Discussion Points For Your Next Meeting - #2

 This is the second of several posts that are being presented with some of my newest "original" thoughts that hopefully will offer my readers the opportunity to stretch their minds and creativity. I am continually thinking about new ways to understand the process of selling catering. So, please review these and discuss their possible meanings with your fellow team members or with yourself in the privacy of your own mind.

1. Every script and gesture needs to delineate the selling goals and advance towards a successful sale.

2. Selling is not lecturing.

3. Sell the event that they envision, but protect them from making mistakes.

4. Musicians practice four hours each and every day. When do salespeople practice?

5. Taking on challenges that are impossible to solve is what makes people greater!

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News: I'm Helping An Amazing Marketing Company - NuphorIQ!

I had a great day yesterday getting to know the team of marketing professionals at NuphorIQ located in Elk Grove, IL (a suburb near O’Hare Airport). NuphorIQ is “a creative agency” specializing in creating, designing, and establishing marketing programs for all sizes and types of catering companies.

I’m excited to announce that I am now working with NuphorIQ in a consulting/advisory capacity to assist their marketing team in developing cutting-edge marketing programs for catering companies that wish to increase their share of business in their markets.

I’m very impressed with the skills and creativity of the NuphorIQ marketing team. They understand what catering is all about! Over the last seven years, these professionals have been the in-house marketing division of Tasty Catering. Tasty Catering’s growth has been stunning, even through the recession because of the marketing strategies of the NuphorIQ team.

Some of our readers will remember that NuphorIQ had a booth at the last Catersource conference. This has resulted in more and more caterers becoming aware of their abilities to help caterers increase their business and profitability. Go to their website and check out their success story. Here is the link: http://www.nuphorIQ.com/

I’m proud of my decision to join the NuphorIQ marketing team as a consultant/advisor and I’m looking forward to helping their catering customers achieve amazing success. So, if you are seeking to start or enhance your marketing contact me and I’ll share more of the reasons why I’m positive that NuphorIQ is the way to go for any of your marketing needs from website development to newsletters and much more. You can reach me at my new email address: mikeroman@cateringguru.com - 

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CateringGuru.com - another way to reach me!

The first thing you need to remember is that Mike Roman (that's me) is still involved with Catersource even though I've sold my controlling interest to the very cool professionals at UBM of London. I will be teaching six educational sessions at Catersource 2012, assisting in the Opening Ceremonies, hosting a breakfast along with Meryl Snow, and a bunch more. I just won't be working as hard as I have done for the last twenty years behind the scenes! This is a very good thing.

The next thing you should know is that I am moving ahead with my continued consulting, training and public speaking activities under a new company which I've named CateringGuru.com, Inc. This is in addition to my work with the new UBMCatersource team of professionals which actually, except for ownership, is still the same amazing team of people we've had at Catersouce for the last five years!

You can expect the same level of quality education, events, and customer service at both Catersource 2012 and Catersource Magazine as you have become used to over the last years. In fact, Catersource 2012 will be the best conference and tradeshow we've ever offered.

I (and Bernice) am very happy with the new relationship with UBMCatersource. I get to do what I love to do best... teach, with less pressure and less work! I also get to pursue some new opportunities and have more time for travel with Bernice. In addition to continuing my consulting with caterers, I am planning to consult with some vendors and suppliers to help them develop and sell their products to the catering industry.

So, as far as I'm concerned, I have much to look forward to. I will be keeping my involvement in the growth of UBMCatersouce while having the joy of growing my own new business interests! Feel free to give me a shout using my newest email address: mikeroman@cateringguru.com.

We are happy & relaxed!

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The Power Of "No Charge" Items

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A Unique Website Idea From Esprit Event Catering

Spoke this morning with Ellen Vaknine of Esprit Events Catering in New York City. After reviewing their website, I was happily struck by the page that contained the info below. Please review and decide if some similar concept might be good for your website.

CATERING DEMYSTIFIED - 
HOW TO TALK WITH A CATERER

Selecting a caterer should be fun, not stressful.  The more you know about how a caterer works, the easier it will be to interview caterers.  With that in mind, we're providing this "cheat sheet" for your reference.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FIRST:  

From a caterer's perspective every event is slightly different based on the venue, the guest count, the service style and the client's special requests.  Therefore, there are certain questions that any good caterer is going to ask you - and if you've already had a chance to think about these issues, it will save both of you time -

"What type of event are you envisioning?  A formal plated meal, family-style or buffet?  For a reception - do you want a combination of passed hors d'oeuvres and stationary items.  Do you want live stations where a chef prepares guests' selections to order?

"Have you already selected a venue?

"What kind of bar do you want - wine & beer, a full open bar, champagne?

"Are there are specific themes you want to incorporate into your event - whether they be ethnic cuisines, colors, flavors, or another special theme that you have

"Approximately how many guests do you expect?  If children are in attendance, do you want a separate menu for them?  Will they be seated intermingled with the adults or in their own section?

WHAT YOU NEED TO ASK THE CATERER 

* How many years have you been in the catering business?
* Do you have sample menus with pricing that I can see?
* Do you offer a kid's menu for the younger children?
* What's included in the catering price, and what do you price separately? (food, beverages, service, centerpieces, linens, china, chair covers, other rentals, etc.)
* How do you charge for liquor; straight per person, or per the bottle?
* What is the ratio of staff to guests?
* How do you price your staffing and gratuities?
* Can we make an appointment for a bar mitzvah food tasting? Is there a change for this?
* Will you provide us with a complete and signed catering price list that also includes your payment/cancellation policy?
* When do you require the final bar mitzvah head-count?
* Do you have liability insurance?
* May we speak to one of your recent Bar Mitzvah catering client?

Here is the link for this page on Esprit Events website: http://www.espritevents.com/CateringDemystified.html

The Three Traps of Closing a Sale - #3

When it comes to closing sales, catering people can be their own worst enemies. They may spend too much time thinking about the wrong things when preparing for their sales presentations. Here are some ideas to correct your thinking and avoid the traps that exist while closing a sale.

Trap 3: The decision to buy is first made in the mind of the salesperson.

If salespeople think that they can’t or shouldn’t make a sale, then they won’t. If they think that the fences are too far away for their talent to hit the ball over, then they won’t. If they think that the shopper isn’t going to buy today then they won’t sell anything until tomorrow. It’s just that simple.

What most salespeople do is size up a shopper as soon as they first meet. The salesperson looks at the way shoppers dress, the cars they drive, the houses they live in, the jewelry they are wearing.

This is how they decide if the fences are too far away. In this career-killing trap, salespeople determine too quickly that there is no chance of selling a particular shopper today. Even worse, many salespeople believe that the majority of shoppers are “just looking” and don’t plan on buying today.

A professional, knowledgeable, caring sales talent understands that most shoppers are going to purchase from someone sooner or later. In the sales winner’s eyes, sooner is today and the reason they are going to buy today is the salesperson’s ability to “see” the sale in their own eyes first. The fences are never too far for these winners; they will hit home runs!

The salesperson earns the right to close a shopper with the time and energy that he or she has invested. Shoppers must let salespeople explain their prices and procedures for reserving a date. It’s the price they pay for the energy and education we provide to them. Closing shouldn’t be a chore for the salesperson.

When it’s done by skilled salespeople, it can be a beautiful thing—even a work of art (performance art)—when undertaken by skilled salespeople. The best salespeople are always expert closers—and yet have the most clients who love them!

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The Three Traps of Closing a Sale - #2

What a day!

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The Three Traps of Closing a Sale - #1

Hooray!

This post has been moved to CateringGuru.com.