Mobile catering has seen an increase in popularity in recent years with more and more food trucks and catering trailers popping up every year in Ireland, UK and worldwide. They have great potential to capitalise on the popularity of street food and make a profitable catering business. Mobile catering and food truck businesses have the advantage of being highly visible. Successful ones will promote their business to build and maintain customers and revenue. Owning your own catering business allows you to be your own boss. It is also convenient, a fairly low risk business, has good profit margins, and you can have bespoke food trucks manufactured to suit your needs and tastes. Here are some creative ways to promote your business for maximum exposure which will help get your business off the ground. 

Create a branding logo  

Your logo and business name are your first impression to customers so it is important to make sure the logo is unique, eye-catching and stands out from the crowd. Your logo is the foundation of building your brand. It is the face of your business and the first thing potential customers will see. Create a logo that is unique yet sensible enough to communicate exactly what your business is. Make use of good colours, bright, eye-catching but not over complicated. The logo should be easy to read and send a very clear message. The logo should be situated on the outside of the trailer or food truck, which is ideal for promoting your business when you are travelling around to different venues and events. A professional graphic designer could design the logo for you so it is suited to your exact requirements. Your logo could also be used on business cards, uniforms, marketing materials, and social media. Choose a logo that is stylish, classy, and modern. It should speak the type of business you are targeting. Get your creative juices flowing and create that perfect logo for your business!

Advertise your business    

• Social media marketing  

Social media is a great marketing tool for catering businesses to advertise their company and keep in touch with their customers. Set up a business account on social media to attract new followers, likes, and shares. There are various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to utilize. Facebook and Twitter are specific favourites for mobile catering companies. There is so much competition in the food industry, that is why it is important to have a strong presence online and on social media. It is important to do a post on a regular basis such as quality photos of food dishes, your location, improvements, discounts and offers you may have on. Social media is a very powerful tool which will engage with people and customers, generate leads and revenue for your business.  

• Word of mouth 

Encourage your friends and family to spread the word about your new business venture. Word of mouth is the best form of promotion to get your business out there and known. People are most likely to visit you on the back of a recommendation from a friend or family member with positive feedback.  

Provide promotional offers and competitions

It takes some work to create a following and to build a customer base, especially with more and more competition setting up their own food businesses. Offering a promotion is a great way to spread the word about your mobile catering business and it also has the potential to increase traffic to your unit. You could also offer free samples of the food you offer for tasting. This will help establish a customer base, letting them taste the quality products that you serve. Hold half price offers on certain days of the week to attract custom. Food companies have been providing free food samples for years in supermarkets.  

Another effective idea would be to Run a competition through social media platforms for a chance to win a free meal. Share, like, and commenting on the post will gain you more followers and over time new customers. This could expose your business and develop your following in a short period of time.  

It may also be worth having a loyalty scheme card in ways to encourage repeat customers. For example, a coffee truck might offer a gift with every purchase such as a pack of sweets or a reusable travel cup.  

Build a website

A well-built eye-catching website will help drive customers to you as well as letting people know what type of mobile business you are. Create a user-friendly website and be found online through social media links and organic Google searches. You should also consider optimising your site with an SEO company which will help you to build an online presence which will drive organic traffic to your site through onsite optimisation and link building. Once customers have discovered you, then they are sure to make a visit. Your site can include menus of the food and drinks that you offer, prices, your location, and what social media platforms you are on.  

Attend local events and festivals  

Participating in a local event or festival is a great way to get your business more reach and visibility. Think outside the box and position your business in places that you can maximise your visibility to crowds of people. Create a plan and share it on your social media platforms, this will attract more audience and potential new customers and followers. You could also offer your services for both weddings and corporate events as this has especially become popular in recent years.  

Starting up a mobile catering business is the easy part but to succeed, you need to put in a lot of dedication and commitment. Once you set yourself up with these helpful tips, then your business will stand out from the crowd. A food truck or catering trailer business has relatively low operational costs. The main benefits include: having the unique ability to experiment with your location, attract more customers, low initial investment, and is also an effective way to build your brand. They are a popular new business venture, especially for first-time entrepreneurs. Put these ideas into place and scale your business to new heights!