Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step1
Create a Web site. Call your friends and ask them if they can recommend someone to help you. Check out Yahoo! and Google to see what services they offer that will help you produce a Web site and increase visits to your Web site.
Step2
Cater local events in your neighborhood. You may have to donate the food, but there is no better way to advertise your catering business than to have people tasting your culinary creations.
Step3
Ask a local supermarket if you can prepare a dish for their customers. We’ve all been in the supermarket and passed by someone preparing food. Ask a supermarket if you can do the same and pass out your business card to anyone who tries a treat.
Step4
Advertise in a community newspaper. The rates are very low and over time, name recognition will produce sales. Try to get your ad as close to the top right hand corner of a page as possible. That is the first place the eye travels to when reading a newspaper.
Step5
Spend money to make money. If you are invited to a large party or hear that a neighbor intends to have a large party, offer to cater it for free, or make the hostess an offer she can’t refuse. Ask her what she would like to serve before you meet with her and bring samples with you for her to taste.
Step6
Look into local cable television advertising. The rates can be very reasonable and you can produce a very funny ad with a minimum of money if you use your own home and your family and pets as actors. Also consider advertising locally by radio, especially on AM stations which have a very dedicated following who will become familiar with your catering company’s name.
Step7
Join local business organizations and bring something good for everyone to eat. That will introduce you to a diverse population and you can develop clients for both private and business functions.
