Pizza Today - May 2019 - 14

Conversation

MORE FROM
PAT F R U I N
WHERE HE CHOSES
T O D E VO T E
MARKETING
EFFORTS.
P I Z Z AT O DAY. C O M

PAT FRUIN
FLINGERS PIZZA PUB
BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS

OUR MOTTO IS 'CRAFT PIZZA. CRAFT
BEER.' Most everyone enjoys pizza, but not
everyone consumes it the same way. Some
want it delivered, some prefer pick-up, and
others like to sit down and enjoy it at the
restaurant. We strive to provide a great
experience regardless of how the customer
wants it, which is why we've been voted best
pizza, best delivery and best bar (despite only
having a beer and wine license) in a town of
132,000 the last two years.
You'll never find another pizza quite like
what we serve at Flingers Pizza Pub. We start
with a multi-grain dough formulated through
my experience at Pizza Crust Boot Camp. It's
made from scratch daily before undergoing a
cold fermentation process. We utilize several
different cheese blends, all of which are cut
and mixed in house. We also tie our brand
into our recipe by giving each specialty pizza
we serve its own unique name, character and
artwork (the Superfreak, the Mimaw and the
Luchador, to name a few). Every 18 months
or so we open a new contest to the public
which we call 'Project Pie.' A panel of judges
chooses one winner from all the entrants in an
American Idol style format. The winner gets
a $1,000 cash prize and is commissioned to
create artwork for all the remaining characters
(they enter four pieces of artwork and then
are commissioned to do another 10 to 15 after
winning the contest).
1 4 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / M AY 2 0 1 9

BACK IN 2013 WE ABRUPTLY CLOSED
due to lease complications and it was
27 months later before we re-opened. When
we finally did re-open, almost our entire staff
returned - and I think that's directly attributed
to the culture we've created. Our mission is
simple: to serve all well. What that means
is that in order for me to be successful as an
owner my staff has to be well compensated
and treated with respect. If I hold up my end
of the bargain my staff will be motivated
to work hard and provide top of the line
customer service. If my staff does that then
our customers will leave not only satisfied and
eager to return, but they'll market our business
through positive online communication
whether that be through reviews or peer-topeer communication via social networks.
Contrary to what many people think,
business is not a zero sum game. In fact, it's
quite the opposite. My goal is for my staff to
feel appreciated and well compensated for
their hard work, and for my customers to feel
like they had a five-star experience. If both
those things happen then I'll be rewarded for
the risks I've taken in building this business.
SOCIAL MEDIA ISN'T A SALES TOOL.
It's not meant to "close the deal." Rather, we
use it to build a brand. We have fun on social
media, we show pictures of our staff, we
write with personality and most importantly
we don't beg for attention. Organic growth is
what drives engagement, so getting people to

like your page because they enjoy the content
is what's important. Not giving stuff away in
exchange for likes and shares. The quality
of engagement is much more important than
the quantity of engagement. Obviously both
would be great, but the former is much more
important.
Also, a few rules I have with social media:
1. Leave politics (and other sensitive topics)
out. They all eat pizza, so as a business keep
your mouth shut.
2. Don't over-post. We've all got that friend
that had to be unfollowed because they post
thirteen times a day. Don't be that guy.
3. Have a schedule of when you post. We
post every Sunday and Thursday around 11am,
and then we sprinkle another post or two in
each week depending on the circumstances.
That way our fans know specific days/times to
check for new content.
4. Understand how the Facebook algorithms
work. If you don't know what you're doing, get
help. I don't understand Facebook algorithms,
I suck at writing and I couldn't take a decent
picture to save my life. But my marketing
manager does know all that, so I keep him on
the payroll. Know what you know and know
what you don't know. If you don't know or have
the time for social media and marketing, then
find someone who does and get them on the
payroll.
http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today - May 2019
