The enquiry lands: a corporate awards dinner for 200. You've done weddings and festivals, but never corporate. How do you quote? Price too high and you lose it. Price too low and you regret it for months. Here's how to approach events you've never done before.
Why Unfamiliar Events Are Tricky
When you've done 50 weddings, you know exactly what they cost you. You've built your pricing from experience. But a new event type? You're guessing—and guessing gets expensive.
The temptation is to either lowball (to win the booking) or highball (to protect yourself). Neither works well. Lowballing leaves money on the table and sets a precedent. Highballing loses you work and the chance to build experience.
The Research Phase
Before you quote, gather information. The more you know, the more accurate your pricing.
Ask the Client
Most vendors are afraid to ask questions, worried it makes them look inexperienced. Wrong. Good questions show professionalism:
- What's the setup? Indoor? Outdoor? Kitchen access? Power?
- What's the format? Seated dinner? Walking canapés? Casual grazing?
- What have they done before? Previous caterers? Budget range?
- What's the timeline? When do they need food? How long are they expecting service?
- Who are the guests? Dietary requirements? Age range? Expectations?
Research the Event Type
- Talk to other vendors: Networking groups, Facebook communities—ask others who've done this type of event.
- Look at competitors: What do similar vendors charge for this event type? (Call and ask for a quote.)
- Search industry forums: Caterers love discussing pricing. Someone's asked this question before.
💡 Pro Tip
When researching competitor pricing, don't just ask "how much for 100 people?" Give them a specific scenario matching your enquiry. You'll get a much more useful comparison.
Building Your Quote from First Principles
Even without experience, you can build an accurate quote by calculating from fundamentals.
Step 1: Calculate Direct Costs
- Food costs: Price out your menu per head. Add 10% for waste.
- Staff: How many people, for how many hours, at what rate?
- Transport: Fuel, parking, any vehicle charges.
- Equipment: Anything you need to hire or buy for this event?
- Consumables: Napkins, packaging, serving supplies.
Step 2: Add Your Time
Include all the hours you'll spend:
- Planning and communication
- Shopping and prep
- Travel time
- Setup, service, breakdown
- Post-event admin
Multiply by your hourly rate. If you don't have one, calculate what you need to earn per hour to make your annual target.
Step 3: Add a Margin
Your total so far covers costs and your time. Now add profit margin—typically 20-40% depending on the event type and your capacity.
Step 4: Add an Uncertainty Buffer
Here's the key for unfamiliar events: add an extra 10-15% for unknowns. Things will take longer than expected. Something will cost more. You'll hit problems you didn't anticipate. The buffer protects you.
Pricing Sanity Checks
Once you have a number, test it:
- Per head calculation: Does it work out to a reasonable per-head rate compared to similar events?
- Hourly rate check: Divide your profit by total hours. Is this rate acceptable?
- Gut check: Would you be happy doing the event at this price? If not, raise it.
- Market comparison: Is it wildly different from what competitors quoted?
| Event Type | Typical Per-Head Range | Key Cost Factors |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate lunch | £15-30 | Speed of service, dietary variety |
| Corporate awards dinner | £35-60 | Multiple courses, staff ratio, presentation |
| Festival (public trading) | £8-15 | Pitch fees, volume, waste risk |
| Private party | £20-40 | Menu complexity, service style |
| Wedding | £25-50 | Presentation, reliability premium, timing precision |
Presenting Your Quote
How you present matters as much as the number:
- Break it down: Show what's included. "Catering for 100 guests including X, Y, Z = £3,500"
- Justify the value: Explain what they're getting, not just what they're paying.
- Be confident: If you've done your calculations, stand behind your price.
- Offer options: "Package A at £X or Package B at £Y" gives them control without undermining your pricing.
Quote with Confidence
VendorPad helps you build professional quotes quickly, track your costs, and learn from every booking. Stop guessing, start knowing.
Get Early AccessLearning from the Experience
Whether you win the booking or not, capture the learning:
- Track actual costs: If you do the event, record what it actually cost vs your estimate.
- Note surprises: What didn't you anticipate? Add it to your checklist for next time.
- Ask for feedback: If you lose the booking, politely ask why. Was it price, or something else?
- Save the quote: Next time a similar enquiry comes, you have a starting point.
Every new event type is an investment. You might make less profit the first time—that's okay. You're buying experience that makes future quotes faster, more accurate, and more profitable. The vendors who grow are the ones who keep saying yes to new challenges, quote thoughtfully, and learn from every event.
