TiVo and Domino's Team Up to Deliver

As if things were not tough enough there is a new restaurant on the block – any block- every block, actually in America.

Yesterday TiVo, the DVR giant with almost 4 million subscribers nation wide announced they were going to feature direct orders fromDomino’s Pizza. Just in case you had a few customers who wanted to lift their lazy butts off the coach during the big game and waddle to the phone, those days are almost over. Now with the simple click of a remoter you can order your Pepperoni and Cheese without moving another muscle.

What effects will this have on the restaurant industry is yet to be seen. You can order pizza from YouTube, MySpace, your phone and a variety of other places and portals. But what it does do is keep Domino’s in front of everyone so when they think hunger your restaurant doesn’t necessarily come to mind.

If we assume everyone eats with their eyes first, as so many of us claim, they choose where to go by using the convenience factor. Before each of you, including my dear friend in Carmel, Bill Lee, go out and buy a Domino’s franchise stop and think about the importance of gaining a market share – and keeping it.

I am not saying that you have to compete on a national level with the likes of Pizza Hut, Dominoes, Fast Freddie’s Crust Factory, or a number of other competitors whittling away at your market. I am professing that we all need to scope out a market – a neighborhood – and penetrate that demographic on a regular basis. This can be accomplished in a number of very economical ways.

How many business cards do each of you have from your customers and when was the last time you asked for one? Exactly, the fishbowl is empty. Guess what, the fishbowl at the Starbuck’s on Chestnut Street in San Francisco is not empty. As of 6:00 a.m. this morning the bowl was overflowing with business cards from customers – each in search of a complimentary something or other.

You could do the same. And once you acquire those email addresses you too can get those loyal clients to think of your restaurant when the commercials come on.

The other evening, as I was surfing through the channels while doing some work on my laptop I suddenly stopped surfing and began answering an email. After 10 minutes, my wife – who was also on her laptop – asked why we were watching a Spanish channel. IN the midst of my multi=tasking I decided to put the remote down and go to my email. I was paying little attention to TV. and since neither my wife, Kranston, nor I speak Spanish – the channel was simply “white noise. I am sure that many customers are home at night watching T.V., surfing the channels while simultaneously surfing the Internet.

If you had those email addresses you too could attract a following with your email blasts, your nightly specials, your blue plate specials, your coupons, your entertainment schedule, your events calendar, and your thanks for stopping by campaign.

It’s difficult to get a customer. It’s easy to keep them if you follow the simple rules of hospitality. Market yourself and your restaurant. It’s basically cost free and the results are very worthwhile. TiVo is paving the way for a new world of pizza. You too can take advantage of your own marketing buzz. Go after the business, it’s in your backyard and your goal is to get it into your dining room.

I have to go now; they just slipped the pizza under my front door.