This just in from HDCN reader (and proud E-Z Built Hot Dog Cart owner) Ed in Lincoln, Nebraska…
Hello Steve,
We are coming down to getting licenses and soon to hit the street. We did contact some big auto dealers to set up for their promotions and got some interest. Our problem is finding the best way to price this for them. They showed interest for them buying the dogs for customers, not knowing that number, is our problem. All we are going to open with is just the dog, chips and sodas or water, trying to keep it simple. Wondered if you can help with this area.
I save all your emails because they are jam packed with good information. Anything you could offer is more than appreciated.
We still have a few things to do yet but I’ve included a couple pictures for you to see (below).
Thanks so much,
Ed
Ed’s Dog House
Lincoln Ne
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Hey Ed,
I do business promos in one of two ways. (I actually have a third way in development – stay tuned…).
I either let the dealership buy the food and then pay me $80 an hour (or thereabouts – it’s always a negotiation), or I bring my own food and charge the dealer a price per dog served.
I also use promos like this to get the word out about my own business by handing out flyers and biz cards.
The cart is looking really good my friend. And your logo is absolutely awesome!!!
How about you out there in Hot Dog Cart News reader land – How do you handle your biz promos, store opening gigs, etc? Let’s hear some ideas!
-Steve
P.S. Let’s give Ed some congrats in the comments for putting together one bee-you-tee-ful cart!
Click the picture for a larger version…
I give the dealer a roll of tickets. Salemans gives them to customers. Then dealers pays me for each ticket ($5.00 each ) I get back from his customers. I’m Guarantee 150 tickets then if he goes over he just pays the difference. Each tickets gets you Grilled 1/4 Nathan’s hot dog chips & pop. that works for me. We are doing a wedding New York Style set up like a side walk in New York. It will work same way.
is this normal for car dealerships to to pay you by the hour or for your food, why would they do that?
what are ways to start looking for organizations to set up at is it best to go through the phone book and start dialing, i already have ideas for sports organizations and non profit but the approach is what scares me.
I give them a combo price dcd (dog,chip,drink)or extar dog alittle more i talked to steve about the same thing but they wanted to use their dogs but if they have a junk dog (like sonic ect..) then when set up again they will remember that dog so watch out. and just keep count of how many combo’s go out and charge a fee for the cart say 25.00 or 50.00 plus your time . good luck
I have done a couple gigs like this and I have a scooter store that hires me once a year for their anniversary promotion. I charge $350. from 9:00am to 3:00pm and always sell out before 3:00. I bring 100 good quality hotdogs, 100 assorted chips, and 100 assorted drinks. The dealer gives everyone a ticket, they bring it to me, I dont mess with counting change, and everyone is happy. Good luck my friend and I too love the logo.
If I am in a situation where I am going to charge by how many dogs I have passed out, I bag my franks in freezer baggies, 10 per bag and then I make sure that I keep the bags as I toss the franks in. That way, I know how many franks I have used that day without having to write it down. All I have to do is count the bags and multiply by 10!
I am negoitiating that with a Dealer now for their grand opening. I am keeping the price adjusted and offering a more simple dog, letting customers put on their own provisions, but using a ticket system. The tickets are handed out by the dealers sales personnel. Each ticket reflects the cost of one dog, tally up the tickets for a final total due at the end of the grand opening.
Nice cart Ed, After securing a location where the people are. I made a flier with my menu. Then hand delivered it to all the nearby offices and had them post it in their lunch rooms. I also hand out my business card that is a punch card. If they buy ten Dogs they get one free. It is working so far. I have gone from selling 10 dogs in six hours a day the first month.( bad location) To selling 40 dogs in a hour and fortyfive minutes. Got to love that lunch crowd. It just keeps getting better. Work smarter not harder…
Attila (Big Dog House)
Ed,
Awesome graphics on the side of your cart! Did you have that done at a sign shop, or a vehicle graphics place, or was that all your own creation? Very professional.
-Joshua Black
The Underdog Millionaire
I really like the red accents against the yellow along with the red logo. Nice job.
For my events, I ask the promoter how many people they anticipate and they typically overestimate the attendees. I take that number, say it’s 500 and charge the event 500× two or three dollars.
This way your are covered even when 100 show up. You purchase all the supplies and products unless they will pay for a part.
Hello Ed nice hot dog cart I only see one problem, I wouldn’t put my fire extinguisher behind the grill, the grill does not mighty hot, I would keep it low and very easy to get to.
I also do car dealerships and lot of them the way I work it is simple the last dealership I did was 6 hours long, I charged them $300 per 100 hot dogs and brought with me 100 hot dogs, once the 100 dogs are gone the dealer ship paid me another $300 or had the choice to sell the dogs to their clients. You will be amazed at how fast free dogs will go in a very short period of time. Remember at $2.00 a hot dog your making $100 per hour plus handing out business cards
Tony
Good looking cart Ed. I like the way you designed the top of your cart. Can you tell me how wide it is or how much it hangs over each side?
