by Heather T. | Oct 1, 2025 | Nonprofits, Observations
Volunteer recruitment and retention continues to get harder and harder. People are busy, stressed, and may not feel like volunteering or continuing to volunteer, particularly if they feel unappreciated.
Volunteer appreciation needs to be ongoing, and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. A nonprofit doesn’t have to spend a ton of money on appreciation. It’s the small things that make a difference. The value of the THANK YOU is priceless. I created this list this summer when I did a session for the NH Governor’s Conference on Volunteerism, which was on Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers for Non-profits.
While there are dozens of lists out there about volunteer recognition, this is my list, including a few don’ts at the end. AI can spit out endless lists of ideas for recruitment and retention, and it can be a great starting point, but it lacks the human experience element. And if you ask it to give you ideas, please take with a grain of salt and ask yourself, would your volunteers truly appreciate this AND if you were the volunteer, would YOU appreciate it?
AI is a great tool, and I’ve said it before and will say again, don’t use it as a crutch. GIGO, Garbage In, Garbage Out. “Gift them a single paperclip with a note: “You hold us together.”” 🤣🤣🤣This was a sample volunteer appreciation suggestion from ChatGPT. All I can say is, if I got that from an organization I volunteered for, I wouldn’t think highly of it. At least give me a small box of unique paperclips; I’d at least feel there was some thought put into it.
RECOGNITION & GRATITUDE
- Send handwritten thank-you notes. Branded note cards are encouraged. You can buy blank note cards at office supply stores or online and print in house.
- Give shout-outs during meetings. Be specific and make sure you make a point to try to callout/shout out people that may not necessarily be getting a lot of recognition otherwise. Volunteer leaders are typically the ones who don’t seek recognition and also don’t get it which can cause long term resentment and disconnection from the cause.
- Post public acknowledgments on social media. Ask before using names and photos. Best practice is to have a photo and name release for all volunteers.
- Highlight a volunteer of the month. Try to rotate people of all genders. On socials, in newsletters, in office bulletin boards and on a website.
- Write a feature or volunteer bio in your newsletter, weekly, monthly or quarterly.Use a Google form (free) and ask volunteers when they start volunteering to fill out some quick questions. This helps to let volunteer leaders know a little more about the volunteer and connect with them better.
- Hand out “caught being awesome” or “Thank you for being an awesome volunteer” cards. Including a small Dunkin Donuts $5 coupon is also a nice touch.
- Host a small thank-you breakfast once a month. Make it personal, bring something home-made or something unique and delicious from a local bakery.
- Send appreciation text messages. Text messaging for people who don’t do a lot of text messages can be time consuming and difficult to draft and the chance of typos can increase. Drafting your messages in MS word helps personalize and make sure the volunteer’s name is spelled correctly. It’s easy to copy into an email and send it to yourself and then paste into a text message.
- Create a thank-you video from the Executive Director, staff and Board of Directors. Make sure everyone knows how to pronounce the volunteers name correctly.
- Mention volunteers in press releases. Don’t just mention names (again have permission) mention what they do and their impact.
- Give a round of applause at events. Make sure to recognize some specific people.
- Celebrate anniversaries of their service. Don’t just do 5 years, 10 years. Do a one year and call out volunteers and highlight personal impact stories.
- Send surprise “just because” cards. Pick a volunteer randomly once or twice a week (keep track). 2 minutes of your time.
- Share positive quotes with a note of thanks. Carry the above one step further, those quotes are meaningful.
- Recognize birthdays with a card. Capture that information (just day and month not year) when you onboard them.
- Tag them in thank-you posts online (with permission). Take it one step further and find out which channels they frequent the most.
- Nominate them for community awards. In New Hampshire for example, we have state volunteer awards (Volunteer NH). Most states and even nationally have recognition that you can nominate those who give “more”.
- Post “volunteer of the week” on internal bulletin boards. (If you have a brick and mortar space)
- List your volunteers (with permission) in your annual report. (The more places your volunteers are recognized the better, online, offline and verbally)
The next post will focus on Comfort & Hospitality and Meaningful Gestures, followed by a post on Fun and Celebration, and last but not least Gifts & Tokens and Volunteer Recognition Don’ts.
by Heather T. | Aug 26, 2025 | Books, Business, Guerrilla Marketing, Marketing, Operations, restaurants
Outsmart, Outserve and Order Up!: Guerrilla Marketing Tactics for Culinary Operators was just published, and I thought I’d share a sample chapter from the book. 50% of net profits from the sale of each book will be donated to our local New Hampshire food pantries.
Brand Your Art: A Customer Creativity Contest
Encourage your customers to tap into their artistic side by creating a standard page-sized artwork featuring your business logo, mascot or image or character within your logo. This logo, mascot or food character can be riding a bicycle, playing a musical instrument, dancing, or engaging in any other fun, whimsical activities.
