Winning Power Phrases To Increase Your Sales 5

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.

The great advantage . . .

. . . of ABC Catering is . . .

. . . of our chef is her dedication to perfection.

. . . of our guarantee is . . .

Tip: The single most powerful phrase is “unlike most caterers.”

Unlike most caterers . . .

. . . the professional staff we send you will be very happy to handle all your guests requests.

. . . we offer value-impact menus with a range of prices.

. . . our chef uses only the freshest ingredients available.

Guest Article - "THE GREEN TEAM" by Kevin Walter, Tasty Catering - Remember: Earth Day Is Sunday!

The Green Team

How Eco-Responsibility Can Pay for Itself

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Get your organization on board to go green and save some money at the same time!  Being green isn’t as expensive (or as difficult) as you might think.

You’ve probably had the following questions come to the fore when pondering the inception of a “green” program:  What is green?  How do we do it, and do it right?  

How much work will it entail?  Who is going to do the work?  What is the cost? How can we afford it with the recession narrowing already slim margins?  How do we get our building management company on board with what we’re trying to accomplish?

Don’t worry, you’re not alone.  These questions and many more seemed to make the task of “greening” your company a daunting one.  Read on to learn how you can green your company AND make it pay for itself.

Form a Team and Do Your Homework

Kermit the Frog once said, “It’s not easy being green.”  Well, we hear you, Kermit.  That’s why this is something you shouldn’t have to go at alone.  Reach out for volunteers amongst your staff to form a Green Team.  The twenty-somethings entering the workforce have an ever-increasing awareness of, and concern for, the environment.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised at their response.  Try to limit the team to a maximum of three members.  More than that will lead to too many opinions and dissipate the focus of the team, i.e. too many cooks spoil the broth!  Once the team is together, give the members several months to research and develop potential initiatives. 

Heed the Three R’s

There are three basic principles to follow when implementing a green program—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.  Recycling items that can be recycled is good.  Reusing or repurposing materials in your workplace is even better.  Reducing your consumption of natural resources is best!  For example, being in the food service industry, we have always offered hot and cold beverages to our staff while they are working.  As part of the Green Team’s year three initiative, we installed a soda fountain machine to reduce the more than 55K cans and water bottles used by their employees who get free beverages while working. By installing the machine, Tasty Catering is helping the environment while reducing beverage costs by about $6,500 with all employees now using reusable drinking vessels so there is no cup waste or expense.  

Start Somewhere, Anywhere

It can be overwhelming to do the research, develop the plan, and go green with the flip of a switch.  This is what causes many companies to abandon their eco-responsible plans before they even launch them.  It is best to start with low hanging fruit like a recycling program.  Everyone is familiar with and, more importantly, is used to recycling in their homes.  Within two months of incepting our recycling program, we reduced our waste-to-landfill stream by sixty percent.  There have been many improvements in the recycling business over the last few years, so be sure to check with your recycler to get the latest list of recyclable materials.  Not only do we recycle common items such as cardboard, aluminum, tin cans, toner cartridges, office waste paper, and pallets, but we also get paid for recycling materials such as glossy waste paper (magazines, marketing pieces, etc.) and PET plastics.  Once your recycling program has been incepted, continually add to it with other programs such as employing energy reduction initiatives, purchasing carbon offset, and using products with recycled content.

Enlist Your Property Manager on Your Green Team

If your company leases its space, this is a great time to go green.  Property managers are desperate to keep their leased space percentages from slipping and are eagerly trying to retain tenants.  Now is the time to ask what they can do to help you achieve your initiatives in exchange for keeping you as a tenant.  In many instances, building tenants have banded together to push property managers to green entire buildings or complexes.  Strength in numbers in this case!        

Being Green = Making Green (Dollars)

At our company, we were willing to put aside a modest budget for the green program.  Much to our CFO’s delight, our Green Team actually created a profit center in our company!  The dollars saved by the sixty percent reduction in waste hauling costs, and the funds we receive for our recyclable materials more than offset the cost of the labor and equipment needed to execute the recycling program.  We use some of these funds to buy Terrapass carbon credits which offset the carbon emission of every mile our delivery fleet travels through a series of donations.  The carbon offsets make our fleet carbon neutral and at no cost to the company.

See, Kermit.  It pays to be green!

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Kevin Walter

Chief Procurement Officer

Tasty Catering – Greater Chicago area corporate 

caterer serving drop-off, special event, outdoor

picnic and residential clients

Elk Grove Village, IL

Kevin@tastycatering.com

Note From Michael Roman: Check out this Tasty Catering website page that speaks to the green movement.  http://tastycatering.com/about/green.cfm As many of you already know, I am a member of the nuphorIQ design and marketing team. 

Winning Power Phrases To Increase Your Sales 3

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.

Can you imagine . . .

. . . the smiles on your guests faces as they enter the tent?

. . . your daughter as she enters the room?

. . . the fun the children will have with the artists who paint their faces?

What is your feeling . . .

. . . about dessert?

. . . about the amount of staff you wish at the event?

. . . about where the buffet should be placed?

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.

Guest Article: Swinging For the Fences by Jon Wool - Finesse Cuisine

Opening day is here!!!! So, our favorite guest article writer Jon presents us with a great baseball/catering concept. This is one of the most recognized signs in Chicago (if not the world) and I’m guessing that Jon made a wonderful charitable donation to get his name in lights! I personally am very jealous and proud of Jon at the same time. 

Even through the aches and pains of middle age, I still dream of being a Major League baseball player. Like every kid who has ever swung a bat, I imagine a play-by-play announcer describing the classic scenario:

“Seventh game of the World Series, bottom of the ninth, two down, bases loaded, and the crowd goes wild as Jon Wool comes to the bat….” 

