There are many reasons why working with a food truck may be beneficial for your endeavor, regardless of whether you are the director of a charity event, the CEO of a large corporation, or the owner of a small business.
Food trucks offer a special chance to tailor your organization’s objectives, whether they are to advance your business’ marketing, raise money for the athletic department at your school, or increase sales.
- Mobile kitchens create a commotion. At your used car lot, are sales sluggish? Is it a concern of yours to raise enough money for your fundraiser? A large, garish food truck at your event attracts attention and expands the pool of potential attendees and donors. A chow wagon and a radio broadcast could be all that’s required to help you meet your fundraising or sales targets.
- Social media is a skill that food truck owners excel at. The trade tools for a mobile kitchen are Twitter, Facebook, and the internet, all of which have devoted fans. Many people will visit your business and be more receptive to your sales pitch if those followers know that their preferred lunch wagon is selling food there. Take advantage of a mobile food truck’s social media presence and fans to boost your sales.
- Economics. Asking someone if their truck is available for your event is just as cheap as having a mobile kitchen at your gathering. In your parking lot near your entrance, permit a food truck to set up shop. You could work out a deal with the food truck where you pay for the first 50 meals for your first 50 customers if you have a small amount of money to invest. Customers adore giveaways. People enjoy getting free things, and you can reward them with a fun, special gift that won’t break the bank. Most food trucks will be more than happy to attend your event for free if it is a charitable fundraiser, and many will give you a portion of their sales in exchange for the opportunity to be at your event.
- Give sponsorship some thought. Many new lunch trucks will advertise your company’s name, website, logo, and phone number on their vehicle for a fee. Additionally, it doesn’t have to be expensive in the thousands. Some business owners will display your information on their truck in exchange for free or heavily discounted goods and services. Negotiate to have your information near the menu, where the crowds are. Your advertisement will be seen by thousands of people. The majority of mobile kitchen owners would be grateful to generously display the logo of your charity on their vehicles.
- Take into account a business alliance. If you own a garage, offer a mobile kitchen owner free oil changes or inspections in exchange for putting something on the truck that states “Garage Services for XYZ food truck provided by your garage name“. The only real restriction on the partnership idea is your imagination. Own a restaurant, a grocery store, or both? Give the truck owners the choice to use your products for a lower cost in exchange for using your beer or products and having a direct mention of you in their menu. Any company can collaborate with a truck, and everyone will gain from the relationship. While the owner of the mobile kitchen cuts back on operating, food, and maintenance costs, the company offering the discounted good or service benefits from massively discounted exposure and brand recognition.
- Your staff requires a break. Morale will increase at a catered event at your place of business. Find a mobile kitchen that serves delicious food and designate one day per month as “food truck day” if your company is unable to pay for your employees’ lunches. Have a food truck come to your place of business on a specific day, and at lunchtime, observe how happy your staff members are.
- A catered food truck event could be the winning prize in a contest you hold if your sales are sluggish. The winner of the competition receives a free party for 30 guests at their residence. Your $300 investment could really energize your sales team and inspire them to increase your profits at costs as low as $10 per person. Everyone enjoys a free party.
- coupons, promotions, and gift certificates. Work out a deal with a well-known food truck where you print out coupons or vouchers offering two dollars off a meal at the truck. Offer to pay half of whatever the voucher’s face value is. Customers who purchase your goods or services can receive the vouchers or coupons. Increased sales benefit the mobile kitchen, and your customers will take pleasure in the incentive as well as the loyalty you are gaining.
- Once per week, on your slowest sales day, let them park in your lot. There is no reason your company can’t profit from the constant need for food trucks to find new locations to serve customers. Although it could also apply to the service or entertainment industries, this relationship is excellent for retail sales. Also, you are not constrained to just one truck. There will be a steady increase in foot traffic to your store once customers are aware that there is a food truck there every Tuesday during lunch. Promote “Food Truck Tuesdays” with flyers in your store along with information on social media and your web page. The same idea holds true for physical charitable businesses.
- If you are unable to defeat them, join them. Offer a food truck the opportunity to give gift certificates, coupons and giveaways from your business in exchange for exposure in your business. Having a relationship with a food truck could be as easy as letting them hang flyers in your store and providing a link to the food truck’s website on your website. For the exposure you give them and the fact that your advertisement reaches a whole new audience, the mobile kitchen distributes your coupons or flyers at their upcoming major event.