Evaluate Where We Are & Where We Want To Go

“Do I need to rebuild/remodel my brand”?

And if so what are the steps required and where do I start?

Step 1: Idealize my Goals and Objectives for the ensuing year.

Here are some sample goals to look at:

  • Increase same store sales
  • Increase profitability
  • Enhance frequency of guest visits
  • Be the “go to” place in the neighborhood
  • Sustainability over the long haul
  • What makes us Unique
  • Staff Longevity
  • Pricing Strategy/Value Proposition
  • Data recording and feedback to the key stakeholders
  • And the list goes on…

Often, I hear the following with independent operators: “I am busy every day. I can hardly keep up. I don’t have any time to think this through. I am being reactive vs proactive. I am frantic. I say, STOP! At least stop for a moment and think this through a bit.

Let’s quantify your goals and aspirations for 2019 on paper. Sit down in a quiet area and write out a list. Make it extensive. Do not leave anything out no matter how little you believe the item to be. Go back the next day and review it again to ensure it is as complete as you can make it.

So, before you take this list and make it into an action plan you need to go through a process of evaluating your Brand. This process will include some “fact finding” and then some “idea formulation.”

The fact fining includes interviewing key stakeholders (your team) on what they think the Brand is, identifying your target markets and conducting some informal market research on how the public perceives your restaurant and how they perceive other like type restaurants. The internet can be very helpful to ascertain this info as well as some informal chats with guests and other operators.

Take all of the data you have and combine it into a short but succinct “white paper report” to give to your key stakeholders data to review and comment.

Step 2: Have a Meeting with the Key Stakeholders to Discuss the Findings and what should be added or deleted in order to form a re-versioned Brand and Plan of Action.

In the Brand Vision or idea formulation we would spend time discussing redefining the brand vision, the unique properties of the Brand, and what would be the ranking of these properties to the target market.

Step 3:-Develop Action Plan with Task Assignments and Timeline meet on an ongoing basis (weekly) to discuss the progress. Sometimes the progress can slow down because other operational issues “get in the way”. This is ok. You as the leader need to coach them through this in order to get the results. Don’t be impatient but be firm and active on the task accomplishments by the key people. Stay the Course!

Step 4: Measure the Results and show them to the team. You will find out you may need to do some “course corrections” to get to the end zone. Improvisation is going to be needed. It is ok to adjust as you go through this process but do not lose sight of the end zone.

For assistance in going through this process call Arnold Shain at 206.679.1037.


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