Eva:
Thanks for that. But my problem is getting the menus to the people. I go in with free pizzas and money off/ free pizza vouchers and I can only get as far as the secretary who either is only there for two weeks or who keeps all the vouchers for herself which pass their expirary date before she uses them.
Creativity. Period. That’s where you separate the amateurs from the pros. I would make it so difficult for the secretary to horde them that she could not stand herself. Put a mark/stamp on each voucher. Tell her that for every 5/10/15 vouchers that are redeemed from this office in the next two weeks by someone other than her . . . she gets a freebie, discount, cash rebate or something she cannot resist. Make it too much for her not to help you out.
Eva:
Or place like Google who pay for all the food their staff eats, how do I become some of the food that’s bought by the HR dept for the staff?
Networking. Be where the Google people are. Chamber of Commerce, the nearby convenience store, wherever. Schedule a meeting with the HR director or someone in that department with some “juice” and make a professional presentation about the services you offer and why they are irresistible. Tell the person you would like an opportunity to discuss catering, employee benefit programs possibilities, or just that you’d like “to provide such a high quality company with the sort of lunch services that they deserve”. Be bold and daring. Take the approach that you are a business approaching their business as a perspective customer. Google does it all the time selling their services, and are used to the relationship. Get inside their brains and approach them as they believe they would approach a prospective customer.
<< This should be in everyone’s file cabinet anyway>> Prepare and bring them a “propaganda package”. Include a full color brochure, or a flyer with lots of very simple, clearly laid our examples of services you can provide. You can mention that they are negotiable. Include anything that supports your claim to be exceptional and professional. I would include copies of news articles featuring your shop or employees, copies of certifications and licenses your shop holds, awards yo may have won, a copy of your menu, business cards, your logo displayed prominently, and anything else that you can use in a presentation about your business. IF NOTHING ELSE you will display having taken effort to court them as a customer, and that will gain some respect.
They will forget your name and handshake . . . they won’t forget the time you took to present your company to them in a manner that they recognize from their business model. HEck, any business could appreciate that sort of effort and professionalism . . . and from a pizzeria, no less!
