RyanJensen.com

Yesterday, I sent out my first message to the Pita Pit Mobile Coupon Club.  104 members received the message, “Show this msg for BOGO free pitas at Pita Pit! Today 4/9, 4-10 pm only. Fargo only.”  At least 8 of those members are my employees or friends, so we’ll say 96 customers received the message.

Out of those 96 customers, at least 16 redeemed their Mobile Coupon by showing their cell phone to the cashier.  That’s a 17% return rate with 1/2 hour notice!  I have a feeling the Pita Pit Mobile Coupon Club is going to work out just fine …

Today I will send out the first ever Pita Pit Mobile Coupon Club message to 104 members’ cell phones. I’ve been trying to decide between a “Buy One Get One Free” and a “Free Combo Upgrade” offer to start things off — both are very popular offers as print coupons. If you are a member of the Mobile Coupon Club, look for your message around 3 pm today.

I have something very clever* in mind for the second message, coming next week.

I will also be stopping by Island Park Cycles today to purchase the two bikes to be given away April 30, 2008 to two lucky members of the Mobile Coupon Club (I also have to pick up a wedding gift for my fiance).

* Yes, my self-esteem really is that high.

My restaurants have begun a “Mobile Coupon Club” in which we (The Pita Pit) send out text message coupons to directly subscribers’ cell phones through text messages. To kick-start the campaigns, we are giving away two mountain bikes on April 30 to two lucky members.

There is absolutely no cost to join the club, and members will receive no more than one message per week from The Pita Pit. Most coupons will be very limited time (as in, “6 to 10 pm only”), but very compelling offers to encourage an immediate response.

We currently have 76 members after just over a week of marketing the Club, and will send out our first message when we hit 100 members. If you’re not around the Fargo/Moorhead area, please do not join the club – you wouldn’t get much benefit from it, you’re not eligible for the bikes, and it costs me to send each message out.

This is Part 1 of the Big Marketing News I wrote about earlier.  Parts 2 and 3 will be announced shortly.

For the umpteenth time this year, an employee has no-showed for his shift and I am left as the only one able to fill in the absence. What is it about kids these days that makes them think this is acceptable?

I have started firing employees on their first no-show, but doing that doesn’t keep me out of having to work their shifts — it also means I have to train someone new to replace the fired worker.

Why, when I have some employees who have been with me for well over a year, do most new hires seem to last less than a month? Is it because the unemployment rate in Fargo is below 3%? Is it because they know they can find another job that very same afternoon? Am I hiring the wrong individuals? Am I even getting the right applicants?

This is the exact situation I have been trying hard to avoid the last few weeks: I work the lunch shift then switch to owner mode to get banking and other finances done, only to be told that no, you may not leave Ryan. You have to stay. “My time is more important than yours,” the employee is telling me.

Stay tuned! Starting soon (like next Monday), the marketing scene in Fargo is going to leap into the future, courtesy of me.

My restaurants will begin the revolution, and I will carry it out to other businesses in the region. I’m very, very excited about the opportunity!

Years ago, way back in college, I think I was taught the basics of writing and formulating a press release in my Business Writing class. Unfortunately none of that stuck so I had to start from scratch on this one.

My restaurants recently participated in the ubiquitous MDA shamrocks fundraiser and together raised over $800 for local families struggling with muscular dystrophy and related diseases. Should I just sit on this information and “feel good” about it? Heck no! I’m going to let everyone know, but how? Read the rest of this entry »

A few months ago I registered and set up hosting for OurFargo.com. I vaguely remember that the domain “ourfargo.com” was used by a local politician back in 2006, possibly running for mayor, who must have let it expire. My intention is to set up a community-developed site for residents and fans of Fargo, ND and the surrounding area, and I currently have a script installed as a base.

I’m not sure the way I have it set up now is the best way to attract members who wish to contribute content and create a community feel. I looked at a few wiki scripts, some CMS scripts, and some forums, but nothing really fits.

I wish I had a better notion of exactly what I want the site to be, but I’m at a loss.

Call me old-fashioned, but it took me a long time to figure out any purpose for Twitter. I’m still not entirely sure what I’ll use it for, but today I signed up for an account. If you’re on Twitter, feel free to follow me. Drop me a line in the comments and if you’re interesting enough, I’ll do the same for you!

I really like the idea of text-messaging my current activities, but I’m not sure why anyone would really care what I’m doing at any given moment. I plan on trying it out for a few days/weeks to see if I can make it useful.

Years ago I took my first stab at blogging with WILTblog while I was awaiting responses to my law school applications. I detailed my results on the LSAT, the application process and costs ($$$!), and other things I found while browsing the web. I was able to maintain a daily blogging schedule by the skin of my teeth for a couple months, then it just fizzled out when I didn’t get into any the law schools to which I applied.

With the NEW RyanJensen.com I am going to simply write about whatever it is I feel: my internet business pursuits, my real-world restaurants, my friends and family, and again things I see around the web. I will *not* however attempt to make myself post on a daily or any other set schedule. I may post 10 times in a day, and I may post once a week.

Comments are open to everyone, and policed by Akismet, so NO SPAMMING. Also, please keep all comments constructive and on-subject. If you wish to contact me separately about anything, please write me at rtjensen [at] gmail [dot] com.