_{At ezCater, we’re dedicated to helping restaurants grow a successful catering business. That’s why we’re excited to share this video series featuring insights and lessons from industry experts behind thriving catering programs.}

A great sales team will bring in new customers, not to mention more money, for your catering business. But before you invest valuable resources into building a team, make sure you have a good strategy for hiring the right salespeople—and sizing up their performance—so that you maximize the potential of your catering business. 

In this video, we cover the process of building a successful sales team with Gracie Prasanson, Director of Off-Premise Sales at Jason’s Deli, who shares how to put together a great sales team and measure their performance. Tune in to learn when you should hire salespeople, the best ways to structure your sales team, and what KPI yardstick you should use to measure your team’s success—to open up your catering program to an avalanche of new business.

Video Takeaways:

• In the early stages of your business, you probably only need to hire a brand ambassador to spread the word about your catering. Think about hiring someone like a soccer mom to knock on doors, which is cheaper than hiring a senior-level sales professional. Then, as your catering program grows, bring in seasoned salespeople.
• Before you start structuring your sales team, look at the size of the catering market you’re in. If your business is located in a high-density area, it may be best to hire a seasoned salesperson. But if you’re competing in a smaller market, you might only need an entry-level salesperson.
• When you’re sizing up your team’s performance, look beyond the volume of their activities. Make sure to track patterns to figure out what’s driving new business.

Gracie Prasanson is Director of Off-Premise Sales of Jason’s Deli, where she started as a one-woman sales team and rose through the ranks. A 30-year restaurant veteran, she has a passion for building winning sales teams and for developing strategies to help restaurants grow.