Need some inspiration for which wall to headbutt!

[Willing2learn]

Hi folks,
I'm looking for ideas on how to market my catering business as my company seems transparent and I am having no luck with new leads.

I have already tried using local advertising & networking to no avail

Twitter / Instagram for photos & posts
Adwords
Facebook page & promos
Business cards / banners
YouTube videos
and leaflets, as well as registering with the numerous freeindex type people, yell etc

I can cook a beef Wellington but am really not sure what I am doing wrong.

Any help would be marve, thanks
Shane

 

[ethical PR]

If you don't have the skills or knowledge why not looking at getting in a marketing consultant who understands your marketplace and the clients you want to target.

For example if you offer wedding or corporate catering the channels you use would be very different tactics, from if you cater for exclusive supper parties at home or 21st birthdays.

When you set up your business - what research did you carry out to find out there was gap in the market for the services you offer? who are your customers? what communications channels do they use?

If for example, you are aiming at a corporate market I wouldn't think any of the channels you have mentioned above would work.

 

[Scott@KarmaContent]

I have already tried using local advertising & networking to no avail

Twitter / Instagram for photos & posts
Adwords
Facebook page & promos
Business cards / banners
YouTube videos
and leaflets, as well as registering with the numerous freeindex type people, yell etc

These are all well and good but in your instance where I'm presuming you're wanting leads here and now, I'd get on the phone.

I'm assuming you know who and what sort of companies/organisations are likely to use your services, make a list and ring 20-25 every day and start having some conversations. You may not enjoy it at first but the more conversations you have, the more opportunities you will uncover.

I'd probably revisit your Adwords campaign too as that should bring in some instant leads if you've got it set up right. Maybe get someone who knows what they're doing do it for you.

 

[The Byre]

1. That DIY'ed website ain't doing you any favours!

2. Get a proper photographer to take proper pictures!

3. Lose the horsebox - unless of course, you have a horse! Sell it and get a smart, clean, modern folding-out catering trailer!

4. Use those new and better pictures to create a proper brochure and get that to every funeral director, wedding planner, wedding venue, event organiser, etc. in your area.

5. Contact every larger company and make sure that their marketing dept. gets a brochure.

And as Scott said, get on the phone!

 

[Krystsina]

Hi folks,
I'm looking for ideas on how to market my catering business as my company seems transparent and I am having no luck with new leads.

I have already tried using local advertising & networking to no avail

Twitter / Instagram for photos & posts
Adwords
Facebook page & promos
Business cards / banners
YouTube videos
and leaflets, as well as registering with the numerous freeindex type people, yell etc

I can cook a beef Wellington but am really not sure what I am doing wrong.

Any help would be marve, thanks
Shane

Newsletters might be helpful as well. Let companies know about the services you provide, give them a special offer, and most likely you will get some clients. I'm using MailChimp for creating my newsletters, so you can check if you like it as well.

 

[ethical PR]

Have you contacted all the stables in your area about providing support if they have corporate events?

 

[Willing2learn]

Thanks for the advice but the

1. That DIY'ed website ain't doing you any favours!

2. Get a proper photographer to take proper pictures!

3. Lose the horsebox - unless of course, you have a horse! Sell it and get a smart, clean, modern folding-out catering trailer!

4. Use those new and better pictures to create a proper brochure and get that to every funeral director, wedding planner, wedding venue, event organiser, etc. in your area.

5. Contact every larger company and make sure that their marketing dept. gets a brochure.

And as Scott said, get on the phone!

Thanks for the advice, although the horsebox is our quirky USP and is has been popular thus far, as anybody can buy a greasy catering trailer if the funds allow.

The photographs on the website are actual event photos so not too worried about that and the website is what it is, a placeholder for an internet presence.

I may try the phone although I am mute so, may be hard.

Thanks again
Shane

 

[Mark T Jones]

Nothing wrong with the horse box - as Ethical has suggested, use it as a starting point to create a clear, defined market who will appreciate it - and focus ALL of your efforts on that market

 

[JamieM]

Thanks for the advice, although the horsebox is our quirky USP and is has been popular thus far, as anybody can buy a greasy catering trailer if the funds allow.

