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nicksmom
Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 12, 2006
Posts: 581
Location: New Jersey
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Sun Apr 19, 2009 4:21 pm |
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indydebi
Forum Matriarch
Joined: Jul 07, 2006
Posts: 23764
Location: Indianapolis IN
Birthday: Jan 19
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Sun Apr 19, 2009 4:52 pm |
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Join a BNI chapter ... here's the link to New Jersey chapters: http://www.bni.com/Default.aspx?tabid=98
It's a referral organization whose purpose is to learn about each other's businesses and be able to refer biz back and forth. Last fiscal year, my chapter of 22-26 members, referred 2.5 MILLION dollars of business to each other. In the last 6 months, I've rec'd over $12,000 worth of business from my BNI group. Last week, I reminded everyone that Mother's Day was coming and I walked out with 3 orders for cookie arrangements.
Tell them you were referred by Debi in the Greenfield Indiana chapter!  |
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brincess_b
Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 19, 2008
Posts: 1901
Location: scotland
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Mon Apr 20, 2009 2:26 am |
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have you got a website? cause when most people think about wanting cake, they will go online to find out who is local.
xx |
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KawaiiCakeCook
Frequent Member
Joined: Mar 08, 2009
Posts: 260
Location: Tokyo
Birthday: Jan 04
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Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:21 am |
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vista.com has a really easy to use website builder, they've really helped increase my business. |
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skaggs1
Regular Member
Joined: Jan 19, 2008
Posts: 122
Location: Mt Victory Ohio
Birthday: Aug 29
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Mon Apr 20, 2009 1:06 pm |
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I agree with Debi about the BNI group. This would be great for you!! I wish I could join but I still have my day job so I can't make the morning meetings.  I'm still trying to talk my husband into letting me quit my day job and just do cakes lol |
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francescakes
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 05, 2005
Posts: 21
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Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:22 pm |
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Misty-you know NJ health laws are really strict-absolutely no home baking!
I'm assuming you're not legal/ or have a storefront--it's kinda tough to develop clientele in NJ unless you are legal or have a regular job or situation that allows you to network with co workers so that you can provide cakes to them.
Hate to be a Debbi-Downer but you have a difficult road ahead unless you get legal in NJ...so it's really NOT you or the quality of your work but the lack of being legal that may be holding you back. |
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what is the best way or should I say a surefire way to find new customers? I used to have quite steady cake orders and now I do not, maybe 2-3 cake orders in the 12 months etc... have never any complaints,only complaiments and such.But the deal I think is this...I do not have the same 2 jobs now, that I had for years and we had to move for a year and now we are home and I am only working at night with my husband cleaning(his sister owns the cleaning buisness and he manages it).I used to have friends and friends of friends order and now I have nobody 
so I have put out my buiss cards at the local coffee shoppe and a local pancake house,and still nothing.How can I advertise or sell my cakes better?If anyone has any thoughts it would be great. I have thought about giving free cakes away but To WHO????? and how? HELP TIA 
