Businesses are all about making connections. You want to foster lasting friendships with clients so that they will remember you if they need services related to your industry. It is important to make a good impression from the beginning, and you may only have one shot, particularly in the field of culinary presentation. The stakes are high for catering services who need to wow potential customers and possibly get a long-term contract with their company.
It is not just about the food you offer, unfortunately. There are other factors companies consider before they commit to a partnership, but fret not. These strategies will surely help you:
Showcase Your Versatility
Rarely will companies be impressed by just a selection of fried delicacies, especially if they are looking to find a caterer for their lunch menus. It will be an everyday job, and surely they do not want to eat just oily dishes day in and day out. You will have better chances of getting their approval if your resin serving platters are filled with dishes that show the extent of your skills in the kitchen. Keep in mind that this is not just about churning out as many dishes as you can. One dish may show mastery of several techniques, which will come in handy when you serve simpler dishes in the future. Your goal is to show them that no matter what they want to eat, you can prepare it for them. This promises that their lunches will never be boring again.
Highlight Your Specialty
While it is recommended that you showcase all your skills when trying to score a new client, you will also benefit from having a special item on the menu. This is something you can do perfectly every time, and it becomes the standard every other dish you produce is measured against. Say you mentioned that you make the best fried
chicken in Australia and you served them uncooked chicken. If that is the best and you executed it poorly, they will not have high hopes for your other dishes. With that said, choose your specialty dish wisely and take care that it is something you have truly mastered, to prevent embarrassment down the road.
Live up to Your Work Ethics
Your brief tells potential clients you value punctuality, especially when being late means greeting a roomful of hungry people, yet you showed up to the sampling half an hour past the appointed time. Surely, it is not hard to see how that can ruin your chances of getting the deal. Another scenario is when you say you have zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour, but your staff makes indecent remarks when they think no one is looking.
The values you hold high in your company should not just sound good on paper; everyone who represents the company should practice them diligently. Clients want to work with people they can trust with something as important as food. If they have cause to question your adherence to company values, how can they guarantee that you care enough about the quality of food you are serving them?
Even your smallest action may show what truly goes on in the company. To forge strong partnerships with clients, be genuine and do your job without compromising on anything.