Sample Submission Guidelines: (examples)
-
Artwork must be standard page size horizontal (8.5″L x 11″ W) or size of your choosing.
-
Mediums allowed: pen, pencil, paint, collage, or mixed media. (as long as it can fit within a frame)
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The business logo or mascot must be incorporated in the artwork in some form.
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Bonus: if you have brand colors you use for your business, ask participants to use those colors. (And give them the digital and print color codes RGB, CMYK or Pantone.)
-
The logo, mascot or food character must be performing a fun activity. (keep it family friendly please)
-
Limit of one submission per entrant.
-
Submission deadline: [Insert Date]
You will need to have an enlarged version of the logo or mascot, (this could be regular page size) posted somewhere and encourage people to snap a picture of it so they can recreate it for artwork. Also think about how you want entries submitted, Via email? Dropped off? Other?
Voting Process: (examples)
-
Display entries in the restaurant on a designated wall and on social media. Very inexpensive frames can be obtained from the Dollar Tree or other discount stores, or online retailers, to keep costs down.
-
Customers can vote in-store by placing a ticket in a designated voting box or online via social media reactions.
-
Voting period: [Insert Date Range]
-
Top three artworks with the most votes win.
Prizes: (examples)
1st Place: $100 gift card (or other prize/incentive)
2nd Place: $50 gift card (or other prize/incentive)
3rd Place: $25 gift card (or other prize/incentive)
You could do this on a monthly or quarterly basis and just have “one” theme, ie mascot riding a bicycle, next month is mascot surfing, etc. and just keep the top three from each month up permanently and as additional ones are done, and more wall space is needed just keep the 1st place winners up long term.
Promotion:
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Use posters, table tents, and social media posts to promote the contest.
-
Feature the winning artworks prominently in the restaurant and online.
-
Consider making limited-edition merchandise (like t-shirts or tote bags) featuring the winning designs. You need a signed agreement with the original artist.
Sample Promotional Flyer: Food Adventure Art Contest
Get Creative & Win Big!
Show off your artistic talent in our Food Adventure Art Contest! We’re looking for fun, family-friendly artwork that features our “logo, mascot, or a food character” engaging in a fun activity like riding a bike, playing an instrument, or dancing!
Submission Guidelines: (sample)
-
Example: Artwork must be 8.5″ L x 11″ W horizontal (standard page size).
-
Mediums allowed: pen, pencil, paint, collage, or mixed media (as long as it can fit within a frame). (No AI art please, we can tell).
-
Our “logo, mascot, or a food character” must be incorporated in some form.
-
Keep it family-friendly, please.
-
Limit one entry per participant.
-
Submission Deadline: [Insert Date]
Voting Process: (sample)
-
Entries will be displayed on a designated wall in the restaurant and on our social media pages (if applicable).
-
Vote in-store by dropping a ticket in the voting box or online by liking your favorite artworks!
-
Voting Period: [Insert Date Range]
Prizes: (sample)
1st Place: $100 gift card (or other prize/incentive)
2nd Place: $50 gift card (or other prize/incentive)
3rd Place: $25 gift card (or other prize/incentive)
Get Involved: (sample)
-
Monthly or quarterly contests, each with a new theme (e.g., mascot surfing, mascot dancing, mascot eating).
-
Winning artworks stay up all year, with 1st place pieces displayed long-term!
-
Consider submitting every month for a chance to have your art featured on limited-edition merch!
-
Ready, Set, Draw! Submit your artwork by [Insert Date] for your chance to win and be featured!
Prep List:
-
Choose the art theme (e.g., mascot/logo biking, dancing, cooking, etc.).
-
Finalize submission deadline and voting period dates.
-
Determine allowed artwork size (e.g., 8.5” x 11”, portrait or landscape orientation).
-
Set guidelines for acceptable mediums (pen, pencil, paint, collage, etc.). Do you want to allow AI?
-
Require inclusion of logo, mascot, or food character in the artwork.
-
Decide on the submission method (in-person drop-off and/or email submission).
-
Post a large version of your logo/mascot for participants to reference or photograph.
-
Create a digital flyer with all contest details.
-
Write a short set of rules (“1 entry per person” and “family-friendly content only” etc.).
-
Purchase low-cost frames for displaying art (Dollar Tree or similar).
-
Designate a voting wall area inside the restaurant.
-
Create a labeled voting box with entry tickets.
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Plan for social media voting (use “like” or “reaction” counts).
-
Choose and announce the number of winners (e.g., top 3 by votes).
-
Determine and budget for prizes, Examples:
-
1st Place – $100 gift card (or custom prize)
-
2nd Place – $50 gift card
-
3rd Place – $25 gift card
-
Prepare any physical prizes or certificates in advance.
-
Design and print posters for in-store display.
