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Finding marketing strategies for your catering business can be a tedious process if you’re not familiar with what market research entails. However, this guide can help create a solid foundation that you can use to cover all concepts and ideas you will need to communicate to potential clients.
We have gathered catering marketing strategies that can effectively drive traffic to your business, build your brand and lead you to success.
Why Catering is a Unique Business
An opportunity to make a good income
If you run your business well and market it wisely, you can make a good living by running a catering business. You’ll have the ability to set your schedule and work when you want to depending on how much work you have at any given time.
Exposure to new customers
Another major benefit of running a catering business is that you get to meet new people. Since your business involves serving food, you are likely to interact with people from many different demographics. These people might include event organizers, corporate executives, and regular employees. If your catering service is successful, you will be interacting with these people on an ongoing basis and getting exposure to their friends and family members as well. This can help you build up your customer base significantly over time as word gets around about how good your services are.
A way to give back to the community
If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from being in the restaurant industry for over 30 years, it’s that this is a very giving industry. Many times people will donate their time or their food or money to help others.
Location flexibility
If you live in a city or suburb where restaurants are scattered around, catering means you don’t have to choose one spot for your party and worry about finding another place for lunch. In addition, if you have enough guests for an all-day affair, most restaurants will allow guests to drop by for lunch or dinner between events and pick up their food later when they’re done eating.
Main Catering Business Challenges
Catering is a very competitive industry
You’ll have to market yourself effectively to stand out from other caterers who do similar types of events and have similar menus. Competition can get so fierce that it may be hard for you to bring in enough money to make ends meet.
Customers expect perfection
If something does go wrong with the food or service, then word gets around quickly. This can lower your reputation and make it harder for you to attract future customers.
Pros and Cons of Catering Business
Pros
- Traveling around as a chef with your own catering business.
- Catering requires little or no investment. Most caterers get started with just $1500 and some equipment.
- Catering allows you to be your boss. You don’t have to answer to anyone but yourself if you do it right.
- There are no licenses or certifications required to run a catering business. All that is required is liability insurance and a food permit in some states, which can be obtained for as little as $100 per year.
- When catering, your success is directly related to how hard you work at it.
Cons
- Traveling for catering services can be tough for those who don’t have proper car rentals and packing strategies.
- You’ll need to develop your own rules and guidelines for dealing with employees and customers when there isn’t any standard in place.
- Maintaining cleanliness at all times.
- Finding reliable employees.
- The catering business is very dynamic because hungry people may have different taste buds and preferences.
Best Catering Marketing Strategies
Leverage TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor is one of the main social media sites that can be used to improve your catering business’ reputation.
With its high traffic rating, your business will receive more exposure on this site. You’ll also see an increase in customer loyalty, repeat customers, and new customer inquiries.
The following are some simple tips on how you can use TripAdvisor for your catering business:
1. Create an account on TripAdvisor and fill in all the necessary details
2. Update your page with recent changes and improvements you have made to your services
3. Publish a variety of content on your pages such as photos, videos, and articles that describe the catering services offered by your business
4. Monitor any negative reviews left by customers so you can address their concerns effectively and respond to them using a kind and professional tone
5. Encourage guests to leave positive reviews about their experience with your service 6. Make sure you also review other businesses too so you can show them support when they need it most.
Use photography
One of the most unappreciated aspects of marketing is photography. Consumers are often attracted to images as much as they are to the text in your ads and pages.
What’s more, if you’re a business that relies on visual appeals, such as a catering company, a photographer can be an excellent investment.
The right kind of professional photography will help put you at the top of the list when potential customers are searching for caterers in your area. Here are some tips on how to get started.
The first thing to decide is what kind of image you want to portray with your photographs. Do you want people to see your company as fun and vibrant? Professional and reliable? Caring and personable? Whatever it is, choose images that depict this feel. Once you know what message you want to send, think about the details that make up your business. Do you have a signature color or font?
If so, pictures that incorporate this element will help cement it in people’s minds when they see your photos.
Here are some tips that will help you use photography as a catering marketing strategy:
1. Offer food shots. Take pictures of all the food you’re serving at events, especially if it’s something that isn’t common in most people’s daily lives. This is especially important for vegan or vegetarian options, but even non-vegetarian foods can benefit from being shown off in a professional setting.
