If you really want to build a successful business you just have to one thing.

It’s not building a fancier website or getting on page one of Google. It’s not pimping out your logo. It’s not giving out key chains and pens.

It’s not cold-calling or getting really good at handling objections.

The big secret to creating demand and getting clients to line up to do business with is … being remarkable.

Be the business that creates raving fans. The kind of fans who don’t just join your Facebook fan page, they start one for you.

On the face of it – it seems obvious.

But if it’s so obvious, why aren’t you doing it?

It’s because it’s hard to do … and besides, clients don’t demand it.

So we focus on “customer satisfaction” instead of creating amazing experiences that make customers want to tell the whole world about you.

Do you really think good enough is good enough?

Do you really expect to build a thriving business built on mediocrity?

Mediocre businesses always struggle to find clients. Remarkable ones struggle to keep up with demand.

• A remarkable party DJ gives a client a show that’s worth $2,000 but only charges $800.
• A remarkable caterer helps a bride pick out flowers, even if he doesn’t sell flowers.
• A remarkable event photographer pulls some strings and gets her friend at the New York Times to cover her client’s grand-opening.
• A remarkable A/V company helps the event producer find a keynote speaker at the last minute.
• A remarkable banquet manager picks up the guest of honor’s lost luggage at the airport.

If you consistently “wow” your customers by going above and beyond the call of duty you will have customers for life.

Constantly ask yourself, “How can I amaze my clients today?”

I challenge you to do something jaw-droppingly astounding for 10 of your best customers this week.

Want to get your website ranked in the number one spot on Google when people are searching for a business like yours? It’s not impossible – it just takes the right strategy … and lots of work. Here’s how any event professional can dramatically improve their ranking using free tools.

You CAN Get Your Event Biz to Rank #1 on Google …

I have a load more of free information to give you on how to get more clients using the web plus some good old fashioned tools and strategies.

What do you think so far? Please, please leave a comment. If you like what you’re getting, please help me by promoting this page on Twitter, Facebook, your blog … sound fair?

If all this stuff sounds too technical, have no fear. My team can optimize your site for you – just contact me and we’ll get your site up to snuff.

-Brian

Your long term success as a caterer will depend on the quality of your service. No marketing or advertising scheme can keep a bad caterer in business for very long. Your food, staff and service have to be top notch. Your pricing has to be competitive.

But being a great caterer doesn’t guarantee success. You have to be a skilled marketer too.

I’ll put it to you this way.  A caterer with average food but excellent marketing will out earn a great chef who is lousy at selling and promotion.

Think you have a lot of competition now? Just wait. (Actually, don’t just wait …. you’ll go broke! Take action. Learn how to promote your catering business.)

Need more catering clients? Check out the article below and be sure to download a free copy of “More Clients Now.” This free report will show you how to use 10 powerful, breakthrough online tools to promote your business far and wide – for free. So grab your copy now.

Promote Corporate Catering

Marketing a catering business is tough – you’re competing with price-cutting newcomers and solidly entrenched established businesses.  But you can promote a catering business and get catering clients if you follow these tips.

Download Free Report

Five Tips on Marketing Your Catering Business:

• Review Your Marketing Plan. It’s time to dust off your business plan and make sure it’s still actionable and relevant. Review your stats. How many new catering customers did you bring in this year? What advertising works best for you? How can you better track your advertising to make sure you’re getting a good return? Which catering jobs are most profitable? What clients do you need to drop?

• Who Are You Competing With? You need to know who you’re up against.  Who else do customers call when they’re ready to book an event? Why? What are they doing differently or better than you? This exercise can help you discover ways to bring your business to the next level. Which of your services creates the most referrals and repeat business? How can you improve it?

• Revisit price points. Competing on price alone is one of the dumbest things a caterer can do. Yet, that’s exactly the trap many fall into. Booking  jobs just to keep the staff busy is bad business.  Check your numbers (total costs) and make sure every job you book is profitable.

• Grow Your Offerings. Explore exciting new trends and don’t let your business become dull and ordinary like the majority of caterers. Constantly try to wow your customers and deliver more value.

• Grow Online. It’s never been cheaper or easier to promote your business using high-impact social media tools, email marketing, lead services and directories.

While it’s easier to jump online and spend loads of time blogging, Twittering and Facebooking (are those really words?) – it’s even easier to be completely overwhelmed by the amount of options and information you need to know before you even start. That’s why I wrote “More Clients Now”. This easy to read report takes away the mystery of marketing online – you don’t don’t have to be a techno-geek or pay big bucks to an agency to start getting more clients.

