Business Strategy

Whether you are just setting out in the pub trade or have an existing pub business you need to have a plan and a way of making the plan come to fruition. How you go about this is your business strategy and as the adage goes … “no one plans to fail, they just fail to plan”.

Your strategy should take account of the following factors:

  • Knowing what time, people and money you need to focus on both now and in the future.
  • Recognise that at certain times your focus will need to change
  • Why particular products, services and initiatives work and when to provide or implement them.
  • What you and your team’s skills are and where you need to improve or expand them.
  • Your ability to analyse where your business makes profit and why.
  • Your local marketplace and why customers use your pub and those of your competitors.
  • Key customer groups – be they young or old, sports fans, foodies, real ale buffs – they all need to be identified and persuaded to make a long term commitment to you and your pub.
  • Which areas of your business have a “short shelf life” and should be either discontinued or scaled back now or in the future. Sometimes they can be reintroduced when conditions are right for them, as your business needs to be adaptable.

My aim is to help you create a stable and sustainable business, increase your return on investment (both time and money) increase your pub’s market potential and do what the big boys do – supply the market at or below market demand – business speak for getting your “price point” and other offerings at a level that not only makes you money but appeals to the broadest customer base.

You need to know why you have to differentiate your pub business from those around you, make it increasingly different and better than your competition; better serve and retain your most profitable customers to achieve the maximum potential in the minimum time.

Specific areas of expertise and advice I can bring to both your business plan and your business strategy are:

  • Start Up Planning – business development, branding/marketing, promotional activity, on-going management/growth/exit strategies
  • Profit Analysis and Efficiency
  • Sales and Marketing
  • Staffing and Purchasing
  • Health and Safety, Risk Assessment and Management, Licensing
  • Access to legal, financial and other professional advisors
  • Web Services – website design, search engine optimisation, marketing and sales techniques, social networking

Start Up Planning

  • Business Plan, Cash Flow Forecast, Profit and Loss Statement, Budget, Sales Tracking
  • Analysis and Interpretation of Previous Trading Account Information, Barrelage (MAT) Records
  • SWOT/PEST Analysis, Market Segmentation Report, Demographic Report
  • Branding, Marketing, Menu Development, Stocking Policy, Promotional Activity and Dynamic Pricing Strategy
  • Management and Financial Review Report, Staffing Policy, Terms & Conditions and Staff Contracts
  • Health & Safety, Food Hygiene, COSHH, Fire Safety, Equality & Diversity, Staff Induction and Induction Training
  • Licensing, Tenancy / Lease Agreement Report, Schedule of Condition / Dilapidation Report, Insurance (Buildings and Contents) Report

Profit Analysis & Efficiency

  • Pub Profit Calculation, Breakeven Analysis, Cost / Profit Centre Analysis, Stock Take Analysis, Menu Costing, Energy and Overhead Analysis
  • Cost Control Strategy and Report

Sales & Marketing

  • Taking your message, brand and pub to your marketplace
  • Effective advertising, press releases, signage and listing placements

Staffing & Purchasing

  • Pre–legal HR advice, grievance and disciplinary process, induction training
  • Effective purchasing strategy, the dos and don’ts of procurement and supply contracts

Health & Safety – Risk Assessment and Management – Licensing

  • Induction training – make your staff effective and safe
  • Health & Safety Audit
  • Food Hygiene Audit (HACCP and SFBB implementation), Effective Kitchen Management, COSHH Audit
  • Fire Risk Assessment, Fire Safety

For a free of charge, no obligation, initial chat please click here to go to the contacts page … I look forward to hearing from you.

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