Robert Berman
One of the most difficult items for the new food concession or vending cart operator is finding locations to place their vehicle or cart.
This is where aggressive marketing can make the difference. One area that is often overlooked is retailers who are having special events. Car dealerships are noted for having special day or weekend events and one thing that they always consider is supplying food!
I have been contacted on numerous occasions by car and motorcycle dealerships wanting a list of available food vendors in a specific city, town or county.
It is important for food concessionaires and vending cart operators to make themselves known in their food service area.
There are numerous ways to accomplish this:
- Visit the car and motorcycle dealerships. Make sure you have a flyer or business card to leave behind.
- Contact the local radio stations. Many radio stations will provide a D.J. for special events and actually host the show from the event. They will be aware of those events weeks in advance and may be willing to pass leads on to you or possibly create a package which includes a D.J. and food.
- Send flyers out in the mail to local businesses.
- Another area to consider are strip plazas. Many have merchant groups who are looking for promotions and other methods to draw customers to their stores. Talk to one of the local merchants and find out if they have a merchant group and how you might provide them with a presentation.
