How to Market Your Catering Business

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Do your research.

   Market research is the first essential step in marketing.
   
   Hire a marketing consultant to find out the following information, if you do not have the time or skill to search your local area:
   Find out who your competition is.
   
   You should get sample menus and booking information from all local caterers.
   
   Categorize them by price point and menus to see who will offer similar products.
   
   Research the major functions in the area.
   
   You should request a list of events from popular venues so you know who to contact to give quotes and samples of your cuisine.
   
   Research possible partnerships with other event services.
   
   Your ability to build relationships in the industry will improve your chances of success, so learn about event planners, event rental agencies, photographers and more.
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   Step 2: Set a marketing budget.

   For people without a business education, it may seem like a waste of money to spend thousands of dollars on marketing in the first few years of your business; however, breaking into a new area requires name brand recognition as well as good food. , Decide on something memorable that quickly identifies you as a catering service.
   
   Consider how well the name will catch on or how easy it will be to search for online. , You will need to invite clients to your business to sample food and attend fairs where they will try it.
   
   Your menu should be versatile, original and cost effective to produce. , Hire a professional photographer to take photos of the food, the company catering an event and you creating signature dishes.
   
   You will need high quality photos for brochures, websites and handouts. , Your business location should have a large, catchy sign that caters to people in your area.
   
   Hire a graphic designer to create your logo, sign, business cards, van decals and flyers, so you can begin building a brand image. , The website is the first place people will go to find out information about you.
   
   Invest in excellent web programming, with scheduling features for tastings and a process for starting quotes for events. , Developing an online presence can help you to show up in the first results on search engines.
   
   If you have employees that are able to help you update your accounts, you can quickly garner a following that can translate into high brand recognition.
   
   Sign up for 1 to 2 social media accounts.
   
   Only sign up for accounts that you will update regularly.
   
   For most businesses, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter work well.
   
   Pinterest allows you to post a visually attractive bulletin board that can be filled with your own website content and recipes or event ideas from other sources.
   
   Update your Google and other online directory information regularly.
   
   You should ensure that you have the correct address, a description of the business and photos that appear on Google's search functions.
   
   Try pay-per-click marketing to increase your presence on search engines.
   
   Try Google AdWords and Microsoft AdCenter.
   
   Choose keywords like the city name, "catering" and "event planning" to begin with and refine them according to what works best.
   
   Start a blog or video blog.
   
   You can post on WordPress, on your own website, on YouTube or on Vimeo.
   
   Link these accounts regularly with other social media accounts.
   
   Post information about recent events, including pictures of your work and reviews.
   
   Then, consider doing video cooking tutorials to attract more people to your website. , Most medium to large-sized towns have several bridal fairs each fall and winter.
   
   Pay for a booth where you will serve samples to potential brides, grooms and their families. , Make sure to call up to 1 year in advance of the event.
   
   If it is too early, schedule a time to meet with them when they are planning on choosing their caterer.
   
   This will require some telesales.
   
   If you have not done cold calling before, practice selling your product with employees and friends.
   
   You will need an elevator pitch about your company, a description of services and a friendly, conversational tone. , Give referral bonuses to people who recommend you to others.
   
   Give discounts to returning customers that help the companies and events choose you each year. , Many companies hire caterers for training events, corporate mixers, conferences and large meetings.
   
   Develop a versatile product to offer them and give incentives to help them try you out.
   
   Incentives do not have to be discounts.
   
   You can also go with "value added" benefits, such as adding a free appetizer or some wine.
   
   These incentives help to increase value by providing more rather than less. , These salespeople often hire catering companies to provide food for breakfast or luncheon meetings.
   
   You can earn regular work with a mutually beneficial partnership. , Get out and meet with people in the community.
   
   Volunteer your time to handle event organization for a charity, and you may find your relationships with other business people will lead to more high-profile catering opportunities. , Refine what you do to repeat things that work well and to cut out campaigns that do not seem to be working.
   
   Online marketing can take at least a year to become lucrative, so try to do this yourself or recruit an employee to help you.
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   Step 3: Choose a good name.

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   Step 4: Create an exceptional sample menu.

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   Step 5: Invest in photography.

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   Step 6: Create signage.

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   Step 7: Create a website.

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   Step 8: Create an online following.

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   Step 9: Reserve booths at bridal fairs.

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    Step 10: Call local event organizers to ask to submit some samples and a quote.

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    Step 11: Create a loyalty program.

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    Step 12: Contact corporations in the area.

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    Step 13: Contact local drug company representatives.

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    Step 14: Become part of a local business or volunteer organization.

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    Step 15: Review your marketing efforts quarterly.

Detailed Guide

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