catering services

This means the capability of handling everything for the customer, from having the invitations printed and sent out to cleaning up after the last guest has left. Businesses and people in the upper income brackets, like to pick up the phone - tell someone that they want a party on a certain date - and then forget about it, knowing everything will be taken care of without further worry or time involvement from them. Once you've developed your expertise and clientele to this level, you'll have a business in the $200,000 to $250,000 per year range.

 Definitely arrange for a display ad in the yellow pages of your telephone directory. You will probably get 40% of your inquiries from this source alone. Generally speaking, radio and/or television advertising will be too expensive when compared with the immediate results. However, it is recommended that you consider these media prior to special holidays.

 Working with restaurants, supper clubs, bridal shops and the entertainment business in general, can bring in hundreds of referrals for you. Rubbing shoulders with, and circulating as a part of your area's civic and service clubs, should also result in more business for you.

 Keep your eyes and ears on the alert. Wherever you go, and with whomever you associate, always be ready to promote and sell your services, if not on the spot, at least make a note to follow up when conditions are more in your favor. Promoting and selling
your services will require at least half your time, and that's why two people operating catering services are so successful from the start.

 The actual selling is quite simple so long as you emphasize the service and time-saving aspects.

 The more time-consuming work you can handle for the client, the easier it's going to be for you to close the sale.

 Handing out business cards is one of the least expensive ways to advertise, promote and sell your services. One enterprising caterer makes arrangements with the sponsors of all his parties, to see that each of the guests gets one of his business cards.

 Another gives each of his clients a stack of his business cards, and tells them he will pay them $25 for each prospect they refer to him. He tells them to write their name on the back of the cards, and to hand them out to their friends. And then, whenever a person tells him that John or Jane suggested he call, and he presents the card with John or Jane's name on the back, this very successful caterer sends John or Jane a $25 check.

 Another very successful caterer pays commissions to a group of housewives and college students who solicit - via their home phones - interviews for him with brides-to-be. They get their leads from announcements, and pictures of brides-to-be in the local papers.

 Many caterers pay sales people a commission for letting them know when they hear about a party or special event being planned by one of their business customers.

 The possibilities go on and on, and are seemingly unlimited. Time is becoming more valuable to a lot more people every day, which means there are more and more opportunities for great wealth and personal independence as a professional caterer. In reality, the success for just about any person entering this field, will be limited only by his or her own imagination and energy.

 There is definite opportunity for great wealth within the catering field.