Go!

Remember Customer's Names And Preferences!

Open Doors, Help With Coats Greet Your Customers By Name

With Genuine Smiles!


9

With my training, employees learn the building blocks of

customer engagement and what triggers customers to return &

refer friends. Why referral customers buy so much more and how

to create great referral customers.

Everyone in the neighborhood will know your staff by name and

will refer customers to them 24/7! (It's easy and your employees

will use this tool for the rest of their lives!)

I make sure employees want to treat customers the way you would

treat your customers. Your employees will be greeting your

customers by name and offering hospitality and extras like no one

else is and customers will come back for. Read on and you will not

believe your staff's transformation. For more help and bigger faster

sales, more customers and lower employee turnover call me for my

employee sales training seminars (Hospitality Tips For Better Tips)

and which shows your employees how much more they can get

from their jobs by creating new customers and how to easily create

repeat customers from those customers, sell easier, faster and more

My fast-paced and full of team-building, sales trainings are rife

with clientele building tools that your employees will use for the

rest of their lives in every endeavor! They will be so glad that they

work for you and that you brought them this this life-changing

tools!

LeeAnne Homsey

10


11

Quick fire tips: Use my tips below and your waiters will make

$550.00 more this week:

Tell them

"....#1 "You have your own small business!" You have a turn-

key operation that you don’t have to stock with inventory, furnish

or pay rent for! This is a opportunity of a life time! Suck every

single benefit you can from it.

#2 "Get your name in it!" Names! From now on, every

opportunity you have to get someone’s name USE IT! (Practice

this using the restaurant's business cards!) People feel much more

inclined to relax more and tip more when the person helping them

knows them by name and uses their name.

#3 "Energize!" Suck the poison from toxic co-workers & use it

for rocket fuel! The people around you may not actually want to be

doing what they are doing so most of what comes out of their

mouths is going to be disparaging and unhelpful. Take pride in the

fact that co-workers are going out of their way to share their poison

with you. It must mean that your promise and aptitude is making

them uncomfortable. That is a pretty powerful feeling! Enjoy it and

stick to your guns!

#4 "Sow Seeds" in the neighborhood of your small business. Talk

to all the business owners and employees in the neighborhood and

make sure they know who you are and are sending customers your

way. (Use in conjunction with: "Thank YOU!" & "Get your name

in it." for this and you will have 5-10 extra customers a day!)

LeeAnne Homsey

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#5 "What’s in your wallet?" It should be 5 business cards. (And

you should do this for the rest of your life!) – Give out 5 cards a

day! This is such a good habit to get into. You will begin to talk to

and listen to people differently. (Use this tool in conjunction with

"Thank YOU!" "Get your name in it" and "Grab it" to help people

outside your restaurant. Look for ways to hand people a business

card and you will find connections and money you never dreamed

possible.)

TIP: Conversations: (Especially people in the restaurant biz.)

Always try to find a way to say, “by the way if you send friends in,

just tell them to mention your name so I know to give them vip

treatment.” EVERYONE WANTS TO THROW THEIR NAME

AROUND!


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#6 "Managers are happy to help you!" (Especially if it means

more business or bigger profits!) Start introducing your manager

and chef to all your regular customers to make your customers feel

like V.I.P.s and buy yourself some time!

#7 "Pictures & Videos" (The “First Your Way Then Mine.”

HTBT way!) = $$ In so many ways! Look for opportunities to take

your customer's picture. When they try something on or hold

something up say, "Oh, You should instagram that!" You will be

blown away by how fast they start posting and asking you to take

their pic in different outfits or holding your products. When you

offer to take their picture tell them that you do it conditionally:

"First the way you want then the way I want.” (Or “First Your way

Then Mine.”) 100% of your customers will be intrigued,

#8 "Help parents!" Entertain their kids It frees them up to eat and

endears you to them. Just start talking to the kids. Prepare ahead of

time with songs, games, stories, coloring books.

