MANAGER TOOLKIT TABLE OF CONTENTS WHAT IS LSM? LSM PLANNING CONDUCT A TRADE AREA AUDIT

Transcription

1 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS What is LSM? LSM Planning and Trade Area Audit Promoting Your Business Year-Round Brand Ambassadors/Community Carhops Approaching a Local Business or Event Presence at Community Events Calendar of Seasonal LSM Opportunities Resources WHAT IS LSM? Local Store Marketing (LSM) is exactly what it sounds like marketing your store on the local level. It can mean the difference between being just another chain and becoming a popular community restaurant. It is all about being the face of the Drive-In in your trade area. LSM programs can give your restaurant its own identity and personality, in addition to maintaining a positive, system-wide image for all SONIC Drive-Ins. While SONIC national and regional marketing promotions target a broader base of guests, LSM lets you tailor programs to your marketplace. Your LSM programs will vary, by necessity, depending on your individual sales opportunities and outlined objectives. LSM PLANNING When a well-thought-out LSM plan is developed and executed properly, it should result in increased traffic and sales as well as long-term goodwill for your restaurant. Follow these 4 steps: Step 1: Conduct a trade area audit. Step 2: Establish objectives with your Supervisor, Franchise Marketing Director or Franchise Group based on the results of the trade area audit. Step 3: Develop strategies. Step 4: Gather the necessary tools and implement strategies for success. CONDUCT A TRADE AREA AUDIT Before you begin planning and implementing any new marketing programs for your restaurant, it s important to assess the current situation. This trade area audit will help you identify local market issues and opportunities for building sales. Complete the entire form, keep a copy for your files and submit a copy to your Supervisor, Franchise Marketing Director or Franchise Group. Review your audit with your FMD or RMD to discuss potential marketing programs and discover a plan for success for your restaurant. Pg. 1

2 TRADE AREA AUDIT VITAL STATISTICS: Drive-In #: DMA (TV Market): Address: City: State: ZIP: Phone: Fax: Hours of operation: Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Date opened: Has Drive-In been remodeled? Yes No If yes, when? Does your Drive-In have inside dining? Yes No How many stalls do you have? COMPETITION: List the major Quick-Service Restaurant competitors within a 3-mile radius of your Drive-In. Name Competitive Daypart Address Distance from Restaurant Pg. 2

3 Quick-Service Restaurant competitors promotions/signage: Other Quick-Service Restaurant notes: SCHOOLS: List all schools within a 5-7 mile radius of your Drive-In. ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS Name Distance Grade Levels # of Students Phone # MIDDLE SCHOOLS Name Distance Grade Levels # of Students Phone # Pg. 3

4 HIGH SCHOOLS Name Distance Grade Levels # of Students Phone # PRIVATE SCHOOLS Name Distance Grade Levels # of Students Phone # COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES Name Distance # of Students School Mascot TRAFFIC GENERATORS: Shopping centers/strip malls (list anchor states): Apartment complexes (list names): Hospitals/Medical centers: Office parks (indicate major tenants): Banks: Real estate offices: 7. Car dealerships: 8. Parks (including Little League & soccer fields): 9. Movie theaters: Pg. 4

5 10. Health clubs: 1 Department stores: 1 Motels/Hotels: 1 Libraries: MAJOR EMPLOYERS: Name Of Business # Employees Address Phone # COMMUNITY EVENTS: List any events in your community that you would want to be involved with for business and/or goodwill purposes (holiday parades, school events, community fairs/festivals, music festivals, etc.). Name Of Event Dates Contact Name/Organization Phone # Pg. 5

6 CHURCHES: Name Address Distance Phone # CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS: What clubs, organizations and/or nonprofit groups are most active in your neighborhood? Name Address Distance Phone # Pg. 6

7 EXISTING LSM PROGRAMS: Please list all LSM programs you have implemented in the past two years and rate each on a scale of effectiveness from 1 (POOR) to 5 (EFFECTIVE). Name/Description of Program Rating (1-5) ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Describe any physical characteristics that could affect marketing either positively or negatively, such as corner location, difficult access in or out, shopping center, business district location, visibility, weather factors, landscaping or vacant adjacent lot. Pg. 7

