By: Tampa Bay Food Trucks
Introduction • Local business networking is one of the best ways a food truck owner can expand their knowledge, learn from the success of others, build your customer base and tell others about your mobile food business.
Benefits of Food Truck Business • Increased Business • Finding Business Opportunities • Getting Advice • Creating Connections • Location, location, location • Building Your Status
Increased BusIness •
The thing about the type of referrals that you receive through local business networking is that they are typically high quality and most of the time is even pre-qualified for you. When a networked lead finds your truck, they have usually received a great review and are more likely to make a larger purchase and if you meet their expectations, there’s a great chance you’ll have a repeat customer.
Finding Business Opportunities • Opportunities such as partnerships for new parking locations, retailers who may be interested in selling some of your spectacular menu items, speaking opportunities, discounted equipment purchase the list is nearly endless. • Just make sure you don’t jump into every opportunity that comes your way. The opportunities that you get involved in should align with your food truck business goals/vision, otherwise you might find that you are spinning your wheels chasing after opportunity after opportunity and getting nowhere.
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You might be ready to sell some of the best street food the country has ever seen, but unless you have a great location with lots of foot traffic, you're doomed to failure! Research here is key; food trucks operate at local markets, festivals and other events so look up and visit street food vendors near you.
Creating Connections •
The phrase “It’s not WHAT you know, but WHO you know” is so true in the mobile food industry. If you want a really successful food truck business, then you need to have a great source of relevant connections in your network that you can call on when you need them.
Building Your Status •
You can then help to build your and your brand’s reputation as a knowledgeable, reliable and supportive person by offering useful information or tips to people who need it. You are also more likely to get more customer referrals as you will be the person that pops into their head.
Marketing your Food Truck Business • When it comes to street food, social media is your best friend; it has huge reach and it's free, so it's a good idea to create accounts for your food truck business with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and provide interesting content, pictures and, most importantly, let people know who you are, what you do, what your food ethos is and where you can be found. Popular food bloggers are another excellent source of good marketing; they are a trusted voice 'on the street' and are generally interested in trying and promoting new and interesting food offerings.
• Food Trucks is a growing industry and there are plenty of places offering advice and support for anyone starting out. It has provides all the information, tools, discounts, training, advice, support and legislation updates needed to trade profitably. Food Truck Catering offers the public fast, inexpensive gourmet food, the opportunity to experience new ethnic cuisines, and support entrepreneurs, small food businesses and local vendors.