Columbus, OH — August 2010 – BRAVO! Cucina Italiana and BRIO Tuscan Grille, both concepts of BRAVOIBRIO Restaurant Group (BBRG), will be delivering Italian feasts to local fire stations and police stations Monday, September 6, 2010, in honor of Labor Day.

BRAVO! Cucina Italiana will be providing a three course meal to those on duty. General Managers and Executive Chefs will present the BRAVO! Chopped Salad, a medley of chopped greens, cucumber, red onion, ripe tomatoes, olives and Feta tossed in a traditional Italian dressing, Pasta BRAVO!, with grilled chicken and mushrooms in a red pepper cream sauce and Tiramisu, a refreshing, creamy Italian dessert.

General Managers and Executive Chefs from BRIO Tuscan Grille will deliver a three course meal including the Brio Chopped Salad, tossed with diced tomatoes, olives, onions, cucumbers and Feta dressed with red wine vinaigrette, Pasta BRIO, with chicken, seared mushrooms with a red pepper cream sauce and our Tiramisu.

BRAVO! and BRIO are both concepts of Columbus, Ohio-based BRAVOIBRIO Restaurant Group. Founded in 1992, BBRG currently operates more than 80 restaurants including BRAVO! Cucina Italiana, BRIO Tuscan Grille and Bon Vie Bistro. Please visit BravoItalian.com or BrioItalian.com for a list of locations and follow the restaurants on Twitter and Facebook.

For specific details regarding the Labor Day deliveries, including exact times and locations, please contact your local BRAVO! or BRIO. For additional information regarding this event please contact Danielle Terreri at DTerreri@BBRG.com

Chef Black, most recently a chef in Charleston, South Carolina’s Caviar and Bananas Restaurant, is also credited with opening the Burgundy Room in Dublin, along with Columbus’ G Michaels, Alana’s and the Metropolitan Seafood Grill.  New culinary masterpieces range from the tasty and popular Southern Style Potato Skins, filled with barbequed pork, greens, black eyed peas, smoked cheddar and a chipotle sour cream to the Caribbean-influenced Mahi Tacos with red cabbage, pineapple, sausage, cilantro and sour cream along with Chef Black’s favorite on the menu, a South Carolina inspired Duck Confit Sandwich, slow-cooked and cured duck legs with aged Gouda, black pepper mayonnaise, fig jam and pickled red onion.

“The new Vonn menu has something for everyone with new selections that are a little more upscale,” says Black. The tuna is flown in from Hawaii for the Arborio Encrusted Tuna, served rare with edamame succotash, baby bok choy and pickled local cucumbers. “I believe in using local farm products and will cook seasonally,” adds Black. “The dishes are extremely fresh, with much of the produce, meats and poultry coming from six or seven different Ohio farms.”

More delectable dishes on Mike Black’s Vonn menu include the Boneless Ohio Pork Chop, served with slightly spicy sweet potatoes, collard greens and Bourbon caramel sauce; Filet Mignon with Lobster Tail, potatoes augratin and asparagus; Pan Seared Salmon; Macadamia Encrusted Grouper and the Grilled Ribeye served with local summer squash and blue cheese cream sauce.  Portobello Mushroom Ravioli is served with local vegetables, mushrooms and a light goat cheese cream sauce while the Chicken Caprese Linguine is made with fresh mozzarella and local basil.  Diver Sea Scallops are served with bacon corn risotto, sautéed spinach and Shiraz syrup.  The Pan Seared Chicken Breast is made special with Ohio sweet corn, mushroom risotto and sautéed spinach.

Additional choices range from appetizers that include Sliders of Pulled Pork, Andouille and Bacon Blue Burger; Fried Brie Wedge; Lamb Egg Rolls and Fried Risotto Cakes.  The Seafood Jambalaya is classically prepared with andouille, rice, mussels, shrimp, scallops and fresh fish while the Vonn Fancy Italian Sandwich with Soppressata, ham, coppa, blue cheese mousse, tapenade and roasted tomatoes is another special treat.

“The new Vonn menu also includes unique dishes from the former menu, like the Shrimp and Grits, Steamed Mussels, Jerk Chicken Sandwich and Chicken and Waffles,” adds Chef Black.  We are combining guests’ favorites with new dishes from around the world and always using fresh, local ingredients.  The result is an exciting supper club menu! ”

Von Jazz is known as a lavish Columbus supper club where patrons dine under crystal chandeliers in a romantic atmosphere.  It is located at 245 East Campus View Boulevard, Columbus, Ohio, 43235 and open for dining and live entertainment every day of the week from 5 p.m. – 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, from 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. Thursdays, and 5 pm – 10 pm Sunday though Wednesday, with reservations recommended. Performance highlights in September include Nick Moss on September 3, Kenny Neal scheduled for September 9 and Gene Walker and Sabrina Tutstone on September 10.

