Dutchess County Tourism Experiential Tours VIDEO.f4v

Moes Southwest Grill Opens in Modena Travel Plaza

Last week, I went to the Grand Opening of Moes Southwest Grill at the Modena Travel Plaza on the New York State Thruway. I didn't really know what to expect, as I wasn't familiar with Moes, and was VERY pleasantly surprised with the delicious food and the fun atmosphere. And, all meals were served with free chips and salsa, which my boyfriend especially liked!

While I was there, I found out that Moe's is a Gold Award winner of the 2008 Consumer’s Choice in Chains Awards, because of its fresh made-to-order burritos and southwest fare in a fun and laid back environment. And while Moe’s is best known for its burritos packed with a choice of over 20 fresh ingredients, the menu also features kid’s, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Being a picky eater, I just loved being able to pick and choose exactly what ingredients I wanted my burrito filled with.

This location is, I believe, the first in our area, and is the first Moes restaurant for local owner (and our client) Larry Bennett, who owns and operates the food concepts at both the Modena and Ramapo travel plazas as well as 3 local Orange and Sullivan county McDonalds restaurants.

Larry is excited about the new dining option at the Modena Travel Plaza because it is unique, healthy, and delicious. He feels the fresh, flavorful menu at Moe’s will fills a need here in the Hudson Valley -- and I have to agree.

When you walk into Modena Travel Plaza, don't be surprised to hear the familiar “Welcome to Moes!” They say it's more than a greeting; it is a way of life for the folks who customize your meal.

The new Modena Travel Plaza location is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. and weekends until 9 p.m. For more information,you can call (845) 391-8322.

Be sure to visit, and tell them June sent you.

Something to SHOUT about!

I thought the beginning of the new year might be a good time to go over some basics of PR and how they might help your business.

STRATEGIZE

PR is built on strategy. There is no one size that fits all. But get a couple of super creative PR professionals together in one room and you will quickly see that no matter how “ordinary” your product or service offering, there are hundreds of ways to render it unique.

So how do you come up with newsworthy news to begin with? Well, sometimes things fall into your lap — and your job is simply to recognize them. Maybe a well-known marathon runner has been a customer of yours for a while now and loves your shop so much that he agrees to sign his hot new biography there. And perhaps you decide that you will discount all your running shoes by 40 percent for the occasion. Maybe you can offer discounts on new footwear to anyone who brings in old but wearable footwear for the needy. Now you are not only generating a story but you are doing something really good for your community. PR is helping you to make a difference.

KEEPING A GOOD EYE OUT

Generating stories and sending out press releases is one way to do PR but it is not the only way. Just as the PR savvy business person is always looking for angles that will be of interest to producers and editors, producers and editors are always looking for “experts” to help them tell their stories. By January, editors already know what kinds of stories they will be doing throughout the year. By getting the leg up on the competition, you can have your expert information ready for them just as they need it.

DON’T SHY AWAY FROM BYLINES

Sometimes the story is not about your company but about you or one of your employees. Maybe your company’s VP has been invited to appear on “Dancing With The Stars.” That is fodder for a press release, even if your company only gets a small mention at the bottom. Branding means never having to say you are sorry for showing up in too small a font size. It is all about showing up, PERIOD.

DO IT YOURSELF

News is all around you. Blog it, Tweet it, FB it ... start your own e-newsletter! Start posting your own news and begin serious networking with the people you most want to know about it. You will surprised to see how many of your blogs and Tweets get picked up and passed around on the Internet. Social media can be the perfect channel for your expert tips and information.

Have questions? Need help getting started? That is what we are here for. Give us a call!

June Bisel

BBGG Advertising and Public Relations

New Years Resolution: Update that website!

If you are like most business owners, you began cutting back on your advertising and marketing expenses in 2008. And since that time, you have seen significant changes in the marketplace — with your customers as well as your competition. Chances are, some of your major competitors have closed their doors.

Fast forward 2011: People are starting to spend again!

Companies we are talking to are finally feeling the need to step up their advertising — whew! We are all cautiously optimistic about the future.

If you have made the decision to take that positive step of investing in marketing, the first thing you need to do is set aside a budget. This is where most companies fail, right out of the starting gate. If you need to know what a reasonable budget would be, those figures are available based on your industry and a percentage of your gross income.

The second thing you should do is update your website. If you do not have one, get one. If you do have one, chances are it is old and outdated. And don’t consider a website a one-time investment. In addition to the initial development costs, plan on investing regularly in updates. Technology is constantly changing, and it is important to stay current. It is also important to have a website developed where you can edit and update information as needed and include interactivity.

Use social media such as Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube … these are all integral marketing tools and can be maintained with a modest budget.

Do not get me wrong. Traditional media is still valuable. But the first thing you need to do is get your online marketing in order. The next step will be to use traditional media (print advertising, radio, and television) to excite and attract your customers to your online presence, where they will learn everything about you that they need to know in order to make their buying decision.

Feel free to give us a call. We would love to help you get started.

June Bisel