Do any of you offer monthly specials? Im a home-baker (legal in my state) and I want to start to increase sales. I just came off a cake break and am rearing to go!

I tried a search on CC and havent found anything. Im considering doing a promotion of cupcake flavor of the month or something like that. Do any of you do that? And how do you do it? Do you have delivery/pick-up on a certain day ea. month? Certain flavors that are discounted that month? Im trying to think up different promotions and am stuck on cupcake of the month, but Im not sure how to go about it.

TIA!
Alyssa

We do specials from time to time corresponding to holidays and seasons. The specials are not discounted, they are just highlighted on our web site.

For example, green cupcakes for St. Patrick's Day:
http://www.allergyfriendlypastries.com/photos/green-velvet-cupcakes.jpg

Fruit tarts in the summer when berries are cheap and high quality:
http://www.allergyfriendlypastries.com/photos/fruit_tart_feb2010.jpg

And pumpkin spice muffins in the fall:
http://www.allergyfriendlypastries.com/photos/pumpkinmuffinpic.jpg

I do not offer promotions or "specials" at this time, but am curious to see what others are doing/saying.

I'm a home baker also but I only do cupcakes. Occasionally, I will offer 6 free cupcakes with an order of a dozen.

Hmmm....interesting idea...I might try something like this (I truly hope you don't mind!). I like the cupcake/month idea though - you can do themed cupcakes (based on the season or holiday) like jasonkraft suggested. For me, I would like to offer a cupcake style that I've never done along with a recipe I've never used. This would just help me try new techniques/recipes.

I wouldn't do it as a promotion or discount the cupcakes though.

Delivery? Well, maybe have a cut off - say that all orders have to be in by (date of the last Monday of the month), or something like that. That way all that month's orders would be done before you start the next month's promotion.

If you do this, I'd be interested to see how it works for you! Good luck!

Tinabarena - that's exactly what I was thinking! Order by such and such date - delivery on such and such date(s). I'm thinking maybe I'll kick it off in October maybe with some ghoulish cuppies! We'll see how it goes!

You do great work, so I have a feeling this would work out fantastic for you!

Some other ideas I had:
-if you have kids (or know of any) in elementary school - try to talk up the promotion with the parents - I do a ton of birthday cupcakes, but maybe a parent would want to get some cupcakes for the kids classroom?

-if you know of any kids on sports - parents might want to buy some cupcakes to give the team after their last game

-same thing for school events - I usually donate for these things - but it's a good way to get your name out to the parents

-obviously you can do holiday/seasoned cupcakes, but also look at the smaller, not so often celebrated, holidays - like grandparents day or bosses day...it's something different and someone might think it's fun to bring cupcakes into work. I would love to do something fun and unique (but, you might not get too many orders for the off holidays)

I'm really thinking I'm going to do this too. I also do chocolate covered items and cake balls, so I might alternate each month, or offer both and see which does better. Maybe keep it at two items or cut it down to one if one product sells more than the other.

Such a great idea!! I wish you the best of luck!

A lot of great ideas Tinabarena! Thanks! And good luck to you as well!!!

I do a "flavor of the week" with a picture and description. No discounts on that, just highlighting a new flavor. I also offer a 10% discount for military and teachers all the time. It really helps business, as I get a lot of referrals from those two sources.

Hmmm...the discount for teachers is intriguing. And I know LOTS of those!!!

Oh, I like the idea of the discount to the military/teachers!

I just posted my first "September Promotion" and I have already received 3 orders. Some facebook friends have told me that they really liked the idea and plan on ordering in the future. I have so many ideas for the next couple months that I almost want to do two a month!

It's really amazing how 10% off=more business. My clients really like the idea, and when they need a cake for a baby shower, birthday, holiday party or whatnot, someone mentions that you offer a discount and you've got another order. It has definitely increased my profits!

I'm anxious to see if this works. When I posted my cc promotion, I also added that if you refer someone to me then you would get 10% off your next order. I haven't received anything from this yet (just posted it earlier this week), but I will make sure that I add it to my business cards and tell people when cakes are delivered and such. I don't know how you keep track of it, but I was thinking that after I find out it is a referral, I would send that person a card letting them know. This is a twofold reason: (i) obtaining another possible order, (ii) will help me keep track of the referrals, and (iii) just a nice way to thank someone (ok, so that was three...)

I figured that it can't hurt trying it, ya know? Reminds me of that pyramid type thing - one person tells 2 people, they tell 2 more people...

I'm totally jumping the gun, but I sometimes worry about getting too much business...right now it's at a perfect level for me (I work full time, 2 young kids, very active in their school...yada yada yada). I have a hard time saying no, so I know that I'd take on the orders, but I don't want my inevitable exhaustion to effect my final product!

I just ran a special for 2 weeks on fb for $10 off...I got nothing I was just talking about this in last friday night's cake club on CC and Leah said that she has been running a couple specials and no one was biting on them either, for a while. so yea...I don't know if specials really work but I guess they're always worth a shot!

There is a Friday Night Cake Club???

My experience so far - not that it is an over abundance - has truely been word of mouth, friends of friends, that type of thing. I would eventually like to get into the wedding cake area - but I know I need a lot more practice, so if I can get it via friends/friends of friends, then I'll take it.

The thing that frustrates me (especially on FB) is that I get comments all the time about how great the cakes are and 'i'm definately going to call you for my daughter's cake'...and yet nothing comes through. But, like I said, I'm at a good pace; couple cakes every weekend which makes me consistent. I'd eventually like to create an actual website, but again, I'm afraid I might not be able to come through on everything. Plus - I still need to get some more cakes under my belt to feel confident enough to do something like that.

I looked at your photos - and I LOVE the hamburger one!