What is it about a Domino’s Pizza that makes you want one so much?
They’re greasy, the toppings are always a little bland and soggy, they’re not the quickest and they’re definitely not the cheapest.
Doesn’t matter to me though – I always want a Domino’s. Always. It’s five minutes to twelve here, I’ve written a paragraph, and already I’m trying to justify an increase to my lunchtime budget.
I’m not sure if there are any secret ingredients to Domino’s pizzas, though I do strongly suspect that there is some sort of Class A drug in their Garlic & Herb dip, because I seriously can’t get enough of that stuff. What I am sure of though, is that there’s no secret ingredient to their success, just a relatively straightforward recipe – here’s what I think it could be:
Start with a base of positioning…
What do you think about when Domino’s is mentioned? It’s a treat, right? Domino’s have priced themselves higher than many other pizza places and that fits in with their position as a ‘treat’.
The majority of customers associate price with quality and by costing much, much more than the frozen ham and pineapple pizza offered by Dr Oetker, Domino’s are instantly giving the impression that they’re better – that we should ‘treat’ ourselves.
Think about your positioning – all business owners like to think that their customers choose them because they’re the best, but what else have you got to differentiate you from your competitors?
A layer of reliability…
One of the biggest reasons that I consistently choose Domino’s over the several local pizza takeaways that push flyers through my letterbox every 16 minutes (approximately) is that I know what I’m going to get with Domino’s.
They have standards that they stick to, rigorously, and that gives their customers a sense of familiarity, which they like – knowing exactly what you’re going to get is reassuring. It’s comforting. Almost as comforting as their cheesy dough balls…
Topped with a guarantee…
Do you remember when Domino’s offered their ’30 minutes or less guarantee”? If your pizza wasn’t with you 30 minutes after you ordered it then it was free.
Now, anyone who’s ordered from Domino’s recently will know that they no longer offer this guarantee – apparently a few accidents were caused due to speeding delivery drivers, so it’s probably for the best.
Domino’s probably don’t need to offer that guarantee again, everyone’s hooked on them now, which means it worked great for them. What guarantee do you offer your customers?
Hold the inconvenience…
Domino’s biggest draw is its convenience – they just make it so easy. You can order online or via their app, so you don’t even have to talk to a human being if you don’t want to.
How much thinking does your customer or client have to do? People will pay not to think or do.
When I’m ordering a Domino’s, I’m paying a pretty hefty price to not have to drive to the nearest supermarket, do battle with the self-checkout and then cook the pizza myself, so it’s worth considering what your customers would pay for you to do their thinking and doing for them.
Also, top tip – for an even easier life, eat the pizza straight from the box to save on washing up.
Garnish with extra offers…
Domino’s absolutely nail this bit. If you can resist a text from Domino’s at 6pm on a Wednesday evening, containing a great offer, a link to their website, their phone number and a deadline then you, my friend, are a better man than I. It’s just too hard to resist.
It’s tempting to be lazy when it comes to offers and just thrust out a 10% off discount, but spending some time getting to know your numbers shows just how much you can afford to spend in order to get a customer.
Domino’s are also all over the upsell. Do I want a small Texas BBQ, or do I want a medium Texas BBQ with a crust stuffed with cheese, a portion of chicken wings and a movie? (yes – Domino’s rent out movies now!) … You know the answer.
Now, as far as I know, we’ve got no takeaway pizza outlets as members of the EC, but Domino’s recipe for success can be used by all businesses.
So, now that I’ve made you crave a Domino’s, remember – if we all order at the same time, we’ll have to wait for ages.
