Conferences and Trade Show

We recommend that you leave your business sometimes. You need a break from your business and your employees need a break from you! It’s also an indicator that you believe your employees will keep your business running smoothly while in their hands. It shows them that you have faith in them, that you believe in them and value their contribution to the company. It’s also an opportunity to see what’s out there; new products, paper products, foods, methods to transport your products, etc. Go to trade shows. We recommend flipping through the calendar (you’ll find it right here in The Virtual Playbook) and picking at least two. Pick one local and one that requires you to pack a bag, jump on plane, book a hotel, rent a car, the whole shabang. There are calendars for all the major ones, The National Restaurant Association is every May and is the largest. It takes literally two days to walk the floors. In 2018, it was reported that there were more than 80,0000 people at the conference.

CaterSource is a smaller show, but another good one, usually in February or March. This show is focused more on caterers and is typically held in Las Vegas or New Orleans. All of these trade shows include workshops, educational classes, bookstores, cooking demos, consulting booths, breakout sessions and networking functions that are extremely important to connect with other people in the industry. Whatever you do, if you want to be successful in this industry make this part of the process happen.

Attending Tradeshows and Conferences are an important part of staying at the top of the corporate catering industry. Getting the edge on what’s new, what your competitors are doing, and the opportunity to meet current and prospective vendors can be very beneficial for your business.

Across the United States, there are literally hundreds of catering / restaurant / beverage and hotel shows every year. The Suggested Tradeshows and Conferences section provides detailed information about some of our favorites. If we had to choose two that will provide the biggest bang for your buck for both the Tradeshow (products and services) and Conference (education seminars) experience, they would be Catersource (each March in Las Vegas) and The National Restaurant Association (each May in Chicago). We encourage you to attend at least one every year as an attendee.

If you have never attended a Tradeshow (and even if you have), here are some tips:

• Register early, as it will save you money. If you are travelling to a show, often the show’s website will offer hotel, and even travel discounts, for early purchasers.
• Be prepared to experience “sensory overload” when you first walk through the doors. Take a deep breath, relax, eat, mingle, and enjoy the experience.
• Suggested dress is business casual. Keep in mind this is a great networking 
opportunity, so appropriate dress is a plus.
• Do not collect brochures and information packs indiscriminately, or you will 
find yourself weighed down quickly.
• Make a plan in advance. Go online and review the vendors that are 
exhibiting. Make lists of the booth numbers you want to visit.
• Bring business cards, a camera-phone, a notepad / pen, or electronic note- 
taking device.
• Give yourself at least a couple of hours to walk the floor. You will be 
surprised how quickly the time passes. For some shows, for instance the NRA in Chicago, they estimate it takes two days to see the whole show. (There are over 60,000 attendees and exhibitors!)
• Bring your appetite. You will encounter food samples galore!
If you have never attended a Conference (and even if you have), here are some tips:
• Review the educational seminars in advance and sign-up for those you wish to attend. If there are two or more presentations of interest happening at the same time, inquire about purchasing an audio version of the one(s) you missed. Alternatively, someone else from your organization can attend what you cannot.
• Prepare a list of questions relevant to the topic. There is usually time allotted for a Q & A session towards the end. These are always informative.
• Register early, as it will save you money. If you are traveling to a show, often the show’s website will offer hotel, and even travel discounts, for early purchasers.
• Suggested dress is business casual. Keep in mind this is a great networking opportunity, so appropriate dress is a plus.

The following questions were asked by participants from the last three conferences that The Corporate Caterer attended. The answers are a combination of responses from the presenters, and our own suggestions.

Topic: Water for Chafers

Q) “Water for chafers seems to be an issue. When setting up hot food, sometimes we are running around a customer’s office looking for a kitchen or bathroom for water. Then, it’s multiple trips back and forth – not to mention some of the awkward looks we get. Any thoughts?”

A) Bring hot water with you. Fill Air Pots or Cambros from the hot water spigot on your coffee machine.

Topic: Out-of-the-Box Advertising



Q) “Can you suggest any creative, inexpensive advertising ideas?”

A) Put your company name/logo and phone number/website on the roof of your delivery vehicles as well as the sides. Then anyone can see it that is looking through his or her office window.

