First day as fish and chip shop owners

In part 2 we will be looking at ways you can utilize different marketing and PR strategies. Making sure your first day as fish and chip shop owners is one to remember!

PR

Invite the local press around and give them a free meal. Make sure you rehearse your story, where have you come from, why have you set the shop up or bought out the previous owner? What are your plans, what makes this fish and chip shop so special? Give them an interesting story they can write about. (I used to come to this shop when I was a boy or I used to travel 25,000 miles a year as a sales person, but always came back to my home town every night).
Ask them to write an article on your business, remember, the press always are looking for an interesting story.

Marketing

Interestingly, not all fish and chip shops have a website. We understand the logic here for a shop that sells to the local area with a regular client base. A website is just extra work and cost.However, if you are setting up a new fish and chip shop or buying into an existing one, you really do need a website:

• Was there some bad history with the previous shop / owners? Tell the world the shop is under new management

• How are people going to find you? OK. Local traffic and word of mouth, but there will be other people, especially the younger generation that will find you via a website / social media

Have a note on the window saying when you are opening

Think about your target audience. Older people will read a local paper, they will walk past your shop. The younger generation will find out about you through social media. Target people via both mediums.

Leaflet drops and One Page Menu

There is a well-known story about a person who set up a company in Brighton. With no money, he went to every house in the town over the course of a month, walked 300 miles and destroyed a pair of shoes.

Just think if you did this, hand delivering personally a one page menu or special offer. By default, you would meet loads of people, all potential customers. And what about that PR angle, the press would love this story how you went to every house and flat personally to promote your business.

And for the record, that person in Brighton is now a respected multi-millionaire!

First Day Special Offer

Have a two for one or 50% off first night offer. Think about how you can get people queuing up. What about the first ten people get their takeaway for free.

Soft Launch

This is a technical term used when a company opens its doors. Often, it is used to test procedures to a friendly audience.

For a fish and chip shop, this is probably overkill. However, it might be a better idea to have an opening night for friends, relatives, the people who have helped you like builders and the press.

Think about it, the press will be surrounded by loads of positive people telling them what a great person you are.

We hope that your first night goes well. Please tell us about it so we can help market your shop via a recommendation on our website.

Our team are on hand to help out with any questions you have. Please just call 01494 611 456 or email [email protected] for more information.

Thank you for your interest, good luck with your new business.