-
Create table tents or inserts for menus.
-
Promote via:
-
Schedule reminder posts leading up to submission deadline
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Encourage staff to mention the contest to customers.
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Plan for monthly or quarterly contests with changing themes.
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Keep all 1st place winners displayed long-term.
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Feature winners in a social media spotlight post.
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Explore turning winning entries into limited-edition merchandise (T-shirts, totes, etc.).
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Announce winners online and in-store.
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Reward participants and thank them publicly.
-
Archive submissions digitally (consider a social media highlight or gallery on your website).
-
Refresh the contest theme and restart the cycle if recurring.
*ChatGPT was used to create the restaurant setting above and the images based on the restaurant logo. Canva was used to put everything together.
by Heather T. | Jul 31, 2025 | Blog, Business, Email Marketing, Guerrilla Marketing, Marketing
In anticipation of getting my restaurant guerrilla marketing book finished in about a month, I was exploring additional ways to get the word out there. Business books are never an easy sell, and for the first two books I wrote last year, I literally did nothing for advertising. This was more a fault of it just being a brain dump of information that I just wanted to put down on paper, rather than a wish to be a well-known author (someday when I finally finish that fiction thriller and get beyond chapter one maybe LOL).
I belong to about a dozen Facebook groups with writers, publishers, aspiring writers and the sometimes overly intrusive vendors who frequent those groups, and Substack kept coming up. As in, if you’re an author (of any vein) you should be on Substack.
Having “heard” of it but literally knowing nothing about the platform, I set an account up and rapidly went WHOA!, this puppy offers a lot for free. I’m still digging around in the back end for all the options and bells and whistles.
From a business perspective, I’d say to businesses, at least check it out. Free newsletter option for unlimited subscribers, including tracking, email a.k.a. blog posts, plus the option to have paid email subscribers (with some gated content) and free podcasting.
Pros:
Posting a blog post is easy, about as easy as using Blogger (owned by Google) blog. I have not yet tested the podcast functions, but it’s on my list and people I have talked to that podcast on it seem to love it.
It gives you the option to add watermarks on any images, which I find useful, and lets you also add alt tags to the images (good for SEO and accessibility).
It gives you stats on open rates, viewers, referral sources, and subscribers, and the time lag for updating stats seems to be around 6 hours.
I do very much like that it gives you “who” specifically opened in email the post for any email subscribers. It also tracks clicks.
Cons:
It took some poking around to go through all the options and figure out things. I could have sped that up quite a bit if I had read the help/support section first, but I tend to like to poke around in things and see how they work because it’s more fun IMO.
SEO value seems negligible to none if you just use the platform “as is”. It gets picked up by Google if you are sharing the posts on other social platforms. I’ve only done five posts so far, and two plus the main page are indexed, so it will be interesting to track SEO value as I do more posts and also enable more exposure to it (below).
I have not yet added it to Google Search Console, set up Google Tag manager, or done a sitemap yet for it and submitted it, but in researching this definitely shows that this “helps” with getting posts and the account indexed.
It does not give you the ability to add categories, tags, or separate keywords to posts like many blogging platforms do.
The layout is pretty basic as is there really isn’t much, think basic formatting options from a MS Word document minus the ability to pick fonts and font size above basic heading size options. You can add a custom visual header to the posts/email newsletter, but customizing the actual blog post/email newsletter is very, very basic. (but it’s free, so there is that). It does allow images, embedded audio and video. I did find it interesting in playing with it a bit that if you wrote a blog post in WordPress for example and then copy the text/images straight from a website into a Substack post it does copy over the text size, formatting and font style. I have not yet tried an actual blog/email to see whether it transfers the formatting through into email, but if it does (and will test) it could be a work around to make the email newsletter/blog post a bit more customized.
If you want to explore Substack, I’d recommend checking out https://substack.com/resources and https://support.substack.com/ (at the bottom of the page: Getting Started on Substack).
Here are the four Guerrilla Marketing Tips I wrote this month for Substack:
Zoom Cameo Challenge
July 29, 2025-Tactical Tuesday: Guerrilla Marketing Tip
https://forfeng.substack.com/p/zoom-cameo-challenge
Spot the Code, Score the Deal
July 22, 2025-Tactical Tuesday: Guerrilla Marketing Tip
https://forfeng.substack.com/p/spot-the-code-score-the-deal
Offer a Coupon Code Hidden in a Puzzle
July 15, 2025-Tactical Tuesday: Guerrilla Marketing Tip
https://forfeng.substack.com/p/offer-a-coupon-code-hidden-in-a-puzzle
Local Landmark Photo Challenge
July 8, 2025-Tactical Tuesday: Guerrilla Marketing Tip
https://forfeng.substack.com/p/local-landmark-photo-challenge
by Heather T. | Jun 19, 2025 | Nonprofits, Observations, Operations
I am on several non-profit boards and over the years, through my business and as a small business mentor, have worked with many non-profit boards.
