Attracting more cash business

Thank you for joining us for story 3 of our 6 story series following restaurant owner Gabriele Saccardo from La Scala.

Gabriele is an award winning restaurateur with over 30 years experience and owns a very successful restaurant in Canberra.

This week he is talking to us about how he uses Bartercard to attract more cash business into his restaurant.

“Hi everyone, thanks for coming back to hear more about my business.

Last week I went through all the areas that I utilise Bartercard trade dollars within my restaurant to help me save tens of thousands of dollars every year. Just like all business owners, I like to save money wherever I can, without sacrificing on quality. Bartercard definitely helps me to do this.

For me, the beauty of being a member of Bartercard and accepting trade dollars into my restaurant is that it not only brings me more customers and extra income but it also allows me to pay for advertising that I normally wouldn’t be able to afford.

Within my local area there are a lot of Bartercard media members such as radio stations and publications that help me to promote my restaurant directly to my target market.

I recently took out a full front page advert with an editorial in B2B magazine. The readers of this publication are the exact market that I want to promote my lunch trade to. This advert would normally cost me $10,000 cash, but I am able to use my Bartercard trade dollars, instead of cash. It’s great because not only have I saved cash but I have promoted to my target market which gives me a really good return on investment....more cash business!

I also know of two other businesses that recently joined Bartercard so they could advertise with this publication. They have both taken a 6 month campaign for $10,000 each. They are really happy with the cash saving and how good this advertising opportunity is for their businesses.

Another way we use Bartercard to attract more cash paying customers is by selling our restaurant vouchers to Bartercard members so they can give them to their staff or clients.

Last month I sold $4,000 worth to a member that will use them throughout the year to give to their clients and staff. This works really well as they generally spend extra once they are in my restaurant and continue to come back and spend cash.

If it wasn’t for the Bartercard network the promotion of my restaurant would be limited to what cash we had available that month and advertising and promotion is often one of those areas that get the chop. It’s a real catch 22.

For us, each time we generate trade dollars, I get excited about where I can then spend the dollars to advertise the restaurant. Between spending trade dollars on the expenses within the restaurant and advertising, the cash savings blow my mind. I simply couldn’t afford to do half of what we do, if it wasn’t for Bartercard.

Next week I will explain how I turn trade dollars into cash and how I use Bartercard to incentivise my staff.

For now, visit www.interestfreeforbusiness.com.au. If you have followed this series, you will know that Bartercard’s interest free line of credit saved my business. For a limited time they are offering a $10,000 unsecured interest free line of credit to business owners...this is unheard of in business. I recommend you have a look.

www.interestfreeforbusiness.com.au

www.bartercard.com.au/hospitality

3rd October 2013