#9 "Make Calls" On Your Customer's Behalf! Do you know

about a concert, book signing, cute pair of sandals on sale, sample

sale, new restaurant with amazing calamari? Mention it when you

are talking with your customer. If they are interested call the store

and say your V.I.P. customer is coming by. Make any

arrangements under your name so both business & customer

remember you.

Thank YOU!

Many restaurants train their staff to respond to both a

customer request and a customer’s thanks with “Absolutely!”

I disagree with this—because that response makes it sound as

if whatever you’ve been asked to do is nothing.

If a customer says, “Can I have an extra slice of lemon?” and

you reply “Absolutely!”, it dismisses the effort you’ll be

LeeAnne Homsey

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making—and that’s neither accurate not helpful to you. It’s

effectively saying, “I cut lemons and bring them to tables all

day long, whether you’re here or not.”

It is some effort to go into the kitchen and cut off another slice

of lemon. Maybe the chef is pissed off, and he’s like, “What are

you doing in here? You’re taking up too much room!” Maybe

there’s a long walk from the kitchen to the customer’s table,

and while passing a different server’s station another customer

flags you down for a favor. You sliced and delivered the lemon

specifically for your customer; and you deserve to score points

for it.

Hospitality isn’t pretending that you’re doing nothing. It’s

about letting your customers know that you are doing

something for them, so they can feel special and cared for.

So what do you say instead of “Absolutely!”?

In response to the request, get your name in. “Of course!

You’re in LeeAnne’s station! (using your name rather than

mine). I’ll get it for you right away.” That tells the customer

you’re ready to go above and beyond for her because you’re

special, and you’ll always treat her as special too.

When you deliver the item and the customer says, “Thank

you,” respond with “Thank you.”

That’s effectively saying, “Yes, it was an effort; but thank you

for being here.” And it’s also saying, “Thank you for letting me

provide this service to you...because I know your tip will reflect

it. Thank you in advance for that bump above 20%.”

Whether the customer subconsciously picks up on both

meanings or just the first one, at least you’re not dismissing

your effort with a robotic “Absolutely!” (as in “No problem! I

love cutting lemons!”). Even a polite “You’re welcome” is

dismissive, because it’s so instantly forgettable (“You’re


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welcome, I do this all time, and it’s as automatic for me as this

response...”).

A reply of “Thank YOU!" isn’t the norm, and that makes you

stand out.

And what you want to do as a server is stand out from the

crowd—albeit in a positive way that affirms how special both

you and your customers are.

(Use "Thank YOU!" in conjunction with "Grab it," "Get your

name in it," "Make calls," "Help parents," and "Pictures and

videos" and you will make $$$$)

#10 "Grab it!" Gab anything for your customer and carry it. Help

open the door, grab an empty stroller to assist an over-worked

mom. Grab bags and packages, Help put on and take off coats

Grab & Carry Drinks & Menus, Pull out Chairs. It gives your

customer a chance to say "Thank you and for you to say Thank

YOU!....."

LeeAnne Homsey

16

1 YOUR STAFF HAS NO IDEA HOW LUCKY THEY ARE AND ITS YOUR FAULT!


17

Have you been so focused on your business that you forgot to

inspire your employees?

Is the position offered enough to keep each of your employees

happy? Is selling your food enough for them? Is yours the best

food on the planet and selling it makes your staff jump for joy?

Probably not. Many employees are arriving daily to accomplish a

means to an end for eight hours and they don't really care what

they sell. Which means, of course, they don't really care if they up-

sell either. This is a bad scenario for restaurateurs. Your restaurant

better not have any competition or be able to sell itself otherwise,

you going to fall behind in the race to capture and keep customers..

So how do you motivate your entire sales team to sell more and

drive more traffic to your business? Show them how to take

advantage of you. Teach them how to use your everything in your

business for their own personal and financial gain.

I guarantee no employer before you has ever taught their staff how

to cut corners and take advantage of their business. Yet that is

exactly what you will be doing when you help them create their

first repeat customer.

Repeat, regular customers are great for business. This is a customer

the employee can greet by name or wave to fondly from across the

room indicating he will be assisting them momentarily.

Communicating even from a different department in the store.

