Get More Catering Gigs with a better website!

Get More Catering Gigs with a better website!

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Get More Catering Gigs with a better website!

Social Media is the darling of web marketing currently, and even more so with Food Trailers and Food Trucks that are on a shoestring budget.

But I think there is a case to be made that your website (yes, the old fashion website!) is equally as important to your marketing than social media.

Here are the reasons…

1) SEO (Search engine optimization)

If you have a website people can search for you on google.

Even if someone types your company name and your Facebook or Twitter pages pull up, that isn’t enough!

What you want is for your page to pull up when someone searches Asian food truck catering, or food trucks your zip code or part of town.

A website that has pages with catering info, food served, location, chef bio, etc., will be indexed by google and in turn more attention from people who are searching for your exact services.

Tip:

Don’t pay someone to do SEO when starting off, just google best practices. If you exhaust those efforts, then look to hire an expert.

2) Photos, photos and more photos!

With a website you can tell a story about your food with photos. Customers can’t taste or smell your food online, but having mouthwatering photos is the next best thing.

Tip:

Use a professional, not your iPhone! Barter for services if you need to, it’s well worth the investment!

3) Create personality, build your brand and design your own style!

With a static Twitter or Facebook interface, there is very little you can do to add your own personal touch to the design or layout. However, on a website you can have a section about the chef, or add links to menus and photos.

Tip:

Use a website builder where you can control the content, so you can tweak the page and keep cost low. Most site builders nowadays will offer a Responsive Web Design, which adapts your website to desktop or phone viewing.

Tip:

Need a graphic designer for your website? try Fiverr.com for low-cost options to outsource the work.

How To Insure Your Mobile Food Vendor Trailer

How To Insure Your Mobile Food Vendor Trailer

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How to insure your mobile food vendor trailer

What is Property Coverage for your food trailer?

Property coverage for your trailer protects against damage or loss to your trailer and the attached equipment or built in equipment.

Why Property Coverage for your trailer?

The most common types of losses covered are

  • Theft or Vandalism
  • Collision damage
  • Wind and Hail
  • Fire
  • Lighting

Common mistakes:

The most insurance policies only cover your property at the main location, unless you have a special type of property policy called an inland marine policy. An inland marine policy is designed to cover property that moves.

Not insuring the full value of your trailer. You must insure to value to make sure the insurance company will fully reimburse you if a claim occurs.

Including coverage for items not attached to the trailer. These items should be covered under a separate coverage for contents.

Endorsing your personal auto policy with the trailer. At best these policies do not cover your contents in the trailer and at worst exclude coverage because of the business use of the trailer

General Liability Insurance 101 for Mobile Food Vendors

General Liability Insurance 101 for Mobile Food Vendors

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What is General Liability Insurance?

General Liability protects your mobile food vending business from lawsuits of bodily injury or property damage from a third party. Note though, this coverage does not cover employees.

Why have General Liability Insurance?

First, having general liability allows you to enter into contracts with event organizers, landlords, or commissary kitchens that require you to have coverage.

General liability insurance provides claims and legal expense protection from the below types of claims:

  • Food borne illness
  • Chipping a tooth from biting into something that should not be in the food
  • Slip and fall. For example, a customer trips over an extension cord you left out or burns themselves on your generator
  • Advertising injury, like if someone sues you over your marketing

Common mistakes:

Having a premise only policy. This means the policy doesn’t follow you when you move locations.

A policy that charges fees for each certificate they provide you.  If you’re moving around, eventually you will need to add additional insureds to your policy.  Find an agency that does not charge you for COI’s.  Learn more about COI’s and why they’re important.

Policies with deductibles. Since the insurance company pays the legal fees to defend, having no deductible allows you to pass the claim and legal expense onto the insurance company If a claim should occur.

Why You Need Insurance For Your Food Trailer

Why You Need Insurance For Your Food Trailer

Lawsuit

Why you need insurance for your food trailer

If you own a mobile food business like a food truck, food trailer, or concession trailer, you need general liability insurance.

Wondering why it’s so important?

  • Even if you win a lawsuit the legal cost could ruin your business, and legal fees are covered by insurance policies.
  • Lawsuit out-of-pocket costs for small businesses exceed $35 billion every year.
  • Most events won’t let you attend unless you can show you have the proper coverage to list the event organizers as an additional insured.

The need for general liability insurance goes beyond just mobile food vendors, and insuremyfood.com can help with many other types of vendors. Get a quote here.

  • Vendors at swap meets and flea markets
  • Retailers who sell out of mall kiosks
  • Food Carts
  • Indoor Vendors
  • Newsstands
  • Outdoor Vendors
  • Seasonal Lots or tents
  • Stands, Tables, and booths.

 

10 questions to ask on your Food Trailer Park lease

10 questions to ask on your Food Trailer Park lease

The 10 questions to ask on your Food Trailer Park Lease

When yFood trailer in cold.jpgou sign a commercial food trailer park lease, you are entering into a relationship where both parties have responsibilities to each other. This is one contract you will want to thoroughly read! It’s always best to ask questions ahead of time on areas that aren’t clear.

ALWAYS put any gray areas that aren’t clear in writing. Even with the best intentions of both sides, doing so will avoid miscommunication.

Don’t be left out in the cold! Make sure you understand your lease.  Below are some tips that you’ll want to cover with your potential Landlord before signing anything.

 

1. Maintenance

  • What are you going to be responsible for?

2. Utilities

  • Who pays for electricity? Do they have grey water pick up?

Insurance

  • What limits and coverage are you required to carry on your food trailer?

Lease duration

  • How long are you locked into the location?

Landlords right to Terminate your lease

  • Can they cancel your lease early for his or her convenience?

Access in and out of the park for your food trailer

  • Will you be able to take advantage of catering opportunities and events?

Amenities

  • Are parking, restrooms, seating, etc. provided?

Management

  • Will they partner with you in promoting the food trailer park or just interested in filling the park with food trailers?

Exclusivity

  • Is there a limit to the number of food trailers and types of food that can be located in the park?

Hours of Operation

  • Will tenants be required to be open certain hours?