I’ve had a lot of fun over the last year or so trying to help my dad with the marketing of the restaurant.  I’ve developed a Web site, new takeout menu, Web coupons (Check these out for a Halloween freebie!), and tonight I put in an order for the latest batch.

I firmly believe that quality promotional materials can really set us apart from some of our competition without sacrificing any of the quaint charm mom and pop Chinese restaurants are known for.  And I save a lot of money by doing this all myself.  Lucky for my dad, it’s kind of a hobby.  Here’s what we’ve got:

The copy reads: "So you get fierce Red Moon cravings often? You are clearly not alone." (image altered for security)

This will be the newest takeout coupon that we typically throw in all of our takeout orders to encourage more frequent visits.  I’ve altered the artwork just a bit to stave off any copyright infringement — I did pay for that dragon art, after all.  But you get the gist.

The backside (not pictured) has a fortune cookie with an expiration date on the paper — the copy reads “Act Fast! Or the Luck Runs Out.”

Gift certificates -- we have them in $10 denominations -- the new ones will provide more options. (image altered for security)

These are some new gift certificates that will give the customers more options (We already offer these in $10 denominations.)  The new design is narrower, to fit better in wallets.  All of this stuff is also coming with a matte instead of a glossy finish — the Sharpies will work better that way.

I’m also going to go door-to-door to advertise some of our lunch catering and to hit some of the new office complexes in the area.  My dad and I agreed that while generous, these $5 gift certificates would be a great comp to hand out to potential catering customers.  Especially office gatekeepers.  With our price structure, we should be able to recoup food cost at a minimum when they are redeemed.

Lastly — it’s official.  Check this out:

Made myself a Red Moon business card -- you know, to be all professional and stuff.

By the way, I have been using an excellent printer out of California to whip these things up — at a great price.  If there are other small business people out there who want to know more, drop me an email.  I’d be happy to share my sources

Of course, when it comes to selling people on the Red Moon, nothing beats the food.  And I was reminded of that many times today, including by a customer who drove 25 miles from Woodbury solely to get some takeout.  Wow.  Isn’t that awesome?  I’ve always wondered why the mainstream food writers never really picked up on my dad’s cooking.  Well, there’s always time.