Background of 2003
ASI Marketing Strategy
Branding ASI & Restaurant
Manager
Branding Session
• The purpose of the branding session, moderated by
consultant Tony Mikes, was to take an introspective look at
our company and our products to determine our USPs
(Unique Selling Propositions)
• ASI management and four top resellers (Gus Carrera of
EcuaTex; Mike Tanney of Action Computers; Mel Welch
of Bi-State; and Johnny Sprouse of Cutting Edge Systems)
spent two days uncovering these truths
USPs
• ASI is a long-term innovator – Been around for 15 years,
understands the industry and is committed to innovation
• Restaurant Manager is the ideal solution for independent
restaurants and regional franchisees
• Restaurant Manager has the lowest cost of ownership and
is the most economical POS system over the years
• ASI is a company made up of honest, real, accessible
people
• Restaurant Manager and the Write-On Handheld are
simpler and easier systems to install and operate than
competitive products
Turning USPs Into a Brand
• A USPs is a basic truth about a company and its
products. A brand is the delivery of a set of promises that
company makes to its customers, in this case ASI’s channel
and subsequent end users. The communication of these
promises is called branding.
• ASI hired The Cyphers Agency, a professional marketing
and branding agency from Annapolis, MD, to assist in
creating and implementing tools to communicate this
brand.
ASI
• Brand Statement
– ASI is the choice of resellers who seek to offer innovative,
customizable POS software solutions to independent restaurants
and regional franchises. The honest, accessible people at ASI offer
Restaurant Manager, the simplest comprehensive POS system to
install train and use.
• Advertising Positioning Statement
– For resellers that offer a variety of hardware and software
solutions, including retail POS systems and electronic cash
registers, ASI’s Restaurant Manager is THE hospitality POS
software solution to sell, because it is such an easy and innovative
(Write-On Handheld technology) to install and maintain.
Restaurant Manager
• Brand Statement
– Restaurant Manager is the choice of restaurant owners and
managers who seek to build their business and take charge of their
lives. As the simplest comprehensive POS system to install, train
and use, Restaurant Manager takes the work out of work to make
life more manageable, through advanced technology and a reseller
network that is reliable, knowledgeable and close-by.
• Advertising Positioning Statement
– For independent and regional franchise table service, delivery,
quick service and bars & nightclub establishments, Restaurant
Manager is the simplest, most intuitive hospitality POS software
solution because the system is built based customer feedback
Branding Elements
• Clouds
Branding Elements
• Feather
Branding Elements
• ASI logo
Branding Elements
• Corporate tagline
Branding Elements
• Restaurant Manager logo
Branding Elements
• Write-On Handheld logo
Branding Elements
• Product tagline
Presentation of 2003
Marketing Materials
Giving You The Tools You Need
To Sell More Systems!
Generating The Lead
• Printed & Electronic Direct Mail
– Table Service #1
Generating The Lead
• Printed & Electronic Direct Mail
– Table Service #2
Generating The Lead
• Printed & Electronic Direct Mail
– Table Service #3 (The Write-On Handheld)
Generating The Lead
• Printed & Electronic Direct Mail
– Pizza and Delivery
Generating The Lead
• Printed & Electronic Direct Mail
– Bars and Nightclubs
Generating The Lead
• Trade Advertising
– To be placed in regional and state trade association publications
– Intended for all foodservice audiences
– Write-On Handheld ad to follow
Generating The Lead
• Trade Show Exhibition
– State and regional foodservice shows
– Brand new 10’ x 10’ Skyline portable booth
Generating The Lead
• Tri-Fold Brochure
– Mini-version of full brochure
– Perfect literature for non-qualified leads at a trade show
– Fits in a #10 envelope
Generating The Lead
• Poster
– Framed in 2 x 3 frame for lobby/office/training room or to take to a
trade show and display on an easel
Generating The Lead
• New ASI Website
– Consistent look and feel to printed collateral
– Complete with video testimonial clips
– Will go live before the end of the month
Making The Presentation
• Product Brochure
– Pocket folder to house 14 inserts or sell sheets, a business card &
the end user testimonial video
Making The Presentation
• Product Brochure Inserts
– Customize as per prospect or give them the whole package
Making The Presentation
• Testimonial Video
– Start every demo by showing the prospect the video
– A copy is contained in the product brochure for them to watch
again, show their partner, etc.
Making The Presentation
• Write-On Handheld Video Demonstration
– Being updated with newly shot footage
Presenting The Proposal
• Proposal Binder
– Cover and spine
– Proposal paper
– Sample proposal content
Presenting The Proposal
• Letters of reference binder
– Three to five of ASI reseller’s BEST letters of reference compiled
into one large binder that every reseller will get a copy of
– Not a leave behind, but an impressive book to have in your back
pocket
Additional Brand Building
• Mouse pad
Additional Brand Building
• Monitor and tether decals
Additional Brand Building
• Server ID cards
– Hi-Co cards
Additional Brand Building
• Restaurant Manager shirts
ASI’s Cooperative
Marketing Policies
Explanation of the ASI / VAR
Marketing Relationship
Printed Direct Mail
• Direct mail is the only marketing requirement of an ASI reseller.
• Each VAR is required to participate in three direct mailing efforts
annually.
• ASI will design audience-specific direct mail pieces targeting segments
of the foodservice industry including table service, pizza delivery and
nightclubs & bars.
• Each direct mail piece will be customized with individual VAR’s
contact information, as well as pertinent messaging, such as an
upcoming trade show or special offer.
Printed Direct Mail
• ASI will cover the entire cost of design and printing, including
customized printing (inkjet), as well as fulfillment (download mailing
list, CASS certify, presort file, sort, stamp) of the mailings.
