Event and Catering Business Promotion Ideas - The Need For Speed

Screw up this one detail and you're losing thousands of dollars every month. Do this correctly, and you'll book more business without spending more on advertising.

Hurry up! That's right, speed is what you need.

Your potential client is busy, distracted and impatient. When they're in the buying-mode they want instant gratification. They want answers; they want to get things going - now. If you can't provide that near instantaneous reply they'll just keep searching.

For example, even if a bride-to-be has two years to plan her wedding, when she decides that today is the day she's shopping for a caterer, then today is the day she wants to speak to someone. Not later, after you meet a client deadline, now.

If her call goes to your voicemail it's very likely she won't leave a message, ever. She'll just go down her list of vendors and keep calling until she speaks to your competition.

You need to break the speed barrier and respond to clients faster than your competition.

Here's how to add speed to your marketing;

Add a contact form to every single page of your web properties. And make it obvious! Don't make the shopper hunt around for a contact form because most of your site's visitors won't think of it. You'll get more leads by making your "contact us" form as conspicuous as possible.

Have your web leads land in a special email box that will immediately alert you on your cell phone or PDA. Yes, your spouse will get annoyed that you're checking your Blackberry, but less annoyed than having to listen to you complain about your lack of business.

Pencils Ready. Carry a pen and a small stack of index cards with you everywhere. As soon as possible respond to that lead. You may only have a minute before your plane takes off but use that minute to acknowledge the lead. That quick call can stop buyers from calling more of your competition.

Avoid voicemail. Have your leads routed to a real live person, even if that is a virtual assistant. Provide the receptionist with enough information to engage the caller and answer some questions.

If you can't swing the cost of a receptionist have your office calls forwarded to your mobile phone whenever you step out. Most phone service providers make forwarding your calls to a mobile simple to do. If your provider doesn't, check out Google Voice.

When Can You Slow Down?

Most time management experts tell you to turn your emails off and let your calls go to voicemail so you can work. That's just ducky for executives, bureaucrats and middle managers - but for the sales people and the solo-self-employed it's suicide. You must be there to answer the call, unless you've got too many clients.

Or, is there a better way? See, the "fire-drill follow-up" mentality is essential when you're just another vendor in a long list of competitors, where the slowest responder loses.

If you're just a name and a number, you have to respond first.

If potential clients only sees you as a fungible commodity (I just like saying "fungible") you're always going to be jumping through hoops - and you'll always have to compete on price.

The trick is to make customers want you, and only you. Once a client thinks of you as their perfect choice... you no longer have to jump every time the phone rings.

How do you become the most obvious best choice? We'll talk about that positioning your brand next time.



Download a free copy of "More Clients Now" and attract all the clients you need with 10 breakthrough tools for business growth. For a limited time this report is available at no charge. Discover marketing strategies for wedding planners, caterers and other event professionals. Limited time offer, download your blueprint to event business success today. Get your free copy of "More Clients Now" here.




Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_McGovern

How to Promote Your Catering Business Services

The catering business, like any other is extremely competitive. To stand out from the crown and win new clients you need to be better than your competitors at promoting or marketing your catering business services. Here are a few tried and tested marketing tactics that you can consider to promote your catering business.

Advertising goes a long way towards spreading your message across the markets that you are targeting. Also consider dispatching press releases to local newspapers to grab attention. You can also tap into TV networks and radio shows when they, from time to time need people to interview for their food-related programs. Put time into understanding all the advertising options that are available, budget for some methods that you feel will work and then test methods against each other to find the winners that produce results to justify the expense.

Offering your customers extra services is always a welcome gesture as customers like to have a variety of choices. Up-selling is a common strategy for generating added revenue. Perk up your catering business by adding services such as flower arrangements or setting up fixtures for outdoor events. Try to up-sell clients on more expensive foods and beverages as well.

Ensure long-lasting relationships with customers by having unique products to sell. A competitive business such as the catering industry requires an innovative mind that can keep coming up with new ideas to impress customers while still offering quality and consistency. Sustaining their support through incentive programs like discounts and package deals are good tactics.

Having the largest range of unique products and services to offer can give you a competitive advantage when it comes to promoting your company.

Mingling with competition is always healthy! You may find that your products and services are not so similar after all and that you could benefit by referring each other to clients who are looking for specific services that one of you may provide better than the other.

Aside from having healthy competitor relations you should also develop a wider network of business associates. Introduce yourself to event-related companies like decorators, event coordinators and printers and cross promote each others services.

Study business models and other successful companies to find out how they promote their products or services. There is so much to learn from the great entrepreneurial spirit! Practice what they preach and see how you can extend their ideals towards your catering business.

Showing off your corporate social responsibility can also boost your catering business. Join charity cook-off events in the community to push for further free publicity for your company. Participating in worthwhile charitable programs could also create a positive attitude among your staff (as well as your clients) as they can see that you are running a business with care and gratitude.

Marketing and promotion tactics, no matter how unconventional they may seem, can propel your catering business to a more profitable level. Being marketing-savvy puts you one step closer to success in the catering business.



For more information on how to start a catering business visit - http://www.startacateringcompany.com




Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Sutherland