Pizza Marketing Quarterly (Spring 1999 )

This article appeared in the Idea Forum section of Pizza Marketing Quarterly magazine in the Spring 1999 issue.

Make a Lasting Impression & Make Money

An essential element to success in this business is to make a lasting, positive impression on your customers. Naturally, you are focused on delivering an outstanding product and unbeatable service, but sometimes, that is not enough to keep your name exposed. That is where a creative premium item can help set your restaurant apart from the competition. It has always been my belief that the most effective type of premium item is one that the customer can use and enjoy. That is why Coke gave away and sold millions of bottle openers. Miller gives away can-huggies and every insurance company in America gives away calendars to policyholders.

I think I have found another real winner. It is a pizza slice potholder. This innovative product is colorful, decorative and useful (an essential ingredient to its success), and it looks like a real pizza!

The pizza slice potholder is part of the PizzaArt collection, which is the brainchild of artist and entrepreneur Barbara Fellman. In a telephone interview, Fellman said she loves creating pieces that look like the real thing. She has accomplished that with her PizzaArt potholder. It looks good enough to eat!

As a marketing tool, these products are great because they grab attention and have a high-perceived value. Your customers will keep them and use them every day in their kitchens.

By printing your restaurant’s name, telephone number and message on the back of each potholder, they are like having little billboards in each customer’s home. Imagine using these as premium items in a new customer welcome kit. What a great way to welcome new folks into your neighborhood. Or how about putting one of these premiums in a pizza box filled with coupons and delivering them to businesses in your trading area? Talk about making an impression. Always be creative when trying to get the attention and business of customers.

These clever PizzaArt products are winners! If you are looking to make a lasting impression, give Barbara Fellman, the creative developer of PizzaArt a call at InedibleArt, 1-412-521-7999.