Jerry
I made myself a template in excel that looks a little like a dollar bill. I place a picture of the owner in the center. It is good for a dawg, chips & a drink. The location purchases a specified number of coupons to hand out ahead of time and I price according to how many they want to buy. Determine ahead of time what you need to gross just to pull the trailer out. Another thing to consider is whether you will be selling to the public or exclusively to the owner’s customers. One more thing, if coupons are handed out ahead of time, date them for a specific day because they all won’t be cashed in on the day of the event. They can show up at an inopportune time.
New guy looking to get started. Love the website and the info. I listen to the podcast on my kids ipod on my way to work or school. Love the pics of all the carts, will be buying info soon. I have also gone back and started reading all the info fom past listings. Great info. keep the emails coming steve. This is a great looking cart and super graphics.
Aloha,
I use the ticket method…I also do not use any product supplied by the event holder. Because my cart is “branded” the customers will view any product coming out of my cart as “mine”. With that being said, I want to have them enjoy a top quality product. I look at each new customer as an opportunity for future business…cheap dogs, store-brand condiments, chips and sodas only amount to a small percentage of the cost of you being there. But, cheap quality will cost you plenty down the road because them having a sub standard experience. As to pricing, I offer a 15% discount off my normal menu prices with a 100 dog minimum. If what you offer is value, service and quality, you never have to worry about your competition….when you compete on price …everyone/thing with a wiener steamer is your competitor …mahalo
1. be prepared for car dealers to pay 20 – 30 days after the event
If you can handle this go further:
2. Build a relationship with the dealer thru the sales and service force. How? Bring condiments that you agree upon for the customers, but for the staff bring them something different alittle extra for them goes along way. ie: sauerkraut. chilli, jalapenos.
Especially if the staff will have lunch bought by the dealer and ESPECIALLY if it is a 2 day gig.
3. Make sure everything is keep clean (immaculate) during and after, they primp cars all day so they notice a piece of chopped onion on the concrete.
4. Make the dealer feel like they are getting an awesome value.
5. When serving customers talk to them and get them to talk about CARS, dealers love when you help detain customers = $$$
6. just a few ideas I use
7. Tickets seem to work well, often cusatomers will opt for just a drink
8. Bring your tip bucket
9. lots of luck
I go to our local Dealership and do customer apprication for them. I feed everyone to include the employees, customers and family that come by. Charge by the meal $5 per meal, meal is Two all beef hotdogs, one drink and one chip. I keep up with this by inventory, count everything before the event, count everything at the end of event, invoice the dealer, normal check run between $300 to $400 for 3 hours 11 am to 2 pm. You will find that some people only eat one hotdog and some will it 3 or 4 (normally the little girl that sits up front that only weights 80 lbs will eat more that the rest). I also handle corp events the same way. (Note: When you are setting this up for the first time take your cart and show it off so they can see what they are getting). It must be working because I keep going back!! Oh and they put an add in the paper telling everyone that I will be there (cost to me free). One last note for these types of events I add State tax to the bill but do not charge a set up fee.
Duggs Doggs
Good!! Good!!
The ticket method is awesome. Here is my spin on it…
I give the agreed upon quantity of tickets to the sales manager who distributes them to his sales people. If a customer wants a dog they have to talk to a sales person.
The sales manager LOVES it. Pitching it this way will get you the gig every time.
-Steve
Wanda,
I like the pre-bagging thing. Great idea!!!
-Steve
Jack,
Great idea on the custom d0llar bill. Make a dollar bill with me on it and I’ll put it in the newsletter. LOL!
-Steve
Lena,
The approach is what scares most people. Here is the cure: An irresistable offer.
Your job during the pitch is to offer such an outstanding value that the sales manager would feel stupid if he said no. There are at least 15 ways to do this in the comments submitted above – I do have the most awesome readers – Thanks folks!!!
-Steve
-Steve
Hey Steve we been doing car dealership promos for awhile now, and got into them by happenstance. They’re a great gig, short, and great advertisement as they plug you into to their promo event adertising such as billboards, radio ads, etc.
We charge 375 for four hours, which gives them 50 dogs, chips, and drinks. We just charge them a discounted rate per dog or meal over 50. Fast payers, and great clients!!
Galyn and R&J – great points!!! I refuse to sell anything but my own products. My brand is everything and I won’t compromise that.
I suppose you could have an unmarked cart specifically for cheapo promos but I don’t see the value in that.
As Tony says, you are getting paid $100 an hour to hand out your business cards. Nice.
-Steve
Brian,
You’re in the right place. Let me know how I can help you get started. Feel free to call me at 636 399-2460.
-Steve
Joshua,
We had the graphics done and took them to a sign shop. They did the decals and applied them to the cart.
-Ed
Jerry,
The top is 53″ wide. That’s a 5 1/5″ overhang. I wanted more room for a grill.
Thanks!
-Ed
Tony,
Sorry for the confusion, the fire extinguisher is just sitting there, not where it will be. I was just taking some pictures. Thanks for your input, much appreciated!
-Ed
Steve,
Thanks to you and all the readers who shared their comments and valuable information! Another ‘Thanks’ for the compliments on the cart, I was hoping it would be an attention grabber!
-Ed
Thanks for the ideas everybody!
So much information
Thanks I will be starting up by the end of this month.
Thanks everybody
This has been one of the most enlightening HDCN comment sections to date. Lots of very useful information. Thanks everybody! And thank you Ed for your inspiration and the beautiful cart you’ve built.