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When marketing to a restaurant, What do you call them in your sales letter if you can't find a name?

by Junkie2
17 replies
Of course when starting a solid copy you want "Dear insertnamehere". However, many businesses don't actively publish the owner/manager's name. In this case, what have been some solid names you have used?

I'm thinking "dear owner of insertresteraunt" or something of the sort. Still pondering.

Any thoughts?
#call #find #letter #marketing #restaurant #sales
  • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
    Phone up and ask. It'll take 5 seconds.

    Dan
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    • Profile picture of the author stone2010
      It's not that easy, I am in the Restaurant Business and people hesitate to give the name of the owner on the phone because all the telemarketing calls..... if the restaurant is near by go, eat there and ask casually.. my 2cents

      Originally Posted by jimbo13 View Post

      Phone up and ask. It'll take 5 seconds.

      Dan
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      • Profile picture of the author jbpatlanta
        You can always check in Manta.com. They will have the manager or owners name listed in there many times.

        Jon
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        "DO or DO NOT. There is NO try!" -- Yoda

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  • Profile picture of the author antimon
    I find that problem often, if owner is private person you can easily find that out (on the web), but if the restaurant owner is some company, very hard to find restaurant manager name...
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  • Profile picture of the author Mac the Knife
    If you're looking to lock em in, by all means, GO THERE. Don't send a piece of mail or email without getting a feel for the place. MOST restaurants, except the super hot ones, want new customers. If you approach them correctly and have a solid offer, you will have success. It is always better to throw restaurant a free bone to get the ball started as they ARE hit often with marketing BS...the sad thing is, they will pay to have their logo on a prescription bag given out at a local drug store (which costs thousands) yet they don't have their menu online...and MANY don't even have websites...the first thing you see when you search is some review site showing all the BAD reviews the restaurant got...lol Crazy.

    Mac the Knife
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  • Profile picture of the author xlfutur1
    Check around for a local business association website that has a directory of members. More often than not, there will be a business owner listed along with the link to their site. I just found one for my local area and its a goldmine.
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    • Profile picture of the author WhyGuy
      You also need to figure out who makes the decisions and that varies from restaurant to restaurant. If it is part of a wholly-owned chain, the buying decisions are usually made at the corporate office. If it is a franchise chain, the franchisee of each location makes their buying decisions, although they often have rules they live under from the main company. If it's a locally owned restaurant, the owner may be the chef who is in the kitchen or may be an investor who lets his manager run the day to day decisions.

      The biggest thing to remember from the restaurateurs perspective is, never ever call or stop-in during their busy meal times to try to talk with them. That's when they're trying to provide good service to make their customers happy.

      --DjA
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      Whyguy.com http://www.WhyGuy.com
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      • Profile picture of the author Etak
        Always ask the bartender.

        Or you could find employees on FB and ask them or find the restaurant's page on FB and look there. Keep digging. You can find it without a call.
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        • Profile picture of the author RRG
          Originally Posted by Etak View Post

          Always ask the bartender.

          Or you could find employees on FB and ask them or find the restaurant's page on FB and look there. Keep digging. You can find it without a call.
          That's a good idea . . . if a call doesn't work. I would always start with a call because other sources of info could be obsolete.

          Either way, make sure you have the right name before you send mail; otherwise it's a waste of time, effort and expense.
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        • Profile picture of the author DJVan
          Originally Posted by Etak View Post

          Always ask the bartender.

          Or you could find employees on FB and ask them or find the restaurant's page on FB and look there. Keep digging. You can find it without a call.
          Ask other restaurant owners you know. Either they know or their Food suppliers do know.
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  • Profile picture of the author fitz10
    If you're in the US go to the business registry for your state, they require the name of an owner.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Virtue
    You can also do a whois search on the domain name too, although it doesn't necessarily mean the listed Registrant is the owner as it could be the webmaster, or someone who's in the marketing department. But if you do a Google search with the name from the whois and the business name then most times they'll be results and you can verify if it's the owner or not (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.). For example, if the name listed as the registrant is Sam, do a Google search like: "BusinessName" Sam or "Sam" BusinessName

    Just go to Whois Lookup, DNS Lookup, Reverse Whois Lookup | DomainTools (No Affiliation)

    Type in the domain of the business and search. They may also have a private registration, or falsified information listed though (although using false information is against ICANN's policy). If you can't verify for sure the owner's name then I wouldn't use one as the last thing you want to do is call the owner by the wrong name, that'd definitely cost you the deal, and a whole lot of embarrassment.

    However, just going into the business whether you go in to eat or grab a take out menu would be the best way to know for sure the owner's name. Just go in grab a take out menu and start talking to the cashier or the greeter, ask them a few questions about the menu, and leisurely ask who the owner is. Sometimes the owner/general manager's name will be in the take out menu or on the front door as well. The owner or general manager may even be up front when you walk in.
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    • Profile picture of the author RRG
      Originally Posted by Chris Virtue View Post

      You can also do a whois search on the domain name too, although it doesn't necessarily mean the listed Registrant is the owner as it could be the webmaster, or someone who's in the marketing department. But if you do a Google search with the name from the whois and the business name then most times they'll be results and you can verify if it's the owner or not (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.). For example, if the name listed as the registrant is Sam, do a Google search like: "BusinessName" Sam or "Sam" BusinessName

      Just go to Whois Lookup, DNS Lookup, Reverse Whois Lookup | DomainTools (No Affiliation)

      Type in the domain of the business and search. They may also have a private registration, or falsified information listed though (although using false information is against ICANN's policy). If you can't verify for sure the owner's name then I wouldn't use one as the last thing you want to do is call the owner by the wrong name, that'd definitely cost you the deal, and a whole lot of embarrassment.

      However, just going into the business whether you go in to eat or grab a take out menu would be the best way to know for sure the owner's name. Just go in grab a take out menu and start talking to the cashier or the greeter, ask them a few questions about the menu, and leisurely ask who the owner is. Sometimes the owner/general manager's name will be in the take out menu or on the front door as well. The owner or general manager may even be up front when you walk in.
      Going in for a menu works well.

      Depending on how many restaurants you're targeting, it's more efficient to make phone calls. Even if you find what you believe to be the juice's name online, always call to verify the info before mailing.

      Not sure about "Dear Fellow Owner." Think about when you receive mail addressed "Dear Resident." Not too exciting, right?
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  • Profile picture of the author RentItNow
    Dear Fellow <CITY> Business Owner:

    Works pretty good for me.
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    I have no agenda but to help those in the same situation. This I feel will pay the bills.
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    • Profile picture of the author BradleyC
      When I absolutely cannot find the business owners name, I'll do one of two things ...

      Dear Business Owner of <Company>,
      (Merge the company name into the letter or email)

      or I'll do

      Attention <Company>:
      (Again, I merge the company name in, and in this format I do bold the company name)

      I do not personally include the city name because then it appears like I'm not local to them, that I'm marketing to them from another city and I want them to think and believe that I'm a local business like them.

      Bradley
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  • Profile picture of the author Artificer
    I find local newspapers to be a good source, as well as the BBB or local Chamber of Commerce sites.
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