Ang kagandahan of getting into the catering Business is that you don’t need any special education or training to become successful at hinding hindi na po kayo lilinya sa POEA. Kailangan nyo lang nang certain charisma at people skills at kumbaga “woman’s intuition” (oo na! man’s intuition na rin!) as to what people enjoy sa ibat-ibang klase nang parties, di ba? Ganun lang. Hindi mo na kelangang bumili nang diploma sa Recto, ok? Na-get nyo ako? Yong tipong… “Ah, alam ko na ang mga drama nang mga to!” and then feed your catering concept based dun sa extra-knowledge you’ve found out about your customers. It’s really nothing more than pleasing your customers and making them feel important. Minsan nga, kahit na panis na yong binenta mo sa kanila if you are super good in customer service and attending to their needs, Inday, nakakalimutan na panis pala yong sinaing mo! (Wag, biro lang! Baka kalaboso pa dating mo pag panis sinaing mo! he he he). As a caterer, you have a lot avenues to find your revenues (galing nang rhyme di ba?!). You can cater and handle the following:

1. Birthday parties for children
2. Company dinner parties or picnics
3. Wedding receptions
4. Bumagsak ako sa UP Entrance party
5. Debut party (this is big business in Manila!)
6. 1st Holy Communion party
7. Graduation party
8. Homecoming party
9. Reunion party
10. Niloko ako nang relatives ko party

Alam nyo ba na this kind of business is growing and becoming more popular than ever in Pilipinas? Why? Sa totoo lang, eh sa limpak limpak na salapi ba naman na pinapadala natin, people there actually have a lot of spending money na kahit anong Party eh naka-cater! Ever wonder? When you go home to the Philippines, check it out! The reason is simple. It’s getting expensive holding all these parties sa McDo, Jolibee, Barrio Fiesta or wherever. My friend had her wedding reception at a Country Club. Eh, if not for her connections, she would have not gotten the place cheap. Eh kung OFW ka lang? Sinong connection mo? POEA? OWWA? See what I mean? And you can even start with a few kalderos sa bahay mo. Round up people nearby na walang mga trabaho! Hatakin mo pinsan mo! Yong kapitbahay mo, wala naming ginawa makipagtsismisan, hatakin mo na rin!. And the good thing about this is that you don’t even have to go to the SEC to incorporate. Sole proprietor ka ateng. Get ka lang nang municipal or mayor permit at tienes ka na. How many kapitbahays or pinsan do you have to round up to start and operate? Well, eto…

1. One person can act as your sales manager and spend time finding business for you.
2. Another person will have to the planning, organizing and actual catering.
3. Next, you might need another person (at a minimum) as cook and another as runner and assistant cook.