These are the interview questions and checklist I use when vetting new potential board members. Please feel free to copy and customize to suit if you find it useful.
Checklist for Vetting/Interviewing New Non-Profit Board Members
Interviewers:
Date:
Initial Screening
Application/Resume Review:
☐ Confirm the receipt of application or resume.
☐ Check for relevant experience and skills.
☐ Review LinkedIn and other public social media platforms for relevance.
List links found:
Alignment with Mission:
☐ Assess the candidate’s passion and commitment to the organization’s mission.
Very Passionate Passionate Indifferent Not Significantly Interested
Availability:
☐ Confirm the candidate’s availability for meetings and commitment to board responsibilities.
List Dates Discussed and Agreed on:
Notes:
Secondary Screening/Interview
Qualifications and Experience
Professional Experience:
☐ Review the candidate’s professional background for relevant experience (e.g., finance, legal, marketing, fundraising).
Non-Profit Experience:
☐ Check for previous experience with non-profit organizations or boards.
List experience:
Skills and Expertise:
☐ Identify specific skills the candidate brings (e.g., strategic planning, governance, community outreach).
List attributes:
Notes:
Personal Attributes
Leadership Qualities:
☐ Evaluate the candidate’s leadership and teamwork abilities.
List attributes:
Ethical Standards:
☐ Assess the candidate’s integrity and ethical standards.
List attributes:
Communication Skills:
☐ Check for effective verbal and written communication skills.
Cultural Fit:
☐ Determine if the candidate’s values align with the organizational culture.
Yes No Unsure
Notes:
Commitment and Availability
Time Commitment:
☐ Confirm (again) the candidate can commit the necessary time for board meetings, committees, and events.
Long-Term Engagement:
☐ Assess the candidate’s willingness for long-term involvement.
Notes:
Financial and Legal Responsibility (for treasurer/secretary roles)
Financial Literacy:
☐ Ensure the candidate understands financial statements and budgeting (particularly for Treasurer candidates).
Legal Awareness:
☐ Verify the candidate’s knowledge of non-profit governance and legal responsibilities.
Very Aware Somewhat Aware Needs Some Training Needs Significant Training
Notes:
Conflict of Interest
Potential Conflicts:
☐ Identify any potential conflicts of interest with the candidate’s professional or personal life.
List if found:
Disclosure Agreement:
☐ Ensure the candidate is willing to sign a conflict of interest disclosure agreement.
Notes:
References and Background Checks
Professional Non-Profit References:
☐ Collect and verify professional references.
List references:
Sample questions to ask references:
- How do you know “name”, and in what capacity have you worked together?
- How long have you known them, and how closely did you work together?
- Did “name” serve on your board or another committee? If so, what was their role or roles?
- How would you describe their level of participation and reliability in meetings or projects?
- Was “name” involved in fundraising, advocacy, or donor relations? How did they perform?
- How did “name” interact with fellow board members, staff, or volunteers?
- Did they handle conflict or differing opinions constructively? Can you give an example?
- Would you say “name” demonstrated high ethical standards and followed through on commitments?
- Were there any concerns or challenges you observed during their time with your organization?
- Would you recommend this person for a nonprofit board role? Why or why not?
- Is there anything else we should know about “name” that would help us make an informed decision?
- If there was an opportunity to have them back on your board in some capacity would you want them back?
Background Check:
☐ Conduct a criminal background check if necessary.
Notes:
Interview Process
Interview Preparation:
☐ Prepare a list of interview questions focused on experience, skills, commitment, and values.
Nonprofit Board Member Interview Questions (customize to suit)
Personal Information
Name:
Address:
Phone Number:
Email Address:
Background and Motivation
- Why are you interested in joining the board of our nonprofit?
- What do you know about our organization and its mission?
- What motivates you to contribute your time and expertise to our cause?
- Have you had any previous involvement with our organization? If so, please describe.
Skills and Experience
- Please provide an overview of your professional background and current occupation.
- Do you have any prior experience serving on a non-profit board? If yes, please provide details (e.g., organization name, role, duration).
- What specific skills or expertise do you bring to our board? (e.g., fundraising, finance, marketing, legal, strategic planning)
- Can you provide examples of how you have used these skills in a nonprofit or volunteer setting?
Commitment and Expectations
- Board members are expected to attend regular meetings and actively participate in committee work. Are you able to commit to this level of involvement?
- How much time per month can you realistically dedicate to board activities?
- What are your expectations from the organization and fellow board members in terms of support and collaboration?
Fundraising and Advocacy
- Fundraising is a critical aspect of board responsibilities. Are you comfortable with and experienced in fundraising activities?
- Can you share any successful fundraising experiences you have been involved in?