This is cutting corners and yet the customer feels as though he/she

is getting more customer service and anyone around him. This one

customer service trick alone will save your employee hours over

the course of a year! It saves hundreds of yards walked a year.

Wouldn't you like your employees to have more energy for the

things they like to do after work?

Knowing your customers by name does just that.

LeeAnne Homsey

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Employees can tell an entire restaurant that the person who just

walked in is a V.I.P. customer with a simple wave.

There are so many nonverbal and verbal ways to communicate

with good, regular customers, but this is only possible once you

know the customer's name. It saves so much time, energy and

stress for your employees and makes customers fell like a million

bucks.

It is also much more difficult for a customer to be rude or curt with

someone who knows them by name. Your employees experience

far fewer inpatient or unfriendly customers and for more customers

who treat them with respect and even wish them happiness.

What a different experience the same restaurant can be for the

employee who has even one regular customer a day who they

know by name. They would be helping the customer discover new

menu items, learning their tastes, preferences and personal details

about their life, children and careers. This type of customer is like

assisting a friend and still getting paid, not taking orders from

strangers. It’s the closest thing to a stolen hour that they can get

and here is the crazy thing: they can create this scenario and it’s

also good for the business AND the customer! But alas, no one

else can do it for them. You have to inspire them to WANT to get

and remember the names of customers. (And yes I said “Alas” in

the year 2015.) So how do you inspire your staff to learn,

remember and use customer’s names, you may ask? It's quite

simple actually.

Here are two ways; get their names before they become customers

or learn names while assisting customers who are coming in

anyway.

Why assist nameless people who might be unfriendly when you

can turn them into "friends of the business," who want and request

you.


19

Why settle for the standard that has been set years ago when

clearly times have changed?

Windows to new connections have been newly thrown open due to

the internet and the ability to create connections has never before

been this easy.

If your employees prefer not to engage people who they could be

building relationships with then they are really missing out and not

taking advantage of the restaurant and all you are offering them!

You never know where a relationship may benefit them.

As an employer, you are now supplying them everything they need

to make their eight hours into a powerhouse of opportunity and

promise and their eight hour day will seem more like four hours so

if they prefer the old-fashioned ways, then they are no smarter than

someone standing in an outhouse with the Yellow Pages and a

princess phone.

Each employee has the limitless possibility to open, create, benefit

from and even profit from a relationship with multiple regular

customers.

“Regular customer energy” is infectious as well. Your other clients

will want to be called by name and given what seems to be

superior and unique customer service treatment.

If you have an employee incentive program in place, even better!

Start a rewards challenge involving introducing customers to the

manager. The employee with the most introductions wins a prize.

The employee wins the prize, gains customers and request plus

now the customer is known by the manager of the store, making it

all the more enticing to shop and refer friends.

LeeAnne Homsey

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The competitive “name that name." Challenge is actually a

fantastic tool that your employees will benefit and use in every

area of their life! (Free networking tool with this week's paycheck:

Make sure they are writing customer’s names down in a book. You

don’t want to remember someone one week but not the next.)

In my opinion, you are creating bad customer service by making

your widget the focus of everyone's attention. Clue phone! It's not

the best widget ever! The focus shouldn’t even be the customer!

The focus should be your employees, the conduit to the sale and

how to make them happier to drive more traffic. They need to feel

loved and appreciated at some point in the equation.

I assume, for example, that your managers are not telling them

how great they are, maybe they are only pointing out your

employee’s flaws and mistakes. Maybe the customers are

unappreciative or inpatient, maybe even rude. If your employee

didn’t really even love your widget in the first place but has too

much personal debt or responsibility to look for other job

opportunities. This is not the best equation to a purchase. In fact if

this employee is frustrated enough. He may be imposing passive

aggressive behaviors onto every customer experience and you

don't even know it.

What's shocking is that you and you alone have the power to turn

your black and white, business into a virtual Candy-land of daily

opportunity and excitement for your staff. Just engage your staff

and make their jobs so fulfilling so they never want to leave!

