“Jan-Stix give me a marketing

advantage… not just over other

Asian restaurants.. but also my

‘casual dining’ competition!”

“I don’t need to tell you things are tough in the restaurant business. I’ve owned my upscale Szechuan restaurant for over fifteen years, and I have never seen things so competitive. There are six Asian restaurants within a five mile radius. And I am also losing business to the ‘casual dining’ segment, with competition like Olive Garden, Outback, and TGI Fridays’. I do all the right things… hire a brilliant chef… train a bright, attentive staff… use only the freshest ingredients… construct an exquisite decor… and maintain a spotless facility. My customers love coming here--I get a lot of repeat business. But how do I get new customers to come through the front door? And how do I keep my restaurant ‘top of mind’ so that my repeat customers choose me instead of the competition? And how do I do all that without damaging my restaurant brand? You know, I tried ‘deal of a day’ websites like Groupon and LivingSocial. That brought me some unprofitable traffic, but no repeat business. Those diners were just looking for a deal--not my unique dining experience. And it upset my regular customers--who hadn’t minded paying full price--until they found out others were only paying half. Advertising is expensive, and it is hard to measure its effectiveness without associated discount coupons, which degrade my restaurant brand. Then I discovered Jan-Stix. Jan-Stix help attract new diners and encourage repeat business while enhancing--rather than degrading--my brand. And Jan-Stix are uniquely suited to support the Asian restaurant market. Sorry, Outback, you are out of luck! Frankly, it was a tough sell. Like many Asians my youth was characterized by austerity, and I remain very thrifty as an adult--particularly when it comes to running my restaurant. Disposable wooden chopsticks cost only pennies a set. We used them exclusively until we heard they were frequently toxic and caused extensive deforestation. So we switched to reusable plastic chopsticks, which cost about a dollar a set. So why would I invest in Jan-Stix, which cost eight times that? Most of my patrons use a fork anyway! It’s all about my return on investment. I had already spent over twenty thousand dollars refurbishing my restaurant to comply with the Americans with Disability Act: I built ramps, widened the front door, reduced seating to widen the aisles, and reconfigured the restrooms. Yet only 18% of Americans are disabled and require these sort of accommodations. But 90% are disabled to the extent that they cannot use chopsticks effectively! And that is an opportunity, because they cannot enjoy my cuisine the way it was meant to be savored. Jan-Stix cannot be lumped into restaurant supplies. They are a marketing tool to attract new and repeat diners. They are a way to define the unique character of my restaurant while enhancing my brand. I no longer need to discount. And when I do advertise I can offer something new and unique, rather than the same old blather. Here are some ways that I have used (or could use) Jan- Stix as a marketing tool: My ‘daily special’ comes with a complimentary Jan- Stix the diner can take home with her. Daily specials usually have a hefty markup anyway to help offset the cost of the Jan-Stix. o If my diner has children, I know that she will be back soon for a second or third Jan-Stix in order to restore domestic tranquility. o If my diner is an ‘empty nester’ she can can use her Jan-Stix in any number of ways among her friends that will provoke curiosity and word-of-mouth referrals. My ‘happy hour special’ includes a free Jan-Stix after the second round. This encourages my bar patrons to stay for dinner instead of heading for home when they are done drinking. I could sell Jan-Stix at the front desk. A price of $15 (an 90% markup) or $20 (a 160% markup) is still less than the website price for small quantities (plus shipping and handling) and reinforces the value of what I have given the diner as a promotion. I have made Jan-Stix the standard for every place setting. This is admittedly an expensive option, and theft has been a frequent occurrence. Still, when I weigh the marketing benefit of a gross of Jan-Stix ($1000) to the equivalent cost of an advertising campaign, Jan-Stix provides the better return. There are over 50,000 Asian restaurants in the USA. How will you distinguish yours from the competition? And how will you convince patrons to visit your establishment over other casual dining establishments? Jan-Stix works for me. And I’m sure it can work for you too. This nine-minute video may interest you as well.”