Five Ways to Get More Catering Bookings and Increase Your Sales

If your business provides catering to events, there are several methods you can employ to get more bookings and increase your sales. Here are five you’re sure to want to try.

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1. Streamline and Automate Processes with Catering Software

The more organized you are and the more you automate certain tasks, the more time you can spend on things like developing marketing strategies to drive your catering business forward. When you use the best restaurant catering software, you can simplify event management and administrative and operational tasks.

If you’re still keeping track of catering orders with a spreadsheet, or worse yet: a collection of sticky notes, your manual processes will be holding you back from accomplishing more with your business.

With the right software, you can automate payments, send confirmation emails to clients, and ensure you never become double-booked, to mention just a few of the benefits. Catering software will improve your workflow. In turn, that enables you to increase your sales.

2. Create Partnerships with Venues

You can wait for a client to contact you to do the catering for an event or you can be proactive and develop relationships with venues. By creating partnerships with venues, you can recommend the venues to your clients and the venues can recommend your catering services to their clients.

So, getting to know local venues and forging sound relationships can go a long way in helping to significantly increase your catering bookings. Start by warmly introducing yourself and your business to local venues.

3. Utilize Social Media

Everyone knows that social media is one of the best platforms for connecting with people and getting a brand in front of the right clients, so make sure you utilize social media to your advantage.

The key is to build followers. To do that, you need to communicate with people and regularly post content of interest. Everyone loves looking at a lovely plate of food, so use your catering knowledge to drive up social media attention.

Post photos and videos of your best and most unique dishes and your followers will start sharing your content in no time. And the more followers and shares you get, the more bookings you will see coming in.

4. Attend Expos and Offer Free Samples of Your Delicious Food

Don’t only show off your food online. By getting potential clients to not only view your delicious food but also taste it, you’re sure to increase sales.

Often, all it takes to secure a catering contract is to send a little dose of heaven to a prospective client’s taste buds. So, provide free tasters at wedding shows and expos.

You will, of course, also get a chance to meet with potential clients and discuss your services and their needs in greater detail. If you’re not yet attending expos, it’s high time you did. They can revolutionize your amount of sales.

5. Reward Your Clients to Get New Business

To grow your catering business, you need to ensure you find new clients and get repeat business. Achieving both can be challenging.

One way of finding new clients while ensuring you retain your existing clients at the same time is to reward your clients who refer others to your business. For instance, you could give them discounts.

Also, you do not have to go overboard in the rewards you give. Often, a simple $20 gift card for every referral someone gives can make a huge difference.

By setting up a referral program, you’ll soon be able to get more bookings and take your catering business to the next level.

Adam Hansen
 

Adam is a part time journalist, entrepreneur, investor and father.