It's not about your food. It's not even about the customer! It's about

the people who make you want the food, buy the food, take

pictures and post about the food and the experience buying the

food. It's the people who shake your hand when you enter the store

and ask how your kids are. It's the people that customers want to

thank and send holiday cards to, recommend to friends and for

promotions, call with funny stories or questions because they know

they are wanted and appreciated, appreciated personally and not

just thanked by a brand! It’s about your employees. These are the


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people who personalize your business your brand and your food.

LeeAnne Homsey

22

2 GOT KETCHUP?

IF YOU DO, YOU NEVER HAVE TO ADVERTISE

AGAIN!


23

Restaurant professionals, you know that Pictures & Videos =

Memorable Moments But Did You Know It Also Means Mega

Branding, Massive Social Engagement And More Sales? Here is how:

Whenever any of your guests ask your team to take special occasion

pictures don't let them just take the picture and walk away anonymously!

Train your staff to get the most mileage out of every engagement

opportunity. Your server should say, “Absolutely! But..... lets do one

picture your way and one mine OK?" 100% of your guests will laugh and

be intrigued by the prospect and wonder what the waiter has in mind. (He

is already creating a more memorable experience for them!) Have him

take the first picture in the traditional boring pose (He can yawn

dramatically if appropriate. They will really laugh which makes a great

picture too!) Then have him say, “OK, now it’s my turn… " He can use

his imagination for a fun second photo. Have your servers/bartenders use

their judgment but here are some ideas:

Friends - "thumbs up" or "all clinking glasses." Couples- kissing or

make heart-shapes with their hands or sipping from each other’s glasses

like at their wedding. My favorite is the "rock-star" cover album where

everyone points at the camera. It's fast, it's easy, everyone knows what to

do and older people look absolutely hysterical. It also brings out the best

in everyone and it makes a great picture... which is the ultimate goal.

Have your team brainstorm and practice on each other the different

"Styles" for a fun photo and train them to use the words that excite guests

to participate and you've just trained your staff to "social up-sell." (These

"directed" photos are also the foundation for a conversation which will

lead the customer to a life-long relationship with your business. If you

want to know more on "styled" photos call me.)

Now, what would even better than one or two photos a night? Yes! Ten

or twenty photos every hour! You can train your servers to create picture

taking moments all the time to have your restaurant on everyone's

Facebook page constantly. Tell your staff to say: "You look all dressed

up. Are you celebrating something tonight?" (Yes, the end of the work

week! Yes, that it's Tuesday. Yes, we haven't seen each other in five

years. Etc.) "Oh, congratulations! Let me take a picture for you so you

have it on your phone!" Most guests will jump at this chance plus the

server just reminded them to chronicle, brand and post their visit to your

restaurant.

LeeAnne Homsey

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From now make sure even your hostess is on board when taking

reservations, "Oh it's your birthday? Oh the staff here does something

really special when you ask them to take a picture for you!" ("Really,

what?") "They suggest poses so you will have one-of-a-kind photos to

share with friends. They are really amazing at it you can even say you

asked the server to do it to make a really special gift for your friend.... oh

but they can only really do it when they aren't busy and all the 8:00

reservations are already taken... what time were you thinking?" Whether

they are aware or not, the person on the other end of the phone just

received some remarkable information that will probably be shared with

their friends. If the person on the phone is excited, the hostess basically

just told the customer to start thinking about branding and sharing their

experiences before even setting foot in your restaurant plus she will now

be able to push the reservation 15-30 minutes earlier or later for a

potential new, full seating. ("Social media up-sell!") Teach your staff to

use every single resource around them to bring in the most customers,

make the most money, and take stress off the kitchen. Get mileage even

from reservations and special occasions themselves and for FREE!

Your servers are the masters of ceremonies in this fantastic production

every night and you are the director! Direct your staff create

extraordinary and unique moments that your customers will post, tweet

and share on whatever platform is "hot" at the moment. You can train

them to create "viral photos" by training them to get the names of guests

through incomplete parties (See chapter #7 in the book below.) through

special occasions, by referrals (Chapter #8 / #), by opening doors and

checking guests in with the hostess (Chapters #4 & #13)..... or by any

means possible so that they can have the kitchen write those customer's

names on their plates ... which they will post and share!

