3 Game-Changing Catering Success Tips
As we move out of the busy season it’s time to focus on some timeless catering success tips.
The first thing you want to do with your management team is brainstorm your niche. Maybe you cater off-premise only. Or you cater airplane meals for a specific airline. Believe it or not catering is divided into dozens of different niches that you can capitalize off of. Once you have your niche, you can start to strategically plan out your services and how you stand out from the competition. For example, let’s say you cater for mostly weddings in Tennessee.
How can your business and model be different from all other caterers in your area? Maybe your marketing displays that 5% of each catering contract goes to a non-profit of the couples choosing. Build in that 5% in your pricing so it’s a win win. Or maybe your branding stands out compared to competitors. Try a more out of the box color palette or do specials in local Mom Facebook groups. Lots of opportunity is out there, if you only take a leap.
Another way to set your business up for success is lead management. This could be a promotional offer that you disclose on the Knot or Wedding Wire. This could even be a recipe for a popular menu item. Maybe it’s a ‘bride to be to do list’ and planning out the food/rentals in which you do a little self promotion. Gather customer emails so even if they aren’t ready to come to a tasting, you can build trust and communication via email or text. That way, when they are ready, you’re the first business they call.
How many times have you heard the following: ‘Well, I saw this thing on Tik Tok…” If your kids are talking about Tik Tok, you should be talking about Tik Tok. It is a FREE platform to use that concentrates bite size videos into reusable, and trending content. And guess what? The next generation uses Tik Tok as a way of confirmation, communication, and verification. So you need to have a profile showcasing all you have to offer on Tik Tok, Facebook, and Instagram. Each generation uses a different social platform to verify, so make sure you have all three lined up with the most recent catering and event content you have to offer.
Photo: Loco Kitchen, José Marty, Executive Chef & General Manager
