I'm in the process of making some flyers to up around town for my new business. I figure now is the perfect time- all those graduation cakes and last minute I can't find a baker wedding cakes. With the flyers they are fairly simple. I have the tear off bottoms with my business name, e-mail, and phone number. Two questions though...1.) Should I put some business cards up with them too? or is it enough just how they are (trying to save a little moola and 2.) Has anyone every put up coupons with them? Do you think it would be a good idea? I'm thinking about putting up %10 off your first order **not valid on sculpted cakes or wedding items** on the coupons with the flyers. Need some advice quick I want to put these up before the holiday weekend as my brother-in-law gets to come home tomorrow on military leave!!!!

p.s. where do you guys put up flyers? or how else do you advertise besides word of mouth and giving away free cakes?

I put up flyers on bulletin boards at church,schools,community centres,sports arenas...anywhere there is a free public board.You can also get permission for other boards that require you ask first.You can also donate cakes to kids school functions such as bake sales,auctions.I also was asked to donate a certificate for a free cake to my community silent auction and dance.

bump! really hurry...just got the call that the rest of the family is coming home for the weekend from South Carolina...AHHHH!!!!

I'd just do as you had planned. If you have a flyer with the pull off tabs with all your info I don't think you need to do the business cards too. Give the customer a business card when they pick up a cake. I'd keep your costs low, but when you make up your flyers try and use a colorful paper or text to grab attention. Good luck!


You might place some flyers at the park too. I think Kiddie Cakes has the bases well covered with where to place them.

I'm using Cherry Pink (company signature color)!!!

I say go ahead with the coupon too...I think that makes people say....hey maybe we'll check her out since she's offering 10%off the regular price....then if we don't like it...at least we got a deal!

Do you also have your web address on the tab that they'd take to keep? I'd say this is vital!

I'm having problems with getting a really good webpage set up. So currently I have one, but don't have one....gotta love the world of ever updating techknology that I evidently can't seem to keep up with. ha ha...But that does bring up a good point! Who loves their webpage and who did you use? Again, to keep initial costs low...freebie sites? I'm having problems with geocities...so any others?

Mine are both free and there are things I like about each one and then things I don't. If you just do a blog they are super easy and no one will post their own ads there, all the advertisments on my blog were placed there by myself to generate a little revenue for this stay-at-home mommy! The blog isn't as flexible as a real website, but it gives people a place to check out your cake photos, which is the point after all!
I also have the freewebs site and my only beef with them is that they occasionally will have a full screen advertisement that appears for 10 seconds before my site shows up. There's a place to click to bypass this, but most people aren't going to have the patience to look for it, still I think the look of the site is nice.
I'd go with a free site first, then when you're business gets up and running invest a little money into a really good website.

Wendsue, Thanks for that great info on websites and blogs.

I wanted to add that you could create a simple site either using the blog or freewebs rather quickly, if you have a few hours this evening. I really think you'd do a better business if people could see a couple of your cakes. Most won't order without knowing a little about the decorators abilities.
If you decide to start a site and need any help don't hesitate to PM me, or even just ask me here. I'm happy to help any way I can.

I use freewebs too. I'm okay with it except for the fact that it re-arranges my text sometimes. They have really improved their templates and selection since I started using it.

I've seen bulletin boards at the grocery store where people have advertised tutor services, daycare services, etc. If they are in the stores in your area, that is another option. Hey, I might just have to do this also. But, check with store manager first before posting.

I wonder if a grocery store would allow the competition? A lot of them have their own bakeries. I agree that asking the manager first would be a good idea.

bump....anybody else have ideas for advertisements? and where? I did check with our grocery store today and they said that I could put up a flyer!!! I was super shocked considering they have their own bakery...but hey...game on!

I made melt and pour soap for a while and I made some baby-powder scented blue/pink/yellow and took it to a baby boutique with some cards, portfolio and the owner allowed me to keep it by her cash register. I gave the owner a couple of slices for herself, which she put in her customer bathroom. I got a few orders that way, not just for baby soap.

Could you try this at a wedding boutique, or kid's clothing store, or party store?

A cool advertising thing I am going to do, which at first doesn't seem like advertising, is donating a gift certificate for a cake to my company's charity fundraiser. This way people see my company's name, can try the cake if they win, and the money goes to a worthy cause. It's like giving away a free cake but with even more exposure - the people at the silent auction, and people at the event where the cake will be served. You could maybe call some charities to see when they have fundraisers like this. Hope that helps a little.

fallonb2000,

This is a really cool way to get some free advertising and at the same time support worthy causes. Great idea!

don't forget to drop off cakes at all the local schools...at least 2 per school

one for the faculty (in thier lounge/faculty room)

and a separate one for the staff

you might even need to add a 3rd if there's an evening janitorial staff that comes in

and donate cake for raffle at concession stand of home games.

