Pizza Today - June 2016 - 18

with SCOTT WIENER

man on the street

In With the New
Attract fresh customers to your pizzeria

C

ollege-town pizzerias have
it made in the shade. Every
semester, a fresh batch of
students shows up to take the place of
the outgoing class and they'll all end
up ordering pizza sooner or later. Such
is not the case for most independent
pizzerias. It used to be simple; place
an ad in the Yellow Pages or distribute
coupons and door hangers -- but the
landscape is changing and independent
pizzerias are developing creative ways
to attract new customers.
Not a week goes by that I don't
receive an invitation to an event at a
local pizzeria. It's usually a pizza tasting
or happy hour sponsored by a local
wine store. As a customer, I love this
because it gives me an excuse to check
out new pizzerias. It's brilliant for the

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operator because it allows you to maintain control over my experience. Try
inviting your neighbors, local bloggers
and journalists to taste your exciting
new pizza. If you require an RSVP,
you'll know exactly who's in the room
so you can follow up and convert these
new faces into regular customers. Don't
worry about shutting down your store
and killing an entire night; these things
only last about an hour or two and usually happen on nights you know will be
slow. A successful event will result in a
burst of social media posts and shares
that will allow you to track your impact.
I follow hundreds of pizzerias on
social media, so I know you're using it
to post carefully sculpted specials and
discounts to your followers. That's a
great way to encourage return business,

but attracting new customers might
mean taking a chance and posting
something that isn't the usual direct
advertisement. A few months ago,
Vinnie's Pizzeria in Brooklyn lit up the
Internet with a photo of a pepperoni
pizza encased by a pizza box made from
dough, sauce, and cheese. An image
of the edible pizza box went viral and
suddenly people who had never heard
of this little hole-in-the-wall pizzeria
were making pilgrimages to visit it. An
off-the-cuff joke posted for free led to a
barrage of new business -- that's some
pretty great ROI!
The most powerful key to attracting new business might be right under
your nose, waiting on your make line.
If you purchase ingredients from local
producers, you're sitting on a huge
opportunity for cross-promotion.
Imagine you use a product called Amy's
Truffle Oil on your most popular pizza.
Brag about it. Let everyone know you're
using it. Sell it at your front counter.
Get in touch with Amy and invite her
over for a pie. If she enjoys what you're
doing, Amy will tell her entire network
about your pizza. New business for you
equals more business for her and it also
helps build community without leaving
your area.
Attracting new customers requires
breaking free of your regular routine.
Think of yourself as more than just a
pizzeria -- you're a part of the community that just so happens to provide a
specific food. The more creative you are,
the further you'll extend your messaging beyond the usual suspects. ■
SCOTT WIENER owns and operates Scott's
Pizza Tours in New York City.

By SCOTT WIENER
http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM
Pizza Today - June 2016

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