When you are starting out in the catering business, you have to learn how to bid on jobs. You probably don't have the staff, except for the friends you can enlist as servers, or have as much name recognition as more established caterers. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit though, you can come up with ways to outbid your competition on jobs for corporate catering Biloxi executives will appreciate.
When you sit down with the marketing director of a large company, you have to be ready to explain why you are the best caterer for their upcoming event. Offering cost saving ideas, that won't feel that way to guests, is a good way to get the attention of a director who wants to impress company officers. One of the simplest suggestions is to keep the event short. Cocktail receptions that include action stations are elegant and less expensive than a cocktail hour and sit down dinner.
Limiting the bar is another easy way to hold down the budget. You can create a great atmosphere by offering unusual beers or beers developed at local microbreweries. Little known wines, that are getting good reviews from wine connoisseurs, will have guests feeling privileged instead of limited. Specialty drinks will add to the fun.
Controlling food portions is another way to keep the budget in check. People love buffets and food stations, but they tend to pile as much food as possible onto their plates. Formal dinners require china, cutlery, and additional staff, but this extra cost is more than made up for in the food savings. Servers circulating the room with hors d'oeuvre filled trays are much more cost effective than a pre-dinner buffet.
If it seems appropriate, you could offer some suggestions for choosing venues. Your client may not have considered all the added expenses recurred when the venue doesn't offer a fully equipped kitchen. The caterer has to bring in equipment and extra staff to compensate. The client can also save money when venues allow the catering company to pick up during business hours instead of immediately after the event.
The menu selection will have a lot to do with the overall cost. Filet mignon and lobster are great, and guests have come to expect them, but they among the priciest items you can choose. A menu filled with local produce and braised meats is delicious and economical. An ethnic theme is another original idea that could be considered.
A final cost saving measure you can suggest is choosing standard china and glassware, instead of fine china and specialty glasses. The guests will never notice that the same dinnerware is used for each course. The same goes for bar glasses. It's not necessary to have a specific glass for each type of drink.
As a new caterer, you need more than a diverse menu and good service. You have to get creative to get noticed. Advising corporate marketing directors on ways to save money without affecting the quality of the event presentation will make both of you look good.
When you sit down with the marketing director of a large company, you have to be ready to explain why you are the best caterer for their upcoming event. Offering cost saving ideas, that won't feel that way to guests, is a good way to get the attention of a director who wants to impress company officers. One of the simplest suggestions is to keep the event short. Cocktail receptions that include action stations are elegant and less expensive than a cocktail hour and sit down dinner.
Limiting the bar is another easy way to hold down the budget. You can create a great atmosphere by offering unusual beers or beers developed at local microbreweries. Little known wines, that are getting good reviews from wine connoisseurs, will have guests feeling privileged instead of limited. Specialty drinks will add to the fun.
Controlling food portions is another way to keep the budget in check. People love buffets and food stations, but they tend to pile as much food as possible onto their plates. Formal dinners require china, cutlery, and additional staff, but this extra cost is more than made up for in the food savings. Servers circulating the room with hors d'oeuvre filled trays are much more cost effective than a pre-dinner buffet.
If it seems appropriate, you could offer some suggestions for choosing venues. Your client may not have considered all the added expenses recurred when the venue doesn't offer a fully equipped kitchen. The caterer has to bring in equipment and extra staff to compensate. The client can also save money when venues allow the catering company to pick up during business hours instead of immediately after the event.
The menu selection will have a lot to do with the overall cost. Filet mignon and lobster are great, and guests have come to expect them, but they among the priciest items you can choose. A menu filled with local produce and braised meats is delicious and economical. An ethnic theme is another original idea that could be considered.
A final cost saving measure you can suggest is choosing standard china and glassware, instead of fine china and specialty glasses. The guests will never notice that the same dinnerware is used for each course. The same goes for bar glasses. It's not necessary to have a specific glass for each type of drink.
As a new caterer, you need more than a diverse menu and good service. You have to get creative to get noticed. Advising corporate marketing directors on ways to save money without affecting the quality of the event presentation will make both of you look good.
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