Bogo For Debut At Farmers Market?

Business By tavyheather Updated 13 Jan 2012 , 2:31pm by elliespartycake

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tavyheather Posted 12 Jan 2012 , 4:56pm
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Yes I'm legal before anyone goes there.

Starting at a newer farmers market in so cal and thinking of doing but one get one free cupcake for the first day. It will be the first time a sweets vendor will be there so they're warning me people won't be prepared to drop cash on sweets ( but I have cornered te market har har so that's good...)

Wdyt?? I'm not a biz person icon_sad.gif but I can bake!

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Momofjaic Posted 12 Jan 2012 , 5:25pm
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Couple of q's 1) how many days is it? 2) if more than one day at a time would you be able to bake and decorate more for the next day. If you do this make sure you let everyone know it's today only. They will come back and want same deal next mo. Hope that helps good luck and have fun!!

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jgifford Posted 12 Jan 2012 , 5:27pm
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If you're the first sweets vendor, you might get mobbed. I would rethink the BOGO until maybe the second or third time.

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Momofjaic Posted 12 Jan 2012 , 5:30pm
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You could save it of end of day to move product.

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AnnieCahill Posted 12 Jan 2012 , 5:31pm
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How about just a drawing for a free dozen cupcakes?

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tavyheather Posted 12 Jan 2012 , 7:06pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jgifford

If you're the first sweets vendor, you might get mobbed. I would rethink the BOGO until maybe the second or third time.




Lol I would LOVE it if that happened!!!

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tavyheather Posted 12 Jan 2012 , 7:12pm
post #7 of 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by Momofjaic

Couple of q's 1) how many days is it? 2) if more than one day at a time would you be able to bake and decorate more for the next day. If you do this make sure you let everyone know it's today only. They will come back and want same deal next mo. Hope that helps good luck and have fun!!




It's just one day. It's a smaller market with only About 20 vendors, so there's not a huge likelyhood of my needing to make more...

I'm thinking people will be wary of trying someone new so why would they want to chance endin up with 2 cupcakes they might not like...maybe I should just stick with free samples instead...although I've heard bad things about giving free samples...

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elliespartycake Posted 12 Jan 2012 , 9:10pm
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I have been selling at my local farmer's market for about 1 1/2 years. I've learned a lot. Have your attended this market before as a shopper? That way you would know if it is an upscale type of market or more moderate in terms of what they sell and pricing.
I have found that in order to make money you have to have what the customers want and not just what you want to make. Do not go the BOGO route (at least not at the first one.) Have most everything in small serving sizes. People do not want to purchase a whole cake or pie. They want a little sugary sinfulness but not too much. This is what I typically bring to my market:

Fresh baked scones (have them unbaked and frozen so that on the morning of the market I pop them in the oven and "voila" warm scones)
Cupcakes ( I sell them individually at full price and boxes of 4 at a $.50 discount)
Cake slices (I bake one or two 8"cakes and sell slices -about 18 slices per cake and I seldom come home with leftovers)Everyone wants a piece of cake, but no one wants a whole cake hanging around the house...too tempting.
Small 5" tarts
Slices of Pie
Hand decorated sugar cookies, individually packaged in cellophane. (always sell out)
Apple Cake Squares (a single layer 9x13 cake, moist and full of apples and nuts; makes 15 pieces)

Each market is different. If you want folks to get to know you, try baking 1 or 2 dozen mini cupcakes as samples. Have lots of biz cards and flyers/brochures. I pick up a lot of orders via my market.

Have fun!

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Momofjaic Posted 12 Jan 2012 , 10:29pm
post #9 of 10

Ellie how much do you sell your scones and cookies for?

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elliespartycake Posted 13 Jan 2012 , 2:31pm
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I currently sell my scones for $2 and the cookies for between $2 and $3 depending on how detailed the decoration is.

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