5 Tips for Your Catering Business Plan During COVID-19

Are you a catering company feeling lost at sea during the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic?

While some areas are seeing re-opening of events, there is still a lot of uncertainty for our beloved catering community to navigate through.

We can’t predict when our “new normal” will resume and bring back prosperous and flourishing businesses. However, we can recommend a few important technology components to a successful catering business plan for the new year.

To help along the uncertain journey of this next year, we’ve compiled a list of 5 ideas you can focus on today and through 2021:

1. Email management software
2. Website modifications
3. Online resources
4. Online ordering
5. A catering software solution to organize it all

Email Management Software

In times of uncertainty, communication is vital.

Email management software platforms are a great way to stay in front of your contacts, even those who cancelled events. Sometimes simple awareness is all you need to restart those conversations.

You can also let them know you are still available for services that meet social distancing requirements. Let them know you offer touchless family pickup meals, touchless corporate drop-offs, or even “micro-celebrations.”

MailChimp

At TPP, not only do we use Mailchimp for our marketing needs, but our catering software also integrates seamlessly with it. MailChimp even has a FREE starter version for less than 2,000 contacts!

Constant Contact

Another email management software we like is Constant Contact. Plans start at $20 per month which is still a small price for the additional revenue it will create.

How to Use Emails for Your Catering Business

Creating email campaigns in these systems is super easy with many standard templates to get you started.

The process is simple:

1. Generate a list of names you would like to reach from your catering software or Outlook address book.
2. Create a template in your marketing software
3. Schedule out the email blast.

Before you know it, the responses back will be flowing in!

Website Modifications

Make your website more COVID-19 appropriate with these subtle changes:

• Say that you’re open and staying safe. This may sound simple but it can be a red flag if you don’t have it. We recommend including a COVID notification on your homepage. Let them know that you are taking all of the necessary safety precautions to handle and serve food. Put this front and center!
• Show that you can serve small gatherings. Replace those images of large events with hundreds of people and big tents with images of smaller more intimate gatherings. For most regions still doing smaller event catering, this is going to resonate well with your audience. Did we think before COVID-19 the term “micro-celebration” would be a thing?
• Create a Venues page. If you don’t have a page already, publish a Venues page on your website that lists where you are able to hold events. Your clients may not even be aware of your ability to cater at a particular location.
• Highlight positive feedback. Refresh your testimonials with ones that specifically mention your . This is a great time to ask your sales team to reach out for those testimonials and solicit new reviews.

Online Industry Resources

Internet forums and industry resource websites can connect us with our peers and contacts in the catering community. Better yet, they’re just a click away!

These resources (listed below) help you find inspiration from other caterers and restaurants. They provide insight into how they are  creatively adapting their businesses, how they are feeling, and what is or isn’t working for them right now. There is comfort in sharing and knowing the industry is truly “in this together” and not just a slogan.

• International Catering Association (ICA) Facebook Group This one is probably one of the biggest for anyone in our industry! All the movers and the shakers in the catering world look to this organization for information! There are almost daily discussions of extremely important topics relevant to COVID-19. We like this forum too because it’s a safe place that’s very respectful.
• catersource.com Catersource is everything from breaking industry news, helpful information, podcasts, and an online magazine. The annual conference has been moved to July of 2021. That’s far enough out that, depending on the pandemic, this could be a good option to network in-person.
• National Association for Catering & Events (NACE) Event central over here! This is the hub for all of the events and interesting networking opportunities within the world of catering. Check out their website for more information!
• CaterBuzz Facebook Group This is a caterer-only group – no vendors/catering softare companies allowed! So, without being able to see under the covers, we have heard great things about the group. From their Facebook page: “Welcome to the CaterBuzz, the global social media hub for caterers & event professionals. Focusing on all things catering.”
• REBOUND with Frank & Jen Need some virtual coaching? From Fulton Market and Consulting’s website: “[The industry needs] immediate coaching to navigate the remainder of 2020…. As two nationally-recognized hospitality consultants, we have developed a collaborative initiative…. Joining forces, we have created a holistic, strategic advisory program to approach the challenges you are already tackling. We will re-teach you how to evaluate your business to resize for the rebound during this crucial time.”

Online Ordering

The catering and restaurant world is increasingly affected by digital transformation.
Online ordering and payment platforms are at the forefront. They make it even simpler for customers to order food, make payments, and reserve time/equipment from catering businesses.

For the catering industry, there have been many unexpected obstacles caused by COVID-19. Online pickup and delivery platforms are empowering caterers to overcome these obstacles. They can potentially make some lemon meringue pie from those lemons.

We’ve noticed increased popularity with utilities like Square and Toast. The TPP team has worked on an online prototype using the Square platform. It’s super easy to use and in some cases you can have a complete ordering system built (with payment processing!) in just a few hours. We recommend at least checking it out!

A Catering Software Solution to Organize It All

Now more than ever it’s time to get organized.

With a reduced number of events and minimized profits, it’s critical to be as streamlined and analytical as possible. It’s imperative to generate Proposals quickly and efficiently. But, even more so, it’s important to understand the costs before sending those Proposals out.

Your catering system will certainly help generate those email marketing lists mentioned above!

Currently using a system? Now is the time to do all of the tasks you have been meaning to do! Enter those recipes, create the packlist associations, link to your accounting system, deactivate unused menu items, and any number of other tasks to properly maintain an efficient system. Ask your provider to do an account review of all your data. At TPP, our Client Care team has been focusing heavily in this area with a lot of success for our clients.

Not using a system? Take a few minutes today to see if our catering solution is a fit for your unique business.

But most important, over any technology, please stay safe and healthy as you navigate your personal journeys.

— The TPP Team