8 PROMOTING YOUR BUSINESS YEAR-ROUND MANAGER TOOLKIT Promoting your business never ends. It s important to keep the name SONIC Drive-In top-of-mind for the public throughout the year. To maintain high guest interest and demand, consumers need to be notified of new menu items and promotions as well as see SONIC out in the community participating in local events. The most successful franchisees plan a systematic schedule of promotions and look for opportunities to promote their restaurant all year long. OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLICITY: Business announcements remodel or relocation of Drive-In or addition of POPS. New products new menu items or other offerings. Local Store Marketing programs. Events hosting or participating in special events such as street festivals, parades and fun runs. Contests announce contests and winners. Celebrity appearances local celebrity or mascot appearances at the Drive-In. Charity fundraisers/donations major sponsorships and fundraisers involving a percentage of product sales, youth group drives and major donations. BRAND AMBASSADORS Brand Ambassadors are your best and brightest team members. Use them to represent your Drive-In at community events. These are the people you feel are suited to talk to businesses and consumers about your Drive-In. The Brand Ambassadors should serve as the main contact during all on-lot activities and off-lot engagement. Best practices from franchisees across the country include recruiting local moms to work five hours per week or giving those hours to a high-level crew member. The important thing is that you keep your manager on-lot as much as possible and put someone else in charge of connecting with the community. Purchase promotional items from Heritage s Fulfillment website and give them to the Brand Ambassadors to hand out at the events. Brand Ambassadors are the designated school liaisons for your business. Have the Brand Ambassadors connect with local PTAs, schools and after-school organizations. Utilize the Accent on Kids pieces (available for order through Heritage and SOS) to help build a strong relationship with school districts. Brand Ambassadors are also in charge of organizing and facilitating school Fundraising Nights (the kit it is available for order through Heritage and SOS) and being the champion of engagement for Limeades for Learning (toolkit and information available on SOS and PartnerNet). Once you designate Brand Ambassadors, utilize the form on page 9 to keep track of their hours and which businesses they visit. Brand Ambassadors are paid at their same hourly rate out of the marketing budget, so this will not affect labor percentages. Pg. 8

9 BRAND AMBASSADORS TRACKING Time Business Name Contact Name Phone Number Comments Follow-Up Pg. 9

10 APPROACHING A LOCAL BUSINESS OR EVENT MANAGER TOOLKIT For those who are uncertain of how to approach a business or organization to discuss/request an LSM activity or sponsorship, here are some general instructions. The best way to feel comfortable doing so is to just do it! The more times you do it, the easier it becomes. Expect to get a no once in a while, and that s OK! If you have employees of a company dining with you, explain that you d love to offer company employees a customer appreciation discount. Ask them for the name of the office manager and a possible phone number. Give them a My SONIC card and thank them for the information. If you identify a business without a name, phone the main number and ask for the manager or office manager, depending on the type of organization. Take CLA to the receptionist or your contact at the location for your first meeting. In a corporation or business, it would be the office manager. In a church, it would be the church secretary, youth minister or pastor. At a retail business like Walmart, it would be the manager. If it is a corporate business or office, you should ALWAYS phone first. Many offices have strict rules against soliciting, and it s considered rude to pop in and interrupt their day. Bring Frequency Cards with you and hand them out. Frequency Cards can be found on SOS. If a business, nonprofit or school approaches you with a donation request for food or money, give them a pack of the Coke Community First Cards. These cards are designed to provide a low-cost, high-perceived-value fundraising opportunity for consumers. These cards will be given to the consumer and sold for $5 each with the consumer keeping 100% of the profits. Each card has a value of $15 and is sold in packs of 500. They are available through Heritage or can be ordered using your Coke SOF Funds through your Coke rep. PRESENCE AT COMMUNITY EVENTS Establishing a presence at community events is a good way to introduce the taste of SONIC Drive-In to those who have never tried it before. This is an effective way of expanding your customer base. Seeing your name also serves as a reminder to those who are already familiar with your restaurant. At these events, you could: Offer samples. Display signage or banners. Stage a contest. Distribute bouncebacks donate a percentage of sales to a charity cause tied into the event. Pg. 10

11 Ideal events target your audience and have a large gathering, such as: Community events, charity events, 5Ks/marathons, fairs and festivals, apartment complex clubhouse parties. School festivals, corporate athletic challenges, college field days or spring flings, spring break events, athletic events, community heritage celebrations. Your local Chamber of Commerce or tourism office can provide annual calendars of events for your community so you can choose them strategically. Connect with your Chamber of Commerce and network within the chamber to utilize all its benefits. Contests are a good way to increase visibility and store traffic. The following contest ideas can be used at any time of year, or tied to other seasonal promotions or events. They may be particularly helpful during slower sales months. Contests can be promoted through social media, in-store signage, publicity in news media or, if your budget allows, paid media. They can take place in your restaurant or at remote locations (i.e., college campuses, festivals and fairs). Business card drawings: This is probably the simplest and most familiar type of in-store contest. Guests drop a business card in a fishbowl. Each week a name is drawn and the winner gets a prize such as a free combo meal or something similar. Secret stall: Choose a random stall number and bring the customers at the stall a $5 My SONIC card congratulating them for being the secret stall winner. Coupon prize: Bring a few coupons offering a free item out to the customer. Display them face down and ask the customer to choose one to keep. This can be done on the patio. Free SONIC for a year: A large-scale promotion designed for grand openings or re-openings, this contest will give a selected group of winners 52 free combo meal vouchers. (Order through Xpress printing.) Customer Appreciation Day: Utilize the LSM Kit (found on SOS or at Xpress) to offer your customers a Customer Appreciation Day and discounted prices on menu offerings of your choice. Guess the number: This would make a great on-lot contest that will keep consumers coming back. Just purchase a big glass jar and fill it with a set number of candy pieces (e.g., NERDS to promote NERDS Slush). Put it in the window at the Drive-In or display it on-lot during peak hours to have consumers guess the number. They can fill out a card with their name, information and guess to put in a collection box or hand to their Carhop. Or encourage them to come back for the final count one night. Whoever s guess is the closest gets a My SONIC card! Scavenger hunt: Create and hand out clues to a short scavenger hunt where consumers can complete 5-10 simple SONIC-related tasks to win a prize. Tasks could include ordering different menu items, parking in certain stalls, reenacting a Two Guys ad for the Carhop, etc. Put your staff in charge of marking off the tasks as they go. Consumers simply show their scavenger hunt card each visit and complete the tasks to win. You can limit it to 1 task per visit to encourage frequency. Pg. 11

