If cooking is your passion, why not bring that outside your home? Cook for others and enjoy a fulfilling and financially rewarding career as a caterer.
Just think of the numerous clients that you could make. With the never ending weddings, events and gatherings, one thing is for sure, you’ll have a client to take your service.
Now if you think you can move towards a promising business in the catering world, here are a few tips:
Making Money from your kitchen:
1. Know your prospects and target market
The first thing that you have to decide upon is to target your specific market. Do you want to cater weddings only? Or you want to become a multi-event caterer? What is your specialty?
Do you want to offer All-American flare? Mediterranean, perhaps? Oriental? Whatever your choice, make sure that your target market is sufficient to guarantee sales and allow your business to grow in time.
2. Know your logistics
What is great with running a catering business is that you only need a low startup capital. There are even rental companies that you can turn to should you need tables, chairs, tabletops, napkins, etc., especially if you don’t want to buy your own supply.
Although you can start cooking right in your own kitchen, you can be penalized for this in some states, so it’s always wise to invest in a commercial kitchen. You can rent by hour or by schedule, whichever fits your budget.
3. Shop for the equipment
It’s good if you have the basic kitchen tools, but if you think your equipment is not enough, then it’s time to shop around for vendors and suppliers.
Before you start shopping, be sure to study all aspects of your business to make sure you’re not wasting your money. Renting a commercial kitchen for the afternoon includes use of their equipment and utensils.
4. Get the best help
It pays to take a crash course in catering before you plunge into the market. So if you want to turn your hobby of feeding for your friends into money-making deals, it pays to get the best help from the experts.
Take catering classes or ask for the advice of your local business or economic development council, especially on issues relating to preparing business plans and other technical details.
5. Link with event planners and vendors
A successful catering business is built mainly from word-of-mouth, so if you want to make more clients, you have to establish a reputation among event organizers, vendors and recurring clients.
You can give them discounts in exchange for tapping your service or offer them freebies each they time they refer a client to you.
6. Go Social
Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites have proven their worth among caterers who wish to reach out to their prospective clients.
It doesn’t cost you a thing (unless of course if you hire a social media expert for this matter). You’ll reap the benefits of promoting your business and letting people know that you’re a caterer to reckon with.
7. Never stop learning
As long as you’re in the business, it means you have to keep going and growing. That’s why it pays to keep up with the times, especially with the latest trends in the industry.
Stay focused and keep your business a pace ahead of the competition by making sure that you’re offering something that others don’t.
All it takes is a little research and hard work to make sure that your catering business will come to fruition.
Success as a caterer will always come your way, especially if you have the passion and you’re giving your very best.
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