Last-Minute Orders And Events Are Here To Stay

Many catering buyers wait until they’re very close to the event date before making a decision to hire a caterer. It’s not uncommon for a person or company planning a wedding or corporate event to make contact with a caterer less than 60 days in advance.

It used to be that prospects would think of caterers as they do hot restaurants, which prompted them to call as early as possible to book a date. Today’s procrastination to book stems from a reluctance to commit and then part with money. On top of this, many buyers of catering believe that most caterers are always available. Many buyers also believe that the longer they wait to book, the lower the price will become, just like it is in many retail situations. They think that the caterer will be desperate to get a last-minute booking.

Whenever possible, try to put into your marketing that last-minute events are possible with your company. In your letters thanking your clients for their just-completed event, mention that as a regular customer, they now qualify for your last-minute-event hot line. Some caterers even give a special number to clients for these last-minute events.

All this marketing for last-minute events does not apply to drop-off corporate catering. Last-minute or same-day drop-off orders can be destructive to some caterers. But even in this case, you can market a special last-minute menu selection that may be used for orders that are placed with less than 24 to 48 hours.

Might as well try to embrace this niche or not... the decision is yours?