- How would you leverage your network to support our nonprofit’s fundraising goals?
Strategic Vision and Leadership
- How do you see the nonprofit landscape changing in the next 5-10 years, and how should our organization adapt?
- What ideas do you have for improving our organization’s impact and outreach?
- How do you handle conflict or differing opinions in a group setting?
References: Please provide contact information for at least two professional references who can speak to your qualifications and experience.
Interview Panel:
☐ Assemble an interview panel of current board members and/or executive staff.
Interview Evaluation:
☐ Use a standardized evaluation form to rate the candidate’s responses and overall suitability.
Notes:
Final Decision
Board Approval:
☐ Present the candidate to the full board for approval.
Official Invitation:
☐ Send an official invitation to join the board upon approval.
Onboarding Plan:
☐ Prepare an onboarding plan including orientation and introduction to the board and organization.
Sample Evaluation Form for Interviews
| Criteria |
Excellent |
Good |
Fair |
Poor |
|
| Professional Experience |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
|
| Non-Profit Experience |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
|
| Skills and Expertise |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
|
| Leadership Qualities |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
|
| Ethical Standards |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
|
| Communication Skills |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
|
| Cultural Fit |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
|
| Time Commitment |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
|
| Potential Conflicts |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
☐ |
|
Notes: (Anything rated fair or poor make sure it’s documented, this will be helpful down the road when doing a board S.W.O.T. analysis) A good board member does not have to check every tick box for good or excellent to contribute to the organization.
by Heather T. | May 15, 2025 | Books, Business, Marketing, Observations, Operations, restaurants
Larger Version at the Bottom
Times are tough, that’s nothing new for the restaurant business. I hear that quite a bit from business owners. I don’t want to discount; I don’t want to give away incentives. Margins are thin….etc.
For some businesses I would agree, if it’s what I call a “one and done”. An example might be a hardware store gives away a coupon. The recipient of the coupon waits until they need something to go to the hardware store, they may buy a few things or maybe only one thing that they use the coupon on, and “maybe” have an impulse buy. The hardware store isn’t really getting “more” out of them, other than the customer went to their hardware store, instead of the competitors and they had to lose a little of their profit margin to get them in the door.
Trying to upsell in a hardware store is doable, of course, but all I can think of is a hardware store employee, “Sir, I know you are buying this cordless drill only so you can fix your deck railing, but have you considered this beautiful set of 150 drill bits and perhaps an extra battery as well?”
Restaurants and most other eateries can use discounts and incentives to leverage MORE sales.
If you offer someone a free or deeply discounted appetizer or dessert for example, statistically most diners don’t like to dine alone, there are exceptions of course, but even for single diners, most people won’t go to a place “just” for an appetizer or “just” for the dessert.
If a couple comes in and takes advantage of the free appetizer, it’s not a lot of food (for them) even if they split it, and you still have them in the door to order at least a couple of entrees, possibly another appetizer, maybe some desserts and drinks. Once you have gotten them in the door, that’s also the time to have your staff and management trained to step in and upsell for some additional revenue.
Example: Succulent Smoked Shrimp & Grilled Corn Fritters with Spicy Remoulade.
The manager who is assisting with waiting tables, “Oh, you are ordering the shrimp and corn fritters, I LOVE those, I get those with my girlfriend when we come in on my day off. She swears the Kung Fu Girl Riesling is the BEST with it. I was skeptical because I’m not really a sweeter white fan but the remoulade is a little zippy and it helps balance the spice. She orders it every time we come in and now I’m a big fan!”
Double whammy here for marketing. Yes this example is a little over the top and a little wordy if vocalized, but an example of the upsell, in that the manager says A. he loves the food (he’s a fan) and B. he loves the place so much he will come back on his day off (employee loyalty).
Currently, Kung Fu Girl Riesling runs about $12 retail and less wholesale. Even based on the retail price, if you serve one 5 oz. glass of wine at $5.00 (cheap right?) and the wine is $2.40 your cost per glass, plus tack on a percentage for labor and overhead, you are still making at least a 50% profit margin. And that’s based again on retail pricing.
Even if you upped this to a 6 oz of wine, with wholesale costs, you are still making a hefty profit on this. That’s if you sell it by the glass which is the way to really make money on wine. I worked with an extremely good waiter named Karl many years ago who would use this type of upsell to increase the check average (and his tips). Personal buy-in plus personal endorsement equals sales.
This has always been my personal pet peeve with restaurants, and it’s also a pet peeve of many diners, who refuse to pay for a bottle of wine or by the glass that’s more than double retail prices, and up to four times retail in some places.