Verduta Pizza is the newest pizza selection, topped with roasted asparagus, portabellas, tomatoes, red onions with Fontina and Boursin cheeses and fresh basil. The Pepperoni Classico is a warm and toasty combination of pepperoni, roasted banana peppers, Mozzarella and Provolone cheeses and fresh oregano. The Margherita Pizza is topped with thinly sliced ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.

BRAVO! chefs worked nine months to perfect their new pizza dough. “The magic of pizza is in the dough, and we have found the perfect combination of the right flour, water and yeast, and then made the perfect pizza sauce from tomatoes grown in Naples along with extra virgin olive oil, basil, salt and pepper,” says BRAVO! Corporate Chef Matt Harding.

BRAVO!’s Verduta Pizza is best paired with Petra Porzia Fraiscati, a light white wine served in Rome with a subtle lemon flavors taste that complements the vegetable topping. BRAVO!’s Pepperoni Pizza is paired with Barbera Araldica D’asti from Italy’s Piedmont region tastes great, offering a blend of ripe cherries and a hint of oak, while the Margherita Pizza tastes its best when paired with Torre Di Luna, a floral Italian white wine with hints of pear and white flowers.

Guests are also reminded to try BRAVO!’s piping hot flatbreads. The tasty Chicken Spinach and Bacon Flatbread is topped with grilled chicken, creamy spinach and Applewood smoked bacon with green onions, Mozzarella and Provolone and matches up with Tormanesca, a Chardonnay from Italy with flavors of apples and oak. The Grilled Steak Flatbread is tenderloin beef, grilled to medium rare and sliced, served over arugula with caramelized onions, portabella mushrooms and Reggiano Parmesan cheese and paired with the San Fabiano Chianti with flavors of tart cherries and herbs.

Guests can enjoy the new, tasty BRAVO! pizzas and flatbreads at half price during happy hours, along with $1.00 off wines by the glass and beers as well as only $4.00 well drinks.

BRAVO! Cucina Italiana is a casual, white-tablecloth restaurant offering classic Italian food amongst the shadows of Roman ruins. The subtitle “Cucina Italiana” means Italian kitchen, in which all cooking is done in full view of the guest, creating the energy of a live theater. BRAVO’s popular entrees include grilled steaks, chops, and made-to-order pizzas, pastas and house specialties, similar to an authentic ‘ristorante’ in Italy. BRAVO! is part of Columbus-based BRAVOIBRIO Restaurant Group. Founded in 1992, BRAVOIBRIO Restaurant Group currently operates more than 80 restaurants including BRAVO! Cucina Italiana, BRIO Tuscan Grille and Bon Vie Bistro. Please visit the Web site, BravoItalian.com for a list of locations, or to follow the restaurant on twitter or facebook.

A new year always provides fresh thought, renewed energy and new opportunities to explore. Unlike last year when economists were predicting a decline, 2010 is predicted to incline as businesses and consumers slowly begin to come out of hiding.

A new year always provides fresh thought, renewed energy and new opportunities to explore. Unlike last year when economists were predicting a decline, 2010 is predicted to incline as businesses and consumers slowly begin to come out of hiding. Economists hail that this is the best time to invest in marketing, so revisit your marketing plan from 2009 and put implementation back on the fast-track. For some companies, age-old marketing strategies may no longer be the most viable. Maybe your best opportunities lie in a new market sector or geographic region. So now what? Will the same marketing approach work with this new market? What if a competitor already owns the market position? How does your potential customer base look, feel and react?

Sometimes, entering a new market is an obvious decision—your customers are already asking for your participation, the competition has gone by the wayside or nobody really “owns” the market. Most often times, however, the decision is not as obvious and many factors need to weigh into the decision. While there is always some risk involved in entering a new market, doing your homework will ensure a successful venture.

From a marketing perspective, it is important that you invest in market research upfront. It is critical to understand the competition’s marketing approach in order to determine how you will position yourself in the marketplace. Who is your competition trying to reach? What is their unique selling proposition? What sets you apart? What need is not being fulfilled? Equally important, is to understand your potential customers. If you are not meeting the needs of the market, all efforts will be futile.

Knowing how to develop an effective marketing plan can pave the way to successfully entering a new market. It is important that you are able to dedicate a reasonable marketing budget toward a new launch to ensure that your potential customer base is aware of your products or services. Your budget should allow marketing to your existing customer base as well as developing an entirely new base of potential customers. Furthermore, it is essential to ensure that you can deliver internally. Nothing is more damaging to a brand than not being able to deliver on your brand promise.

The first in a series of Marketing Prose podcasts: Does Social Media Have a Place in Your Business?

Does Social Media Have a Place in Your Business?