Every baseball fan relishes the start of spring with its promise of good things to come.  However, as the legendary Willie Mays once said, “Baseball is a game, yes.  It is also a business.” 

Under all its romance and nostalgia, baseball offers many lessons that apply to the business world.  Over the coming weeks, I’ll note the similarities between the sport’s leadership principals and those of our industry. To build an organization worthy of the Hall of Fame, successful catering teams share the responsibilities of owners, coaches, and players. 

First up: Owners

Baseball team owners and catering company owners both have responsibilities to their internal organizations as well as to their customers.  Internally, owners must:

·      Create a vision and establish a winning culture.  Each team has its own philosophy and culture but they all share the desire to field a winning team.

·      Be bottom line-driven at all times.  Remember Mays’ reminder that this is business.  If you want to play ball for a hobby, start a sandlot game.  Likewise, if you just want to cook for your friends, you can save yourself the hassle of getting a caterer’s license.

·      Develop numerous avenues for revenue.  Baseball owners focus on attendance, merchandising, and fantasy camps while catering company owners may focus on guest experiences, branded product lines, and amateur cooking classes.

·      Forecast 3-5 years into the future.  Inevitably, players on any team will move on.  Owners must identify and develop stars for the future.

·      Invest wisely.  Owners are responsible for managing finances to grow their assets and protect the organization from unforeseen challenges.

·      Create succession plans.  Who will take the reigns when the Owner retires or sells the organization?

In addition to the internal dynamics of running the organization, baseball team owners and catering company owners also play a role in presenting their group to the public.

·      Grow the fan base.  Owners need to understand their market and constantly promote their organization. 

·      Manage the media.  Public perception is wildly important.  Owners are key when it comes to managing the organization’s image in a way that builds good-will and momentum. 

·      Attract sponsors.  Identify related organizations within the industry and develop partnerships that will prove mutually beneficial.

Most caterers don’t have a bankroll like the Yankees and few owners will be as influential as George Steinbrenner was, but catering company owners can learn a lot from the front office of baseball teams.  At some point this spring, I’ll visit the batting cages and I’ll swing helplessly at the blinding fastballs that dart from the pitching machine. I may even connect enough times to keep my Major League dreams alive. Then I’ll limp back to the catering sales office and remember I can still hit a home run by applying baseball’s lessons to my own romantic trade.

Next up: ‘Managers and Coaches’

Practice Does Make Perfect!

Practice makes perfect. Baseball spring training gives players an opportunity to practice their skills and hone new techniques before the real season starts. Expectant parents practice all sorts of prenatal skills before the blessed event happens. Actors practice by rehearsing their lines and blocking their moves before the director says “action.”

Unlike other professionals, most caterers don’t practice. They believe in on-the-job training and practicing while they are working with real clients. It just doesn’t seem logical to these caterers to practice and rehearse without being paid for the opportunity to practice for a client.

Imagine if airline pilots and surgeons followed the same logic and practiced and rehearsed only on paying clients for their on-the-job training. Would you wish to fly with pilots that hadn’t practiced landings and take-offs in flight simulators or be treated by surgeons who hadn’t practiced their scalpel skills on cadavers in pre-med?

Caterers need to institute some non-on-the-job practice sessions for their culinary, sales and operations professionals. Company “classroom” time needs to be dedicated for teaching proper skills to new staff, while providing new techniques to regular staff in the pursuit of enhanced company image and customer service. It is wiser to teach the “tactics” of catering before entering the battle itself.

In addition, hands-on rehearsals need to be offered by proficient trainers that permit staff to get that “flight simulator” experience needed to overcome any shortcomings and to build confidence. It is wiser to demonstrate the building of a buffet station to staff watching firsthand than to explain it on paper, even if you have photos of what it should look like.

It is scary to watch a plate-served dish-up for 350 guests when some of the staff doing the dish-up have never done it before. Packing a van for the first time without any how-to training leads to unhappy results. Asking a prospect for a deposit check without using a proven selling script loses sales. Prior training and practice is required in these and other situations.

Management owes staff the improved and outstanding performance that practice, training and rehearsal create. The opportunity for personal growth is the foundation of creating better staff. With practice will come better customer service and the additional sales that result from better catering performances.

By embracing practice as a company mission, a caterer gains the ability to separate themselves from those caterers who still only do on-the-job training. Your marketing and salespeople can proudly explain how your team is put through rigorous training in your “catering simulator” before they are ever allowed to work in real-life catering situations.

Discussion Points From Roman

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

1. "Quick Deals" can often be "Bad Deals".

2. Time is the most valuable commodity that a salesperson has, so be mindful of the productiveness of the time you spend with each client.

3.  Don't send your sales contract and rules at the same time you send your first proposal.     

4. To be more successful, you need to make sure all product lines are contributing to the company bottom line.

5. Are you spending too much of your valuable time with shoppers who really can't purchase from you?     

6. The words, “Small orders don’t hurt us since we already have the kitchen staff here already” or “As long as I have a truck going that way, it’s o.k. to take a smaller order” ... will only lead to continued incorrect profit margins!

Tip When Responding To A Request For A Refund

When you are responding to a client’s request for a performance refund, don’t decide how much you will give without first asking what they are seeking. In other words, let them speak first about the amount they want. “Ms. Frank, what refund amount are you thinking of?” At the same time you are asking her this question, you are deciding in your own mind the limit of dollars you are ready to give her back. If you have placed a limit of $400 in your mind and she says $350, you have saved yourself some dollars. On the other hand, if she asks for $800, you know where you stand and can decide if you wish to continue haggling or if you are going to hold to your $400 limit.