Photo by Harry Gillen on Unsplash
2020 was a difficult year. And from a business perspective, the food and restaurant industry was hit harder than most—food trucks included. Sure, many businesses found creative ways to stay afloat, but it’s been difficult to recover from lost sales.
Now more than ever, it’s important for food truckers to have clear and established goals in mind. Remember those resolutions you made way back at the beginning of the year? It’s time for a check up. Look back at your goals and see what progress you have made so far!
Didn’t set any resolutions for yourself this year? Consider the following 6 tips for making sure your food truck and business stays on track in the year to come!
1. Branch Out With a New Truck
Maybe you’re looking to start your very own food truck business. Or maybe you’re looking to make a switch to a different vehicle.
Whoever you are, if one of these two categories describes you, then there’s only one place to start. Start saving, write down your resolutions, put a purchase plan together, and start looking for the truck right for you.
2. Schedule Regular Truck Maintenance and Service
It requires a bit of upfront investment, but a key objective for food truck workers should be scheduling regular maintenance and service. Rotate your tires, change the oil, make sure that the engine is running at full capacity, and more.
Avoid the headache and high cost of a vehicle breakdown or damage. Set yourself up for success with keeping on top of your trucks maintenance schedule, and resolve to keep your truck running smoothly.
3. Budget for Upgrades and a Refresh
Don’t forget that someday you may want to invest in a vehicle upgrade. Start saving far ahead of when you think you might need to get a bigger vehicle. And—if you can—give everything a facelift. Replace your old wrap when it starts looking tired. You might even want to do a rebrand at some point!
4. Create Clear Sales Targets
Take a close look at your total sales from 2020 and the first half of 2021. Are you meeting your targets for this year? Set goals and get strategizing to help yourself achieve those milestones. Establish checkpoints between each major sales targets and create adaptive strategies that focus on how to reach your customers better and better every time you park.
Paint a target and shoot for the bullseye.
5. Get Social!
Make the rest of 2021 your year of social media. Maybe you’re already connected or maybe you don’t have any active accounts. Either way, resolve to foster and nourish a lively presence online. Post often, share photos, and always be creating content.
At the end of the day, it’s relatively free and organic marketing. And the bigger your following, the better the results.
6. Make Every Stop Count
As a part of your content creation strategy, be sure to factor in clear communication regarding your weekly stops and pop-ups. Don’t leave hungry, paying customers at a loss to your next location.
Create patterns for your community to follow; go to the same locations each week if you can. And, though the festival circuit is a little different these days, look for ways to intercept any remaining high traffic destinations.
A Bold Year for Food Truck Resolutions
Yes, 2020 was hard. But despite all odds, the food industry has continued to evolve in new and exciting ways through 2021. As a food truck owner, you’re uniquely positioned to deliver delicious, stand-out food experiences in a time when your customers need it most.
Here’s to 2021 and a big future for food trucks. Make your resolutions, stick to them, and be sure to call or contact us when you need help getting your next food truck on the road.