Give generous pours at affordable prices and people will order more. Having a great (but inexpensive and unknown) house wine is another way to increase profits, years ago when I was the Chef at a resort in Vermont, I did the wine ordering too, because I liked to do pairings and our front of house manager didn’t know much about wine. The “house” cabernet which was from a small vineyard on the Western Cape of South Africa cost me wholesale $3.50 a bottle. There was no brand name recognition for the wine, so no preconceived thoughts about price, but I had a nice writeup about it on the wine menu so people could get some insight into what kind of wine it was and what it paired well with. We got four pours from the bottle at $4.50 a glass. One dollar profit on one glass ordered (and paid for itself) and 3 additional glasses pure profit minus a small percentage for labor and overhead tacked on, still a hefty money maker.
If you want to make money on full bottles, drop the price to something realistic. Believe me, you will sell a LOT more wine, having done this for years in restaurants. Higher price points mean lower margins when it boils down to it. If you sell 3 bottles a month marked up triple your costs, you will sell less wine.
One of the methods I have used prior is to add on approximately 6 dollars to the average retail price, especially on the name brand recognized affordable wines, to keep the menu price point under $20. You are still making a profit on the $6, including the wholesale discounted price and the labor is the bartender taking 1 minute to open the cork and pour, and a small percentage for general overhead.
You can also add a few dollar corkage fee if you want to bring the “illusion” of costs down even more. $12 of drinkable but inexpensive wine (retail), it’s $16 for the bottle on your menu, plus a $2 corkage fee.
If you train your staff on wine and other beverage pairings and make them able to give suggestions, it not only increases your margins but increases staff knowledge. Pairing wine and beer on the menu itself is also a proven way to increase revenue.
If you or your staff is not well up on wine knowledge, at the moment, ChatGPT can come up with a great list of wines and beers to pair with your menu. I would spot check all of those as in testing as it came up with a couple of “fictional” wines when doing a bunch of testing, but knowing quite a bit about wine and food pairings myself, I’d say it does a more than better-than-average job. Put your menu into ChatGPT or other AI of choice and some specifics, Pair with wines under X dollars and the menu item and any other parameters you want to put in, i.e. Spanish wines only.
Having pairing suggestions on your menu, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, makes it easy for people to decide and also for those that are afraid or just don’t feel comfortable asking for recommendations.
Tying these into a discount or promotion is carrying it one step further.
Get our fan favorite: Smoked Shrimp & Grilled Corn Fritters and get two dollars off our Iced Lemongrass-Mint Green Tea. Tea is a high profit margin item that costs less than $.50 even with some extra ingredients, selling it at $4.00, even with a dollar off is still a very good “extra” profit item. Most other beverage items, even with a discount, are still money makers.
A few examples, and giving some examples of different ways to describe the menu item as well as the beverage descriptions.
Vegetarian Small Plates + Pairings
Crispy Oven Roasted Artichoke Hearts with Zesty Lime and Rosemary Vegetarian Aioli
For one person: $7.50 For two: $14.50
Pairing Suggestions:
White: Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc (NZ)
Aromatic tropical fruits and bright citrus notes, with a refreshingly zesty finish. Recently awarded 90 points by James Suckling.
6 oz. Glass: $5.50 Bottle: $16.50 (Retail average is $10, wholesale would be less).
Red: Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages
Light-bodied, bright cherry and raspberry fruit, hints of violet and earth. Crisp acidity and low tannins make it food-friendly.
6 oz. Glass: $6.50 Bottle: $19.50
Beer: Bell’s Light Hearted Ale
Light Hearted is aromatic, balanced, and incredibly easy-drinking. This Lo-Cal IPA has only 110 calories, yet all the Heart. Centennial and Galaxy hops result in citrus and pine aromas, while a variety of specialty malts help give Light Hearted its body and flavor.
$4.50
Traditional Cocktails
Gin Gimlet with a Rosemary Twist
Lemon-Basil Vodka Fizz
Non-Alcoholic
House Made Cucumber-Lime Sparkling Water with a Rosemary Sprig
House Made & Herb Shrub
Iced Green Tea with Lemon
Grilled Aji Amarillo Pepper** and Sweet Basil Marinated Halloumi Skewers with Grilled Figs and a Drizzle of Honey Balsamic. **Aji Amarillo Peppers are a spicy South American chili pepper with vibrant orange-yellow skin and fruity flavor. On a scale of spicy peppers from 1-4, Amarillos are about a 3, the Halloumi cheese balances the spiciness of the peppers and brings it down a notch.
Pairing Suggestions:
White: Santo Wines Assyrtiko
Assyrtiko, a Greek white wine, is known for its high acidity and mineral notes. These characteristics complement the salty halloumi and cut through the richness, while the wine’s citrus undertones harmonize with the sweet basil and balance the Aji Amarillo’s heat.
Red: Domaine du Pélican Arbois Poulsard
A light-bodied, naturally bright red from the Jura region of France. It shows delicate red berries, subtle earthiness, and a whisper of spice. Tannins are soft, and the wine finishes with refreshing acidity and a touch of minerality. Earthy undertones match the grilled figs and basil, while the light body complements the dish’s delicate balance of sweet, smoky, and herbal notes.
