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Entrepreneurship:  Finding clients  |
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mdotterer
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
Marlene
Pleasant Hill
CA
USA
78 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 10 2005 : 10:53:39 AM
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What's the one thing you need to have a business? A client! An old boss told me this and boy, was he right! I've got everything else together, but finding people to use my service is REALLY hard. The hardest thing to do is cold call people and try to set up face-to-face meetings. I'm just not good at it, which is a pretty common problem, I think.
I've got a good service and could really help people, but it's not cheap and it's not well known. I've done some advertising - no response. I belong to some networking groups, which have been helpful, but really, there's no substitute for getting out there and talking to people.
Anybody have any suggestions? I'm a personal chef and I have to convince people to let me cook for them!
Marlene |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2005 : 11:18:16 AM
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Hmmm, maybe a booth at the farmers market, with you stirring up some goodies as samples? Maybe a booth at a local business fair, these are often times sponsored by the chamber of commerce or a radio station. Here we also have a health fair, you could cook some healthy samples there. Of course, all in accordance with your county's health regs.
I agree, marketing is the tough part. We had a lady here who offered a subscription service of X amount of healthy meals per week. I'm not sure how financally successful she was, but it's a great idea.
Good luck!
May the sun bring you new energy by day, may the moon softly restore you by night, may the rain wash away your worries, may the breeze blow new strength into your being, may you walk gently through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life. ~~Apache Blessing
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LadyCrystal
True Blue Farmgirl
593 Posts
Alicia
Rhode Island
USA
593 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2005 : 2:29:25 PM
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Have you tried being a member of the Chamber of commerce? Or volunteering for a non profit fund raiser.My SIL works for a nonprofit company who is always doing banquets to raise money.They invite CEOs and big politicians to thses functions,There usually is a program which could have your business ad inside, saying you did all the cooking.I don't know if this helps but Good luck though.
Alicia
Follow your dreams |
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mdotterer
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
Marlene
Pleasant Hill
CA
USA
78 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2005 : 08:56:47 AM
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Thanks for your thoughts, ladies. I do belong to chamber and also to a professional women's group. I've been giving away services for festival prizes, silent auctions, things like that. I mostly need to get over my fear of approaching strangers with a sales pitch. I don't mean approach people in the street or telemarketing, but rather approaching businesses with the idea of setting up a cooking demo, or getting them to display my brochures. Things like that.
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blueroses
True Blue Farmgirl
1323 Posts
Debbie
in the Pandhandle of
Idaho
USA
1323 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2005 : 11:40:27 AM
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Marlene,
Cooking demos at businesses is a great idea. Or see if you can post your ads in the kitchen/cafeteria of some really busy hi-tone corporations. Some of those folks would make great clients and give you referrals. My Mom always told me, "If ya don't ask, ya don't get" (New Yorker). But she was right. What would it hurt? Can you get on the local news? An article about you in the local papers? I always thought I was a terrible sales person, but it turned out that I was pretty good at it. Just takes practice. You go girl!!
"You cannot find peace...by avoiding life."
Virginia Woolfe |
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The Farmers Daughter
Farmgirl in Training
46 Posts
Sherry
LeRoy
Kansas
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - Oct 12 2005 : 12:28:02 PM
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I have a friend who does this. How she got started was at fairs, craft booths, ect.. She always carries a stack of business cards with her and hands them out every chance she gets. She likes to tell people she'll be glad to cook for that special anniversary, family gathering or just anytime you need a meal and don't feel like cooking. She also takes orders for candies, cakes, cookies, ect.. She has also handed out hundred of dollars worth of samples in her life time! While she doesn't make a lot of money at it she said it gives her a little spending money and gives her a chance to do the thing she loves. Good Luck! Sher
Sher, The Farmer's Daughter |
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Lazycreek
Farmgirl in Training
39 Posts
Charlee
Mt Ida
AR
USA
39 Posts |
Posted - Oct 12 2005 : 5:45:31 PM
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When I sold real estate many, many eons ago, I would use a personal chef in open houses to get other realtors to come and view the house. I'm also wondering if "catering" would get you more business.
Believe in the power of your dreams |
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amystew
True Blue Farmgirl
52 Posts
Amy
Eureka
CA
USA
52 Posts |
Posted - Oct 13 2005 : 6:15:05 PM
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I think reaching out to dieters can really help. I knew lots of busy professionals in the San Francisco area who needed to lose weight but had zero time to deal with the food side of the equation. Gyms, doctors offices, weight loss groups?
Gardener, chicken lover, worm wrangler
http://humboldthens.blogspot.com |
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KJD
True Blue Farmgirl
402 Posts
402 Posts |
Posted - Oct 13 2005 : 6:33:51 PM
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| I'm reading this thread with interest - I cook and have recently thought about becoming a personal chef. I cook for my parents and sister and brother-in-law pretty often and of course, my own family. I am also cooking for a very special family friend, but as a gift of love. This is all great practice for perhaps, someday, making money doing what I love. The other evening, I was talking with a friend of my sister's who is an interior designer, who said she is considering a change. We began talking about a business - I said I could be behind the scenes, cooking and she could market us. She has a big personality and is a local celebrity of sorts. So, talk to people and maybe one thing leads to another. We discussed people who are successful with one or two products that they sell at annual events - Rodeo, Christmas Market, etc. If you could sell a product at an event, you could talk up your willingness to be a personal chef. |
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mountainmama
Farmgirl in Training
15 Posts
Lissa
Georgia
USA
15 Posts |
Posted - Oct 13 2005 : 7:57:31 PM
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Hi KJD! This topic is right up your alley, huh!
