I'm baking several cutout cookies with colorflow and cupcakes for the bake sale at my daughter's school for Halloween. Proceeds go to the PTA. Is it tacky to put a small (size of an address label) sticker on the things I bake with my business name and contact info? I just bake out of my home. Any input is appreciated. Thanks!
I'm interested in this answer too. I want to make several items (cake pops, cookies) for my daughter's fall festival night at her school as well as a really nice fondant covered cake for the cake walk. However, although I am doing to help out, I would really like to get some word-of-mouth advertising for it, if possible. I don't want to be "tacky" about it though. If it would be thought of as "tacky" to put my name/contact info. on the items, I probably won't do a ton of stuff. I will still do the cake, but would have to arrange special for the other items as I don't think the PTO is doing a bake sale as such.
texascakemomma, I also run my cake business from home and I have been approached to bake cakes and cupcakes for one of the local school's fetes this weekend. I agreed but asked them if I could put my business cards on the table where they are being sold. They were more than happy to let me do this. My advice is to ask them and see what they say - a lot of fetes I have participated in are more than happy to support my business this way.
Is it tacky to put a small (size of an address label) sticker on the things I bake with my business name and contact info? I just bake out of my home.
If you have a legal home-based business, it's not tacky to advertise that you're licensed to also sell your products... it makes good business sense if the consumer can contact you with questions about your products. (Wouldn't everyone's products be required to have an ingredients label?)
I give to my school all the time but I never advertise. My daughter goes to a private school where many parents own businesses and we all volunteer. Word of mouth has gotten me known throughout the school without looking like I have an ulterior motive for the donation. A good way to get yourself noticed in those situations is to volunteer often, especially when you are the only one on a particular project.
I think I agree w/ you "scp" I have wanted to get more involved in the PTO and help - but I think it will be kind of obvious that I am "using" the contacts ---- I think I should just get involved more and take it from there. <3 Thanks for your input!
I don't think it would be tacky at all!! If a local bakery were to donate items, you better believe their packaging would include their logo.
JMHO 
But a local bakery is not a parent whose child is benefiting from the school. At my school, it would backfire. You get alot more people talking about you when you truly give. My daughter was known as the cupcake girl one year before my business was open. We volunteered for everything and always sent double and triple what was expected. As I said before, many parents who volunteer have businesses (and are your potential clients). They aren't volunteering in order to advertise and it may be looked at as a cheap shot. If you want to volunteer and advertise your business, do it somewhere else. There are plenty of causes that could use baked goods.
But a local bakery is not a parent whose child is benefiting from the school. At my school, it would backfire. You get alot more people talking about you when you truly give. My daughter was known as the cupcake girl one year before my business was open. We volunteered for everything and always sent double and triple what was expected. As I said before, many parents who volunteer have businesses (and are your potential clients). They aren't volunteering in order to advertise and it may be looked at as a cheap shot. If you want to volunteer and advertise your business, do it somewhere else. There are plenty of causes that could use baked goods.
I acknowledge that it may depend on the culture of the school. When my kids were young, we experienced numerous corporate transfers, so they attended schools in 4 different states. Some PTO's were very "cliquish" and were run by moms who expected everyone else to conform to their wishes...I was always "class mom" and one teacher confided that she wouldn't have anything to do with the PTO's fund-raisers because the women in charge were so snobby!. So I can see that if there is pervasive judgmentalism, then you might not want to put a sticker on a cupcake.
More recently, my daughters were in marching band, and one of the band member's parents owned a local bbq restaurant...they were always donating food for band functions and their sandwiches came in the restaurant's logo-imprinted wrappers. It generated nothing but good will for the restaurant.
Advertising never hurts so even if you are asked to donate I don't see is as being pushy or snobby....My cake labels go on everything that walks out the door and I have never had negative feedback from anyone at the school...come to think of it...they make the comments that you are Kiddiekakes..the lady who made the cupcakes and donated the teacher cake last year.........I get lots of business from it...We are all like a little coop at the school...we try to support everyone's business ventures...some Mom's cut hair..some Dayhome,some sell Tupperware,Pampered chef etc..we all take the catologs etc when someone is having a party if we want stuff we buy if not nobody gets offended but I would rather buy/contribute to a stay at home Mom trying to make a little money selling Tupperware than a huge store like Walmart.JMO 
I decided not to advertise afterall. I live in TX and therefore am not liscensed because of the current law...I don't think anyone would have turned me in, but you never know. My oldest is in Kindergarten so I'm new at this! Thanks for all the input, it gave me a lot to consider.
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