It is not easy to know the best way to integrate social media into your marketing strategy, or if it is right for you. According to a recent report from Forbes, more than half of executives under 40 are actively engaged in social media. In addition, another study released by Forrester Research indicated 91 percent of B2B decision makers are taking part in social media. Does social media have a place in your business?

It seems that any business recommendation provokes the same question: “What’s the return on investment?” And, where brand issues are concerned, the question is often met with uncomfortable silence.

It seems that any business recommendation provokes the same question: “What’s the return on investment?” And, where brand issues are concerned, the question is often met with uncomfortable silence—unless you’re fortunate enough to be one of the few who understands the value of brands and how to measure them.

Most companies don’t truly understand brand development or how to manage it, measure it or budget for it. Brand development is not a marketing initiative—it is a corporate initiative. A brand is not a logo or advertising campaign, although that is how a brand is communicated. A brand it is the essence of a company.

How can something intangible be worth so much?
At one time, Chevrolet marketed the Prism, a car nearly identical to the Toyota Corolla. In most years, Toyota sold 250,000 Corollas to Chevy’s 65,000 Prisms.

Chevy doesn’t sell the Prism anymore—but you’re almost guaranteed to see a Corolla on the road. The difference that allowed the Corolla to excel while the Prism declined is all in the brand. Toyota’s brand is about building reliable small- to mid-size cars at affordable prices, while Chevy’s brand is still undefined. Toyota’s ability to leverage its brand and its promise that it can deliver again and again is what makes its brand more valuable.

How do i measure the roi on my brand?
Well-developed brands pay out in many ways over the course of time through stronger sales, higher margins, more focused operations and more effective marketing. Many CEOs are recognizing that the brand is an asset with a value similar to buildings, equipment and key employees.

As an asset, the return on brand investment is measured not in operating income, but in the improvement in the value of the brand as an asset—the brand value. The fact that well-developed brands drive company earnings is not theoretical. We all see it every day—which is why for most successful companies, its unique brand forms the greatest part of its value.

Over the last year, corporate America has proven that social media isn’t just for teenagers. More and more professionals and businesses are finding new ways of using social media tools and understanding the online conversation.

Social media is hitting a tipping point of mass-adoption. It is a global change that is occurring with the emergence of $300 desktop computers, free access to high-speed Internet and the explosion of mobile technology.

From twitter and Facebook to Digg and del.icio.us, companies of all sizes and industries are quickly realizing the value of social media. While it is easy to jump in and join the party, a social media strategy must be clearly defined to align and integrate with other marketing campaigns and platforms. Like any marketing campaign, determining goals and objectives upfront will ensure the greatest ROI/ROO. While there are many potential benefits to using social media—from enhanced customer service and creating affinity to driving Web site traffic and tracking competitive awareness—it is important to incorporate your social media campaign with your overall marketing strategy.

Social media is about dialogue—a conversation of sorts. It is important to first find the audience most relevant to your company and listen to the conversations that are taking place before you begin to participate in the conversation. Equally as important is ensuring your social media message and tone are aligned with your brand.

A brief overview of three of the most popular social media networks for small business:

LinkedIn

More than 30 million people use LinkedIn today. The site is widely-regarded as one of the more well-known social networking platforms for white-collar professionals. LinkedIn is a great place to fi nd leads and contacts and is an especially useful tool for business-to-business marketing.

Twitter

Users are continuing to flock to this microblogging site to answer the question, “What are you doing?” in just 140 characters. Twitter is a great platform for sharing quick bursts of company or industry information and to listen to customers, among other benefits.

Facebook

Overall, 45% of Facebook’s 45.3 million active users in the US are now 26 years old or older and nearly a quarter of all Facebook users are over 35—quite a change from Facebook’s roots as a social networking tool for college students just a few years ago! Facebook can allow your customers to connect with your product on a personal level and can even allow a customer.

In a world where a company’s greatest asset is its team, isn’t it time for us to look a little closer at our internal brands?

Many organizations go through the time and expense of a brand discovery process and successfully launch external marketing campaigns only to discover that the experience they promised their customer isn’t delivered internally. Once this occurs, they have most likely lost that customer and, in turn, hurt the brand they worked so hard to discover and communicate.

Living the brand is definitely the more difficult part of the brand process and it is out of the control of any single individual. Communicating the importance of delivering the experience and giving the organization’s brand top priority is the CEO’s job, but the delivery of the experience can only be realized through the
staff who touch the customers once they have transitioned from wanting the experience they read about and saw in the marketing materials.

