Please Help! I Need Ideas!! Cakes For Teachers?

Business By CakeAddict95 Updated 23 Aug 2013 , 3:32pm by shanter

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CakeAddict95 Posted 18 Aug 2013 , 12:06am
post #1 of 15

Hi everyone!

 

As I'm expanding my decorating business, I've been wanting to advertise in some different ways.

 

A new thought was to make a two specialty cakes and donate them to my son and daughter's schools for their meet the teacher (creature) nights.

 

I'm absolutely fine with detailing these free cakes - I want them to show my skill and really impress those teachers (who all have little ones at home who need birthday cakes!) hahaha.

 

I've been having some trouble coming up with ideas for the cakes. My son's cake will be for high school teachers, and my daughter's cake will be for an elementary school.

 

Any ideas?? Please help! I'm running out of time and I need to have a good idea of what I'm going to do about these cakes.

 

I will probably have to feed around 60 teachers and staff per cake.

 

I want to make something different, innovative, fun ................................

 

You get the jist and this is starting to turn into a novel!! Please let me know if you have any suggestions whatsoever.

14 replies
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kaylawaylalayla Posted 18 Aug 2013 , 12:09am
post #2 of 15

ASchool mascots?

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Smckinney07 Posted 18 Aug 2013 , 12:22am
post #3 of 15

AHigh School-mascots, school letters, sports teams/academic clubs. You could make a tiered cake with the school letters standing on top and spread some other school related activities around the cake.

Kids cake-You can make a chalkboard plaque with the schools name, wrap it with a yellow ruler, apple on top, abc's, 123...I know it's not something crazy different but it's hard to personalize a cake for several people you know?

I think they will be wowed either way

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Elcee Posted 18 Aug 2013 , 1:03am
post #4 of 15

I'm hesitant to bring this up but I think I will just as food for thought. You can ignore it if you like but I just hate to think that you'd have high hopes about this and them realize that you've wasted your time and product...I work in a high school and the staff would NEVER order anything from a parent; not cake, not jewelry, not Tupperware, not Avon. It crosses a boundary. To be perfectly honest, we wouldn't eat anything made by a parent, either. We take whatever it is, thank them graciously, and toss it when they leave. Unopened store-bought treats are appreciated, though. I can't speak for elementary schools.

 

Sorry icon_sad.gif.Maybe, hopefully, your kids' school is different. 

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CakeAddict95 Posted 18 Aug 2013 , 1:47am
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Actually, I'm good friends with three of my son's teachers and they are the ones who recommended me to do this! Since my business is legitimate I'm sure they aren't hesitant to order anything with me. I also have permission from the principals of both schools, they were both really eager to find out what I was going to be making!

 

Thanks for the advice though, I can see how your school may be different ... I, myself, wouldn't eat something prepared by a parent if I was a teacher, but I'm pretty close to the schools and the teachers alike. Hopefully it will go over well.

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kaylawaylalayla Posted 18 Aug 2013 , 1:52am
post #6 of 15

A

Original message sent by Elcee

I'm hesitant to bring this up but I think I will just as food for thought. You can ignore it if you like but I just hate to think that you'd have high hopes about this and them realize that you've wasted your time and product...I work in a high school and the staff would NEVER order anything from a parent; not cake, not jewelry, not Tupperware, not Avon. It crosses a boundary. To be perfectly honest, we wouldn't eat anything made by a parent, either. We take whatever it is, thank them graciously, and toss it when they leave. Unopened store-bought treats are appreciated, though. I can't speak for elementary schools.

Sorry icon_sad.gif .Maybe, hopefully, your kids' school is different. 

Sorry offtopic. But why? Do you not trust the parents? Do you think they're nasty?

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sixinarow Posted 18 Aug 2013 , 1:59am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Elcee 

I'm hesitant to bring this up but I think I will just as food for thought. You can ignore it if you like but I just hate to think that you'd have high hopes about this and them realize that you've wasted your time and product...I work in a high school and the staff would NEVER order anything from a parent; not cake, not jewelry, not Tupperware, not Avon. It crosses a boundary. To be perfectly honest, we wouldn't eat anything made by a parent, either. We take whatever it is, thank them graciously, and toss it when they leave. Unopened store-bought treats are appreciated, though. I can't speak for elementary schools.

