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PIZZA TWEETS

Pie-Eyed Pizzeria
@PieEyedPizzeria

Tues Deals: 2 Dogs, Fries, Pop $5; Large 1-Topping Pan Pizza $15; 6 Free Wings w/ $25 Order! http://www.pie-eyedpizzeria.com/ 312.CHEESE.5

Why it works: Talk about using your 140 characters wisely! This creative tweet gets in a bunch of daily deals, the company’s web site as a link and its phone number. It also lets customers know that it offers more than just pizza –– a great move for a group dining out. Not everyone digs pizza (although we don’t know why!).

Ziggy’s Bar + Grill
@ziggysgoodfood

Monday. Grilled tequila lime chicken, guacamole, sides for $11. Hand squeezed Margaritas for $4. Monday approves.

Why it works: This all-in-one tweet wraps up a tasty special with price and the fact that Ziggy’s offers magaritas. Adding in that the drinks are hand-squeezed gives this tweet a score above its competitors. Here’s to telling customers you do it in-house –– and making it look affordable!

CAVOLETTI SALAD
Yield: 2 servings
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup preserved lemon, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 teaspoons thyme, finely chopped
1½ cups extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
12 Brussels sprouts, shaved
1 ounce candied pecans
1 hard-boiled egg, thinly sliced (discard yolk)
¼ cup Grana Padano cheese, finely shaved
To prepare dressing, combine lemon juice, lemon, mustard,
shallots, thyme, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix brussels sprouts and pecans lightly with dressing. Add egg shavings. Shave Grana Padano on top.

FACEBOOK PIZZA FEEDS

LaRosa’s Pizzeria If you’re looking for great lunch deal today stop in and see us to get a calzone & soda for only $4.99 when you mention code “1225” to your server. Great deal to start off your Monday!

Why it works: LaRosa’s hits the bullseye with this affordable lunch special. Adding in a code allows the company to track the success of the promotion, which targets the working lunch crowd. Subsequent Facebook fan posts prompted LaRosa’s to add that the offer was dine-in only, but encouraged them to visit the company’s Web site for coupons and deals. This was a home run!

Fat Boy’s Pizza & Pasta We got a double trouble deal Thursday. Lets take our normal THIRSTY THURSDAY free drinks, and throw in a little dash of this...tell the cashier you read this post, and buy any LARGE pizza for the price of a MEDIUM.

Why it works: Fat Boy’s takes a usual weekly special and turns it on its head. Offering to size up a pizza is a great promotion. The restaurant isn’t taking money off (and thus, out of the till) but instead offered customers more for their money. This costs the restaurant little but increases business. And while a medium might not feed a family, a large might –– especially if families order check-padding items like wings or breadsticks.

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FEELING PATRIOTIC Pizza Expo was a great time this year. As always, you guys truly outdo yourselves every year. I wanted to touch base and let you know that we followed through with the commitment that John Farrell made at the Beer & Bull session to the Pizza 4 Patriots gentlemen. We hope that others in the industry can see the power and importance of the cause as well. Most Sincerely, Clayton Krueger Director of Marketing & Communications Farrelli’s Wood Fire Pizza Tacoma, Washington Clayton is referring to the Pizza4Patriots program, an initiative led by retired Air Force Master Sergeant Mark Evans. The Pizzas4Patriots program seeks to send pizza to each and every one of the 100,000 U.S. service members based in Afghanistan next month. Mr. Evans briefly introduced the program to International Pizza Expo 2012 attendees in Las Vegas last month at one of the Beer & Bull sessions. After hearing Evans’ remarks, Farrelli’s Wood Fire Pizza founder John Farrell quickly stood up and pledged a $1,000 donation on the spot. Learn more about the initiative at Pizzas4Patriots.com. John Farrell and Pizza4Patriots’ Mark

KIDDING AROUND A good way to drive business sales up is to take your slow days and let neighborhood kids from age 4-10 make their own pizza. How it works: a parent orders a dinner and their son or daughter makes their own pizza for free. Your volume will jump higher ... We do it only on Mondays and Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Joe Mancino via PizzaToday.com Joe, we love this great marketing method. We advocate opening your pizzeria up to school field trips, Boy/Girl Scouts, etc. Letting kids come in and assemble (do not let them get near the oven and actually bake their pizza, of course!) their own pies is a fantastic idea. Kudos to you for making your kids’ pizza night a success.

YOUR PIZZA BOX: AN ADVERTISING ALLY We’ve been in business since 1985, but have just recently customized our pizza box because, like you mentioned, we realized it was a missed marketing opportunity. We always look forward to your magazine every month. Also, tell Scott that Lindsay and Mike said “hi” and we’ll be up to NYC for yet another pizza tour as soon as possible. Sincerely, Mike Cain Family Pizzeria Stafford, Virginia Thanks for reading and commenting on our article about customized boxes being a no-brainer marketing vehicle for pizzerias, Mike. And we have passed your note and “hello” on to Scott Weiner of Scott’s Pizza Tours in NYC. He was enthusiastic about hearing from a tour veteran and looks forward to taking you around New York again, he says! To get a quick Scott fix right now, turn to page 20 and read what’s on his mind in this month’s Man on the Street column.