In Praise of Old Business
Editor's Note: The series of columns on the "P's of Marketing" for foodservice directors that has appeared in the last several issues will continue next...
Managing Place, Your Distribution Channel
JOHN LAWNEditor-in-Chief After the Product, the Marketing most often discussed next is Price, but I like to put that off until the end. Food is so easily...
The Product: It Is What It Is---Or Is It?
It goes without saying that any marketing plan must begin with the product (or service) you are trying to sell or promote. As the first "P" in the marketing...
The Six P's of Foodservice Marketing
For some years, it has been fashionable to use the term " marketing" in describing a variety of activities undertaken to build onsite foodservice business....
Show-and-Tell
Foodservice manufacturers introduce hundreds of new products at the National Restaurant Association's annual show in Chicago each year. Suppliers obviously...
Every Caf is a Stage
Of all the questions onsite operators ask, the one that seems most perennial is, Why are my customers so willing to pay more for a sandwich on the street...
In Defense of Permission-Based Marketing (and Privacy When You Want It)
The advent of the national "Do-Not-Call" phone solicitation registry last year was a landmark achievement in terms of consumer rights, and the enthusiasm...
Free to Choose?
It's a common restaurant experience. You pick up the lunch menu, ready to make your selection, and your first thought is: Wow. Look at all the choices!...
The Return of FM's Best Concepts ... and a New Shape for America
FM's Best Concepts Awards send the message that your operation has achieved "Best Practice" distinction in the eyes of the industry. Vanderbilt University...
Make Convenience Retailing Part of Your Business Plan
Convenience has been important in the foodservice industry ever since businesses first began providing food to be consumed away from home. Long before...
Variety is a Many-Splendored Thing
Trade magazine editors are often quizzed by foodservice manufacturers about their marketplace, with one of the most common questions being, How can my...
The Era That Never Was
At a NAWGA industry conference back in 1987, I remember watching and then writing about what was reported as a major, ground-breaking event. It was an...
School Foodservice Faces a Growing Communication Gap
As I write this months column, I have on my desk four major reports on school nutrition programs that have all been released in the last six weeks. Two...
Common Mistakes that Purchasing Managers Make
The purchasing manager plays a critical role in most foodser-vice operations, although sometimes not a very visible one. The very nature of the job involves...
A Primary Case for a Secondary Supplier
The rationale behind the selection of a primary distributor is well-known, even if the criteria are sometimes hard to compare. The principal idea is that...
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