A few weeks ago I watched the newly released movie “42”; the story of Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play major league baseball. I’ve been aware of Jackie Robinson’s contribution to baseball and the African American community for years.
Watching the movie gave me a much deeper respect for this man. At first blush, a child today may take his accomplishments at face value: “He was the first African American to play major league baseball.”
The movie gives insight into the lengths Jackie Robinson went to, to follow his dreams. This man faced unbelievable hardships and dangers to play. You and your kids must see this movie to fully appreciate his place in history. I walked away with a thousand times more respect for Mr. Robinson.
We all are in search of the “one” thing. What’s the silver bullet we can take to make us skinnier, healthier, prettier, smarter and richer?
In baseball, everyone wants to hit a homerun. I myself am guilty of longing for the homerun or “one” thing. I wish there was a pill I could take to neutralize the effects of being a foodie.
Rarely do we hit a homerun when it comes to generating catering leads. Now don’t get me wrong. I’ve hit quite a few homeruns in selling catering. Going after the hundred largest employers in my area, brought me six figures a year in catering.
Targeting hospitals for hospital week netted me over $17,000 in sales. And let’s not forget the Black Friday promotion that generated over $12,000 in sales in one day.
In relation to other forms of marketing, these would be considered homeruns. You might consider $17,000 in catering sales a home run for you.
But in relation to a million dollars a year in catering sales, no “one” thing constitutes a homerun.
Sales are built with consistent effort. To make the major leagues of catering sales, you must seek out many forms of catering lead generation. This includes: internet leads, direct mail, cookie drops, trade shows, Chamber events, etc.
You must be prepared to slug it out.
It doesn’t have to be difficult, but you must have an entire team of catering lead generation players in your dugout. A cookie drop may bring you a small event tomorrow. A bridal show may result in booking ten weddings.
And realize some times you strike out. I celebrate my failures as a lesson. Two weeks ago I tested a lead generation piece for my catering software company. It bombed. I created an entirely different ad to the same market and increased my lead flow by six times. Accountable marketing identifies winners to ride and losers to drop.
That’s why marketing is so exciting. You can control whether your catering profit center will be going to the World Series or dropped to the minor leagues.
As the weather is getting nicer, I must plan an evening outing to see the Nashville Sounds play. Though I’m not a baseball fan, there is something nice about a cold beer, hot dog and bag of peanuts outside in seventy degree weather.
Well That’s All For This Issue!
Michael Attias
Restaurant Catering Software
P.S. – If you need help growing catering sales, then please go to www.RestaurantCateringSoftware.com and download my free eBook: Cater or Die!
P.P.S. – I make a limited number of time slots available each week for a free Catering Strategy Session with me. (You also get a catering menu critique and free analysis of your website for “Catering Effectiveness). For complete details and to grab one of the limited spots, please go to:
http://www.restaurantcateringsoftware.com/catering-planning-strategy-session
