Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash
Over the past decade, food trucks have really grown in popularity. These mobile food mobiles offer various cuisines in urban locations. And people enjoy the fact that they can frequent a food truck without the hassle of getting a table and being waited on.
Moreover, for you as a business owner, the versatility a food truck is second to none. For instance, you can drive your food truck to different locations around the city. This allows you to maximize revenue by visiting popular places across town. What’s more, startup costs are a fraction of starting your own physical restaurant.
However, this doesn’t always mean you will get a lot of business. To get your food truck noticed in a noisy city, you have to understand the industry. Today we take a look at seven different strategies for making your food truck stand out from the crowd.
Create a Unique Experience
If you have ever seen or eaten at a food truck, you might have noticed that they drew your attention by the theme. The theme of the truck has a huge influence on foot traffic. Moreover, the most unique experiences will usually get the most business.
One of the reasons food trucks do so well is that people are tired of eating the same fast food every day. Therefore, offering a specific cuisine that is not common in your city will spark interest. That’s because you’ll be offering something that no one else does.
This doesn’t have to stop at just the cuisine. For example, having a nice custom vehicle wrap can really help to make your truck stand out.
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Get Social
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in the food truck business is marketing in the wrong way. Traditional marketing techniques can be outdated. This can be especially true for those looking to service people who are on the go and looking for a quick bite to eat.
One of the simplest ways to attract customers and keep them in the loop about your specials is by being on social media. It is easier to find someone who is on at least one social media platform. Plus, social media a great way for your business to advertise. So start up a business profile and keep updating your customers on your location, specials, and new menu items.
Integrate Mobile Ordering
With the rise in meal delivery services, mobile ordering has become less of a luxury and more of a necessity. People are living busier lives, working more hours, and attending more events. This has created an influx of fast food, mobile ordering, and call-in-take-out occurrences.
The best way to service this group of people is to add a mobile ordering service to your food truck business. This will allow customers to order in advance. They will also be able to pick up their order quickly and continue about their day. This will most likely require that you get a website or an app. But both of these give you a great way to stay ahead of the competition.
Offer Something No One Else Offers
As with any business, one of the most common ways to stand out from the crowd is to offer something no one else offers. The types of food, the types of service, or even the way that you order can help win customers over. Any one of these could get them referring their friends and family to you.
Some of the most common ways that food truck owners have taken advantage of this strategy is by offering unique food items, providing games and tables for entertainment, or even allowing their customers to interact with their business. Standing out from the crowd in any way will usually always result in more business.
Work with Local Businesses
Another great way to attract new customers is to work with local businesses. This can help on several levels. First, you could help cater an employee lunch for a particular company. Alternatively, a local business might allow you to set up shop in their parking lot during their employee lunch hours. Hopefully, this could attract customers for both of you. You might also work out partnerships with the right companies to trade food for items you need for your food truck. Talk about a win-win!
Be a Presence at Events
Cities all over the world always have a wide variety events going on, from marathons to community garage sales to art fairs to parades. These events are always looking for food vendors to come out and attract more people to their event.
Most likely, they will allow you to park free in order to help bolster their event. This will be an easy win for a food truck, because they will do most of the marketing for you. All you need to do is be there and ready to handle the number of customers they are anticipating.
Cater Weddings and Parties
Last but not least, you can look at catering events such as wedding, birthdays, parties, and other large gatherings. Offering a specific discounted rate may help you land you a few events where you would be the sole provider of food. While you might have to offer a small discount, the quantity of the order could easily outweigh that discount.
Moreover, as food trucks become more and more popular, their presence at events is only going to grow. Having a food truck at a party is the ultimate tool for providing great food while adding a little bit of a wow factor for guests.
Drive Your Food Truck Business up to the Next Level
So there you have it: seven tips to help you take your food truck to the next level. It’s time for you to take these tips and apply them to your own food truck. If you are still trying to build a food truck business, these tips can help you make the right decisions. Naturally, you want to ensure that you are doing everything you can to maximize success for your food truck business.
