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CRISIS!!! Need help with a sales pitch for venues....

post #1 of 6
10/2/12 at 9:12am
Thread Starter 
It's been a very rough year, dealing with everything from a sick dog, to a deadbeat ex who keeps taking me back to court to eliminate child support. I just went through a horrible custody battle which left me emotionally and financially drained, and I am on the verge of losing my home in the next 30-60 days, as well as the kitchen I rent for my business.

I NEED to boost my business! I've made some extra cash through word of mouth, but now it's time to call the big dogs. I want to approach venues and coordinators to be able to show them what I offer and possibly have them refer me. My problem is I have not dealt with many coordinators/venues and I don't know the best way to approach them. My mind comes up with all these ideas and then gets overloaded, going completely blank. I just basically need help wording "This is my company, this is what I do, I think we fit, and would you consider putting me on your list?"

Any ideas? Should I look up the nearest ones and give them a call? Offer them samples? What key points should I bring up? What are some pitfalls of going this route? I know some companies want "kickbacks". How do I navigate that?

Thanks to all!
A bad day in the kitchen is better than ANY good day at work!
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A bad day in the kitchen is better than ANY good day at work!
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post #2 of 6
10/2/12 at 9:20am
Do your homework. Look at their websites.

Get the name of a specific person to call, instead of wasting your time on their receptionist or being put on hold.

You NEED to draft a general contract and use that to organize the details of how you want to do business. DO A THREE MONTH TRIAL.

ASK how the venues handle complaints, that will tell you which ones to do business with.

I think you should start by finding a few restaurants that will buy whole cakes to re-sell as desserts. These have to be neat but take minimal decorating (Karen Krasne book if you can borrow it for ideas). This will balance your cash flow in the right direction. You would take samples to these places after you call to get the name of the person who places their orders.
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post #3 of 6
10/2/12 at 9:50am
It's certainly possible to boost your business through networking with venues and coordinators, but this type of thing usually requires an ongoing up-front investment in a comprehensive marketing strategy. If you only have 30-60 days you may want to have a contingency plan in place that focuses on keeping your home at the expense of the business.
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Recent Articles: The Magic Pricing Formula • Copyright Law
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post #4 of 6
10/2/12 at 9:47pm
I agree with Jason. Save your home.

I was a single mother for about 15 years. You may not want to hear this, but you may need to work two jobs. One to save the house and pay the bills and keep going full force with the cakes. It can be done. I did it for years. I did it by having two companies of my own or working commission only for a business (when I was younger) while owning another business.

This is not easy, but self-employment rarely is.
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post #5 of 6
10/3/12 at 4:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by scp1127

I agree with Jason. Save your home.

I was a single mother for about 15 years. You may not want to hear this, but you may need to work two jobs. One to save the house and pay the bills and keep going full force with the cakes. It can be done. I did it for years. I did it by having two companies of my own or working commission only for a business (when I was younger) while owning another business.

This is not easy, but self-employment rarely is.



^^^I agree. It's a hard row to hoe, but it can be done. I used to see my kids in the mornings and on weekends only - their night-time babysitter would pick them up from the day-time babysitter during the week. My ex left the state to avoid paying child support and since I wasn't receiving any assistance, the attorney general's office wouldn't even talk to me about collecting. You may have to re-align your priorities, but you can do whatever you have to do.
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post #6 of 6
10/5/12 at 7:42pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks guys! I appreciate the feedback and info. Housing has always come first, but it's just beyond difficult putting something like your business on hold, and potentially having to let it go, after nearly a decade of immense sacrifice and hard work.

Still, I am going to do what's best for me and my kids (5 year old and 150 pound Dane) but I'm not going down without a fight. icon_wink.gif
A bad day in the kitchen is better than ANY good day at work!
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A bad day in the kitchen is better than ANY good day at work!
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