Being able to surprise someone with their name in chocolate or ketchup

on a plate is something completely different and is hitting the "social

media sweet spot."


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Delivering the special plate is also perfect opportunity to style a photo!

Customers will grab their phone to take a picture of their unique plate but

your server should say, "Oh let me take a picture with all of you in it."

They will quickly hand the phone over and with both the unique plate

and recipient in the photo the customer is 9 times more likely to post and

share the picture plus tag your restaurant in the post making the picture

show up on your Facebook feed too! (Double bonus and home-run ...

FREE!)

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Now what would be better than writing the customer's name on the plate?

Yes, also writing "From (The server's name and the name of the

Restaurant!) Why not brand the photo... for FREE?

You know the customer's name.

You know the customer is going to post it if it has his name on it.

You know your customer's friends are going to see it.

And you KNOW those friends are going to want their name on

your plate too!

Finally, why not have your servers walk up to tables and say, "You two

are looking great! We just started our Facebook page and we want you

on it! Can I take your picture?" That photo is going right on your page

and most customers will now go looking for it and sharing it with their

entire network of friends! (Any restaurants that offer free dessert can

take a photo saying, "This goes on our Birthday Wall! You can check it

out tomorrow!" And you know they will plus they will share it and drive

more people right into your restaurant!)

Tell your staff you want at least 3 photos a night posted to your page or

sent to your "social media department" and soon you won't even need a

social media department! Make it an employee contest, do whatever you

need to do to but please start using all of the amazing an FREE resources

around you or someone else will and take all of your customers with

them!


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3 INSPIRE EMPLOYEES TO CREATE CUSTOMERS

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Your servers know it's in their own best interest to create their

own customers but they don't and do you know why? Because

they perceive it as in the best interest of the restaurant or you.

Your servers know it's in their own best interest to create their

own customers but they don't how and do you know why?

Because they need to be trained.

You are the business owner and you have title, clout and authority

but if the ultimate goal is sales and customers, try sharing those

"job perks" with your employees.

Let your employees throw their name around a little and give your

customers some royal V.I.P. treatment and you may find your

waiters looking for ways to create customers every minute of the

day before they get to work!

Try this:

Say.... "Let's all get on the same page OK.? You know the

restaurant is better with more customers and you know that you are

closer to your dreams with more customers.

You know that customers who come in earlier, before dinner hour

get better service and usually tip more.


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Our business is better when you are happy.

More customers who are nicer makes you happy.

Customers who come in before the dinner rush get better service,

are nicer and are happier. It seems that the goal is exactly the same

for the business as it is for you and the customers. So why do we

keep waiting for the customers to come in at the dinner rush? That

is the hardest money to make. Everything happening at the same

time and customers not getting the attention they want, you not

able to schmooze and relax and have fun with your customers.

Why should we let our incomes be dictated by the world's standard

for eating dinner? Why don't you take control your own income

and create our own earlier customers? Early customers in your

seats at the time of the dinner rush mean you can't get slammed.

Why let the hostess, or "The Dinner Hour" cheat you out of even

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30

one hard earned dollar when you can create a dedicated early

following and dictate your own income with your open, available

tables?

Does it benefit the business too? Of course it does. Would I

suggest anything that didn't also benefit my business? But you are

all such smart, hardworking people, I just can't keep watching you

pass up the opportunity to control your own incomes without

saying anything anymore."

Then put a stack of business cards on the table and ask how many

business cards each server has on them. Then ask how many

neighborhood business owners and employees know them by

name? Then tell them you want them to envision the stack of

business cards as a stack of one hundred dollar bills. Finally tell

them that introducing themselves to area employees and owners,

writing down their own and the names times they can "hook

someone up" with special services and V.I.P. treatment (which is

always early!) and giving out their business card in a way that will

make people want to take it (Thanking them for all that they do for

example. See video below to learn how to give a busine$$ card.)

This will give your employees the control and extra income they

are looking for plus these customers are referrals, they know your

employees by name and expect slower service when it is busy.