Even the best-laid advertising plans can only take a company brand so far—it is usually the customer experience that creates the kind of energy and word-of-mouth referrals necessary to sustain a brand. So, what does it take to create Internal Brand Ambassadors who ensure the brand promise is delivered upon each and every day? Three words—communication, training and tools. Internal brand adoption is a top-down initiative. Senior
management must engage the team in believing in the brand, understanding the importance of the brand promise and delivering the experience. The message must be delivered to employees in a way in which they not only start to understand their role in executing the brand, but actually start to internalize
it and live it. On-going recognition and rewarding those who exemplify the brand is of the utmost importance. The most important element in building a brand-driven business is the employees; without their believe, guidance, ownership and participation, it is truly an impossible task.

We have found that small- to mid-size businesses do not consider the importance of budgeting for internal brand adoption. You can spend all the money you want on external marketing and advertising, but if the experience with your brand isn’t a good one at every touch point within your organization, you are just throwing money to the wind…

GREENCREST’s pro bono work included managing the organization’s ad campaigns, public relations needs and artistic direction for the group’s fundraiser, “In Living Pink”. More than 150 people attended the fundraiser which raised $23,000. Money from the event is slated to go toward planning YANA (You Are Not Alone) social events for Young Survival Coalition members.

“The Young Survival Coalition helps many young women during the toughest time in their life,” said GREENCREST president Kelly Borth. “We thought it was important to donate our resources to tell central Ohioans about the In Living Pink event and the Coalition. We hope there will be more awareness about the effects of breast cancer in young women and ultimately, that a cure will be found for the disease.”

The Young Survival Coalition is the only international, non-profit network of breast cancer survivors and supporters dedicated to the concerns and issues that are unique to young women and breast cancer. Through action, advocacy and awareness, the YSC seeks to educate the medical, research, breast cancer and legislative communities and to persuade them to address breast cancer in women 40 and under. The YSC also serves as a point of contact for young women living with breast cancer. The Central Ohio Chapter was initially formed in 2002 by two young survivors who met at the Annual Conference, and officially affiliated with the YSC in 2005.

While the economy is a little uncertain, your marketing plan doesn’t need to be. By fine-tuning your marketing strategy in 2009, you can maintain a strong voice, increase market share and be top-of-mind when the situation improves.

It’s official… we are entering 2009 in a recession. While many have felt the economic crunch for sometime now, the announcement made in early December sent more fear into the marketplace. Companies are tightening their belts to adjust to their 2008 earnings and 2009 projections. While some economists predict a bounceback in as little as six months, others state the economy will be slow into 2010. While pulling out of advertising completely is usually not a wise decision—the market will come back eventually and you don’t want your customers to forget about you—marketing efforts can be fine-tuned during tough economic times.

Search Marketing and Social Media

The advent of search marketing and social media has brought many cost-effective marketing measures to the forefront. As consumers continue to make more decisions based on online information, it is important your site can be found among the competition. The first step is to make sure your site is designed according to search marketing “best practices” and is optimized for search engines. From there, it is important to keep your site continually updated by posting current press releases, articles, white papers and other news. Adding a blog or podcast will help enhance your site and drive additional traffic. As budgets permit, pay-per-click campaigns are also a cost-effective measure in directing Web site traffic.

In addition to search marketing, many companies will benefit from social media in 2009. From Facebook and LinkedIn to YouTube and Twitter, companies are reaping the benefits of these free opportunities. The most important part of a social media campaign is to ensure someone is in place to manage the process and monitor the message.

Direct Marketing

Now is the time to ensure your mailing lists are up-to date! While traditional postcard mailers are a great way to reach customers, HTML e-mails can be even better in today’s economy. The elimination of postage and printing costs allows a company to increase their frequency through e-mail. Assuming you can reach at least 85% of your contact list through e-mail, HTMLs are better if looking to trim your marketing budget in 2009.

Public Relations

There’s no such thing as free publicity… or is there? While public and media relations are often viewed as a “luxury,” the return-on-investment is typically valued at 10:1 or more. Third-party validation of your message becomes more crucial in a recession. Press releases and articles are not the only consideration—white papers and case studies also serve to open the door on publicity opportunities. Consider community relations opportunities and speaking engagements to become more visible to your audience as well.

advertising and collateral materials—Now is the time to fine-tune advertising and collateral materials through evaluating the true ROI. All advertising efforts should offer a strong call to action to encourage the audience to visit your Web site, call your toll free number or make the purchase. Frequency of message is usually more important than reach, so be sure to do one media well before moving on to the next. In considering your collateral materials, enlist the help of your sales team. One of your biggest marketing assets, the sales team can tell you what brochures or newsletters are needed most, which trade shows have netted the greatest results and which magazines your customers are reading.

Go Viral

Look for opportunities to speak to your customers at a one-on-one level to assist in relationship building and customer loyalty. Lunch-and-learns are a more cost-effective measure than trade shows for some companies, while hosting trade and association events is an effective means for others. Empower your repeat business by creating a loyalty program and reward your customers for their word-of-mouth endorsement through a referral program. Create a “buzz” to stay visible.