High Tech High Touch: The New Playbook For Catering Sales

In today's competitive catering landscape, are you struggling to find the right recipe for sales success? It often feels like a choice between two worlds: the efficiency of modern technology and the proven power of old-fashioned, personalized sales.

But what if you didn't have to choose?

This dynamic workshop is designed for catering professionals who want to move beyond the "tech vs. tradition" debate and build a powerful, integrated sales strategy. We will explore how to blend the scale and intelligence of digital tools with the impact of a personal touch. Learn how to use technology not to replace relationships, but to amplify them—turning cold leads into conversations and conversations into contracts.

Join us to learn how to build a modern sales engine that’s both remarkably efficient and unforgettably personal.

Meet the Panelists

Ashley Wright
Ashley Wright has been turning ordinary gatherings into extraordinary experiences since 2000 when she got her start planning and designing weddings and corporate events as well as destination events. She then leveled up as part of the opening management team at the iconic Wynn Las Vegas. Back home in Arizona, she’s spent the last decade-plus not only planning celebrations but also building catering departments from the ground up, creating crave-worthy menus, and growing businesses along the way. With a flair for design, a passion for food, and a love for bringing people together, Ashley knows how to turn any event into a memory worth savoring.

Claudie Newman
Claudie Newman is a hospitality leader with more than 20 years of experience in food and beverage, event sales, private dining and catering. Her career has taken her from South Africa to Las Vegas, and San Francisco and Washington, DC, where she has focused on driving growth and innovation for multiple nationally recognized restaurant brands.

Claudie currently leads catering sales for New York Based Founders-Table, the company behind: Chopt Creative Salad Co. and Dos Toros Taqueria. Claudie is focused on strengthening brand reputation and sales to deliver a best-in-class catering product that continues to expand in step with her company's growth.

Danielle Guzzetta
With over 30 years of marketing experience across the healthcare, fashion, and hospitality industries, Danielle Guzzetta has spent the last decade driving growth for top restaurant brands. She has held executive leadership roles including Chief Marketing Officer at Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, Senior Vice President of Growth Hacking at Smokey Bones, and Head of Marketing at TooJay’s Deli & Bakery.

Danielle’s core strengths lie in developing and executing comprehensive marketing and business strategies, building brands from the ground up, and crafting messages that drive awareness and fuel revenue. She has consistently delivered transformative results, particularly in the catering and off-premise dining space.

Chris O’Connor
Chris O’Connor spent 18 years building a successful production and post company before transitioning into digital marketing and sales. Alongside his partner Justine, Chris has worked with notable companies including Hawaiian Bros, Nation's Burgers, 4 Star Restaurant Group, Maxim Golf, GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness, and People to People International.

Chris has become a recognized expert in marketing automation, CRM design and deployment, digital marketing and advertising, SEO/SEM, and sales optimization. His current passions include loyalty program design and subscription-based marketing strategies, including Marketing as a Service.

With a background in entrepreneurship, Chris approaches projects with a hands-on, owner’s perspective. He has grown multiple businesses, hired and managed hundreds of employees, and embraces egoless leadership. Having done everything from executive roles to stocking supplies, Chris brings strategic thinking and a practical mindset to every project. He has closed millions of dollars in sales for his own companies and clients, and he continues to help brands achieve measurable growth.

References:
“CRM applications can help increase sales by up to 29%, sales productivity
by up to 34%, and sales forecast accuracy by 42%. (source: Salesforce).”
https://www.nutshell.com/blog/crm-sta...

In 2024, according to Lunchbox, 75% of catering orders are placed online
(via mobile or desktop), while phone calls still account for approximately
30% of catering orders. https://www.olo.com/blog/60-of-restau...

"According to a 2025 report by Lunchbox, only 20 % of catering customers are repeat guests—meaning they place more than one order. That implies 80 % of catering customers do not order again, absent a targeted retention strategy. https://www.olo.com/blog/60-of-restau...