Know-How Exchange : Student Questions

Tell your brother to focus on the food and the service. Ask if it's okay with his client to leave brochures at the exit of the event and/or a brief mention in the wedding program. If the food's great and people are having a good time, then that's the best way to develop word of mouth. Also: take lots of high image photos of the finished dishes to develop a catalog of past work.

Leaving promotional items is tricky for a catering company since the event being held is not theirs. He would need something that is going to serve a purpose for the event that is related to the food service. Perhaps something like handing out wine charms or nice custom stirrers with the drinks. The bartender could let people know that if the wine charm is on the stem of the glass or if the stirrer is in the glass, it is a signal to the wait staff that the customer is still using the drink. That way people can put their drinks down on their table without worrying that the staff is going to clear them. These could have just a small logo of the catering company on them. It's a nice feature that makes the experience more enjoyable for the guests (so the bride and groom should not be offended by it) and it's something guests can take home when the night is over to remember the company that served them.

If you want more ideas from a specialist, you should check out Dining Designs (www.dining-designs.com). You will want to talk to Mike Escott who handles all types of branding for restaurants and other food service businesses. He can do everything from providing uniforms or promotional products for a single event to creating a full program complete with a custom website for ordering. Feel free to contact me through my profile if you would like his email address or phone number. I'm sure he has worked on similar projects with other companies and could offer some great suggestions.

Best of Luck!
Rebecca