Author: Deborah Morris

Catering Company Business Plans – Why You Need One for Your Catering Startup

Are you wondering if you really need a business plan for your corporate family days? Perhaps you are thinking that as you only plan on starting a relatively small business it won’t really be necessary. Many people think like this and, of course, many people end up failing in their first year of business.

We highly recommend that you avoid becoming yet another business that underestimated costs or found that the market wasn’t ready for what they had to offer. Below we have outlined ten reasons why you must prepare a catering company business plan. We explain how if you do take the time to prepare a plan you will be increasing your chances of being successful with your catering startup.

1) Start in the Right Direction

Many entrepreneurs think that they can start out without doing a lot of planning and research. They feel that they can always pick up a feel for the business as they go. However, some of the early decisions that you make in the life of your business can be difficult to reverse at a later date. You need to have a clear path set out ahead of you so that you can make the right decisions about how to set up the business right from the start.

2) Reinforce Your Ideas

As you slowly get ideas about the catering company that you want to start you will find that these thoughts start floating around in your head. What you imagine yourself doing is often very different from what you are able to do realistically. Nothing is impossible but you just need to work out how to get there.

By putting your ideas down on paper you will be clarifying them in your mind. As you write you will find that you do additional brainstorming. You may get new ideas about what you want to do with your business and you may decide that some of the ideas that you had initially are not really feasible.

3) Figure Out How to Do It

Every entrepreneur has a very idealistic image in their mind of the kind of business that they want. Getting to that point is a process though and you need to work out a path to get there.

One great way to figure out how you will proceed is to first write down what you want to do. Next, write down as many questions as you can about how you are actually going to do it. These will include questions like ‘Will I do on-site or off-site catering?’, ‘How will I get access to kitchen facilities?’ or ‘How many catering jobs will I need to land each month to break even?’. As you slowly work out the answers to the problems that you come across you can write them down in the appropriate sections of your business plan.

4) Know Your Startup Requirements

When you prepare a business plan you will get an accurate idea of exactly what is needed before you launch the company. You will need to consider all of the things that you will need to pay for prior to opening such as catering equipment, initial advertising and so on. When you have calculated the total cost you will then know exactly how much money you need and can look at where this funding will come from.

5) Increase Personal Productivity

You have to be organized when you start a business. Rather than writing things down on loose scraps of paper and hoping for the best you need to have somewhere to compile all of the important data that you collect. A business plan is ideal for this purpose. If you store the business plan as a document on your PC you can simply add new information as you come across it. If you have done your research and have all of you information stored in one convenient location you will be more organized throughout your business launch and you will avoid a lot of unnecessary headaches.

6) Prove the Viability of Your Idea to Others

A business plan is a great way to prove to yourself that your ideas are viable and that the catering company that you are proposing can thrive and make a profit. You will also need a plan in order to prove to other people that the business model that you have in mind is financially sound. Think of your business plan as being like a resume that you can hand out to people who need information about your business. You can always leave out sections that are not relevant to the reader in question.

There are many people who may wish to view your business plan and you should keep them in mind as you put it together. If you are seeking funding then you may have to show the plan to prospective lenders or equity investors. As a caterer you will certainly have to comply with local health and hygiene requirements and these local authorities may expect to see a section in your plan relating to these areas. You may even need to show your business plan to the owner of any kitchen premises that you hope to lease before they agree to sign an agreement with you.

7) Set Goals and Objectives

A business plan is like a road map to success. Your goals are the destinations that you are aiming to get to. They should be fairly realistic and achievable but should also push you to work hard to reach them. You may set financial goals that set out what kind of gross or net monthly income you intend to be earning after your first year. Other goals could also refer to other metrics such as average food cost percentages on catering jobs for example.

8) Identify Weaknesses and Strengths

It is important to assess your strengths and weaknesses and how they will affect you when it comes to competing with the established players in your local catering industry. You may bring competitive advantages to the business such as catering experience or local food and hospitality industry connections. You may also identify personal weaknesses that you can work on improving or weaknesses that your company will face when compared to your better established competitors.

9) Track Your Progress

A business plan should not be forgotten about once the catering business has launched. Refer to the plan regularly to see if you are on track to hit the goals that you set out. Make changes to the plan as you go so that you always have a plan in place for your business going forward at least two or three years.

10) Make Selling Out a Breeze

Many caterers end up selling their businesses if they retire or move on to other projects. A business plan that is up to date can really help when it comes to valuing your business for a potential sale. If your business offers a buyer a blueprint for managing the business and it offers solid proof that the business is making a profit then it could really help you to seal a deal at a favorable price.

