Starting a Catering Business

Like to cook? Like to plan events? Like mixing with people? Then a starting your own catering business might be up your alley.

Caterers handle everything from birthday parties for children, to breakfast in bed and intimate candlelight dinners for two, to company dinner parties for 50 and wedding receptions involving a thousand or more guests. This kind of entrepreneurial business is definitely growing and becoming more popular with people of all income levels. Businesses of all sizes are using catered lunches, cocktail parties and dinner meetings to build their images and increase company sales.

There are imaginative caterers in large metropolitan areas grossing upwards of $150,000 per year, while a small part-time caterer in a small town can hope for $10,000 to $15,000 per year. Of course, it all depends on the amount of work you put into it - which includes all your marketing efforts as well as the time spent catering the events themselves.

You don't need special education or training to become a successful caterer. You do need an affinity for people and a kind of intuition as to what people enjoy in different environmental settings.

A quick survey of successful caterers across the nation shows that many began with zero capital by working out of their homes. The basic starting up investment would appear to be around $500, with some big spenders capitalizing their idea with as much as $15,000 in order to get off to a fast start.

The first thing to do, of course, would be to check out the requirements in your state for licensing. Some would require a business license, as well as clearance from the Health Department. Once you're cleared for take-off, starting a catering business can be as simple as putting an ad in your local newspapers announcing your service, as well as joining as many community organizations as you can to get your business name out there. Be sure to have your business cards at the ready.

If you're called upon to help celebrate a birthday, graduation, anniversary or a wedding reception--finding out about the interests, background and ambitious of the guest of honor will be of value to you in your planning. Taking a few minutes to learn everything you can about whoever the party is for, and the people giving the party, will also make it much easier to close the sale than any sales pitch or special persuasive tactics.

Always leave room for changes in your proposal. In fact, expect them--invite input and suggestions from the client--and always have an alternate idea in your mind for each of those on your written proposals. Discuss your proposal with the client, make the suggested changes and ask for a 50-percent advance deposit. From there, it's just a matter of following your plan.

Regardless of size or type of party--whether your client is a working mother or a giant corporation--the format is always the same: initial inquiry, interview, your proposal, 2nd interview for any changes, agreement, deposit, staging the party itself, and your final payment.

An important word of caution: Try not to get "boxed in" to setting or even revealing a tentative price until you've had a chance to listen to what the prospect wants, to study your own capabilities, and to make a formal written proposal.

Remember, this business thrives on word-of-mouth advertising - referrals. No matter how small the job treat it like it's the most important job you have. You never know where the referrals may come from. You might consider networking with restaurants, supper clubs, bridal shops and entertainment businesses, as they can bring in hundreds of referrals for you.

Synonyms:  Atering, actering, ccatering, ctering, ctaering, caatering, caering, caetring, cattering, catring, catreing, cateering, cateing, cateirng, caterring, caterng, caternig, cateriing, caterig, caterign, caterinng, caterin, and cateringg are typos for "catering."