Catering Business Marketing – Creative Ways to Get More Clients

By Brian McGovern

Creating a profitable catering business starts with a solid marketing plan. Marketing is the most important function of your business. The right marketing plan can make or break your business.

First, you must understand the needs and wants of your potential customers. You must determine the most efficient way to reach them, and persuade them to do business with you.

After you determine how you will provide superior service, you must focus on most of your energy on promotional efforts. This includes the advertising, publicity and public relations that will capture your customer’s attention and create demand for your services.

One of the most effective ways to reach out to your potential customers without breaking the bank is cooperative marketing. A wedding caterer should create alliances with wedding planners, disc jockeys, bands, limo drivers, decorators, then use, photographers, florists, designers, travel agents, bridal shops, beauty salons, tuxedo rental stores and other affiliated but noncompetitive businesses.

Create your own leads club. Organize a weekly breakfast meeting for members of your leads club. Keep the meetings short, organized and focused on sharing referrals. Work hard to create business leads for your fellow members.

Pool financial resources and create your very own wedding services directory in your local paper. You can even pool money together and produce cable and radio advertising for your wedding business group. Create a common website and phone number for inquiries.

Finally, consider organizing a bridal show using your core group to fund the cost of production. Open the bridal show to your competition as well. Remember today’s competition maybe your partner tomorrow.

Make the most of social media. Become an active blogger. Promote yourself using sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other social media tools. Learn all you can about how to use these very powerful and effective lead generators.
To learn how to use social media to get more catering clients, download a free copy of Brian McGovern’s “More Clients Now.”
This free report will show you how to attract all the new business you want using 10 breakthrough tools for business growth. Start marketing catering services like a pro!
For a limited time this report is available at no charge. Limited time offer, download your blueprint to catering success today. Download your free copy of More Clients Now here.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_McGovern
http://EzineArticles.com/?Catering-Business-Marketing—Creative-Ways-to-Get-More-Clients&id=2189312

Resources:

• The International Caterers Association
• Catersource
• Event Solutions
• BizBash
• International Special Events Society

Marketing For Wedding Planners & Caterers

Brian McGovern

Marketing your wedding planning or catering business can be challenging. It’s not something you can “set & forget,” unless you want to be stomped by your competition.

But I have some good news for you … I’ve got two nice freebies for you this week.
The first is an FREE report on how to maximize your profits in the wedding business. It’s called, “The Wedding Experts Guide to Sales and Marketing by Brian D. Lawrence.” It’s a 94 page manual that shows you how to attract more wedding clients and increase your profits on each sale.
I originally saw this on TheWeddingReport.com. I think you will find many great ideas in this report, whether you are a wedding planner, caterer, photographer, florist, invitation designer, videographer, limo company, DJ, and so on.
He has some cool ideas for promoting a wedding business like

• How to Start a Bridal Boutique and Operate Rent-Free (page 88)
• How To Produce Your Own Bridal Show (page 36)
• Marketing for The Caterer (page 59)
• How to Increase Your Wedding Photography Business (page 64)
• How To Develop Your Own Lead Sources (page 13)
• How To Negotiate With Vendors (page 49)

Keep in mind this report was written in 1998. There are some outdated marketing techniques like cold calling and no mention of Internet marketing. Still, this manual is full of timeless, profit producing ideas.
You can download a free copy at

http://www.localtrafficbuilder.com/weddingmanual/

Enjoy.
Next, some very exciting news.

My friends over at GalaMall.com recently decided to open up their directory to event professionals at no charge. You can be listed on GalaMall.com’s Showcase directory … this is not some cheapo basic listing. You can upload photographs, videos, links to your sites, or direct contact information, coupon codes and more. This is not a gimmick, it’s for real. I’ve personally known the owner for years and I’m excited to share this news with you.
You do not have to include any credit card information, and your listing it is completely under your control.
Remember, the more “back links” your website has (hyperlinks from outside websites pointing to your pages) the higher your pages will rank in Google, Yahoo and the other search engines. Go ahead and grab your complementary showcase listing here
http://galamall.com/advertise.php

And of course …

In case you haven’t done so already … go ahead and download my free report, “More Clients

Now.”  Why? How about 10 breakthrough tools you can start using today to generate a swarm of leads …

for free? Learn how to make the most of blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Local and more. So, go ahead and download your copy here, now!

And remember, if you have any questions, comments, suggestions or even criticisms … why not leave a comment in the box below?

And if I could be so bold … notice the little buttons below? You can share this page with your friends and associates on FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more just by clicking on those cute little buttons. (Only cool people share, am I right?)

That’s it for me kids!

Brian