Discussion Points

Discuss these at your next meeting!

1. A manager's task is to target and then monitor the quality of the company's overall performanc      

2. Suggested traits to consider when hiring catering staff are:  initiative, enthusiasm, assertiveness, health, experience, leadership and appearance.

3. You have a right to a personal life away from the business ... burnout is worse than bankruptcy   

4. Each event you do is like a grand opening night in a restaurant .... you just never know what will happen.

5. In general, don’t act like other caterers.

6. Think profit & costs by product line. 

Winning Power Phrases To Increase Your Sales 2

From the moment shoppers first call for information to the moment of their decision, let them hear you say, or let them read, a variety of the scripts below. These phrases are important because they highlight certain benefits you can offer.

In my opinion . . .

. . . you were wise to select that venue.

. . . this menu offers great flavors and textures.

. . . you really don’t need that extra bar.

You seemed pleased . . .

. . . with the wide variety of linen colors to choose from.

. . . about my ideas on using the lobby for the bars.

. . . that we have such a broad range of prices.

Discussion Points

Discuss these points during your next company meeting. Challenge them!

1. Verbs and adjectives make catering sales. Nouns are boring. So, “Buffet” is not the same as “A Sixteen Foot Skirted Buffet With Our Friendly Staff Serving Your Special Guests”.

2. A professional catering salesperson needs to know their batting average in making sales happen.

3. One of the best ways to start a sales presentation is to say to the shopper “Before we begin today, I’d like to tell you why I decided to join the catering team at ABC Catering...”

4. There are two different types of marketing for caterers. “Me-Too” marketing where you simply copy what other caterers are doing or “Me-Different” marketing which is original and demonstrates leadership. The interesting thing is that both are correct in certain circumstances.

5. Hold a citywide recipe contest for corporations to find the best Chili or Chicken Salad or whatever. You arrange for judges and the winners become part of your menu offerings which says “ABC Widget Company’s Egg Salad”.

6. Take your job very seriously but don’t take yourself too seriously.

Winning Power Phrases To Increase Your Sales 1

From the moment shoppers first call for information to the moment of their decision, let them hear you say, or let them read, a variety of the scripts below. These phrases are important because they highlight certain benefits you can offer.

Thank you . . .

. . . for calling ABC Catering.

. . . for sharing your ideas so clearly.

. . . for selecting that particular menu; it is one of my favorites.

Your guests will love . . .

. . . the menu you have both selected.

. . . your choice of the rolling bar table.

. . . the green chair covers.

It's spring... CLEAN AND SHAPE UP YOUR FACILITY!

If you could see my home office where I am writing this book, you would gasp at the total mess. Our condo, except for my home office, is immaculate and welcomes all visitors; my home office is off-limits to all. That’s not a problem, because no one visits my office but me. A catering business, however, has visitors all the time, from the vendors who deliver to prospects and clients who come in on appointments or for surprise visits.

Park your car a block away from your business and walk to the entrance with the eyes of a visitor who has not been to your facility before, someone who will see the dirt smudges around the front door handle or the chipped paint on the walls in your entryway or the spots on the rugs or the loose wood trim on the receptionist’s desk. You don’t see these things anymore because you are too close to them.

First impressions have a powerful impact on visitors. From their point of view, if your floors are not clean, your chef probably never washes his or her hands. As you look around with the eyes of a visitor, make a list of immediate cleaning and repairs and then develop a long-range plan to create a positive lasting impression on visitors.

As you step inside your facility, try to figure out where the customer’s eyes will be drawn. What will they look at first? You might think a customer would be attracted by the flowers on your reception desk when, in fact, what you see first is the overflowing wastebasket or the tilted picture frames.

Make sure that what visitors see first correctly projects your positive image. If you have a company sign that is worn or damaged, replace it quickly. A visitor should see something that says you do special catering, like a beautiful place setting or a gleaming chafer.