Lets go with the following assumptions: You sell hot dogs. Your hot dogs taste really good. Your only competition is the dogs they sell at convenience stores (gas stations). Your cost for the hot dogs is $0.50 (includes dog/buns/container/condiments) You cannot advertise them online. You cannot sell them online. Ok folks, put on your marketing caps and tell me how you'd sell some hot dogs!
Number of sales is directly proportional to number of foot traffic through your station. You can't do much of marketing for this type of services, because it is a commodity. Put right signs. Decide a right price and you will do fine.
I'd find myself a location that is very busy (mostly near meal times...lunch preferably...) Maybe near some major office buildings with lots of rich business men who have no time to go for fast food... Send notifications to these companies via flyers?...letting people know I'm there...with a nice catchy description for some excellent hot dogs.. then put signs on streets near my stand (with arrows)...so people that can't see the stand...know it's there...
In that business its all about taste and location you don't need to advertise it much at all maybe when it first opens but its all location location location with that business because its pretty hard to mess up cooking a hotdog
Cook up a bunch of hot dogs and give them away free to construction workers during breaks & lunch time. Make sure the brand name is plastered everywhere and how to order more! This can work with any large location such as a hospital college or business office.
Taste tests would really be good. But I suggest that you do it differently. At a populous location, preferably lunch time, create a mini booth near your hotdog stand. This would offer free tasting of hotdogs. Just hotdog pieces on toothpicks. Having this near your stand, those who loves it could immediately buy from you.
I'd go along with this, but there was one very key selling feature missed by Stax_Daniel, I'd higher a super hot girl to sell the hot dogs, maybe this girl.
I know a guy in my area who has 6 hot dog stands throughout downtown and he makes very good money at it
I disagree with the marketing comment. I believe that you can promote it easier with gimmicks, ie: 2 for $2.00 on Tuesdays. This is based upon an assumption that my hot dog stand is mobile. What if its in a restaurant that already has an established location? Flyers idea is a good idea, but how do you address the 'No Solicitation" signs plastered on everyone's doors? I agree that taste is important. It will be the driving force for repeat business and word of mouth marketing. I do disagree with the pretty hard to mess up cooking a hotdog. There's numerous ways to cook a dog, but it all starts with the initial product. If it tastes like crap, then it won't matter how its cooked. Not a bad idea, but you'll run into an issue regarding transportability. Can't premake them otherwise your bun gets soggy. And if you don't have a mobile cart, then it become problematic keeping them warm and fresh. Once again, this assumes a stand or portability. The issue moreso at hand is getting people to the restaurant in the first place with the intentions of purchasing a hot dog. Drink costs are negligible. Roughly $0.15 for a 16 oz drink. No. I own a restaurant and am looking for creative ways of selling my food items. Not necessarily limited to hot dogs. You can always move here. I did consider, bring your dog and get a free dog gimmick. I've got tons of people that bring their dogs to the store. Apparently dogs like frozen custard.
You could cut 'em up into bite-sized peices and give away samples to everyone who comes into your restaurant (even if they order something else). You could also offer to give the free samples away at a nearby bar (or some other complementary, but not competing, business). You could offer to cater a hot-dog lunch for the local newspapers, tv and radio stations.... (...er...where do I pick up my check for the consulting fee???)
Attack George Bush with your saussage live on air. It will be a mass media hit and everyone will want to eat your hot dogs.
I would sell it for $2. At least that's the price I remember it was for a hotdog. I luv hotdogs. As for the marketing, you must always be nice to your costumer, and very helpful, and they will come back to buy from you!
For those interested, I've decided on a handbill/postcard approach towards marketing. I'm considering direct mail, but for the most part, I'm going to hit Wal Mart's parking lot and put these under people's windshield wipers. Also going to hit the softball/soccer fields. http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=521007
Interesting read. I always love hearing profit margin breakdowns of actual brick and mortar stores. (I guess that comes from my past in retail sales) Anywho, Congrats on opening the new location.
not a very good idea, rich businessman aren't the type of people who it hotdog in the street they have their offices and people take care of their lunch but office a good idea