Beer: Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier
This German wheat beer offers a smooth, creamy texture with notes of banana and clove. Its subtle sweetness and effervescence provide a refreshing counterpoint to the spicy Aji Amarillo and the savory halloumi, while the beer’s body stands up to the dish’s bold flavors.
Traditional Cocktails
Whiskey Sour
Classic Mojito
Not So Traditional Cocktails
Basil Whiskey Smash
Housemade Honey Balsamic Old Fashioned (balsamic reduction in place of simple syrup with a dash of honey and orange bitter)
Non-Alcoholic
Iced Hibiscus Tea with Orange Peel
Pomegranate Spritzer
Housemade Ginger-Turmeric Tonic (unsweetened)
Smoked Shrimp & Grilled Corn Fritters with Fresh Mint and Ginger Remoulade
Succulent house smoked shrimp and fresh grilled corn fritters, with a side of our famous mint and ginger remoulade. Our fritters are light and airy yet delight your tastebuds with the earthy smokiness of locally caught shrimp and local Shell Island Farm organic corn.
Pairing Suggestions:
White: Dr. Loosen Blue Slate Riesling Kabinett
This Riesling offers bright acidity and subtle sweetness, which balance the smokiness of the shrimp and the heat from the ginger. Its citrus and mineral notes complement the corn fritters and mint in the remoulade.
Red: Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco di Sorbara
Light, fizzy, and dry with red berry flavors (think raspberry and cherry), floral notes, and mouth-cleansing acidity. The slight fizziness of this red helps balance the richness of the fritters and mild acidity complements the ginger.
Beer: Saison Dupont
Saison Dupont is a Belgian farmhouse ale known for its effervescence and peppery, citrusy flavors. These flavors cut through the richness of the fritters and enhance the herbal notes of the mint-ginger remoulade.
Traditional Cocktails
Moscow Mule
Daiquiri (Traditional, not frozen)
Not So Traditional Cocktails
Ginger-Lemongrass Rickey
Charred Corn Old Fashioned
Non-Alcoholic
Iced Lemongrass-Mint Green Tea
Shrub Spritz (Ginger-Mint Shrub + Sparkling Wine or Soda)
Savory Tomato-Ginger Tonic
Crispy Polenta with Roasted Beet Bites with Smoked Tomato and Lavender Jam
Pairing Suggestions:
Red: Gnarly Head Pinot Noir
This California Pinot Noir is bold for the varietal, with ripe cherry and raspberry flavors at the forefront. Underneath is a thread of vanilla and toasted oak. Medium-bodied with a silky texture and soft tannins, it finishes with a touch of sweet spice. The wine’s ripe red fruit plays well with the smoked tomato-lavender jam, echoing the jam’s sweetness and contrasting the smoke with bright acidity.
White: Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc
A vibrant, zesty white with high-toned aromatics: lime, gooseberry, and freshly cut grass. It’s lean and dry with a bright acidity and a mineral edge, finishing with crisp green apple and citrus zest notes. The wine’s lime and green apple notes offer a clean, tart contrast to the sweetness of the roasted beets and the smoky tomato-lavender jam,
Goose Island Sofie (Saison/Farmhouse Ale)
A Belgian-style saison aged in wine barrels with orange peel. It pours golden with a creamy head. Aromas include white pepper, orange zest, and a hint of vanilla. The taste is tart, citrusy, and subtly spicy, with a champagne-like effervescence and a dry finish. Sofie’s flavors of orange peel and white pepper brighten the earthy sweetness of the roasted beets and contrast nicely with the smoked tomato jam.
Traditional Cocktails
Negroni
Americano
Not So Traditional Cocktails
Lavender-Basil Gimlet
Smoked Tomato Bloody Mary (w/ Lavender Salt Rim)
Non-Alcoholic
Lavender-Lime Soda
Chilled Spiced Carrot Juice
Sparkling Apple-Celery Tonic
A marketing piece like this can be used for mailers, in house promotions (put it on a tent card or menu holder) encourages guests to buy prior to ordering while dining, and as social media posts. “Mention this ad and get…..”
This is a sample chapter for my upcoming book on Guerrilla Marketing, releasing mid-summer 2025. The book will be focusing on over 100 Guerrilla Marketing ideas with examples, as well as a few chapters like the above. I have a favor to ask, if you catch a typo please send me a wave and let me know, snarky comments are appreciated if they are well meant and funny, even running text through two very good grammar editors doesn’t always catch things and my book editor has not yet had a crack at this. 🙂
by Heather T. | May 7, 2025 | Blog, Books, Business Location
This is Chapter Eleven from my book, Location? Location! Finding a Location for Your Brick and Mortar Business. How to Scout the Perfect Location for Your Dream of Opening a Brick and Mortar Business.