If it is a genuine USP then you should build a strong brand around that. I note you have called it The Wandering Bistro which is quite cool but maybe you should consider using the word horsebox or creating a logo with the horsebox. Marketing the Proper Ansum Food Company is pretty challenging but marketing The Wandering Bistro will be much easier. I appreciate it is just one service but you should treat it as a business in itself.

The photographs on the website are actual event photos so not too worried about that and the website is what it is, a placeholder for an internet presence.

That is a mistake. An 'internet presence' is meaningless. You should design a professional website to market your business. It could really turn it around. Your current website is most probably losing you business.

 

[The Byre]

If it is quirky you want, a pretty gypsy caravan would be a far better option and these things are easily built.

 

[Shopclicks]

Nothing wrong with the horse box - as Ethical has suggested, use it as a starting point to create a clear, defined market who will appreciate it

I suspect the people who will appreciate it, don't provide catering for events very often.

I'm looking for ideas on how to market my catering business as my company seems transparent

You are probably not as transparent as you think you are. It's an ordinary idea, poorly executed.

You may be confusing a USP with 'how can I do this without spending too much money'. If you want people to take your business seriously, take a more professional approach. Your website screams 'shoestring budget / don't expect too much'. A decent website is money well spent.

I am having no luck with new leads.

Change your USP to focus on the food, the value for money, the friendly service, not the kitchen.

 

[Scott@KarmaContent]

Quirky catering vans like yours are really popular at weddings these days. Are you going to wedding fairs?

 

[Mark T Jones]

I suspect the people who will appreciate it, don't provide catering for events very often.
.

I don't doubt for a second that the OP could find a niche that would keep him profitably occupied

Also, I can't really see the value in suggesting alternative types of catering unit, since the OP has a converted Horsebox, not a budget to convert an igloo

What the OP must now concentrate on is finding and thoroughly researching a specific market - possibly an obvious one such as equine events, or possibly a random one with the Horsebox as a side-gimmick

From there he can work on the massage, the website and all those other critical things

 

[Willing2learn]

Thank you all for your input, I have taken some valid points onboard and whilst I can't implement a lot of them yet, it is something that I will try to work on.
Shane

 

[StevePoster]

Those local advertising & networking stated above will take time to be recognized so you need to act aggressive in terms of reaching the companies. However kindly investigate on the target client or company in which they have local and foreign employee because they have different taste in dishes and especially their issues on prohibited foods.

 

[Asterian]

If your vehicle is recognizable, why not take some time and show it around the town? Contact some local rep or council and ask whether you could provide catering (at preferential rates) so that people would see your van.

 

[Scott-Copywriter]

Partnerships are key.

Consider other suppliers for popular events. Take weddings, for example. They often need cake, dress, venue and car suppliers, amongst others.

Contact companies like this in your area and offer an advertising swap. If they recommend your company to their clients, you'll recommend their company to your clients.

You can even give them flyers, business cards and other promotional material so they have something to hand out if anyone asks if they can recommend a caterer.

Adwords should also work for this type of service. If it doesn't, it's probably not being used correctly. Focus on specific, localised keywords (i.e. "caterer in Devon", with phrase match).

Your website also needs to be re-designed. People are particularly picky about quality when it comes to catering, and they'll make a judgement on your food based on the effort you've put into your site.

Touch up the copy, too. There are grammatical mistakes. People will doubt your attention to detail with your services if there's a lack of attention to detail on your website.

Oh, and remove the first picture of the horse box. People will not want to see it as an actual horse box. If you're promoting an omelette, you don't post pictures of raw eggs.

 

[Yeongwonhi]

A good amount of research is nice, when it comes to your leads, and one by one try to contact them via phone, or if its too vulgar, via email will do.

Slowly try to gain their trust and you will never know what may happen after.

Best of luck!

 

[Mark T Jones]

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/ian-llewellyn-turned-old-horse-12064722

 

[webgeek]

Take a breakfast in every morning, lunch in every noon and dinner in every evening to your local radio station, every day for a month and see how many mentions you get. Let your food speak on your behalf