Catering sales are a crucial aspect of any catering business. Increasing sales not only help to boost revenue but also helps to establish a loyal customer base and create a positive reputation in the industry. There are several effective strategies that catering businesses can employ to increase their sales, from diversifying their menu to providing exceptional customer service and building a strong online presence. In this response, we’ll explore some of the top ways to increase catering sales.
It’s clear that the catering industry is highly competitive. This can make it difficult to grow your business or increase your profits. How can you make your catering business stand out from the rest and get people to book your services for any event?
7 Ways to Increase Catering Sales
1. Get creative with your marketing
While traditional marketing such as print ads in local newspapers or e-newsletters can be effective at spreading awareness about your catering business, they are not something that you will stand out from the rest. Your catering clients will be more authentic if you are creative and think outside the box when it comes to marketing.
Caples said, “One of our past activities is that we have a beehive on our roof. We’ve harvested beeswax from it and made lip balm.” We find little things to do that are meaningful and important. It all revolves around our core values. We are very creative and prefer to have it be our signature, rather than contracting with a company. It resonates better with people if they know it’s ours.”
Also read: Top 10 Sales Chatbots to Use Increase Sales
2. Host tasting events
You probably have a good idea of how to market your catering company through newsletters and social Media. Have you ever hosted tasting events? You can build relationships with potential caterers in person to show your presentation skills and allow them to sample your delicious menu items. To host a tasting, you must first create a list of potential caterers such as corporate prospects or engaged couples. Send them a fun, personalized email with the details.
After they arrive, you can introduce your catering services and then go into detail about each menu item. Make sure you have your brochures, take-out menus, and business cards available for your guests when they leave. You can offer your guests a discount on the first event you book with your caterer company to get the most enjoyment from your tasting.
3. Establish trust with your clients
You must get people talking about your company to be successful in the catering business. You must build trust with your customers to do this.
Caples stated, “One of our greatest challenges is communicating what we do and where it comes from.” Our approach is different from other catering companies. We are flexible and will work with the client to determine their vision and accomplish the goals.
Caples enjoys meeting with catering clients and getting to know them. He asks them what their vision is for the event. After getting to know his clients, he will focus on the small details that can be customized.
4. Do not lose out on walk-in customers
Although most orders can be placed online or over the phone, there may still be some customers who prefer to come to your location to book their event. Every member of your staff should be trained to deal with catering requests in-store and prepared to answer any questions about your catering program.
It will help keep your business organized by having every member of the team be able to assist walk-in customers with catering orders. It’s important to remember that not every customer who comes through your door is looking for catering orders (especially if it’s a restaurant), but there are opportunities to convert regular customers into caterers.
5. Reward customers who refer others to your business
Although repeat business is great for your business, it’s important to acquire new catering clients. Referring customers to your business is a great way to get new clients. After their catering order has been delivered, email or call each customer to find out how it went and what they thought of it. Ask them to refer you to them when you contact them. A page on your website should be created for your referral program. This will make it easy for customers to refer others.
It doesn’t need to cost a lot to make an impact. It’s possible to make a big difference by sending a simple $25 gift card for each catering referral submitted.
Caples stated, “We have a long list of clients who are still with us.”
Also read: 8 Best Referral Marketing Software
6. One menu item can make all the difference
What menu item can increase your catering sales? Everyone knows it and loves it: the sandwich. You’re right, sandwiches can be a great way to reach new customers during times when you might not normally book (e.g. office lunches).
Although sandwiches delivered in bulk can present some challenges, how do you prevent the bread from getting soggy? It’s worth the effort to reach new casual customers. This key menu item will also help you to compete with big names like Panera Bread or Jason’s Deli.
7. Software makes easy
You may not be making your catering business successful if you are keeping track of all your orders using sticky notes or Google Calendar. Catering software takes catering orders and can also save you time and effort so that you can attract more customers and increase sales. Cloud-based software can help you power your business with digital BEOs, lead forms, and the ability online to take credit card payments. Another benefit? This will reduce miscommunication among your team members so that you can place every order correctly.
Caples said, “[Event management] software has helped us quite massively.” It helps us organize and communicate with our clients. It makes the entire process much easier for our clients to access proposals online and make payments online.