• ASI will also take the responsibility of negotiating and contracting the
purchase of a “multi-use for one-year” mailing list (a one-time
investment annually that the VAR will then own), coordinating the
fulfillment for each mailing (labeling, sorting, etc.) and acquiring the
necessary postage. VARs are responsible for the cost of the list and
postage and will be invoiced by ASI appropriately.
• VARs who own and maintain an audience-segmented mailing list and
would prefer sending to that list, reserve the right to do so and can
email the list to ASI in a comma-delimited (.txt) format. VAR’s who
choose to mail on their own will not receive reimbursement for
fulfillment.
Printed Direct Mail
To recap:
ASI
* Design and Printing
* Printing w/ custom info
* Mailing fulfillment
VAR
* Mailing list (one time annually)
* Postage
Printed Direct Mail Example
• Gary Stant, Retail Touch, Inc.
• Independent Table Service Restaurants
(list can also include Bars & Nightclubs and Pizza)
• 25-mile radius of Cincinnati, OH
• Total List = 681 Restaurants
Printed Direct Mail Example
ASI’s Investment
Design, Copywriting (5 versions, 3 audiences)
$12,675.00
$0.04 per
Printing (5/5, 100# Cover, 300,000 total)
$12,328.00
$0.04 per
Custom Printing, Fulfillment (681)
(Inkjet, download mailing list, CASS certify, presort file, sort, stamp)
$340.00
$0.50 per
Total
$0.58 per
Printed Direct Mail Example
VAR’s Investment
Foodservice Marketplace List Purchase
(A one time expense in 2003)
First Class Postage
Total
$0.25 per
$0.33 per
$0.58 per
Total cost of first mailing 681 pieces x $0.58 each
Each mailing thereafter 681 pieces x $0.33 each
$394.98
$224.73
Trade Shows
• ASI offers its brand new 10 x 10 portable trade show booth free of
charge on a first-to-reserve basis to any reseller exhibiting at an ASIapproved regional restaurant or foodservice trade show.
• ASI will ship the booth via standard ground shipping to the VAR prior
to the show.
• ASI will also provide VARs with a customized 2’ x 3’ poster complete
with its information for display on an easel in the ASI booth during the
show, identifying the VAR as an official authorized Restaurant
Manager reseller. Also with the booth, ASI will ship a quantity of 500
tri-fold brochures for the VARs to give out on the show floor.
Trade Shows
• Additionally, ASI will split the cost of the trade show booth space
equally with all resellers involved. For example, if one reseller
exhibits at a given trade show, ASI will pay for one-half of the booth
space (not including additional rentals such as electric, fixtures, carpet,
etc.). If two resellers in a region decide to partner to exhibit at a trade
show, ASI will pay for one-third, etc. The VARs are responsible for
contracting the booth space and submitting an invoice to ASI for
appropriate reimbursement. ASI will issue a check covering its
portion.
• In order to qualify for booth space reimbursement, however, VAR’s
must (1) use the ASI booth and (2) do a pre-show mailing. The same
policies for this direct mailing apply as articulated earlier.
• The cost of shipping the booth back to ASI, or onto the next dealer, is
the responsibility of the VAR.
Trade Shows
To recap:
ASI
*Provide trade show booth
* Ground shipping of booth to VAR
* One equal portion of booth space
* Design, print, fulfill mailing
* 500 tri-fold product brochures
ASI
* Custom poster
VAR
* Reserve booth with ASI
* Contract for 10 x10 booth space
* One equal portion of booth space
* Mailing expenses (list, postage)
* Shipping of booth back to
Trade Advertising
• ASI will design trade ads in various sizes with various points of
emphasis for placement in state and/or regional trade association
publications. ASI will negotiate the cost of the space, coordinate the
insertions to correspond with appropriate editorial coverage and split
the cost of the ad space equally with all resellers involved.
• Like trade show booth space, if one reseller decides to have its
information in an ad, ASI will pay for one-half of the ad space. If two
resellers in a region partner on an ad, ASI will pay for one-third, etc.
In states or regions with multiple VARs, each will be listed in the ad as
the contact for its immediate geographical region. Geographical
regions will not be duplicated in an ad and will be awarded on a firstcome, first-served basis and at the final discretion of ASI.
Trade Advertising
To recap:
ASI
* Design of trade ad
* Negotiate ad space with pub
* Coordinate insertions
* One even portion of ad space
VAR
* One even portion of ad space
Yellow Pages & Newspaper Ads
• ASI will reimburse up to 25% of the cost of yellow pages or
newspaper advertising based on the prominence of the Restaurant
Manager logo in the ad.
• If a VAR sells only Restaurant Manager and its yellow pages ad
features only their name and logo along with the Restaurant Manager
logo, the ad will qualify for a full 25%.
• If, however, there are multiple logos in the ad (other hardware or
software, etc.), the ad will qualify for less. Each ad will be
individually assessed and reimbursement will be awarded at the
discretion of ASI.
All Other Marketing & Promotions
• ASI will provide its VARs the Restaurant Manager and Write-On
Handheld logos with guidelines for usage (Graphic Standards Manual)
for all other promotional and marketing initiatives. From coffee cups
to shirts to business cards, ASI encourages its VARs to leverage the
Restaurant Manager brand and promote themselves as a VAR,
however, ASI does not offer reimbursement for these initiatives.
Any Questions?
• Questions regarding any of ASI’s Cooperative Marketing Policies may
be directed to ASI’s Director of Marketing, Christopher Wright, via
wright@actionsystems.com or 301-445-6100 x109.