Friday, May 2, 2008

Are you talking to me?

The first question a restaurateur should ask is “who is my customer?” After you have determined that then and only then can you design a restaurant to meet the needs of that customer.

James Chartrand’s post offer broad generalizations about generational differences.

So what values should you aim for? Here’s a look:

Silent Generation: respect for authority; conformity and adherence to the rules; law, order and duty; dedication, hard work and sacrifice.

Baby Boomers: personal gratification; personal growth, health and wellness; optimism and positive attitude; teamwork and being involved.

Generation X: diversity and global thinking; self-reliance and independence; life balance; fun and informal attitude; technologically literate.

Generation Y: confidence and achievement; sociability and collective action; diversity and morality; street-smart; optimistic and savvy.

These days, it’s not enough to slap up a nice design and some well-written content. You have to get into the heads of your buyers and learn how they think – and why they think that way. Targeting your market means intimately knowing who’s going to feel good about your business…

And who isn’t.

Knowing who is going to feel good about your restaurant is a critical element in the recipe of success.