Hi all,

I've had this happen a few times this year, when I get an inquiry for a wedding but have no availability on their date. I have a friend (former employer) who also has a legal home-based cake biz and when the out-of-town bride asks me if I can recommend someone else she can call in our area, I usually pass along this other baker's name.

I'm wondering what you all do? I'm sure some of you are way too busy to worry about this, but on the off chance you can help, do you? What if you know of a CC'er who's in the bride's wedding area. Do you pass it along?

Just curious! Thanks!

I sure do!!

It's hard because there just isn't many in my area--as in one other about 45 min away from me, but I do pass them on.

I pass along names, too. I have a few local bakers who I refer out to on a daily basis since I book up so far ahead.

Definitely! But only for bakers that I know will do good work with good taste. I've had a few customers come back to me and place an order with me after I've referred them because the other place took care of them well.

Always keep your customers needs first, even if they cant stay your customer because you cant fulfill their needs. Be sure they are reputable and provide a good product and exceptional service. You can loose credibility if you make poor referrals and on the same note, you can gain a great reputation if you make great referrals.

mmm...no.

Only if they ask.....

Of course I do! I've heard some people describe some actions as "carma" --I just think it's kindness to help another along the way!

Thanks for your thoughts. I wasn't notified that anyone had posted.

Yesterday, I took a shot at scrolling thru the memberlist to try and find someone in MA for a particular bride, but you can't enter a state for search criteria, so it's a tedious task scrolling thru locations alphabetically... MA is in the darned middle of hundreds of pages! I gave up.

Yes I did. I had a couple of them, and both are CC'ers. I would not refer to someone whose work I hadn't seen or I wasn't impressed with. As Jill indicated, I didnt' lose customers over it. They thought I was very helpful and came back to me for future orders.

(By the way, Jill is who I began referring brides/clients to when I closed my shop!)

I send people to someone else when they ask and I can't do it....and in return she does the same. Works out well for both of us

I actually referred a bride to someone but I didn't know the bride was a psycho, so you also have to be careful that it's a good referral on both ends! I don't refer everyone who calls me to someone else, but if they sound normal I will.

*didn't know the bride was a psycho.....* LMAO


I recommend one other baker. We have the same philosophy.... that cakes can never be more than the sum of their ingredients. She also bakes from scratch with real butter and an MBC.

The reason I don't is that there is an implied liability when you recommend a business, especially for something as important as a wedding cake.

If I thought anyone in the area did a job as well as we do, I would try to hire them.

That said, with a kitchen staff of five, plus me, we very seldom turn down an order. Everybody likes overtime pay.

humm, I do on ocassion. But now that I think of it, no one has ever repaid the favor.

I do if I know of someone in the area they are that does the same quality of work I do

I do, but only one of the few around here...and never my nemesis who tends to say mean things about my cakes (Boo Hoo)...because she's illegal and infested with jealousy. <--- Isn't that better than obsessing over WHY someone would be so vindictive? Someone showed up for a wedding tasting telling me she'd heard bad things about my cakes from "insert name here"... Made me laugh. Joke was on the other baker when the bride booked with me that night!!
YOINK!!

Now, there is one other legal home baker I will always refer people to...she's wonderful and not cutthroat. It pays to scratch each other's back.

Would love to, but the two other bakers i know of here, i found out, after they had emailed me posing as customers, asking about my prices, adn then one of them even denied having contacted me! not with her name, easily to find on google with her picture!. I live in a 26 million people city, you would think, that there should be enough work to go around. Until i find one, who is honest, i will only send potential customers to hotels. Hell, why can't people be upfront, introduce themselves, get together, have a tasting and a cup of coffee and be nice about it? Would be so nice to have someone I could send overflow to. but i would not do it, if i have a creepy feeling and dishonesty leaves me with just that feeling

Ursula, I agree. It's juvanile to pose as customers. Just honestly call and ask what my prices are, and stop playing kindergarten games!!

When I became licensed, I called the other small bakers around me and introduced myself. Yet no one has ever bothered to call and introduce themselves to me. I think it's just silly to trashtalk other bakers...first of all, why make enemies with people who could send business you way? I don't worry about it anymore. It shows insecurity on the part of the other baker. And the world goes 'round...

I have only done it once, just this weekend. I didn't have the bride's date available and I know another baker who is trying to break into the wedding business so I thought it might be nice to lend a hand. People have done lots of nice things for me. I know she does good work though.

Yes, I do refer them to baker that I know...they are small business's like myself and they return the favor : )

I have a couple bakers who I would definitely trust to send a customer to. They have sent referrals to me and I always return the favor. Also a few bakers who I wouldn't send even the worst customer to!