Learn about some of the essential elements of successful biz plans with my catering business plan tips and get free access to my catering business plan template when you visit StartaCateringCompany.com. Try to create your own unique business plan.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Robert_Sutherland/306680

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Outsourced Vs In House SEO

Internet Marketing is growing by the day and so SEO consultant Sydney is again on demand. In such a situation, it is not enough for a business to have just a website. It is important for this website to be visible to the users and appear in search results when users search for related keywords. With so many companies and websites selling the same products or services as your business, how do you make sure that you get noticed and get more business?

This is where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes into picture. Many companies are incorporating SEO into their marketing strategies. This raises one more question. Is In-House SEO better or should you Outsource the SEO of your website to an agency? What are the pros and cons of getting the SEO of your website done In-House as compared to outsourcing your SEO needs? Both In-House SEO and Outsourcing SEO have its pros and cons. Each company needs to look into both these models and then decide based on their needs.

Pros of In-House SEO

1. An In-House SEO expert will know your business well and hence will understand the nuances of company and its challenges as well.

2. Doing your SEO In-House gives you complete control over the strategies and their execution. The SEO expert can be contacted immediately for any changes since he sits in the same office as the other members of the company.

3. The In-House SEO expert works only on your website and not on any other websites. This means that the expert can give full attention to your site and can work on improving the rankings of your website.

4. Sometimes In-House SEO is lesser expensive that Outsourced SEO agencies.

In-House SEO Cons

1. SEO is a rapidly changing field. The algorithms of search engines keep changing. One needs to always be updated with the changes. The skills in SEO also keep changing. If you decide to do the SEO of your site In-House, then you need to spend time and sometimes money to learn the new aspects of SEO and keep yourself updated with the changes.

2. It may be time consuming if you have to keep up to the trends of the business. And it is important to keep with the trends of the business if you choose to do your SEO In-House. You will also have to pay attention to the overall marketing of your website and may not find the time to update yourself with the latest in SEO. This can result in outdated SEO practices which can further affect your sites ranking.

3. SEO requires a number of tools. If you choose to do your SEO In-House, then you need to buy these tools. This can be very expensive. Just having these tools is not enough. You also need to learn how to use them which can further take up a lot of your time.

Outsourced SEO Pros

1. The biggest advantage of outsourcing your SEO needs to an agency is that you get the expertise of an entire team of SEO experts who will work on your website. Since, it is a team that only works on SEO projects, they will be up to date with the latest trends in business and hence you do not have to spend time or money in getting yourself familiar with these trends. The team will create SEO strategies for your business keeping these trends in mind.

2. SEO agencies work with a large number of clients. The advantage of this is that they have the experience of working on different kinds of businesses and understand their needs better. This wide perspective can be a big advantage in getting visibility on the web.

3. If you outsource SEO to an agency, you don’t have to spend time, effort and money on hiring an In-House SEO team, training and tools.

4. The outsourced SEO agency will not be affected by the pressures of other aspects of marketing your business and can concentrate only on the SEO of your website.

5. Outsourcing SEO means faster execution of tasks since you get a team of people working on your website as opposed to one or two in-house experts.

Outsourced SEO Cons

1. Outsourcing SEO may require you to sometimes invest a little more money than you would if you were to do the SEO of your website in-house by yourself.

2. If you outsource the SEO of your website to an agency, then they would need sometime to get to know your business and the way you work. This would take up sometime till the agency gets used to working with your company.

3. Since the agency will be handling more than just your website, you cannot be sure of the time and focus that the agency will be giving your website. You may have to constantly keep checking on the work done and on the progress of your site.

4. Some of the SEO agencies may use cheap tool based SEO or black hat SEO techniques to get the results that they promise their clients. You may have to be involved with the agency’s work to make sure such techniques are not being used for your website.

Anita Seol is a staff writer for VTechSEO. Outsource SEO to a leading SEO outsourcing firm in India and USA.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Anita_Seol/983320

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Basic Tattoo Designs

Despite the known permanence of their tattoo many people make decisions to get ink by means of Tattoo Removal Sydney.

Tribal Tattoos –Tribal Tattooing originated thousands of years ago, and it is still being used by various cultures throughout the world. Tribal tattoos originated in areas such as Hawaii and Samoa. Their characteristics include heavy black lines and shading of geometric designs. The great thing about tribal tattoos is the variety of creativity that a tattoo artist can use. In fact, any basic design can easily be given a tribal touch by a skilled tattoo artist by working freehand alone. With the flexibility of this design, anyone can easily come up with a unique tribal tattoo design.

