Every business needs a web presence, and yours is no exception. Word of mouth, direct mail marketing and newspaper advertising will bring in the business, but the internet is increasingly becoming the first place consumers go to find services. When they search, you should be there.
Create your own website
Creating your own website requires some specialized knowledge, and for a professional appearance, it may be best to hire someone for this task. If you cooks hire are not already a member of the Personal Chef Association, you may wish to consider joining. In addition to offering professional credentials, the Association provides technical guidance and discounted domain names to its members.
Your website should include information about your services, your specialties and your experience. This is where you will establish your brand. If your expertise is with wild fish and game, or you reign supreme over home-style comfort foods, your website will reflect this, and cement in potential customer's minds that you are the go-to person for these specialties. Adding a regularly updated blog to your site, perhaps commentary on the latest food trends, will keep your website fresh, which will position it higher in search engine rankings. If you haven't the time or inclination to write, you can hire a professional content writer to keep your website lively. The cost is minimal.
Develop an email list
Give visitors to your site the option of subscribing to email updates. This provides you with a list of potential clients that will be interested in anything new you are offering. Your website designer can recommend appropriate software for email marketing.
Be social
Set up a Facebook page that is separate from your own personal page. This is the place to post beautiful photos of your creations, notify the public of any new services, or comment on the latest news in the culinary world. What is your opinion of the menu at a recent White House state dinner? What about the trend toward food stations at wedding receptions? Status updates such as these will spark conversations and keep your name in people's minds. Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest are other sites you can use to get your name and brand out in the world. You may even want to consider a YouTube channel to post video descriptions of your work. These resources for internet marketing are simple to use and will accelerate your career as a personal chef.