2. Include a variety of photos. When you’re creating a profile for your catering business on a site like Facebook or Instagram, make sure you include multiple types of photos. This includes both food photos and pictures of your staff doing their jobs. It helps if you can include captions with each picture so people know what they’re looking at (and reading their comments can give you some ideas about what kinds of posts they respond to).
3. Keep things simple. Use clean lines and soft colors in your photography. This makes the photo appealing to the eye and will make someone want to keep looking at it. Make sure you have lighting that is flattering, but not too bright or too dark. The overall effect should be pleasing and inviting. Look for photos where the food looks tasty and appetizing.
4. Use captions so people know what they are seeing. Include anything special about this particular meal too, like what region of the world the skewers came from or what type of sauce you used for the dish. Always include your business name and contact information so people can get in touch to book an appointment for their event.
5. Make sure your photos are clear and legible. For example, if you were trying to show off some of the dishes that were served at an event, make sure someone can read all of the names of those dishes in your photo.
Collaborate with local food bloggers
Creative content is a hot topic in digital marketing and Internet marketing in general.
Local food bloggers are a new and interesting angle to consider, so I wanted to share some tips on how to collaborate with local food bloggers as a catering marketing strategy.
If you’re not familiar with the term “local food blogger”, it just means someone who writes about restaurants or dining experiences in their city. Websites like yelp.com, eater.com, and tripadvisor.com are great places to start looking for local food bloggers in your area.
There are many different ways you can work with local food bloggers, but these are some of my personal favorites:
1) Create a blog post featuring an image of one of your dishes that the local food blogger created using your product (catering).
2) Publish an article written by the blogger on your catering website that mentions your business (the local food blogger).
3) Give them an exclusive sneak peek at something exciting you’ve got going on that’s coming soon (the local food blogger).
4) Engage them before the event, If you don’t have an existing relationship with a blogger, reach out and engage with them on social media before your event. Make sure that when someone does show up at your event, they’re greeted by name and feel like you’ve taken care of them even before they arrive.
5) Make it easy for them, If someone has agreed to write about your event, make sure that doing so is easy for them. Give them all of the information about the menu and the services you provide.
Use social media
Social media is a powerful tool for marketing your catering company. By using social media, you can connect with potential customers and build a community around your brand.
Here are a few tips on how to use social media as a catering marketing strategy:
Identify your audience
Social media has a large audience, but how do you know who is part of it? Depending on the platform you’re using, take advantage of search functions and hashtags to find people with similar interests. You want to target the people most likely to want to buy from you.
Make it personal
Remember that online relationships are more like real-life relationships, so personalize your interactions with customers. This could mean replying to their comments on Facebook or tagging them in a post on Instagram. It may seem like extra work, but it will create stronger connections between you and your customers.
Build an audience by sharing content regularly
Once you have identified your audience, share relevant content that they can’t get anywhere else. This is one of the best ways to build an audience for your catering business on social media because people will remember you when they need catering services in the future.
Be active on all of your social media sites regularly
People won’t follow or engage with brands if they don’t think those brands are providing value through social media posts and updates. Posting several times a day is not necessary to stay active, but at least once a day is recommended.
Provide personalized services
So, how do you ensure that your business is on the radar of as many potential customers as possible?
Well, one key aspect of marketing is making sure your name and brand are recognizable to potential customers.
The good news is that catering lends itself to an easy and effective way of achieving this goal: the provision of personalized services. Here are some tips on how to provide personalized services as a catering marketing strategy:
Ask your customers what they would like to see on the menu. Catering is all about meeting the needs of your customers and their guests, so if they have special requests then you should try and accommodate them. You should also ask them if there are any dietary restrictions that they need you to take into account.
Make sure that you offer your customers a variety of food options. This will allow them to cater to all different types of people, such as vegetarians or those who prefer gluten-free meals. It is also important that the food that you provide is high in quality and tastes great as well as being healthy and nutritious.
Offer them a variety of beverage options as well, including alcoholic drinks if you are allowed by law to do so in your region. If not, then offer a selection of non-alcoholic beverages instead.
Find out if there is anything else that they would like you to provide them with in addition to the food and drinks that they have already had.
If you are going to have a tasting, keep in mind that most people like to have something small to eat before a large meal during the tasting. This can be viewed as a meal in itself.
Cater to a specific audience
If you have a catering business, one of the best ways to increase your profits is to cater to a specific audience.