Marlene, I don't know if this sort of thing is available in your area or not, but up in Blue Ridge, GA where there are SCADS of rental cabins and cabin rental management companies, there is only one guy, Chef Douglas, who prepares meals for vacationers. Every cabin has their own book listing Things To Do, the many activities to do in Blue Ridge and surrounding area, and Chef Douglas puts his flier in every cabin's book advertising his business. He'll come to the cabin, cook a meal for whoever is renting, will clean up, and all for a flat fee that includes the food and the prep. He has a website, and offhand I don't know what it is, but if you did a search for Chef Douglas in Morganton, GA, you'd find him. He makes a MINT doing what he does....so hopefully that idea will help, or will lead to other ideas.
Lissa
www.cabin-rentals-of-georgia.com |
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mdotterer
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
Marlene
Pleasant Hill
CA
USA
78 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2005 : 4:15:53 PM
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Wow, tons of great ideas! I really am working on getting my name out there. I'm working on the diet angle, too, Amy. One of things I want to do is help people who need to lose weight or have diabetes, things like that. If their doctor or trainer has told them to be on a certain diet, but they don't know how to go about it - that's where I come in! I've talked to some health club owners and I'm working on getting intros to dieticians, chiropractors, etc. I'm working up a proposal for all this. The local Food Editor has asked people to help him by reviewing a cookbook, testing some of the recipes and writing a review for the paper. I'm reviewing a cookbook for diabetics. This should get my name in the paper! I'd like to get the editor to do an article on personal chefs (like moi!), too.
I'm also working up a flyer to go to all the realtors in the area. I want to see if some of them will give my service as a gift to their high-end clients when the buy a house.
Amy - if you know anyone in SF who might be interested, have them give me a call! I'm also trying to figure out how to approach corporations or consulates who have people staying in the area on business. Sometimes, people are here for several weeks and they stay in corporate apartments. I could cook for them so they are not eating out all the time.
Lissa, I don't know of anything like the rental cabins around here. We get a lot of tourists, but it's hotels in San Francisco and B&Bs in wine country. Otherwise, that would be a great idea!
Thanks, Ladies!
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sqrl
True Blue Farmgirl
605 Posts
Melissa
Northern California
USA
605 Posts |
Posted - Oct 24 2005 : 09:54:51 AM
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Marlene, I'm in the same boat as you - trying to get our name out there. We are artists, graphic and web designers trying to build a portfolio and the hard part is getting clients. Both my husband and I are not marketers so we're a little lost when it comes to this part. We were thinking of going around to all the local companies and giving them info on us and try to get their email. I think creating a emailing list is the best idea we've come up with so far. That way you update eveyone on the list with new things that are happening and a holiday card here and there and you keep your name in their heads. What do yas think?
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com www.sisterhood.sqrlbee.com
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mdotterer
True Blue Farmgirl
78 Posts
Marlene
Pleasant Hill
CA
USA
78 Posts |
Posted - Oct 25 2005 : 6:21:58 PM
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An email list is a good idea. I plan on sending holiday cards to everybody I've cooked for, at this point. I've thought of starting a newsletter type of thing, but I'm afraid I'll run out of things to say, so I haven't started it yet. I do have a section on my web page that I can use to "chat." I'm also trying trade fairs - I have a booth in one coming up next week. Should be interesting and I'll let you know if there are any results! Is there a networking group you can join, like B2B or BNI? Sometimes, just getting to know other business owners is helpful, especially people who are in a 'related' business and have clients who might be interested in your work.
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greyghost
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
Lynn
Summerville
Georgia
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Oct 28 2005 : 11:58:18 AM
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Melissa, I am a graphic artist. Have been for years. I mostly do print design, not so interested in web. The best thing for my business was postcards. Send them out to all the businesses in your area, and WHAMMO the calls start coming in.
In my new little town tho - word of mouth is awesome! |
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n/a
deleted
60 Posts
Tammy
Port Orford
Oregon
60 Posts |
Posted - Oct 28 2005 : 5:27:19 PM
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I think I would look into the cost of a billboard on 680 or Lafayette area. I moved up from the area. When I worked down there I use to dream of a person cooking for me. What about advertising near the mall especially now that people are getting ready to start the big shopping craze.
I knew someone who started catering and she got her start by cooking for people from her old job. She worked at a hospital so she had a lot of people to advertise too.
Good luck I think it's a great idea.
When I feel spring coming I have to plant or I’ll go crazy! |
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Entrepreneurship: Finding clients |
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Finding clients
