Marketing & Getting Clients

How to Get Clients for Your BBQ Catering Business

Getting clients for a BBQ catering business depends on being visible to people planning events and building trust through food quality and professionalism. Unlike restaurants where customers find you, catering is a pull business—you need to reach corporate event planners, families hosting large gatherings, and venue managers before they make hiring decisions. The good news is that BBQ has strong word-of-mouth potential and visual appeal that works well in marketing.

Your first clients will come from direct outreach, local networking, and referrals. Once you establish a track record with 5–10 events, momentum builds quickly because people remember great food and recommend you to others planning events.

Who Your Ideal Clients Are

Your primary target clients are corporate event planners booking catering for company picnics, team-building events, and office celebrations (50–300 people). These clients typically spend $3,000–$8,000 per event and book 2–6 times per year. Secondary targets are families hosting weddings, birthday parties, and anniversaries (30–150 people) who spend $1,500–$5,000 per event. A third segment is venue managers and wedding planners who need reliable catering vendors to recommend to their clients.

The best clients are those within 30–45 minutes of your location, have consistent event budgets, and value quality over rock-bottom pricing. You want to avoid one-time low-budget events that demand discounts and strict cost-cutting. Focus on repeat clients and those willing to pay $12–$18 per person for quality BBQ service—these margins support your business growth.

Your Best Marketing Channels

Local Google Search and Maps

When someone searches “BBQ catering near me” or “catering companies [your city],” Google Maps and local search results appear first. Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile with photos of finished events, your menu, pricing range, and customer reviews. This is the single most important channel because searches happen when people are actively planning events and ready to hire.

Direct Outreach to Corporate Clients

Identify 20–30 mid-size companies in your area (50–500 employees) that likely host employee events. Call their office managers or HR departments directly, introduce yourself, and offer to send a catering menu. Follow up with a personal email and include photos of past events. Many catering clients come from a single phone call or email to the right person. This channel has high conversion because you’re reaching qualified buyers.

Wedding and Event Planner Partnerships

Wedding planners, event coordinators, and venue managers receive catering requests constantly. Build relationships with 5–10 planners in your area by visiting them in person, offering them a sample menu, and asking to be part of their vendor list. Offer them a small referral incentive (5–10% commission or a discount on their own events). These relationships can generate 2–5 steady referrals per month once established.

Facebook and Instagram

Post photos and videos of events, finished platters, setup, and testimonials. Run $200–$400 monthly campaigns targeting people within 30 miles interested in event planning, catering, and wedding-related content. Facebook pixel your website visitors and retarget them with event photos and menu options. These platforms reach both corporate planners and families planning celebrations.

Local Sponsorships and Community Events

Sponsor a local charity event, food festival, or community fair by catering or providing samples. This builds brand awareness with potential clients and gives you a captive audience to collect contact information from. These events also generate photos and content for your marketing channels.

Referral Programs

Offer existing clients $100–$200 off their next event for each new client they refer to you. Make it easy by giving them referral cards or a digital link to share. Track referrals and honor the discount promptly. Word of mouth is your cheapest client acquisition channel once you have happy customers.

Getting Your First 3 Clients

1. Create a simple catering menu with 3–4 protein options, 2–3 sides, and drinks at clear price points ($12–$18 per person). Include photos of finished plates if you have them, or invest in professional food photography after your first event.
2. List your business on Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Thumbtack. Fill out every field and add 5–10 high-quality photos of food or past events (borrow photos from your kitchen, local markets, or test events if necessary).
3. Email 15–20 companies in your area that you identify as good fits. Keep emails short: introduce yourself, attach your menu, and suggest a time to discuss their upcoming events. Follow up once if you don’t hear back.
4. Call 10 nearby wedding venues, event spaces, and planners. Introduce yourself, ask when they recommend catering vendors to clients, and request to be added to their list. Send a menu and one sample quote.
5. Host a free or heavily discounted test event for a non-profit, local sports team, or community group. Document the event with photos and testimonials. Use these as marketing proof for future clients.
6. Ask your first paying clients for testimonials and permission to post event photos on your website and social media. Offer them $50 off their next event in exchange for a video testimonial.

Building Referrals and Word of Mouth

After you’ve completed 3–5 events, focus your energy on referral growth. Every client should leave your event confident enough to recommend you to their network. This means delivering consistent food quality, professional service, and going slightly beyond expectations—remembering dietary restrictions without being asked, cleaning up thoroughly, or surprising them with a homemade dessert. Ask for referrals directly: “We’d love to work with your friends or colleagues. If you know anyone planning an event, please send them our way.” Make referrals rewarding by honoring your referral discount immediately and sending a thank-you note.

Track which clients refer the most business to you and give them priority booking, occasional discounts, or free items on their next event. These become your advocates. After 12 months of consistent work, you should be getting 40–50% of new clients from referrals, which is far cheaper than paid advertising and has higher conversion rates.

Your Online Presence

Your business needs a simple website (one page is fine) showing your menu, pricing, past event photos, testimonials, and a contact form or phone number. The website doesn’t need to be fancy—it needs to answer three questions: What do you offer? How much does it cost? What do previous clients say? Include 10–15 professional photos of your food and events. People will look you up after hearing about you, so your website confirms that you’re legitimate and professional.

Beyond your website, maintain an updated Google Business Profile and claim your listings on Yelp and Thumbtack. These platforms show up in local searches and event planning directories. Encourage clients to leave reviews on Google and Yelp. A business with 15–20 reviews and a 4.8+ rating will outrank competitors with no reviews in local search results, which directly impacts inquiries and bookings.

Social Media Strategy

Focus on Facebook and Instagram because that’s where event planners and families research catering options. Post 2–3 times per week: behind-the-scenes prep work, finished plating, event day photos, close-ups of food, and client testimonials. Use captions that ask questions (“What’s your favorite BBQ side?”) to encourage engagement. Tag clients and venues in photos (with permission) to expand your reach. Consistency matters more than frequency—posting regularly builds familiarity with your audience.

Run small paid campaigns ($100–$300 monthly) targeting people within your service area interested in catering, weddings, or corporate events. Use event photos as ad creative and link to your menu or website. Track which ads generate the most website visits and adjust your targeting based on results.

Paid Advertising

Start paid advertising once you’ve completed at least 3 events and have strong testimonials and photos to show. Your first budget should be $200–$300 monthly, split between Google Local Services Ads ($100–$150, which puts you at the top of catering searches) and Facebook/Instagram ads ($100–$150, which build brand awareness). Test Google ads first because intent is highest there—people are actively searching for catering. After 2–3 months, measure which channel sends better-qualified leads and shift budget accordingly. Most BBQ catering businesses find Google Local Services Ads and Facebook pixel retargeting most effective.

Client Retention

• Follow up with clients 1 week after their event with a thank-you email and request for feedback or reviews.
• Send holiday cards and seasonal menu updates to past clients in November and spring.
• Offer loyalty pricing: 5% off for second and third events, 10% off for a fourth event in the same year.
• Track client anniversaries (their company founding date, wedding anniversary) and send a special offer around that date.
• Request referrals 2 weeks after an event when the experience is fresh.
• Maintain a spreadsheet of all past clients with contact info, event type, date, and notes (dietary restrictions, preferences). Use this to personalize outreach.
• Invite best clients to your restaurant or catering kitchen for a tasting or behind-the-scenes tour to deepen relationships.

Learn more about the fastest ways to get your first 10 BBQ catering customers, explore the best marketing tools for your catering business, and discover effective local marketing strategies for catering companies.