Getting catering jobs

Are you advertising? Maybe hand out catering menu's while vending. How long have you been at it? It takes time, we did mostly vending the first year with a few drop off's and catering jobs and it started growing from there.

Newspaper or Facebook works well. I guess what I'm asking is do you let people know that you cater? Maybe they think you only vend.

Newspaper is worst dollar spent in advertising. Facebook gets the word out to only a small number of people in a specific area.

People selling advertising know what works----and they charge the most for it. Television is awesome if your ad is good-----but extremely expensive. Radio used to be great, but Pandora and other listening services are limiting radio advertising. Magazines and perodicals are dead.

Most folks looking for a caterer go straight to their computer and "Google." Pick an interest area where you want to cook. Specialize in Car shows, biker events, blues festivals, etc ---pick your own niche---and follow it. Want to cater weddings----go to wedding showcases, take brochures to every single wedding venue in your area. Once you cook at one or two weddings----if people are happy-----you will be busy---word of mouth is cheapest and best advertising.

We have never advertised catering, we just have so many customers and they started asking if we did it. Now we have at least 2 or 3 a week. Just got one today for 300 people at a local shoe plant. Go to some of the factories and plants also car dealerships on Fridays and Saturdays.

good web page for people doing a search and make sure your customers write an honest review. I really do not advertise any more, all summer is booked..use several Buzz words BBQ< Barbeque, barbecue, pig roasts, fund raisers, weddings, ETC....work all this into it..even Craigs lists works..Wedding wire, yahoo and google biz ads...work the internet MANY free sites aavailable, even the ones that charge have a free spot to try to hook you.... then local penny savers for print

When we started out selling at festivals we handed out fliers with each order, had posters on our tents, and had a banner that stated we also offered catering. The fliers also work great for placement on car windows (be sure you check with establishments to ensure it is okay to do this in their parking lots).

Our second year we began using Facebook and Twitter to notify where we would be vending and noted on these that we offered catering as well.

Now we get all of our catering via word of mouth and referrals. We get all of the catering business we can handle via these two methods. We only do a couple a month due to our small operation (we have day jobs :wink but we turn down 8 to 10 a month. Most of these turn downs end up being some of our future gigs because they keep calling back. :-D

Ever consider your own BBQ as advertising? You should.

Buy a twin pack of pork shoulders, cook it up and spilt it into 5 containers, make your own sauce, grab some buns, and business cards/menu. Put the pork in a warming box, jump in your car and drive.
Next, go to 5 businesses, organizations, clubs, charities, etc. Whatever clientele you are looking for, go where they are.
(Everyone knows someone else who is gonna get married, graduate, have an anniversary or birthday, etc.)
Talk to the person in charge. Let them know you have made this amazing pulled pork, and wanted to give some samples out. Ask if it's cool to leave pit biz cards or menu's.
Drop off the pork, sauce, some buns, and cards.

Also, reward the folks who give referrals. When you get jobs from these drop-offs, bring a treat or a gift card for them.
I recently got a referral from my old Crossfit gym. The person who wanted the quote has not responded since I gave them the quote, but I still brought a plate full of my gluten-free snickerdoodles to the gym for all the members.
Crossfit and gluten-free go hand-in-hand. Trailer what you drop-off to your niche.

For those looking for info on web pages, send a message to TailGate Joe, talking with him, he understands the tendencies and workings of buzz words / formats to help searchers find you.

Buckscent said:

I sent him a PM a few days ago with no response
Yet. I do need a we page done

Click to expand...

your pm box is full

What do you guys use for cold storage for catering jobs? Meat must be kept below 40 degrees and most health inspectors require some source of cold storage? Especially at fairs, festivals, or vending events, are we relying on cold storage at the restaurant or some other facility? Or are we simply using coolers? I would think if we're vending at a fair, coolers would not work considering the amount of meat on hand.