Boost Sales By Making Catering More Convenient

We mentioned last week that the holidays are approaching. It may only be September, but when you’re running a business you need to be months ahead when planning your next move. Holiday season is also Catering season, and this is a huge opportunity for off-premise caterers to make big money.

But how can you best capitalize on the catering side of your business? It’s a highly competitive market, and the consumer landscape is rapidly changing. As always, PJP is here to help you navigate the muddy waters of the food-service industry.

What Do Consumers Want Out of Catering?

Whenever you’re trying to boost sales, a good place to start is with your customers. They’re the ones spending their hard earned money at your establishment. What is it your customers want, and how can you best give it to them? Are your current processes providing the best possible user experience? These are questions any business owner should be asking themselves regularly, but it’s not always top of mind. Especially in the foodservice industry when you are so often putting out fires, sometimes literally.

So that begs the question, what exactly do customers want when it comes to catering? Market research suggests some things you might not have thought of. Things like…

Offering Holiday Discounts

It may seem obvious that customers are more willing to buy something when it is discounted. But offering a discount as a business owner doesn’t have to mean losing profitability. Offer holiday catering packages that are high revenue for you so you can afford to take a little off the top. You’ll see that money back because of the increase in the volume of your orders. The simple truth is that 39% of consumers say that would be willing to purchase catering more often if restaurants and caterers offered discounts. That number is even higher (43%) among 18-34 year olds.

Pricing is as much a part of a marketing effort as things like advertising, but in this industry in can be an easily overlooked method for boosting sales. Throw together some holiday specials and let your customers know about them.

Variety is Key

Offering a wide and varied catering menu isn’t always easy or practical. Unfortunately, that doesn’t change the fact that consumers are looking for more variety in catering. 29% say they would order more catering if restaurants offered a wider selection of catering options. If you’re in the catering business, it would be very profitable to try to come up with a unique catering package that customers won’t be able to get elsewhere. Offering the classics like a sandwich tray is never a bad idea, but sometimes people are looking for something fun and new. You’re going to get that business if you’re the place that has it.

Make Things Easier

The biggest way to capture more catering business is to make things easier for your customer. Customer experience is a huge part of building loyalty. Doing simple things like being flexible with your menu and making your catering pricing clear and visible will make customers happier. More importantly, they’ll be more ready to buy from you again because they’ll remember how easy the process of ordering was the first time around.