Growing a catering business in today’s age requires more than just delivering delicious food. You need to get the word out there about your company in a creative and compelling way. The better your Instagram looks, the higher your chances of booking that event! Plus, no one can resist watching mouth-watering food videos on their feed. If you’re looking to boost your online following and ultimately drive more orders for your catering services, we’ve got just the recipes.
1. Testimonials and word-of-mouth
Social proof holds more value than most other forms of promotion you can put out there. When satisfied clients speak highly of your services, and their feedback appears genuine, it encourages others to give you a chance, especially in the context of private events, where word of mouth carries significant weight within social circles. For every successful event you do, make sure you take testimonials and reviews from your customer so you can leverage that content in your online marketing. You can make short videos of happy customers, or use excerpts from their testimonials on your website or social media. Posting real photos from events and featuring customers also adds credibility and value to your brand.
2. Social media marketing
Presentation is everything. Regularly post your menu items, behind-the-scenes content from events, and testimonials from happy clients. Use features like Instagram Stories and Facebook Live to give potential customers a real-time look at your events. Additionally, you can also run targeted ads for people who live in your vicinity and have an online history of hosting events. This can be done via behavior targeting. Engage daily with your audience, take suggestions as to what new dishes should be added to your offering, and the different types of events people need catering for. The more you talk to your audience, the better you’ll understand them.
Don’t undermine the power of Pinterest for marketing your catering services. Pinterest is a highly visual platform and quick recipe and food videos are some of the most searched content on it.
3. Mouth-watering visuals
Let your food do the talking. Whether you’re showcasing your services on your website, posting to Pinterest or Instagram or printing a flyer, always use high-quality photos and videos. Keep the spotlight on your focal menu items and services while designing content. An affordable and time-efficient way to create compelling graphics is to use professional services flyer templates.
Another key element for effective content creation is branding. Consistency is key to building brand recognition. Make sure your colors, fonts and logos remain consistent across all your social media platforms. This creates a cohesive look that makes your business instantly recognizable. If you’re choosing to go with a template from PosterMyWall, this is made easy with Brand Kits where you simply have to create your kit once, and apply to all your designs easily.
4. Email marketing
Have a special seasonal menu coming out? Now catering business as well as personal events? Offering a discount to the first 5 bookings of the month? If you have anything to say to your recurring or potential customers, an email would be the way to do it. Take a more personalised approach and tap into your audience’s inbox with regular updates on your catering service. Show them what you’re up to, the latest successful events you’ve catered, and stay on top of their mind as the go-to option for their next soirée.
5. Influencer marketing
Partnering with food influencers and local bloggers can get you more eyeballs than more traditional methods. Invite them to experience your catering services at exclusive events or send them curated tasting PR packages. In return, they can generate engaging content that features your business, reaching their followers and driving more traffic to your website and social media platforms. By tapping into their established audiences and genuine reviews, you can increase your brand’s visibility and draw in potential clients who value their endorsements.
Catering is a highly competitive industry, and while online marketing offers great opportunities, it also comes with risks. A single negative review can significantly impact your business’s reputation. With these tactics or a possible combination of them all in place, you’ll not only enhance your online presence but also build credibility, trust, and drive more business to your catering service.