Topic: Efficiency

Q) “With labor-intensive entrees like lasagna, how do you handle an end-of-the day call from a customer who wants lasagna for 20 people for lunch the next day? Especially when most of the kitchen crew is gone already?”

A) When you are producing lasagnas, always make extra and freeze them. If the kitchen crew has already left, the person who takes the order can pull them from the freezer so they will thaw by the next day.

Topic: Menu Variety

Q) “We have had the same catering menu for years. I know some of our customers have gotten bored. How important do you think it is to change the menu and keep it fresh?”

A) It is very important. At minimum, you should be offering a few seasonal specials that change four times a year. We flush out 50% of our menu every year – replacing items that do not work with new ones. Granted, it’s a lot of work. But, I think it is one of the main reasons we retain our regular clients for as long as we do. They don’t get bored. At a minimum, I would suggest that once a year, you at least replace the items that do not sell well.

In addition, talk to your customers. Ask them what they want. Stay current with dietary trends and new products. Subscribe to at least one industry magazine – and most importantly, read it – don’t just pile them up on a shelf. Finally, go to at least one trade show and conference every year for new ideas.

Topic: Delivering Large Orders

Q) “When is an order big enough that two people are required for delivery and set-up?”

A) It varies. You could have an order for 200 people, but if all they are getting is coffee and dessert, then one person should be able to handle that. A full lunch for 200 people is clearly a different story. Sometimes it will depend on how much setup time your delivery person has available, whether it is hot food or sandwiches, and what delivery vehicles (and sometimes carts) are available. In general, with larger orders, I suggest playing it “safe rather than sorry.”


Sometimes we have two people go together and get everything unloaded from the van to the company. Delivery person #1 stays and sets-up, while delivery person #2 makes other deliveries in the area - and then circles back to pick up #1.


Topic: Setting-Up Orders

Q) “Do you always set-up the order? Do you ever just drop it off at reception and go?”

A) We always offer to set-up. It’s a part of the service we sell on the Tastings. So, if the client asks for the order to be set-up (including unwrapping saran, laying out all the paper goods, etc.), that is what we do. I always tell our delivery people, “don’t make the customer feel like it’s a hassle for you, or that you are doing them a favor. Set-up enthusiastically.”

 

Topic: Billing a New Client

Q) “When someone calls for the first time to place an order for their company and asks to be billed, will you do 
that?”

A) No. We explain that there is a short account sign-up form on the website that they need to complete and that we can bill them moving forward. However, even if they have done that already, the client has to put first time orders on a credit card. Period.

Topic: Sales Staff Responsibilities

Q) “Do you utilize the same sales people for full-service catering and for drop-off

catering?”

A) In general, we try to keep it separate. An event planner that books weddings is not taking sandwich orders on a regular basis. However, when it is busy and the phones are ringing – I expect the team to help each other out. The phrase, “It’s not my job” – is not permitted in our operation.

Topic: Accurate Bottom-Lines


Q) “We are easily able to track sales in three different categories: corporate drop-off catering, full-service catering, and the restaurant. Separating expenses has been much more difficult. How do you separate expenses?

A) With great difficulty. We have tried different methodologies and came to the realization that it will never be exact. Areas such as labor, paper products, and china rentals are straightforward. The food and operational costs are trickier. When a $350 produce order comes in and three different departments are grabbing from it, determining how to assign the costs will make your head spin. The same goes for the utilities. How do you split the gas bill? Create a system that is as accurate as possible, within reason. The most important thing to look at is your overall numbers.

 

Q) “We are trying to break into the corporate drop-off market but are struggling with perception. Our customers have always thought of us as a restaurant that serves great sandwiches – but not a caterer. We have created a catering menu and let our restaurant customers know about our catering services through social media, in-store signage, and putting catering menus in take-out orders – but the catering is building slower than we want and we are frustrated. Do you have any suggestions?

A) Your situation is not uncommon. An effective strategy is to host a Catering Open

House in your restaurant either after-hours or you can even shut the restaurant down for a period on a quiet day of the week. Invite over the key contacts from the businesses in your area as well as some of your restaurant customers who would be candidates as catering clients. Provide samples from your catering menu and give them a brief overview of your services. Have your staff present to serve your guests and answer their questions.