Mastering B2B Catering Sales: Insights from a Restaurant Industry Veteran
In the dynamic landscape of 2025's restaurant industry, catering has emerged as a critical revenue stream for brands of all sizes. However, success in catering sales requires more than just great food—it demands a strategic approach to sales, relationship building, and operational excellence. Recently, Lance VanHemel, a seasoned catering sales professional with 18 years of industry experience, shared his insights on how to excel in B2B catering sales.
The Foundation: Building Strong Operations-Sales Relationships
One of the most crucial elements of successful catering sales is the relationship between sales teams and operations staff. "Catering is an operations-based challenge," VanHemel emphasizes. "You can generate tremendous sales, but if your operations aren't dialed in—if your order management isn't there, your technology stack isn't right, and your packaging isn't correct—you can layer on a lot of catering sales and end up in disaster."
VanHemel, who manages 42 locations across 12 states, attributes much of his success to maintaining strong relationships with general managers at each location. His approach? Empathy and clear communication. "I never commit to a client for a specific request or something out of the ordinary without first consulting with operations," he explains. "I'll always ask: 'Hey, this is what they want—can we do this?' Only after they agree do I make commitments to the client."
Strategic Prospecting: Identifying High-Value Accounts
When it comes to finding and closing high-value catering accounts, VanHemel employs a systematic approach based on three key metrics:
Frequency of orders
Average group size
Budget per order
By multiplying these three factors, he calculates what he calls the "annual sales potential" for each client. This helps prioritize prospects and focus efforts on the most promising opportunities.
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Industry-Specific Targeting
Understanding industry patterns is crucial for successful prospecting. VanHemel shares some valuable insights:
Car dealerships often order every Saturday and Wednesday, making them reliable recurring clients
Schools have predictable peak periods (August for back-to-school, May for teacher appreciation)
Hospitals have regular ordering patterns, especially during nurses' week
Retail locations increase ordering during Q4 and tax-free weekends
Corporate clients often have quarterly or annual events feeding hundreds of people
The Power of Quick Response
Perhaps one of the most striking aspects of VanHemel's success is his commitment to rapid response times. "I pride myself on response time—we're talking five minutes, ten minutes maximum. Most of the time, my response time is within 30 seconds to a minute," he states. This approach has become a significant differentiator, leading to numerous referrals from satisfied clients.
The logic behind this strategy is simple but powerful: "When somebody's reaching out, that is when they have time to talk about it. When you're following up later, they may not be free at that time."
Handling Objections and Following Up
When faced with the classic "we've decided to go in another direction" response, VanHemel doesn't give up easily. His approach is to dig deeper: "I love to get specific. I'll ask, 'Was there a specific reason why you chose to go in a different direction?'" This information helps him better understand objections and improve his service.
Key principles for follow-up:
Never leave the ball in the client's court
Always get contact information upfront
Schedule specific follow-up dates in your CRM
Track when clients typically start planning their larger events
Maintain consistent touch points (50-70 per week)
Recovery and Relationship Building
Mistakes are inevitable in catering, but how you handle them can make or break client relationships. VanHemel emphasizes the importance of quick response and genuine concern, especially for first-time orders. "A sense of urgency is crucial," he notes. "I don't always want to go for 'I'll comp your order'—that's not my first go-to. I want clients to feel they are of utmost importance, and I'm not here for a one-and-done relationship—I want a lifetime client."
Final Thoughts
Success in catering sales requires a delicate balance of relationship building, operational understanding, and systematic sales processes. By focusing on quick response times, maintaining strong relationships with operations teams, and understanding industry-specific buying patterns, restaurants can build a thriving catering business that generates consistent revenue and long-term client relationships.
Remember: knowing your industries, their busy times, and their buying windows is crucial. As VanHemel puts it, "If they're not in their buying window, don't try to sell to them—it's not on their mind right now.”
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