6:45 PM
Lanee' Blunt
By
Lanee’ Blunt
Marketing
your catering business can be challenge because a lot of caterer’s operate as a
home-based business or from a shared commissary kitchen. Most small businesses
are looking for more ways to promote their catering services offline and
online. Getting visibility is hard work, but it’s something that has to be done
often. It may be a challenge to brand your business if you work from home or a
shared commissary kitchen because you don’t have a storefront to hang a welcome
sign.
Promotional items
There
are some really cool gifts that you can give away that will help you market
your business. You can provide shopping bags with your name, address, phone,
email and website address. The bags can be so nice that customers will keep
them instead of throwing them away. Promotional gift items may include pens,
key chains, mugs, and calculators. There is a large list of items that you can
use and this will keep your companies name in front of your prospects.
Direct mail
This
is another offline marketing technique that you can use that is effective. Use sales letters, postcards, and brochures. Send out your direct
mailers to a list of qualified prospects, insert a reply card where they have to
fill it out if their interested and after they have received your sales message
give them a call. Ask if they would like more information on your catering
business: an information kit or a sales visit.
Business cards
Everyone
in business probably has a business card, but you can use it as a postcard by
putting a sales message on it. Think about what you offer your customers not
what they do for you. What is a benefit that you offer that none of your
competitors are doing? Add that benefit to your business cards. Put your web
address on your business cards also.
Packaging and receipts
Use
your receipts to market your business by putting your address and website URL
to build awareness. You can do the same thing with packaging; instead of using
disposal shopping bags provide a heavy duty decorative bag. People will not
only save it but they will use it over and over. You can put your company name
and URL on them for future calls or referrals.
Listings
You
can list your local business with Google and Bing, but you must claim and
verify the accuracy of your local verify the accuracy of your local listing.
Include your website and email information. When you list your company the
search engines you can get local customers.
List
your company with online directories a lot of them are free. Make sure you
write an attention getting summary because most will let you write a description about your business.
Social Media
Create
a profile and pages for your company. Get a Twitter account, a company Facebook
Page, Google+ Page, and LinkedIn Page. Become active by getting your name out
there.
Website
Most
small businesses’ have a website but some don’t. If you have a home business
you should still have a website. Buy a domain name and get a hosting site. Most
people will want to come to your website and look around before giving you
their business. Make sure you have photos of your food, testimonials, your
menus, a list of services that you provide, and email address and phone number.
Posted in: Marketing