I also use freewebs and it is pretty easy to use. I pay a minimal fee of about $4 a month and they take out the ads that appear when your site is free. You also get as many pics uploaded as you want and a few other features. I really like the ease of the site, I was able to set my website up in one evening and can update and add new cake pics anytime I want.

Doug's idea is great. Along those lines, prom season is here and I'm sure high schools would love saving a little money, since they work on a shoe-string budget, and eating a yummy cake. Donating a cake to a local high school's prom would probably be a great way to show some wedding cake styles since proms are a more formal event and they may hire you in the future for other school or personal events.

I've been trying to think of other places to donate cakes to get some exposure. What about daycares, preschools, mom's morning out, hair salons, nail salons, banks, gymnastics/cheerleading classes, dance schools, swim clubs, ........ any others???

goodluck in starting your shop! my boyfriend is a web programmer, and has helped small places with nice very professional websites in his spare time, he is trying to get his name out there as well, so if anyone ever needs website help, or asite done by a pro dont hesitate...

Here's an idea for anyone that lives in or near a college town. I can't do this since I'm not yet a licensed baker, but think somehow marketing to sororities and fraternities would be worthwhile. A lot of kids get married right out of college, so the young women will be looking for someone to do their wedding cakes. Not 100% sure how to market to the Greek houses, but I know I'm onto something. I wouldn't go crazy donating cakes, but maybe send out flyers to the houses advertising your business and have a date listed on the flyer for an open house where the ladies could sample cake. Have them RSVP so you know how many to expect and tell them if they show up they'll recieve a 10% discount on any order they place with you that month.

You could either send one flyer to the president of each house, or you could call and ask each house how many juniors and seniors they had, then send them that many to place in the girl's mailboxes. I think most sororities have mailboxes for each student.

If you do a few cakes for a sorority, or for the girls in a sorority, I think word of mouth would take you far. Sororities have a lot of events throughout the year too. Make the girls feel special by offering them a small discount. Charge enough that the discount won't hurt you!

Anyone else like this idea? I think once I'm off my feet and running I'll give this plan a shot.

i'd hit the sororities and frats during Rush week (lots of events and need for food)

pledge ceremony

end of year farewell, etc.

oh...

and don't forget to market to clubs at all elem, ms, hs, and college -- always having some type of party. most drama clubs for example will hold an annual awards event and almost always need a cake for that.

Okay folks....I live in the town that is the same town that I graduated college from. Let me tell you....If I could find out a way to have people partying it up with my cakes and not the chicken wings from BW3's I'd be there!!! ha ha...in case you are wondering BW3's is what we call Buffalo Wild Wings....where the three came in I have no idea...But from a fellow university mailroom employee.....they get tons and I mean tons of those crappy little flyers that always make it to the trash before they even get looked at. So what is the next best thing?!?!? Make sure the color of flyer you are using matches the same color or close to it as the notice in their mailbox that is for a package. Our notices were red for packages. People finally learned that using a pink or a red flyer looks like package notice and they will open the box to get it and will likely read it. We charged 50 bucks to put a flyer in 2000 mailboxes. Pretty cheap advertising!!!! But here is the real deal...Call up the University Operator- ask for Student activities!!!!! Then ask and see if they will give you a list of all of the student clubs, sororities, frats, and honorary clubs. Most likely they will- especially if you know them all ready. ha ha....Or even go online. I know our University has it posted who is the president of each club, their e-mail and mailbox. Send them mail, baby!!! It is probably the quickest way to get your name out fast. I should have thought of this earlier. But here is the key if you are going to drop of mail for the workers to put in their boxes- put it in numerical order!!!!!! Most of the time I watched the other staff, even the ones I trained and managed for hours, throw away the flyers because they were so fustrated going back and forth between the boxes and then waiting on people. Numerical order people!!! It doesn't take that long and will help you out in the long run. Also, give the mailroom a cake it will help too. We always loved the pizza flyers because they came with free pizza and we didn't whine too much because there was pizza when we were done!!! Thanks for the tip....man I feel dumb....

Trifold your flyers like you would put them in an envelope...It makes it so much easier to stuff in the mailbox...otherwise they end up all crinkled up and smashed so they could get thrown out then too for not being the correct dimensions and specs for stuffing..Check that out also with the head of the mailroom what their prefference is on the folding!