Using the “F-Bomb”
To Guarantee Your Financial Success
Fellow Business Builder,
Never before has such foul language proved itself as a major business tool.
By now, I do hope you have heard of Gordon Ramsey, host of “Kitchen Nightmares” and “Hell’s Kitchen”.
If not, I would highly suggest watching the “Kitchen Nightmares” show sometime soon.
First, a WARNING: Thin-skinned folks need not tune in.
If you cannot handle foul language and incredibly abrasive personalities, do not watch Gordon’s show!
He is rude, loud, in-your-face, and LOVES swearing to get his point across (and everything is a point, so pretty well every sentence consists of swear words).
I am not going to go too much into Gordon’s past, but, rest assured, this ex-professional Scottish football player has a list of credentials that is long, and highly admirable.
He is now working on his 25th restaurant and many of them have multiple Michelin stars to their name (the most recognized and influential culinary ratings guide). He has multiple best selling cookbooks, 4 television shows and a DVD series, to name a few.
The story line behind a kitchen nightmare …
Gordon comes into restaurants that are almost ready to close their doors, for any one of multiple different reasons. He has 1 week to turn the business around and make it a success.
He is a no-bull guy and when he starts, there is no stopping him.
Why is this important to you?
Because Gordon’s formula for a 7-day business turnaround is one that each and every one of us should pay close attention to. If you are looking to increase your sales, the ideas below will help you see new ideas you have never thought of before. If you are struggling in your business or cash flow – go through each step below and reconstruct your business from the ground up.
Step #1 – Figure out what you are selling now.
Sounds basic – but is it really? When Gordon first steps into one of the restaurants he is about to makeover, he sits down for a meal.
While he waits for the different dishes he ordered, he watches carefully for the way the staff works, the way they treat customers, and the way customers are enjoying (or not) the food.
When the food shows up, he is usually disgusted in what they are passing off as main course meals.
Also, the restaurants that he steps into are almost always seriously lacking enough customers to stay in business.
Step #2 – Who is behind this disaster they call a restaurant?
This is where the real truth starts to come out. He interviews the owners, the servers, the head chef and the kitchen staff.
Usually, he finds one or two of them passionate about the business, the rest of them are putting in time between paychecks.
Typically the ingredients are sub-par, the menu confusing with too many options, and the actual food being delivered not worthy of a roadside burger stand.
Step #3 – Find out what the customers REALLY want
Rarely is it what is being delivered!
The first thing to be done - - ASK THEM.
Find out what is missing on the restaurant scene.
Find out what foods they want the most, or that they have a tough time finding.
Find out who the regulars are and what they want.
Find out which restaurants are doing best in your area – then go in there to sample their food and service, always looking for ideas to improvise upon.
And, very important, if it is a seasonal business or location – make sure that the restaurant caters to those who live there year round! Those are the people who keep the restaurant open – catering to one-time tourists is a sure-fire way to bankruptcy.
Step # 4 – Find the signature dishes
Such a simple concept that so many businesses (in every possible niche) completely ignore.
What is the one dish that the head chef enjoys making the most?
Usually, Gordon finds out that the chef has an incredible signature plate that is not on the menu. Why? The owner is usually the problem. As Gordon says, “owners should never write the menu – the head chef should be the one to design the menu”.
Step #5 - Simplify the menu and the number of choices
Too many choices leave people confused and lacking in direction.
It also overcomplicates what is required in the kitchen to deliver what was promised (resulting in inferior quality on all the plates).
The menu is typically cut in less than half and the customers are usually very happy about the change.
Also, a large portion is NOT a secret to restaurant success. Smaller portions reduce waste, and keep customers coming back for more.
Step #6 – Systems ARE the key to success
Once the new menu has been created, putting systems in place to ensure consistent (and fast) delivery is key.
Being able to double business in a week, without loss in quality or without increase wait times, is something Gordon does in every restaurant he walks into.
Step # 7 – Feet on the street marketing
Last, now that everything is in place and the systems have been tested on a smaller scale, they get busy.
Getting the staff all geared up in uniforms, loaded up with their new signature dishes, they hit the street and let anyone and everyone try out the new menu choices.
Usually, an afternoon of that and they have enough curiosity built up to guarantee their first night’s dinner is packed with diners and hungry new customers.
The 7-step formula above sounds simple, but it consistently turns failing restaurants around in 1 single week.
The customers love the new choices (the ones they told you to start making), the staff become much more motivated to deliver consistent service, and the restaurant very quickly starts to make a profit.
