Below is a list of details that should be covered in every proposal. Caterers get into trouble when they leave too much to the imagination. Don't rely on assumptions. Spell everything out.

Date and Time of the Event

Make sure you double-check that the day of the week matches the date. Events are often planned months ahead and the date may be the next calendar year, so check to make sure that July 7, for example, is indeed Saturday and not Friday.

Note what time you and your staff will arrive for setup, when the guests are to arrive, when you'll finish serving, and when you need to be cleaned up and ready to leave. Some clients expect the serving staff and catering crew to stay until the last guest has left. That is an unrealistic expectation. Make sure the client understands that after you have served the dessert and cleaned up the kitchen, you and your crew will be leaving.

Include language at the bottom of your proposal stating that you will do everything in your power to get to an event, but if there is an act of God like a hurricane, tornado, or other major catastrophe that prevents you from getting to the party location, you will not be held liable. Double-check the exact wording with your insurance agent and your attorney.

Specify that the event will take place rain or shine, snowstorm or blackout. If there is to be a rain date, you'll have to negotiate that with your client and charge a higher price, since you'll be reserving two days on your calendar for the event.

Length of the Event

Cocktail and afternoon tea events run two to three hours. Lunches generally run two hours. Dinners, weddings, and other parties last four to five hours from the time the first guest arrives until the last guest leaves. If your client wants the party to run longer, charge them a higher fee. If you're catering an event on a boat, for example, which won't dock for six hours once it leaves port, charge your client an extra hour of labor.

Price Per Person

Specify how much it will cost to serve each person. Be very clear what other charges will be added and are not included in this figure. If you'll be adding a service charge over and above the serving staff fee, specify that in the proposal and say what percentage you'll charge. Let the client know the service fee includes all gratuities.

If the client asks you to provide tableware and linens, specify those prices separately. If you're going to outsource other parts of the event, such as a specialty cake or liquor, list each of those components separately.

If all the details and prices are spelled out, clients are less likely to raise objections than if you combine a number of items and provide the client with a large lump sum.

You must charge state sales tax on your catering services, so list the current state sales tax and indicate which items are subject to that tax.

The Deposit

Collect 50 percent of the expected cost of the event when the client signs the proposal and returns it to you.

State in the proposal that the pricing and terms will only be good for a period of two weeks from the date of the proposal, and the deposit must be received in full by the end of the two-week period. Explain to customers that market prices change, and you can't guarantee them indefinitely if you haven't received a deposit.

Deposits owed should be per person based on the middle of the range of expected guests. For example, if the client tells you that he expects 80–100 guests, collect a deposit based on 90 guests. Service staff is priced separately from the food. Bill for each outsourced item separately and add your surcharge.

You may accept personal checks for the deposit because you won't buy anything with the funds until they clear your bank. If the event is to be run on short notice, insist that the client pay the entire estimated cost either by certified check or by wire to your bank. Cash, of course, is acceptable as well. Just make sure to record the cash on your books as revenue.

Keep a list of the deposits you're expecting and the date you expect them to arrive. If your client fails to give you a deposit, e-mail her or call her to give her a friendly reminder. If she still doesn't send you a deposit in another week, send her a registered letter stating that her date is no longer reserved and her proposal is considered null and void.

The Balance

Collect the balance of the payment from your client at least twenty-four hours prior to the start of the event. Make sure the client wires the funds into your business bank account or delivers a certified check to you. Do not accept personal checks for a balance from a client unless she's your mother. Some clients will make excuses and tell you that they can't get you the funds before the party. Explain that you're a small business, and you must have the funds before the event to manage your cash flow. Be clear and let them know that without payment, you won't be able to cater their party.

Number of Guests

Clearly state the number of guests you'll be providing food for. Make sure the client guarantees you a minimum number of guests. If the host expects 100 people to come to his party but tells you the week before that only 20 are coming, you'll be stuck catering a tiny affair that may not be worth the effort. Also get a maximum number of guests from the client. You don't want to be stuck forty-eight hours before the event procuring more ingredients and making food for an extra 50 people if the entire party was supposed to be for 80–100 guests. Try to keep the range to within 20 percent of the total number of guests.

Some hosts will try to get their money back if they have a lot of guests who didn't show up. Explain that you've cooked the food for that number of guests and provided service staff for that number. Remind your client that the number of guests was agreed to in the proposal and that she had up to forty-eight hours before the event to make any necessary changes.

Type of Event

The proposal should clearly state the type of event. Specify whether it is brunch or lunch, seated or buffet. Spell out the formality — is it a casual outdoor picnic or is it a black-tie five-course dinner with French service?

If a client changes his mind and decides to have a buffet instead of a seated dinner, charge him a nominal fee for redoing the proposal. Credit the client the proposal fee if they end up using you to cater their event. This will discourage indecisive clients from wasting your time.

Event Location

The proposal must state the exact location of the event. List the street address and state whether it's indoors or outdoors. If it's in a park, specify if it's your responsibility or the client's to get the permit or license and who is to pay for it.

Other Considerations

Find out from the client what the occasion is and mention it in the proposal. Also mention the kind of atmosphere she wants. Your menu and style will depend on whether the event is a subdued business occasion or a boisterous birthday celebration. Will people already know each other, or does the host want people to be able to mingle? The answer affects how you want the event to flow.

Find out who the guests will be. You may need to make special arrangements to accommodate everyone. Ask your client the following questions:

• Is she expecting any VIPs?

• Are there any cultural sensitivities you need to be aware of? Are there any foods you need to avoid? Is there a specific dress code you and your employees — particularly females — should follow?

• Will the guests be evenly split, or will there be many more men than women?

• How old are the guests? Will the group be mostly adults in their thirties or in their seventies?

• Will there be any children in attendance?