Celtic Tattoos – Celtic designs are an incredibly popular choice today for those looking to get tattooed. A general rule of thumb is: the shape of the design often determines the “meaning” of a knotwork design. Circles represent unity or eternity, spirals reincarnation or cycles of life and rebirth, triangles and trefoils the threefold dominion of earth, sea, and sky. Squares or four-fold shapes are shield knots, symbols of protection from spirits or evil influences. Interlaced animals and men usually represent relationships, or emphasize the interdependence of mankind and nature. There are actually very few records of the Celts themselves, and most symbols are interpreted by archaeologists and other scholars who have studied the symbols in context. Some ancient Celtic symbols have changed in meaning over time, having been influenced by the introduction of the Church and the influence of other cultures. Be sure to seek advice from the tattoo artist when deciding on which design would best suit your personality.

Cross Tattoos –Cross designs are one of the oldest types of designs, and are still an incredibly popular choice for those who are looking to get tattooed. There are 4 basic cross designs that are very popular:

* Celtic Cross
* Iron Cross
* Gothic Cross
* Christian Cross

There are some people that just love a well done cross tattoo just for the sake of how beautiful it is. If it is done well, and the ridges and curves are very smooth and detailed, it will have an amazing result. It can almost have a three dimensional effect when you look at it from the sides.

Butterfly Tattoos – Butterfly tattoos are still an incredibly popular choice for those looking to get tattooed. They can be done in many ways. They can be done in a big way, with bold colors and details, or they can be done with a more subtle approach. They can be done to match the actual realistic look of a butterfly, or you can be very creative with your rendition. You can also combine them with other designs and themes. Before you have a huge butterfly tattooed on your body, please consider the following. The basic symbolism of the butterfly involves grace, beauty, spirituality, transition, so be sure to have your tattoo made delicately and carefully.

Dragon Tattoos – Dragon tattoos are one of the most sought after tattoo designs today! In Japan, dragons are an important part of the Japanese mythology. In Japan, they are water gods; therefore, that is why they are generally portrayed with clouds. Japanese dragon tattoos symbolize power, protection of home and family and longevity. In China, the dragon has a stronger, more masculine depiction of the Dragon. There, they represent strength, intelligence, luck, health, and harmony. They commonly protect life, fortune, and fertility. They generally have a snake-like appearance, and scales all over their body. They are also said to possess supernatural powers. The Tribal variation of the Dragon tattoo is also impressive. They are dragons that are designed with the strengths of the Tribal Tattoo style, such as the bold, black colors. The meaning of the Tribal Tattoo will depend more on how you decide to combine it with Tribal styles.

Angel Tattoos – Angel tattoos are another type of tattoo with multiple types and meanings. Generally, when women get an angel tattoo, this symbolizes calmness and serenity. When men get them, it usually symbolizes more of a connection to their spirituality and inner self. Some angel designs are designed to make the wearer safe and protected. Of course, there are some darker designs that can also represent a person’s darker side. There are Cherub designs, which symbolize hope and optimism, relating to love. Generally speaking, the symbol of an angel represents a representative from God, and the spiritual and emotional support he gives us.

Arm Tattoos – Arm tattoos are also very common, and can be done in many ways. This is probably the most common place on the body to tattoo. They are common in both Eastern and Western cultures. This spot on the body is very visible, so you want to ensure that you get a design that is important to you. There are just so many choices in this area, upper arm tattoo, forearm tattoo, shoulder tattoo, sleeve tattoos, wrist tattoos, the list can go on and on. Full sleeve tattoos are probably the boldest choice. Tattoo sleeves seem to be preferred by men although many women also seem to be getting them. It should be noted that full sleeve tattoos take a very long time to complete and usually require more than one session. Now that being said, it also takes great deal of commitment and money to create quality sleeve tattoos.

Skull Tattoos – Skull tats have been a huge choice for many decades, and are still extremely popular. From fun and jovial, to scary and creepy, this tattoo can be expressed in hundreds or ways. The symbol of the skull is known all over the world as a sign of death. People generally assume that the Skull Tat is a representation of death or other negative images. It also symbolizes power, strength, and the ability to overcome a difficult time in life, and the ability to avoid death. Historically, the skull has also been seen as a triumph over an enemy. You can see many different styles of skulls based on the creative imagination of the person creating them. They can be seen in many places, video games, comic strips, books, and of course tattoos. Be sure to seek advice from the tattoo artist when deciding on which design would best suit your personality.

Paul L Westcott is dedicated to helping prepare you for all things tattoo related.  Tatt00 Ideas is a website dedicated to helping you through the whole process. For some other great Tatt00 Designs and advice, look over our site. See our site for safety tips and general advice as well. Thank you.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Paul_L_Westcott/906022

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