Martin Duncan's Tips – Freestyle Tout and Freestyle Escape
Founder of QLD FBI

I started first as kitchenhand at the age of 16 and then did my apprenticeship to become 2nd in command of kitchen. I opened my first restaurant with friends at the age of 21, the Haven Beach Café (Famous food writer Leo Schofield put on the map). I opened my first Freestyle Tout in 1996 in Rosalie which traded for 11 years until the site was purchased by a developer and demolished. I opened Freestyle Tout at Emporium in 2004 and West End in 2009.
                             
My Tips
Life changing moment for me was reading the book the E Myth by Michael E Gerber.

Work out what you are good at
Employ others that excel in what you can’t do
Employ people better than you
Systems, staff training manual

Be clear what you want
Buying yourself a job
Ego and passion get you to finish line …

Exit Plan – I’m often surprised when talking to others in the hospitality industry to discover that they don’t have an exit plan. If you’re going into business, I believe you should have several exit plans eg. Sell, franchise, pass on to family etc. 

Research customers – This is very important to know what your customers want. Too often we are guilty of supplying what we think the customers want instead of what they actually want. Adjust your product to suit your market.

Website –www.freestyletout.com.au
www.freestyleescape.com.au
Having a website is so important for both branding and marketing your business. All info can be seen 24/7 by potential customers and media. Please make sure it is always up to date with correct information ie. Trading hours, current menu etc.
Prevents unnecessary phone calls during service and decisions can be made by client anytime eg. At 2am they can decide on their wedding function or 21st etc thus no hard sell required.

Affiliates – Link websites with others to cross-promote eg.Freestyle Tout with Tastetrekkers, Holidays for Couples, Ripple Massage, Spirithouse, Stayz

Google Analytics is great for tracking where your customers on the internet come from.

Social networking – The new way of reaching potential customers and media eg. Facebook, Twitter, Blog. This is cost effective as it only costs your time and its done without having to cut down trees.
I Blog http://freestyle-freestyler.blogspot.com/
I Twitter @dessertboy
I Facebook Freestyle Tout

A good photo library of venue and food is essential as you can use the pictures for your website, postcards, advertising and can be sent to media when required (editorial is powerful and free).

Brisbane Marketing – Great body to join as if you’re a member you will be considered for media famils and visiting journos. On one such visit I met the editor of Virgin Blue Voyeur Magazine and became the Virgin Chef for 11 issues thus gaining huge exposure for me and my business.

Cheap marketing
Networking to me is the most cost effective and cheapest form of marketing. Should you open a restaurant, say hello to your neighbours eg. Dress shops etc. as these people become ambassadors for your business – invite them for drinks/ breakfasts etc with other local traders. This promotes a sense of community.

Networking with others in the industry and media is so, so important as relationships are formed thus creating new customers or suppliers and also media may do an editorial.

Charities – align yourself with charity. Not only is it good karma but great branding

Exceptional Customer Service - Power of word of mouth

Vouchers/ Postcards – I often hand out vouchers or postcards to anyone that I may come across
– eg. Flight attendants

• magazines and mailouts
• complaints voucher - handle complaints graciously if you win them over you have them loyal and spreading the work

Community – I truly believe that in these times there is a shift to community. People want to be included and to belong.

School fetes – some people don’t appreciate the value of yummy mummies but schools and kindy fetes are cost effective marketing and PR for your business. A simple voucher for breakfast/lunch/dinner can do wonders for branding and increasing your customer base. I know of cafes that the mothers have boycotted because the school fete wasn’t supported.

Support your suppliers – thank-you and vouchers at Christmas. This keeps you in good faith with them and makes them feel appreciated.