How Many in Your Party?

Get on the A-list by encouraging your customers to celebrate special events with you.

One of our most popular local restaurants nearly always has bouquets of balloons scattered throughout the dining room. Not a part of their standard décor, the balloons are a sign that numerous guest celebrations are about to take place. Adding some special, festive touches to a guest's table is a great way to capture your share of the "special event" business.

Whether birthdays, Mother's Days, graduations, Father's Days, weddings, showers, or office parties, get the word out that you're ready to host the festivities. Design a table tent and a simple postcard-sized reservation form for customers to fill out and turn in to their server or leave at the host stand.

Just like the gift wrap selections in department stores, get some themes to add a customized feel to the celebration. "Themes" can be simple color-coordinated accessories or elaborate schemes. If you'd rather not have multiple looks, reinforce your brand image by having your party theme coordinate with your existing decor, style and color scheme. It's up to you.

At a minimum, include a helium balloon bouquet centerpiece (three or more balloons anchored with a bag of jelly beans), streamers and confetti for the table top (you can drape the streamers over the stemmed glassware for a festive look), and colored linens or paper goods.

If you're ambitious and want to expand your services, design coordinated party invitations, tastefully featuring your logo, that your customers can use to invite their guests. You could even have coordinated gift certificates, thank you notes and place cards.

Make sure your marketing pieces suggest special desserts and party menus. And don't forget to ask your employees for input. Special occasions are fun and profitable... so party on!

Bill Main, FMP, FCSI, is a nationally-recognized author, foodservice consultant, and professional speaker. His goal is to help you define who you are, where you want to go, and the best way to get there. Bill Main & Associates (www.billmain.com) offers a wide range of consulting services, resources and tools in the areas of strategic growth, marketing, menu, leadership, training, and management development.