Hi everyone, does anyone have any ideas on how to generate more business and get more cake orders? Its gone a little bit quiet at the moment and trying to be proactive!

advertise - go to businesses and introduce yourself, take samples, let them know you exist, have a open house for people to stop by and sample your products, send something in with a family member to work, facebook, twitter, etc

HTH

I have to agree with getting on facebook. We've gotten several orders from FB just by having a biz page on there. We also got orders from putting bite sized samples into lidded cups and dropping them off at neighborhood hair salons and boutiques.

Are you licensed? If you are... then bake a cake or two.. take them down to a local radio station and give them to them They cant seem to resist talking on air about good food that is brought to them.

second best advertisement: Call your local library, find out when they are having story time parties. Most libraries have to pay a discounted price for their cakes. You tell them you will donate a cake for their party. Drop the cake off, grab a book, sit and read.. and watch ALL those mommies and daddies freak over the cake and exclaim how they just have to have that SPECIAL made cake for their child... and not to be out done by susie-Q, little Marks mommy has to have a special cake for her son's party too... make sure you take your date book !!!

It may sound evil and diabolical.. to play the parents off on each other.. but they are the ones wanting to out do each other. YOu just have to make the cakes.

Ohhh....I love the radio station idea!! I have had good luck with samples in lidded cups (I place a label on it with biz name and contact info) to salons but mostly to a party supply/rental store!

Tons of ways to drum up new business.

Do a search on google to find Wedding Planners in your area. Wedding Planners are always looking for the best they can find for their clients. Cupcakes have become extremely popular for weddings and of course the profit is pretty sweet on them.

Invite the wedding planners to your shop or bring them your samples.

I love the suggestion on the radio stations as well.

You can also talk to wedding dress shops and ask them if you can leave your brochure in their shop and visa versa...

Much success to you!

great ideas guys!! keep them coming! I am getting in touch with all the wedding suppliers in my local area, free samples are a good idea too!

Have a special. Advertise on your web site or face book page or your store that if they order a cake by such and such date, they get a discount or a free smash cake or something like that. I often have wedding cake sales where they get free delivery if they order by a certain date. Even if it isnt much, people love a bargain!

I just got a call today requesting pricing from a woman who tasted a sample of my cake at a hair salon.
She said "I love the taste of your cake & I want the cake to be from you". I have found that if they taste it, then they want it. Otherwise-they call to check price and the order rate is lower as they are just looking at numbers.
I just do a single layer cake, cut into 1.5" cubes-filled/iced and pop them into the portion cups with a label. Can get a bunch out of a 9x13 cake...
If they taste it, the orders will come

sugarnspice, do you fill the squares as you would a cupcake? I love this idea .

Sorry-I didn't see the question right away! I bake a square or 9x13-they are a 2" layer. Then I torte it, fill it, ice it and cut into little squares. It is wonderful for a snapshot of the flavor combos. Otherwise, I wasn't selling many filled cakes. I don't make an icing dam as it isn't necessary-the sides are not iced. The icing isn't a real thick layer either-or the piece is too tall to fit into the 4oz jello shot cup

do you just approach the businesses with your cake samples? or do you contact them before hand?

I send out a standard email and then I contact them by phone within 5 days after my email is sent.

I have had good luck with just walking in with them and asking for a manager/owner-I get their permission to leave the samples and my cards. I leave them in something disposable-I use a small carboard box, cut down to size and covered in contact paper. People love food-esp. sweets!

The radio station idea is a great one. I dropped off some cupcakes with our local station and they talked about them all day! Referred to them as "works of art"! And they mentioned my business name for hours. Unfortunately, they didn't give contact info, but....it was fun to listen to!