Now tell your employees that each of those business cards, if given

out the right way, will put an extra $100.00 bill in their pocket and

an easier customer in their seats this year. Now ask, "Who would

leave hundreds of dollars on the table to put an apron on and work

5 times harder? You are all here for the same amount of time

whether there are guests here or not. Why not take control of your

station, make more money and have a more relaxing shift?

Those of you who want to know how to give out a business card so

it puts referral customers in your seats come see me after side-

work is done."

Walk away.

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4 PROBLEMS WITH PROFITS? IT’S YOUR EMPLOYEES

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If you are having problems with profits in your restaurant it's

likely due to outdated FOH employee training. Today's culture

is about giving not selling or up-selling products it's sharing

value added services. Try a different tact with your staff to get

back on track with sales.

This business does not encourage a lot of "coloring outside the

lines" and no matter how hard you try employees do find find ways

to behave in ways we didn't anticipate or even worse don't know

about until profits are going in the wrong direction.

Here is one of my methods to change old habits and get your

profits and sales higher this year:

Try coaching and motivating every day for a week. Inspire

yourself to see your business as their own. You may feel like you

already do or feel like that idea is just crazy but if your profitable

business is your end goal this is really what you have to do and do

it authentically so it isn't just lip-service to your employees.

First recognize that they have dreams and live outside of your

business then show your servers to feed their aspirations with your

business and all the money you put into it.

Show them how to use your business to get more of what they

want out of life. That your business is supplying them with

customers for their future endeavors if they build relationships

with these customers.

Here is one way:

Emphasize, "Why should you settle for a 20 or even 30 percent tip

when what you really want is someone to come see the play or

band you are in or you really just want to be home raising your

kids. You are settling for 20% every time you serve someone you

don't know and let them walk out the door without booking their


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next reservation. If you want ticket sales for your play or band or

time and energy for your kids ..... you need relationships not

customers! We need to focus any way we can on getting names,

building connections and creating the space and need for

customers to want to come back to."

"Kelly, you are in a band right? And Dave you are raising your two

kids true? Well if you both sell 20 steaks to people you don't know

any better at the end of the night then you both made $80.00 and

that's it.

If instead, one of you was opening the door for customers,

whenever not busy, and checked them in with the hostess (While

helping them remove their coats) in order to get their names, and

for the rest of the night you were able to check in with them by

name, happened to discover that of the 15 names you got, one

guest is an avid music lover and another has two kids the same age

as Dave's and looking for play-dates. And then introducing those

customers to the respective server (at the appropriate time of

course... which may be while you are assisting them in putting

their coats back on, "Oh by the way Mr. Davidson I overheard you

say you were in college band, my co-worker Kelly over there is in

a band. Next time you come in I'll introduce you.") He may want to

meet her right now seizing the opportunity to be known by not one

but two employees at this new found eatery!

And with that introduction she may have just sat her first audience

member. Either way you have just set the groundwork for a great

relationship and repeat customer plus created an image in Mr.

Davidson's mind depicting him coming back. Kelly just got more

than a 20% tip she might just have a fan, the customer just got

more than just a delicious steak, he was treated like royalty, like a

friend he is now planning to come back as a result, If we are all

working as a team then someone is creating a customer just like

Mr. Davidson for you and as you are putting on Mr. Davidson's

coat (Not just handing it to him!) he is tipping you more for being

so royally assisted and you can even ask him when he'll be back so

you can make sure you are here. Letting him know you would like

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34

to remain his server regardless of who you introduce him too."

Gone are the days of sayings like, "Treat customers as if they were

guests in your home." Your employees should create relationships

that make guests want to be in their homes. These amazing

relationships help your employees actually realize their dreams,

help the customer feel more a part of the business and help the

business generate more sales.

Employees should create relationships not simply be expected to

treat everyone as a guest in their home, but create relationships

with customers so that the customer would want to be in the

employees home. (Figuratively)

In creating relationships instead of sales, employees would see

customers as much more than just a sale and the customer would

feel actually wanted and his hard earned money much more

appreciated.