Gordon usually revisits the restaurant after a month or two to see if they have held together all the new changes.
9 times out of 10 they have held it together, stuck with the changes, and are enjoying more money than they have experienced in years.
And yes, this does apply to your business to …
- Figure out exactly what you are selling now
- Who is behind your business? What do the customers see? What do they think?
- Find out what the customers REALLY want
- Find your signature offer
- Simplify the number of choices
- Systems ARE the key to success
- Feet on the street marketing
Last, a few side lessons from Gordon …
It IS about the image you portray
Use only the finest ingredients in areas the customers enjoy most
What is the passion – where did it come from – find a way to bring it back
Don’t take it personally – take it seriously
It’s about the story you give them to tell others
When you hire a professional to help – try listening to their advice for a change (not that any customers who hire a copywriter or marketing consultant would ever ignore the advice of an expert!)
What you hear most on the show: “%^&#ing HELL!” (which he says every time he sees something that is destroying the business – about every 32 seconds you will hear him say “%^&#ing HELL!”
My favorite Gordon quote: “Who needs a wine list when you can get pissed on desert?”
To your success,
Troy White
Editor, Small Business Mastery
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A Final Note:
If you have specific subjects you would like addressed, or have any comments on what you have seen here, please submit a comment below and I will see how I can help.
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7 Comments »
Join the Discussion!
Let us know what you think. Or ask us anything. Or offer your own sage advice.
The only rule: RESPECT THIS HOUSE! Postings that contain abusive language and/or personal attacks will be cheerfully VAPORIZED. One cross word and – POOF! – your well-thought-out post will be gone in a puff of smoke.
– Clayton
Comment by Len — May 27, 2008 @ 4:23 pm
Great article, Troy.
My wife loves this show, but I hadn’t heard of it until about a week ago. She’ll get quite a kick out of how you’ve turned it into another of your top-notch marketing lessons.
Thanks,
Len
Comment by Hugh — May 27, 2008 @ 4:58 pm
Glad to find out who this chap is! AND a fellow Scottsman to boot!
I have been involved in the restaurant business from every aspect except ownership - Thank God! I could not agree with Gordon more!
Thanks,
Hugh
Comment by Phil Spinelli — May 27, 2008 @ 5:29 pm
You have 2 ears and one mouth.
Using them in that ratio to listen to your customers/marketing will being you increased sales success.
Comment by — May 27, 2008 @ 8:06 pm
Great post, Troy.
It’s so interesting that the deeper trouble the restaurant is, the more vehemently the owner argues that he’s (always a bonehead guy) a genius and Gordon is an idiot.
And I’m not sure it’s rudeness on his part. It’s garden variety straight talk. I think the truth may lie here…
He is from a country that has been through an awful lot of hardship, so people have grown to appreciate straight talk as opposed to sweet talk, which is so common in North America. Here in Canada (through the immigrant’s eyes - I’m from Europe) the polite lies are preferred to the unvarnished truth. Being polite is more important than being honest.
Let’s just consider how differently British and American restaurant owners take Gordon’t style. The Brits handle him quite well, but several of the Americans feel insulted, intimidated and offended.
I also think that he knows that people cannot be sweet-talked into changing the status quo. They have to be provoked into the change often while they’re kicking and screaming against it.
Comment by John — May 28, 2008 @ 7:46 pm
Great post Tony.
I watch Kitchen Nightmares religiously; it should be standard viewing for all small business owners. It’s 60 minutes of pure marketing magic. Most folks I have talked to about the show haven’t taken the time to get past Gordon’s rough exterior and realize what a great resource his program is.
Now that I think about it, you might have just blow the lid off my own secret little weapon…
Just kidding of course!
Thanks,
John
Comment by Susan Connors — May 31, 2008 @ 4:30 am
Hello Tony
I have never heard of the show or celebrity (yes I am behind the times in Aus).
Still I get your message and point.
Thank you for an interesting read and inspiring ideas. Right now this is something I am in the process of doing.
Re-inventing ground up myself and business
Thank you.
Sue in Aus
Comment by Jim Symcox — June 3, 2008 @ 9:16 am
Hi Tony,
I agree totally with what you say. In fact I often point out the same to my own clients. In fact I’ve reviewed one of Gordon’s books in my review section on my blog.
Another I think we can all learn from is The Apprentice series (either The Donald in the USA, or Sir Alan Sugar in the UK). Currently I’m giving commentary on the UK version of it.
Suffice it to say that both shows should be compulsory viewing for any businessperson.
Jim