Category: Business Blog

If you are already running a catering business, of whatever variety, we hope you have achieved success. However, for many people within this industry, there is one common thorn in their side. The competition! You won’t be the only business looking to fill the hungry bellies of the people in your community, so you will need to do all you can to enhance your business if you want to see those all-important profits come in. To help you make your business a success, follow these tips and see the belly of your bank balance grow as a result.

• Keep an eye on your business expenses. In a bid to beat your nearest rivals, you may be tempted to spend over your budget. Don’t! You may see an upturn in custom, but the risk isn’t worth it until you can comfortably spend more within a comfortable margin. There are ways you can save money without compromising on the quality of your business. This includes using refurbished and secondhand catering equipment, using a cheaper supplier, and making use of free marketing techniques (see below).

• Market your business. You want people to hear about your business, so you do need to push it into the minds of the hungry public. You can do this for next to nothing by using social media and through setting up your own website with a free web-builder. You can also rely on word-of-mouth, asking your satisfied customers to write reviews about you on Yelp, or passing word through their own social networks. The more effort you put into marketing your business, the more custom you will receive.

• Offer quality food choices. Food is your raison d’etre, but if there are too many other establishments serving what you do, you will have to rethink your menu. Therefore, think of alternative recipes that are not being covered elsewhere. Consider the quality of your food as well. You won’t attract many customers if your food isn’t appealing through look or taste, so focus on your cooking techniques, as well as remembering the visual artistry of the food dish.

• Give excellent customer service. Whether you are inviting people into your food establishment, or you are being hired out to provide food for events, always focus on your customer service. Be respectful and polite, even when people turn their noses up at the food you have prepared for them. Remember to say thank to your customers for using your services, ask for feedback, and train up your staff, so they exceed in the way they deal with the customers.

• Make cleanliness a priority. Don’t let the Health Department shut your down. Ensure your premises and equipment are spotlessly clean and make sure your staff adheres to sanitary rules in and out of the kitchen. Uniforms need to be spotless too, as your customers won’t take kindly to being served by somebody with food and grease stains all over their outfit. You don’t want your customers getting ill due to poor hygiene either, so to avoid lawsuits and the loss of your good reputation, ensure everybody is up to speed on good habits and exemplary levels of cleanliness.

If you’re already in the catering business, you are probably already aware of some of these things. However, a gentle reminder is never a bad thing, and if you are about to begin in this industry, adhering to the tips above will serve you (and your customers) well.

When you’re looking to make waves in your industry, met people you desperately want to get on board with and let the world know you have arrived, nothing beats organizing your own corporate event. It’s a way of getting all eyes on you, having your brand become the talk of the night, seeing influential people attend and throwing a darn good party to boot. It’s as simple as that.

Of course, there is one teeny-tiny little problem and that’s trying to organize the kind of event that will not be forgotten for a long, long time. So, without further ado, here is our top tips for throwing the best, smoothest and most successful event ever envisaged.

1. Know The Purpose

You can’t determine whether an event was successful unless you have a specific goal in mind. It could be to meet the big players in your industry and have them learn your name or it might be to launch a new product. It could be a fundraising event for a charitable project you have in mind or just to express your gratitude to those that have helped you reach a milestone. Once you know the purpose, you’ll be able to plan the other details – concept, layout, decorations, design, catering, duration, date and time, everything.

2. Plan For Everything

Be prepared for a stressful test. But also know that the more effort you put in now will mean less stress at the other end because the more you can plan for the less you will have to panic about. It’s everything from logistics to content, promotion to catering. Our advice would be to create a document that your entire team can access, and one where each member is able to see  their tasks and those assigned to others. It’s the big picture. People may not notice when an event goes super-smoothly, but they will notice anything that’s gone wrong.

3. Choose A Wow-Factor Location

If you really want to make your event a hit you need to pick a great time and an even better location. Something that will wow from the outset. Something that people won’t have seen before. That could mean looking into contemporary event structures or it might mean decorating a well-known location in a totally unique way. But don’t just consider the physical space, make sure things like accessibility, security, accommodation options and extra facilities are accounted for too.

4. The Devil Is In The Detail

There are three reasons why people will say yes to an invite: the experience, to network and to gain knowledge. Focus on these three things and how you will deliver them and you will have a highly successful event. That means creating an experience people won’t forget in a hurry, whether that’s with a DJ, an amazing guest speaker, or a surprise act. It means inviting people from lots of different walks of life, different businesses and sectors in the hope new connections will be made. Trust us: if you play cupid for a big deal, you will be remembered fondly. As for knowledge, you need to make sure someone is there to shed light on a specific topic and share information not readily available. That’s what people want.

The key to running a successful business is simple: professionalism. The truth is that if you ask any successful business owner what they would say is the number one thing that business owners in every sector should offer, they will say ‘professionalism’. Of course, a big part of being professional is ensuring that you appear professional at all times, including when communicating with business contacts and customers alike.

Taking that into account, it’s vital that when it comes to emailing, you understand what it takes to craft a professional email. It’s not always easy knowing what to write, is it? If you find that when it comes to email writing you struggle, don’t worry because you’re not alone. It’s something that a large number of business owners struggle to effectively deal with. While you could opt to pass on the task to a virtual assistant, to save money you might prefer to deal with your emailing yourself. The only issue being that you’re unsure how to craft a professional email.

To help you craft the most amazing professional email, below are some tips that you may want to take note of.

Properly start every email

When it comes to email writing, it’s crucial that you start your email properly. It’s vital that you write your email with a professional start to it. While the term ‘Dear’ used to be used, today a less formal approach, even for formal emails tends to be started with ‘Hi’ or ‘Hello. Once you’ve greeted the recipient, the next step is to craft the perfect introduction. Keep it simple and to the point.

Create the perfect subject line

The subject line is the thing that captures the reader’s attention, and so it needs to interesting and eye-catching. As a rule of thumb, subject lines should always be short – under 30 characters.

Take advantage of templates

A great hack when it comes to writing professional emails is using templates. If you have a range of professional emails to write and you’re not confident creating different messages for each, using templates can be the ideal option. There are so many different templates available that you’re sure to find one that is an ideal fit for your needs.

Use email signatures

Another handy hack for professional email writing is using email signatures to sign off on your emails, instead of simply signing ‘Yours Sincerely’ or ‘Kind Regards’. Adding an email signature to your emails is simple and effective. If you’re not sure how to create a professional email signature, you can use an email signature manager service to help make the process easier and less stressful. It’s little things like this that can really help to make email writing as a professional easier.

When it comes to crafting the ideal email for professional use, it’s not always easy knowing how to go about it. Email writing is something that many of the world’s most successful business owners have struggled with in the past, so there’s no need to beat yourself up if you struggle to compose professional emails.