This can be a great way to market your business. Catering services are for VIP customers or very large parties. Catering services are used for a variety of different events or occasions.
The catering business gets its clients from many different places, but it is important to know your niche and cater to that specific group of people.
Catering is an effective way to get clients who may have never heard of your business, but it can also be effective in promoting repeat business from your existing client base.
Consider app-based delivery services
It’s time to get a little ahead of the game! Catering is a great way for businesses to save money, and it helps their employees stay on track with their health.
It’s also a great way to bring in revenue during slower times, like the late afternoon or early evening.
Trying to figure out how to take advantage of new delivery services that are popping up? If you’re trying to find an easy way to cater for your event and make more money, here are some tips on how you can use app-based delivery services as a catering marketing strategy.
- Participate in the app’s marketing efforts. Delivery services want their businesses to succeed, so they may offer incentives or discounts as part of their marketing efforts. By participating in these offers, you can help spread awareness of your business among potential customers.
- Integrate the delivery service into your social media presence. Many delivery services have special deals and loyalty programs that they promote on their Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. You can encourage users to take advantage of these discounts by posting about them on your social media channels.
- Consider offering exclusive deals through the delivery service’s app. If you’re getting an overwhelming number of orders from specific areas via one app versus others, consider offering a discount in those areas.
- Get good reviews. Reviews help potential customers make decisions about where to order from so you must get as many reviews as possible. The best way to do this is by giving incentives for users to like or review your page.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Apps are convenient. Customers don’t have to waste time calling restaurants, waiting on hold, or trying to read the menus on the restaurant’s website. They can simply open their phone, find the food they want, order it, and track its progress until it arrives at their doorstep.
- Apps allow for the delivery of full meals. When people go out to eat, they’re not just ordering an appetizer and wanting someone else to bring them the main course and dessert. They’re looking for dining convenience —they want a full meal from start to finish. In-home dining allows customers that same experience without having to leave their house or apartments.
- Apps allow for the delivery of drinks with meals. Most people who are ordering takeout or delivery aren’t just looking for dinner — they’re also looking for drinks with dinner.
Sell the experience, not the food
Whether you’re a caterer or a restaurant owner, there are certain things that you need to work on if you want to make your catering business more successful.
Catering is a great way to increase your revenue and get more customers. But you should always keep in mind that the experience is what matters the most to your customers, so try to promote it instead of the food itself.
Treat every client as an individual
The first step to successful catering marketing is treating every customer as an individual. Catering is really about satisfying each customer and providing them with an experience they won’t forget. If clients come away from their experience with you have had a great time, then they’ll remember it and come back for more. That’s how you build up your reputation and get more regular customers in the long run.
Don’t just focus on those who pay higher fees
If you’re just starting as a caterer, it’s tempting to spend all your time trying to find clients who will pay higher fees for your services. However, this isn’t the best way to go about things because catering isn’t just about making money. If you focus only on finding these kinds of clients, then it means that other people won’t be able to afford your service.
Incentivize referrals
In a similar way to how businesses in other industries earn referrals, catering businesses can also benefit from cultivating a referral marketing strategy.
There are three key steps you can follow to get your referral process up and running:
Step 1: Establish the Purpose of Your Referral Program
It’s important to set clear goals for your referral program. For example, is the purpose of your program to create more sales, or to build relationships with customers? Whatever the goal may be, it’s helpful to know why you’re offering incentives in the first place. It’s also important to decide what kind of incentive you’d like to give; this will vary depending on whether you’re trying to drive more sales or build stronger relationships with customers.
Step 2: Determine How Many People Will Be Eligible for Referrals
If you run a small operation, you’ll likely want to implement a referral program within your existing networks of family and friends. If you have a large customer base, it might make sense to extend your referral program beyond those already associated with your business.
Step 3: Determine How You’ll Reward Customers for Incentivizing Referrals
While there is no standardized formula for creating incentives for referrals, there are a few different ways you might choose to reward customers.
Final Thoughts
Catering can be a rewarding business, but it can also be competitive. For this reason, you should focus on building strong relationships with potential clients and growing your brand in other ways rather than solely relying on advertisements.
As you get started, ensure that your marketing strategy is diverse with the goals and budget that you have in mind.
From there, continue to work at improving your digital marketing techniques by reading industry-related news and joining digital marketing groups.
These are just a few of the many strategies that you can implement to grow as a brand catering company.
