While scanning through our vast Twitter feed daily, we are able to monitor the food truck industry for trends. One of the most recent finding we have stumbled across is that food truck owners tend to stay in start-up mode way too long. Keeping your mobile food business in start-up mode is like driving your truck with the brakes applied. If you keep telling people you are new to the industry or still figuring things out,  you’ll never be able to take actions for real growth.

After reading this article we hope you’ll realize that it’s time to move your food truck from start-up to growth mode and from planning to actually doing. In two or three years, you want to be able to look back at your start-up phase as an important part of your thriving mobile food business’ history. You want to say something like, “I remember when I was the only one working in my kitchen prepping for my daily shifts. Now I employ 6 people and am on my way to owning a restaurant.”

This is the mindset we want you to move towards and here are five ways to do it.

5 Ways To Let Your Food Truck Grow

Delegate

When you’re first starting your food truck business, in most cases you are handling everything. To begin growing you have to start investing in people to do tasks you can no longer do. We have found that nearly three quarters of all food trucks start with zero employees, which underscores the resistance some vendors have to delegating.

You have to grow your business. Stop thinking that people cost money; your lack of production and failure to grow your food truck business will ultimately cost far more.

RELATED: How To Choose What Tasks You Delegate

Pick Your Battles

Don’t get wrapped up for a week deciding on a logo when it ultimately doesn’t matter. Your food truck brand will evolve as your business evolves, so your logo is likely to change. There are far more important things to obsess over such as building a great menu, gaining customers and making money.

Get Attention

One of the most common problems start-up food trucks have is becoming known. Your most important task early on will be to spread the word about yourself and your mobile food business. Ultimately it’s the way to new and returning faces to your service window. In recent news, a San Antonio vendor had issues with a venue banning her truck because of the name she selected “CockAsian”. She got national media attention (including a mention during last week’s Saturday Night Live), and offended some people. While she may have ruffled some feathers, her menu is turning criticism into loyal customers. Get out there and get attention, get critics and then get customers.

Throw A Change-up

Instead of saying “I own a small food truck company,” say “I own a food truck company that serves high quality <insert your food here>. It’s like nothing you’ve ever tasted.” Notice the difference? The first makes you seem small and insignificant. It makes no claim. The second makes you seem unique, confident and capable of being a huge success.

Know how to pitch yourself and your food truck. Be ready to explain what your mobile food business does that is better, faster and of value to your local marketplace.

Create Urgency

If you start a food truck without setting specific timelines for action and achievements, you will be stuck in park forever. Pressuring yourself to perform should not lead to inferior products leaving your truck; it will end up with projects getting finished. Urgency is key to getting things done.

The Bottom Line

Your vision is not improved by staying in start-up mode. It’s time to let your food truck grow and stomp on the accelerator and become a food truck that is grabbing market share from the other more established players in your area.

To discuss this topic further, share your ideas in the comment section, our food truck forum or on social media. Facebook | Twitter