Getting business for a catering company
500When writing your marketing plan, remember that the proper marketing strategy could be different for each target market you select. These are some common marketing methods and thoughts on how they can best be utilized. Catering Mountain View
Event Publications
Advertising in event industry magazines or internet sites may put your catering business’s name in front of professional even planners and other sellers who could be in a position to either use you at once or refer your services to others. Just seeing your name might not be enough for planners to call you for their next event, but cognizance of your services can only help when they consider a short list to get bids from for a certain job. If you operate in a market outside of major cities you may find it difficult to reach your clients this way, as event publications and websites tend to be more town targeted.
Public Relations
Being a caterer, you are in a good position to be mentioned in press about events you’re employed at, especially if you cater high-profile events in the neighborhood. To get the ball rolling, you may give court certain non profits by providing a discount on your services for their yearly gala. Having done this, seek press touches on as a sponsor and vendor of the event. To systematically work to get press, include in your contract with clients a right to send PR releases about the event to inspire coverage, an effort which most clients should welcome if they’re looking for press attention also. Be prepared to remove this clause if the event is meant to be personal, however.
Client Referral System
You can informally seek referrals from consumers, but making a formal referral system can provide you with much more success. By requiring salespeople to assemble referrals to potential new clients from each current client or offering deals to clients who pass on other clients you can create incentives to make sure the referrals roll in. After they do, be sure to heartily thank your customers who felt assured enough in your work to refer you to others. Do not simply call or email, but send a handwritten thank you or gift to let the clients know how much it means to you.
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