Bare minimum po yan. How will you know the exact number of people you will have to employ? Once you start delivering your service, you will find out because it really depends on the kind of party you will have. Now, it’s very important that you do a very good job in planning and work out based on this plan. Kelangan, you have to understand exactly kung ano or what your client wants, what your client needs and what their expectations are. The main problem in the Philippines is that, we’re not used to drawing up plans and agreements so everything is verbal, and then, when things go wrong in the end, there’s a lot of pointing fingers. This is the area that you will have to take care of, because if this happens, you are soooo done my dear! Pag me isang client ka who got upset with your service, it flies fast! Before you know it, you might not win anymore customers or you go pack and move your business to Aparri! So what do you do? Put it in writing. Isulat po. Kasulatan. Pirma. It's not that you don't trust the othery guy. You are just trying to manage the situation na baka hindi kayo magkaintindihan in the end, at least you have something to show that - here, this is what we've agreed upon, in black and white. This way, walang sigawan. Ok, so let’s say, complete na yong kaldero inventory mo. You already have your set of menus to offer. You have your business cards, telephone number to contact, email address, office address, oh, yong uniform nang mga cooks! (he he he chika lang!). In other words, that part is done. Next, let’s say, ikaw si wife who’d be the Planning and Organizing Manager. Si husband naman yong Sales Consultant. O, yong kapitbahay mo yong mga chef. Ok? So yong area na yun eh ok na rin. (Teka, me gasul ka ba?!) Basically, you can start with printing a marketing material of your business. There are a lot of internet café out there that could design a really neat marketing materials for you. Have it printed in say 100 copies. Distribute it in several offices or stores or friends basically to let them know that you exist and ready to do business. O kaya, sundays sa Church. (Pede ba yon?!) Next, advertise in your local newspapers. Wag yong simpleng announcement lang ha? Kelangan medyo i-angat mo yong upuan mo here, yabang nang konti. Tell them, you’re very creative, your specialty is personal customer service (Ooppss mukhang iba na bang ibang business to?!) Ang ibig kong sabihin is, well.. you know! Get na ninyo ako di ba? Say something like.. “We handle any party or special event, too small or too large. Call us, and let us make your parties worth remembering. Your satisfaction is guaranteed”. Oh ganun lang! When they start calling you, relax ka lang and inquire about the person, the company, the people na mag-sponsor nang party. Ask them, ano ba ang ultimate goals or reasons for the party. Find out about the interests, background and ambitions of the guest of honor (kung birthday party, wedding or..). If you take a few minutes to learn everything you can about whoever the party is for, and the people giving the party, you will have a lot of chances to close the deal without being persuasive. Nakakainis kasi pagka ganun na di ba? I mean, you probably have encountered this type sa Pinas. Be a good listener, kasi people like to talk about themselves. Pa-dakdakin mo lang sila nang padak-dakin and take notes on things na mga pinag-sasabi sayo. The more polish you get them na magsalita nang magsalita, the more information tungkol their background ang makukuha mo. With this hopefully, the better your parties you’ll have, and the greater success you'll attain in your catering business. Now, after all the talking, get it all down in paper, ilista mo lahat nang costs mo to carry out this catering project - let’s say Birthday Party. Be very aware of all your costs, ok? Leave room for whatever changes na gagawin nong client mo tungkol sa proposal. Discuss your proposal sa client mo and then ask for 50% down payment. From there, follow-up mo lang yong plans mo. Ngayon, as far as pricing is concerned, wag na wag mong sasabihin sa client mo na you charge Php100 per head or whatever. Ang ibig kong sabihin, pagka sinabi mong ganun, aba, baka matali ka sa Php100. You know what I mean? What you do is try to to listen to what the client wants, tapos check mo kung kaya mo, and then make a formal written proposal. Kung ang client wants to reallllly know how much your charges are - tapos feel mo na pag hindi mo sinabi eh baka you might not close the deal, then tell him/her na it‘s between Phpxx to Phpxx dollars per person, plus expenses, and of course, depending on the type of event na gusto nila. Point is, be very flexible and get all the information you need. Another thing, where else could you find business?

1. Word-of-mouth advertising or referrals. Kaya lang, you have to be really good in what you do. Emphasis mo is not only dun sa taste nang food mo but also, service. Ang ibig sabihin nito, if you have the capability na mag handle nang event - big or small - from the point of printing invitations hanggat sa paglinis nang tables and place of event after the party, then eto assailing ko sayo, yong mga taong yon would be very happy to pick up the phone - tell someone that they had are really nice and they will refer you to your next client. Pag na-develop mo ang expertise na to, they you’ll have an all-year-round business.
2. Next, join associations, church groups, alumni at kung ano anong kasosyalan. Slow down ka lang ha? Baka naman all your revenues are being spent sa kasosyalan mo. Remember, you’re doing this to find business.
3. Promote your service. Kahit saan but in a nice at wag naming harap harapan no? if you know what I mean! Always be ready to promote and sell your services. Promoting and selling your services will require at least half your time, and that's why two people operating catering services are so successful from the start.
4. Did you have your business cards printed? Kelangan mo yon. This is one of the least expensive ways to promote, advertise and sell your services.
5. Create dramas! Let’s say, give your clients 50 business cards and then kapag naka-refer sila nang client sayo, me commission sila. Frequent miles concept - pagka they used your catering services for say, 4 times, yong pang-lima is 15% discount. Say, libre na cake! The possibilities are endless!