10 Jan Don’t lose your message in the chaos
Food industry business
CONCEPT CONTINUATION: DON’T LOSE YOUR MESSAGE IN THE CHAOS
So, you’ve successfully founded and run your first business in the food industry and you’re ready to expand. Your hard work has paid off. The time has come.
A second restaurant? A take-away deli attached to your first business? A third street-food truck in a new location? Whatever the goal, the cohesive expansion of your brand will be a crucial turning point in your success story.
Here are 4 important pointers on how to continue your concept when you’re expanding your business.
1. Know your original target audience.
By now, you will hopefully have a good understanding of who your customer is and why they enjoy coming to your first premises: are they families or couples? What’s their pricing sweet spot? Do they crave elaborate food? Or do they come more for the atmosphere you’ve created?
2. And what about the new guy?
Take a step back and profile your customer again, like you may have when you opened your first business. Once you’ve done that, compare them to the target customer in your new venture. What do they have in common? More importantly, how do they differ? Will they have more/less spending power? Will they have less time to eat? Will they expect more value for money?
A clear understanding of your original customer
+
careful consideration of your new situation
=
successful concept continuation.
3. One philosophy to rule them all.
If you haven’t done so already, make time to nail down (and write down) your personal mission statement or philosophy. You are about to have businesses… plural. It is more important than ever that you understand why it is you do what you do. Why did you get into the food industry business? What is it that you love?
Get your philosophy straight and then work hard to make sure it permeates your second venture as much as your first, as well as every reincarnation thereafter.
4. Every ship needs a captain.
But a fleet needs an admiral.
One of the most watertight ways to guarantee your concept continues from first location to second, is by having a solid manager on board: one who knows your business inside out, like the back of their hand, even better than you! This manager will run the FLEET: they will oversee the day-to-day at all your locations, keeping a keen eye on concept continuity and speaking with the brand’s voice, while deputising to location managers. If necessary, rob this admiral from the vessel they are currently steering; your original location should already be motoring full steam ahead.
There is so much to learn in the world of hospitality and restaurants. For expert advice and guidance, at every step of the way…