12 Seasonal Strategy Consumer Mindset Primary Consumer Occasions Secondary Consumer Occasions Community Involvement Recommended Seasonal LSM Tactics Recommended Order Date for LSM Kits April May June July August September October Objective: Start to grow summer traffic early. Objective: Build a habit by increasing frequency and daypart usage. Eager for Summer Springing into Action Relaxed/Unstructured Permissive/Adventurous Outdoors/Growth April Fools Day Tax Day Good Friday Easter Earth Day Cinco de Mayo Mother s Day Memorial Day Flag Day Father s Day Summer Solstice Independence Day MLB Season Opens High School/College Graduation NBA, NHL Finals Baseball All-Star Game Community Partnerships- High Schools, Fundraiser Nights and Neighborhood Businesses Youth Baseball Program Open 24 Hours Hot Dog Kit Classic Car Show Morning Drink Stop High School Sports Kit Bagged Ice Youth Baseball Program Ice Cream Social Begin Limeades for Learning Conversations Patriotic Kit (Memorial Day) Slush/Shakes Flyer Ice Cream Socials Spring/Summer POP Bike Night Youth Baseball Program Bagged Ice Patriotic Bag Stuffers (Memorial Day) Car Shows After-Pool Headquarters Community Partnerships - High Schools, Fundraiser Nights and Neighborhood Businesses Ice Cream Socials Bike Night Classic Car Show Add a Dessert Kit Open Late Kit Youth Baseball Program After-Pool Headquarters Kit Patriotic Kit - (Independence Day) Ice Cream Socials After-Pool Headquarters Kit Independence Day NFL Season Opens Moving Month Labor Day Patriot Day Fall Premieres for Networks 9/11 Remembrance Columbus Day Halloween Sweetest Day Baseball Playoffs /World Series Oktoberfest Homecomings Execute Limeades for Learning & Utilize Accent on Kids Pieces Community Ads Accent on Kids After-Pool Headquarters Kit Objective: Slow traffic declines by working SONIC into new fall routines. Routines/Schedules Back-to-School Football Patriotic Kit - (Labor Day) Accent on Kids High School Sports Kit Customer Appreciation Day Kit Family Night Wacky Wednesdays Customer Appreciation Day Kit Family Night Wacky Wednesdays February March April May June July August November December January February March Seasonal Strategy Objective: Bring people in with holiday spirit. Objective: Entice people with heartwarming foods. Objective: Start to grow summer traffic early. Consumer Mindset Holiday Madness Family Events/Travel Celebratory Tired of Winter/Cabin Fever Comfort Food New Year s Resolutions Eager for Summer Springing into Action Outdoors/Growth Primary Consumer Occasions Veterans Day Thanksgiving Black Friday Hanukkah Christmas New Year s Eve New Year s Day Martin Luther King Jr. Day Super Bowl Valentine s Day Lent Spring Break St. Patrick s Day March Madness Secondary Consumer Occasions Daylight Saving Time Ends Cyber Monday Football Playoffs Groundhog Day President s Day Black History Month Mardi Gras Ash Wednesday Make Up Your Own Holiday Day Daylight Saving Time Begins Spring Begins Community Involvement Community Partnerships - High Schools, Fundraiser Nights and Neighborhood Businesses Recommended Seasonal LSM Tactics Patriotic Kit (Veterans Day) Black Friday Kit Fall/Winter POP Breakfast All Day Kit Tots for Toys Kit Full Menu All Day Kit Frequency Cards Make It a Combo Kit Chicken Kit Burger Kit Try a Route 44 Breakfast Attack Kit Make It a Combo Kit Chicken Kit Burger Kit Try a Route 44 Breakfast Attack Kit Make It a Combo Kit Chicken Kit Burger Kit Try a Route 44 Recommended Order Date for LSM Kits September October November December January Pg. 12

13 RESOURCES SONIC One Stop (SOS) Download LSM items, product photography and coupons: PartnerNet Communication and Resource Guides: Xpress Printing Local printing option: or Promo Depot Local printing option: S&S Menus, wall posters: or DotIt Stickers: or Heritage Off-the-shelf ordering: or Contact your RMD if you have any questions. MANAGER TOOLKIT Pg. 13