What is the best method in your experience?

Thanks for any answers.

I think taking samples to Dr's offices, etc, with business cards is a great way to get the word out. Who's going to turn down a sample? =o)

Agree w/her ^^^
Word of mouth. Participating in wedding fairs.

Word of mouth through other vendors (I only do wedding cakes) and my website. You have to have a website!

Have your hubby take some cards/flyers to his work. Go around to wedding shops and ask to leave some cards/flyers/brochures. Get a t-shirt made (www.vistaprint.com) and where it to places and deliveries! Kinda like a temp. uniform.

You have to have a website!!

I have not paid for any advertising besides making my business cards and the yearly fee for my website. I posted on free advertising sites like wedding wire, yellow pages, google, etc. I have at least 4-5 calls a week from people who found me on the internet. Just be careful advertising is you do not have a license. Also I've seen people advertise in places like craigslist. Really word of mouth is a great free advertisement. good luck.

I'm not legal (yet?) but I've heard of people offering a (small?) discount on a future order for referrals...like if a friend orders from you, and someone they know then orders from you, offer friend a discount on their next order for the referral. Would probably make it a one-time thing, though...otherwise it might snowball...
Also - maybe offer freebies to the teachers at the local school? Put a cake in the teacher work room...Teachers LOVE free food! Leave a pile of cards and you're bound to get some business that way! Teachers know a lot of people...including parents of kids who have birthdays....and graduations...
HTH!

I agree word of mouth is huge that how i get alot of orders...also im not sure if any of you have facebook but i have a page on facebook and i was amazed with how many people emailed me from seeing the page, its also cool because you can keep adding you pictures so when you add them to the facebook page it notifies anyone that is your "fan" of the new pictures. I also have a blog site as well.

Has any one had a cake tasting event in or around there neighborhood?? Ive been wanting to advertise my cakes this way in my subdivision, but im a bit nervous of doing soo because im not licenced. Any suggestions?

- Word of mouth.
- Give a business card to EVERYONE. I give them to young girls working the fast food drive thru window when I see an engagement ring on their finger!
- Join a networking group like BNI. THIS IS THE #1 THING YOU CAN DO! DO IT TODAY! Tell them Debi from the Greenfield IN chapter sent you.
- Website presence is mandatory.
- Sign up on every free website you can. I'm on 21.
- Do press releases on every little thing. (submit photos to ACD magazine and when they're printed, do a press release.)
- Join the local Chamber. Do press releases to their newsletter which goes to all the local businesses.
- I've been giving referral credit for 30 years. It works.
- Develop an email data base, then sign up with Constant Contact. Send a monthly newsletter with news, tips, monthly specials, etc. (It's only like $150 a year and you can send a newsletter every single day, if you want to).
- Get on Twitter. Connect with locals and post a note about your biz, about what you're doing, about a daily special ... just keep your name out there. (There are LOTS of weddign palnenrs on Twitter). And it's free.
- Start a blog. They're free. Post pics and volumes of your cake wisdom. I had to start one (finally) because I was running out of room on my FAQ website page. Then you can post links to your blog on Twitter.