Get your share of Holiday Party Business

by Ali Rehan
(Long Beach, CA)

Once again, the holidays are just around the corner, and businesses are getting ready for the customary holiday party frenzy. As bosses around the country ask their secretaries to arrange that perfect annual Christmas party, restaurateurs and catering companies are doing whatever it takes to capture their fair share of the holiday party business.

Let’s look at the process involved in today’s common approach to finding the right party location. Most people, including secretaries, assistants and even event planners, will start with an online search of the local yellow pages to help them generate a “party-prospects” list. Thus, making sure that your website is listed in the online yellow pages will increase your online presence and serve as a great opportunity to get your customers’ attention.

But it doesn’t end at making your website just a mouse-click away: your website is your online business card, with the important difference of unlimited space. Therefore, use your space and explore your options to make it a presentation that stops prospective customers in their tracks.

One way to make your website stand out is to focus on what makes your restaurant and your service special. Don’t be afraid to showcase all you’ve got, and don’t hesitate to add that personal touch. Make your website an online story by including a photo tour and gallery and telling your visitors about the restaurant’s history as well as about the people who are a part of it. Include owner & employee biographies. Have your past customers contribute to your success story by including their testimonials and photos of their experiences: it’s been noted that nothing is a better seller than a happy customer, so show pictures of past events and customers having fun.

Last but not least, showcase your food; after all, a restaurant is really only as good as its food. The type and quality of food you’re offering is usually a top decision-maker for your prospective customer. So, it’s important not to deprive your customers of this information when they’re taking the time to visit your website. A picture is worth a thousand words, so show photos of your popular menu items. Make sure that a printable copy of your current menu is easily available; a PDF will do the trick.

Now that we’ve explored what you can do to highlight your restaurant online, you, the busy restaurateur, might be wondering if there’s help out there to make sure your online presentation doesn’t belong in the closet with last year’s outfit. Well, don’t despair: number of food service website provider are listed on the web. Easiest thing to do is to search on Google for “Food Service Websites” or visit www.FOOD-SERVICE-WEBSITES.COM. Look for companies that offers full flash websites with background music, opening presentations, picture galleries, a listing of local attractions, and an innovative online-reservation system that works to bring new customers to your door. Do-it-yourself website may be the easier and cheaper to start and maintain. Custom websites can deliver the unique look, however the cost may be in few thousand dollars.

Holiday season is upon us and there is no time to waste. Get yourself positioned to get your fair share of Holiday Party Business.