 

Sorry icon_sad.gif.Maybe, hopefully, your kids' school is different. 

I would also have to wonder if teachers' are your target market? If you are trying to expand your customer base, there's unfortunately not a lot of salary with that profession.

 

If you're wanting to do it to be nice, great -- but I have to second Elcee -- my mom was a teacher and so is my sister and another bil -- they never ate or brought home food from parents. I'm sure the people who know you will, but the others may not, so it may not end up being the best marketing plan for your business.

 

BUT -- if this is the market you are going after, you may think about doing a "back-to-school" special and offering a coupon for the teachers' with a discount on their first order with you. That may be a better marketing campaign for you. They take it home...look at it...pass on your information and you can follow up with email.  Just a thought.

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cakesbycathy Posted 18 Aug 2013 , 2:21am
post #8 of 15

The other issue you may run into is the teachers expecting they will get a steep discount because your child goes to their school. 

I suggest offering something like 10% as a courtesy.
 

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Elcee Posted 18 Aug 2013 , 3:08am
post #9 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by kaylawaylalayla 



Sorry offtopic. But why? Do you not trust the parents? Do you think they're nasty?

Why wouldn't we buy from parents? It's not appropriate. The relationship between school staff and parents should remain professional and not personal. How uncomfortable would a conversation about a failing grade, or a student in trouble would be if the parent was a week away from delivering a wedding cake for that teacher?

 

Do we not trust them? Many times, no, we don't. Do we think they're nasty? Sometimes, yes, we do. Do we wonder what the student may have done to the food when mom wasn't looking? YES icon_lol.gif!

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Elcee Posted 18 Aug 2013 , 3:11am
post #11 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by CakeAddict95 

Actually, I'm good friends with three of my son's teachers and they are the ones who recommended me to do this! Since my business is legitimate I'm sure they aren't hesitant to order anything with me. I also have permission from the principals of both schools, they were both really eager to find out what I was going to be making!

 

Thanks for the advice though, I can see how your school may be different ... I, myself, wouldn't eat something prepared by a parent if I was a teacher, but I'm pretty close to the schools and the teachers alike. Hopefully it will go over well.

Well, that's good. Like I said, I was just throwing out my perspective and experience from the other side icon_biggrin.gif.

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cakeballer85 Posted 18 Aug 2013 , 5:12am
post #12 of 15

Aoh my gosh...I had to jump in here...as a school teacher...elementary level...I can assure you anything that enters the teachers lounge is eaten lol! In fact during teacher appreciation week parents sign up to cook several dishes and desserts for our lunch...for the WHOLE week...we absolutely appreciate it and eat it up...now that said I make many cakes for former students and fellow teachers and substitute teachers...we consider that perfectly acceptable...point is you know your audience where you live...Im off to bake a cake for my assisstant :D

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CakeAddict95 Posted 18 Aug 2013 , 2:26pm
post #13 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by cakeballer85 

oh my gosh...I had to jump in here...as a school teacher...elementary level...I can assure you anything that enters the teachers lounge is eaten lol! In fact during teacher appreciation week parents sign up to cook several dishes and desserts for our lunch...for the WHOLE week...we absolutely appreciate it and eat it up...now that said I make many cakes for former students and fellow teachers and substitute teachers...we consider that perfectly acceptable...point is you know your audience where you live...Im off to bake a cake for my assisstant icon_biggrin.gif

Thanks cakeballer85!! I think that the teachers at my kids' schools are just like that. In the past, before my business, I used to bring cupcakes, cookies, etc. for Christmas events and teachers were always first in line for my goodies! Hopefully this goes over well.

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camie14 Posted 23 Aug 2013 , 12:59pm
post #14 of 15

here is a cake I did for my sons school one year, This cake was made for my sons teacher who won the APPLE Award for our school, it was also teacher appreciation week.  I stacked the cakes and carved then into shape covered with BC and then covered in Fondant that I airbrushed in holiday red then red pearl.  The book is rice crispy treats coverd in fondant and the book worm is gum paste.  Thanks for looking

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shanter Posted 23 Aug 2013 , 3:32pm
post #15 of 15

camie: Love it! Soooo cute.

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