First thing you need to do before producing any marketing piece is to identify your unique selling point. You need ONE THING that sets you apart from your competition. Your potential customers need a reason to choose you over your competition. People buy feelings, not products. When they are looking at products, their buying decision will be based on what the product makes them feel. It it makes them feel nothing, they won't buy it. The easiest way to get someone to feel a certain way about your product is to tell them how to feel.
For a caterer, there are several USPs you can utilize. Choose one based on who your target market is. Your target market is NOT "who you want to buy your product", it IS "who is most likely to buy your product". Big difference. USPs that are effective for caterers include "convenience", "elegence", "creativity", "fun", "romance", "status". Which one will be the most effective depends on your target market. Busy wives may be more likely to buy if you make them feel your service will be "convenient" for them. Rich people want to be noticed and remembered. They want "status". Find out first who is most likely to buy your services in your area, then choose a unique selling point.
In your sales letter, reiterate your USP over and over. Create an easy to remember graphic to incorporate your USP into a logo. Use colors that bring across the feeling you're trying to instill in your potential customers.
Make your sales letter personable. Use regular stamps instead of presorted bulk stamps. It's worth the extra money. Print addresses directly on envelopes, don't use labels. Print the address and return address in a font that looks like handwriting. Use your name in the return address, not your business name. Use a common envelope.
Write your sales letter as a personal letter, from you, not from your business. Invite the potential customer to do business with you. Tell them how your product will make them feel, again and again.
Do something to create urgency in your letter. Mention a special offer if a party is booked within a certain amount of time, and your letter is mentioned. This also helps you track the effectiveness of your letter. For a catering company, throw in a free veggie tray or something similar for any party booked. Make sure the offer stands out of the letter, by putting spaces in the letter before and after the offer, then capitalizing and bold printing FREE.
Use a signature type font to put your name on the bottom, making the letter look like a personal letter from you. The more personal the letter appears, the more likely it will get read.
Don't forget the contact information at the end.
If you need additional help for anything, including tools to make your catering service run more efficiently, contact me through my website.
Brandon O'Dell
O'Dell Consulting
Restaurants/Retail/Bars
http://www.bodellconsulting.com
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