Catermind: May Strategic Targeting Call

Setareh

In our latest Catermind Strategic Targeting Call, panelists Byron Duncan (NCC), Allie Matthews (Growth Strategist), and Maia Tekle (Co-founder, Science on Call) tackled one of the most challenging stretches for catering businesses—mid-May through early July. With orders dipping and budgets tightening, this session was packed with practical tactics and creative plays to turn a slow season into a strategic advantage.

💡 Main Insight: You don’t need to “sell” harder in May—you need to build smarter.

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🔥 Highlights from the Panel

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🧱 1. Focus on Infrastructure, Not Just Sales

Byron reminded us that May–June is not the time to panic, it’s the time to plant seeds:

Audit your CRM. Is it segmented? Are your top 100 targets clearly labeled?
Revisit messaging. What worked in Q1? What emails went unopened?
Clean your data and refresh your outreach lists before holiday planning begins.

“When orders slow, your outreach should speed up—intentionally.” – Byron

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🎁 2. Thank + Reward = Relationship Growth

Allie recommended looking at every catering order over $200 from the past 12 months:

Reach out to thank the contact again.
Offer to reconnect in person or drop by with a small token.
Ask about their upcoming plans: “Any team events this summer?”

These simple check-ins often reignite repeat business and deepen loyalty—no discounts necessary.

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📬 3. Wake Up Lapsed Clients (The Right Way)

Rather than chasing cold leads, focus on warm ones who simply haven’t ordered in a while.
Allie’s “30-60-75 strategy” goes like this:

30 days: Light check-in
60 days: Reminder of past order + a new offer
75 days: Send something thoughtful (a tip sheet, menu update, or small gift)

Maia emphasized: “You don’t need fancy automation—just thoughtful, human touches.”

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🧠 4. Referrals Without the Structure

Instead of building a formal referral program, go direct:

Ask your best clients if they know anyone else planning events.
If they refer someone, thank them with a cookie box or gift card.
Keep it personal and surprise-based, not transactional.

And when possible, facilitate an intro between a happy client and a prospect—they’ll do the talking for you.

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🎯 5. Plan Holiday Campaigns Now

This is the perfect window to get ahead of Q4:

Create outreach calendars for Administrative Professionals Day, Thanksgiving, and end-of-year gifting
Write templates and pre-approve discount tiers
Build segmented email flows now—while you’re not swamped

“The brands that win Q4 are prepping in Q2.” – Allie

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🧭 6. Expand Your Local Reach

Maia shared creative targeting examples from Science on Call:

Partner with contractor associations, HR leaders, and chambers of commerce
Host a small lunch-and-learn or happy hour to meet 10–15 new potential clients at once
Get creative with door-openers—free team lunch raffles, custom event menus, etc.
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💥 Final Takeaway

You won’t see massive catering volume in June—but you’ll build the foundation that fuels explosive growth in September and beyond.

✔️ Re-engage your current customers
✔️ Start your fall planning today
✔️ Go deep instead of wide

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🎥 Watch the full session here.
👥 Join the Catermind community.

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Let us know how you plan to approach this season—and stay tuned for the next session on demand generation and rewards coming later this month!

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