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Recipe for Success                
How to Avoid a "Sign Nightmare" by Mark Grusing
January/February 2008

As many of you know, I am not usually a fan of reality TV "American Idol".  Come on, I've seen better entertainment at the local tavern on karaoke night.  "Survivor", give me a break, bring that up to a realtor in this market and he will tear you up faster than Nitro from "American Gladiators".  But there is one program that caught my eye but not for the reason you might think..."Kitchen Nightmares".  Sure, I like to see a chef go berserk as much as the next guy but that still is not the reason.  It is not exactly the thing to watch with your grandma as Chef Ramsey makes Dennis Leary look like an amateur when it comes to profanity.  What caught my attention was his intense desire to help people become successful.  His desire to do whatever it takes to motivate the restaurant owners, chef, waiters and other employees to do their best, even if it does include a profanity laced tirade.  What also caught my eye was his attention to detail in the success of a business.  He knows ALL the ingredients (pardon the pun) that it takes, from the kitchen to the dining room, from the wait staff to the owner, from the appearance of the inside to the appearance of the outside, and yes, ladies and gentlemen, that would include the SIGN!!!  I noticed that three out of four times when he visited a restaurant one of the things he changed to insure success was to replace the sign.  Why?  As a successful businessman he understands the importance of a high quality sign as part of the overall image.  It is an invitation to do business with that establishment and it needs to be presented well.  Now don't get me wrong, I am not encouraging reality TV but I am encouraging success and the best way to accomplish this is to have a good marketing plan that includes a high quality sign.