Lot Conditions can factor heavily into additional costs, and also inconvenience for an owner buying a new building or property plot if not considered prior to purchase and typically buyers don’t give a lot of thought to a parking lot unless it’s in very bad shape to start with.
Does the property you have found have a parking lot? Is it just for your business, or is it shared with an adjacent business? What is its condition? Paved? Gravel? Dirt? Something else?
If you are buying a location, is the parking lot going to need work? How much is it going to cost to repave or regrade? Does the lot slope towards your building? Or away? If it’s a gravel or dirt parking lot, how much and how often will it need fill or leveling?
Are you in an area with a lot of rain that may affect your lot’s condition? Or is it at the bottom of a hill or mountain that may have an excessive amount of melting snow/runoff in the spring?
When I worked in Vermont during the spring, the parking lots at the Ski Resort I worked at would frequently get flooded. The resort was open for business year-round and we would get some extremely grumpy customers complaining about navigating partially flooded parking lots.
If you are leasing the property, does the landlord have a history of maintaining the lot? If it needs maintenance to bring it up to acceptable use levels, is the landlord going to pay for that? And who defines “acceptable?” Make sure you get a written agreement from the landlord, and before signing anything, have a good business lawyer look over that agreement.
Why should you care about the condition of the parking area? A business with a well-maintained level of paved surface will look much more attractive to a passerby than a lot filled with enormous cracks, missing chunks of pavement, and grass tufts scattered throughout it.
Even more critical than curb appeal, the condition of the lot can impact a car driving through it (think potholes) and the walk from your lot to your business are important factors in the safety and well-being of your customers, as well as their vehicles.
If you don’t have parking on site and only street parking, paid lots, or a parking garage parking nearby, what shape are they in? Paid lots can discourage visitors if they are not in very good shape, as can parking garages. If your customers or staff are leaving late in the evening or arriving early in the morning, how safe are these locations? Are they well lit? Guarded? These factors all play into how comfortable people will be patronizing your brick and mortar business.
What are roads like locally? Are they well maintained? What condition are they in after a long winter? Are there lots of frost heaves that the town doesn’t pay attention to or massive potholes that it seems to take forever for the town or city to repair? Do the plows do a good job? And are they timely about getting out and clearing passage in regular snowstorms?
You won’t know if you are looking at the property in the spring, summer or fall, but this is where talking to residents and local businesses can help you fill in those holes in your knowledge base.
Consideration points for this chapter.
If there is a parking lot:
How many spaces do you have for the facility?
How many ADA/handicapped spaces do you have?
Are they well marked on the pavement, and via signage?
What condition is the parking lot in?
Is there also going to be enough parking for your employees?
Yes No
If No, where are they going to park?
How much is plowing going to cost in a bad winter? Don’t take average costs per winter. Base your budget on the worst winter you can get information on.
What other maintenance and repair needs are required for the lot?
What kind of shape is the lot in? Does it need a redesign and/or need work soon? If so, budget for it now.
Are there spaces set aside for pickup/delivery only? (if applicable)
Yes No
And if not, is there room to set aside and designate a few spaces for them?
Yes No
How is the lot laid out? Is the traffic flow within the lot easy to navigate or will people with oversized vehicles have trouble navigating the lot or pulling into or out of spaces?
Are there spaces for motorcycle parking? And if not, is there room to set aside or designate a few spaces for them? If you potentially have customers that may come in on bikes, you may want to consider this.
Yes No
Notes:
by Heather T. | Apr 28, 2025 | Business, Marketing, Observations, Operations, Social Media
A common complaint I get from clients, both personal, and business mentoring clients, is that they rarely have enough time to take lots of photos for marketing use. Here is an easy solution if you are running into that problem.
You can break most photos into at least three or four separate photos, and often many more, depending on the number of elements and objects. With the excellent photo capability of many of today’s cell phone cameras, clear auto-focused high resolution photos are very easy to get.
This is a simple thing you can do using your cell phone (or other source) photos and Canva.com. If you don’t have a Canva account yet, just start with the free version and many times for both personal and business use, that may be all you end up needing.
Step One is to create a base size for your image. It could be inches or pixels. It can be square, rectangular, vertical or horizontal. Use the image size and image format to best suit whatever project, whether it be digital marketing or print that you might need it for.
Step Two is to upload your photo (or other image, could be a graphic) to Canva.
Step Three is to insert your photo into your created image size.
Step Four is resize, zoom in, zoom out, move around the screen or flip.
Step Five is to see how many additional images you can create with one photo or graphic.
Here are a couple of examples of using one image and creating multiple images from one. I’m a big believer in keeping it easy peasy and this helps save time and extend any images you might have for marketing while keeping costs down. And these are AI generated purely to use for examples.
