Promoting a catering business involves more than placing a few adverts in the magazines and newspapers. Advertising can take a big chunk out of your marketing budget, but in a crowded market, it's a necessary evil. That's why it's vital to make every last bit of your advertising budget work its hardest. There are some very effective ways to use promotional products to advertise your catering concern to both the general public and in specialized markets. Promotional products and corporate promotional items make your advertising budget go further in a number of ways:



1. People will remember you when your business gives them a gift.

2. Everyone loves to be appreciated, and promotional products make great thank yous.

3. Promotional giveaways provide an incentive to customers to book parties and events with your company.

4. Promotional clothing can be a great way to dress your servers for particular types of events. A luau t-shirt at a beach party is more memorable than the traditional white and black attire, for example. If you have a line of takeaway food or specialty gourmet goodies, promotional containers can make quite an impression on recipients.

5. A professionally designed exhibit stand can be a great draw at industry shows and wedding expositions.

6. Research in marketing has proven time and again that people are more likely to do business with companies that use promotional products and promotional gifts in their marketing ? but many people only associate promotional products with retail sales. In fact, food services are among the ten top buyers of promotional products. Here are just a few of the ways that you can use promotional products to publicize your catering business.

Trade show and convention giveaways

If much of your business comes from appearances at bridal shows, conventions or other types of trade shows and exhibits, you can use promotional products and business gifts to attract attention to your booth or exhibit area. Cooking or entertainment themed promotional products can also serve as incentives for attendees to add their names to your mailing list. Use more valuable incentive gifts to encourage attendees to book a party or dinner before the end of the conference.

Publicize your business with promotional mailouts

Direct mail is one of the most effective marketing techniques when used correctly. Research shows that when you include a free gift, you'll increase the response to your mailing greatly. You'll increase response even more when you include an offer to your recipients of a free booking gift.

Promotional products make great booking incentives.

One way to bring in more event bookings is to offer a booking incentive for reserving a date in advance. You can encourage customers to book on your off nights by offering promotional products like USB flash drives (perhaps loaded with a cooking software) or other similar item to those who book your firm for nights or time periods that are typically slow for you. You can use the same strategy for encouraging clients to book well in advance.

Presentations look more professional when presented in high quality presentation folders.

Promotional products companies specialize in presentation materials including folders, leaflets and flyers. Most employ professional design departments that can help you create eye catching and unique designs to make your business stand out.

For additional information on promotional products, promotional items and business gifts check out the leading promotional gift suppliers online today!