I live in a rural area and most of my business is word of mouth. I'm planning to promote my home business at a local booth sale. I plan to have a decorated cake and ask people to put their name and phone number in a pot and the winner will get the cake later in the day. I wanted to make samples of a couple of the cakes I do. I'm thinking if I do a sheet cake and cut the sample pieces the cake itself will dry out throughout the day. The event is 9-4. The other idea I had was doing cupcakes or even mini cup cakes. Looking for suggestions....has anyone else do this?

I wouldn't do the free cake deal, to me it sounds too much like you're with a direct sale company (i.e. Longaberger, Thirty-One, etc). But that is just my opinion! I would make mini cupcakes and do different flavors in those to sell or give away (whichever you planned on doing).  My friend does something local where we are that is similar, she has a coffee shop and sells homemade muffins.  For this even she makes mini muffins to have on hand.  That way people get a 1 to 2 bite (depending on how big your mouth is...hehe) helping out of the deal.

AI'd save the free cake for a Bridal Show. If you want to make cupcakes get some boxes and do a cash n carry. Decorate some of the cupcakes so you can show off your skills, maybe simple flowers, bugs, summer type themes. A drawing is a great way to get contact info, you could have a drawing for a discount coupon. Have little forms with name, email, address and phone so you can call the winner. You can even send thank you emails to the other people that entered with a link to your site. You could have several $5 off coupons (or something like that) so you'll actually get an order rather then shelling out all the money for free samples. I'd put an expiration date on the coupon though, you can call the winners and mail the coupons so you get to talk to them a second time.

Thanks for such awesome information of cake tasting.. It help me in my bakery..