The amazing relationships that start by knowing someone's name

and when they'll be back.

Want more in sales this year? Teach your staff to never settle for

just a tip. Create experiences (or even excuses) to get and use

customer's names and connect with them and your staff will be a

sales generating, winning machine working together to achieve

greater things than just money.

Your customers want to be treated like friends they just

don't know how to make it happen.

Your employees want to feel more in control of their jobs

and life and give more to their dreams.

The goal of both customer and server is exactly the same.

So is yours.

Idea: Start a competition: Names not sales. Not who can sell the

most, make the most or work the hardest but who can create the

most, give the most, uncover the most for the good of the customer


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the business and themselves. It all starts by getting a name.

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5 MAKE EMPLOYEES WANT TO WAIT TABLES


37

I would get your staff so excited to wait on tables.. they would

want to do it all the time.

I would simply shift the focus of your training from "Employees

working for you" to "Employees working for themselves in a rent

free, fully furnished and staffed store stocked with products and

complete with customers." Then I would ask them if the customers

I provide are enough and if they are the kind of customer they like

and want. The answers? Probably not.

Next would show them how interactions with guests hold

opportunity and energy for them they are actually giving away by

waiting on strangers.

That they can create energy, money and time simply by learning a

customer's name. The customer feels he is getting extra attention

and effort simply by being called by name.

Example: A mother, for instance, trying to spend more time with

her kids yet put food on the table will realize that communicating

with five regular customers a year will save her more than three

miles of walking back and forth from her tables and the computer

giving her much more energy when she is home.

Communicating with regular guests from across the room is a way

to get more from a job while putting less stress on her back, feet

and shoes leaving her with more of the energy she wants for her

children.

In no other industry can you take steps to do less work and actually

have both the customer and the employee both benefit from it.

Never mind the fact that the restaurant also benefits due to the

guest now feeling even more important than anyone else in the

room and more a fabric of the restaurant.

Taking orders and communicating with guests from across the

room also saves time. If she wants to be with her kids more,

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building a regular customer base will help her get out of work

earlier. (They'll be ordering faster because she knows what they

like and how they like it or if they are her V.I.P.'s they can order

with her before they even arrive which puts her home and on the

couch that much sooner.)

Waiting on strangers enforces the business model that she works

for you. Serving her regular guests makes it her own small

business and she controls her income let me show her all of her

possibilities and resources and she will want to run her small

business at an optimum return. She will see, for instance, that

networking outside of work to get people in her small business

early and by making sure she knows when they'll return, she is

taking the beginning steps of putting her small business in position

to make a lot more money. A business which is rent free, furnished

and complete with products to sell and a support staff to ensure her

success.

Is yours a pooled house? Even Better. With all of the networking

and connections she makes and customers she is creating outside

of the restaurant, there won't be any place to sit in her station so

her co-workers will have to assist them. Now she is making money

on customers she doesn't even have to serve. She can just stop by

like a celebrity and give them a business card with the best time to

get into her station (Which is of course always early so she can get

home to her kids!)


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6 HOW TO CONTROL SOCIAL MEDIA

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Get Your Whole Staff Working As One Team, Control Social

Media AND Guarantee Your Customers Return!

Helping Your Staff Leverage Special Occasions Helps You Control Your

Social Media And It All Begins With The Incoming Phone Call.

You Should Train Your Hostesses Today To Set The Stage For Life Long

Customer Relationships For Your Restaurant And Your Waiters Plus

Create Value Added Service And Gift For Your Guests!

Simply tell your hostesses to ask if there is a special occasion for the

reservation. Often there is but people forget to mention it if it's not a

birthday it is a perfect opportunity to up-sell ideas, services, treats and

even push the reservation time up a little And create a repeat customer

and social media blast wrapped up in every occasion. (Well maybe not a

funeral, but certainly any special friend dinner or accomplishment

dinner, any size reunion or even work related dinner. This is the optimal

time to share information so the customer already thinks about future

events at your restaurant While they are making

Click here for the complete book on Amazon or here for the

paperback version.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HYDSSOQ



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