What To Talk About

Business By Number2daughter Updated 25 Feb 2014 , 11:39pm by AZCouture

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Number2daughter Posted 21 Feb 2014 , 5:00pm
post #1 of 11

A local reception venue is hosting an "open house" for prospective clients and has offered a place for my cake shop to set up a table similar to the bridal expos with cake samples, displays, info, etc. As part of the agreement I need to give a 5-10 minute talk to brides about wedding cakes. Any thoughts or suggestions for a topic? TIA!

10 replies
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ellavanilla Posted 21 Feb 2014 , 6:32pm
post #2 of 11

You could talk about the process of ordering a custom made cake and emphasize the roles of each side and organize it by the steps that have to happen from that first call to a baker to the day the cake is delivered. 

 

Or you could choose a funny story from your biz experience and emphasize a particular aspect of cake ordering like "the day i delivered a buttercream wedding cake to the beach."

 

What about "Why having a cake budget is important."

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cakesbycathy Posted 21 Feb 2014 , 7:07pm
post #3 of 11

Why price shouldn't be the only thing you take into consideration when choosing a baker.

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Godot Posted 21 Feb 2014 , 11:07pm
post #4 of 11

ALegalities and health department inspections.

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DeliciousDesserts Posted 22 Feb 2014 , 12:06am
post #5 of 11

AWhy you do what you do and why you love it

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Sweetnkind Posted 22 Feb 2014 , 12:12am
post #6 of 11

Oh my gawd, PLEASE educate the brides on why they should NOT base their baker choice solely on price... 

 

My wedding cake was a disaster because we picked our baker based on price and not skill. it's the only thing I truly regret about my wedding. If only I knew then what I know now! :/ 

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savannahquinn Posted 23 Feb 2014 , 1:06am
post #7 of 11

Quote:

Originally Posted by ellavanilla 
 

You could talk about the process of ordering a custom made cake and emphasize the roles of each side and organize it by the steps that have to happen from that first call to a baker to the day the cake is delivered. 

 

Or you could choose a funny story from your biz experience and emphasize a particular aspect of cake ordering like "the day i delivered a buttercream wedding cake to the beach."

 

What about "Why having a cake budget is important."

Great Ideas! 

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Number2daughter Posted 25 Feb 2014 , 4:04pm
post #8 of 11

Thanks to all who responded-food for thought that's for sure. I had some of the same ideas as some of you-just afraid I will come off to the audience as"snarky" Can I be honest and say that I get weary with the education process....explaining why it is not more cost effective (in my shop) to have a fake cake on display and sheet cakes in the kitchen.... that it's not just cake...and that you have to make an appointment to talk with me not just drop by on Saturday morning when you and your mumsy are out doing the wedding planning thing! I love doing what I do-making/decorating cakes. I do not love the order process. BUT that is where it begins huh? So I will probably combine the aforementioned topics-yes Godot-including the legalities and health dept. and see if I get more than glassy eyed stares that just want to know if they can have the cake of their dreams. Wish me luck! Thanks again everyone.

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costumeczar Posted 25 Feb 2014 , 9:47pm
post #9 of 11

Keep it upbeat and focus on yourself. I would start by saying that people do things differently, but this is how I do it...then talk about how to start looking for a baker. The licensing and inspection thing should be front and center, I'm with Godot on that. Feel free to use the story of the health inspector who told me he'd been to one place where the woman had to have three inspections before she had "an
acceptable level of dog hair in her candy." That always wakes people up, hahaha!

 

You can mention that calling around and asking for pricing can be deceptive because once people add in their "art fees" delivery etc, the price can be a lot higher than it starts out.

 

I'd tell them to limit their shopping to three or fewer cake appointments, because they should get referrals from friends and family before they even start calling around, and there's no good reason to go to ten appointments.

 

Tell them to not wait until three or four months out to book their baker, the wedding magazines are wrong!

 

5 minutes is going to go by pretty fast.

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mcaulir Posted 25 Feb 2014 , 10:20pm
post #10 of 11

I haven't ever done this, but I would suggest not trying to educate anyone. You'll just sound like the bitter cake woman who is sick of clients. No-one wants to be the client you use as a cautionary tale in your next speech.

 

Talk about the fun bits and how you go about designing beautiful cakes, and how much fun it is to come up with something that matches the spirit of the wedding atmosphere that the very special couple is trying to create, blah blah blah.

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AZCouture Posted 25 Feb 2014 , 11:39pm
post #11 of 11

A[quote name="costumeczar" url="/t/768420/what-to-talk-about#post_7488057"]Keep it upbeat and focus on yourself. I would start by saying that people do things differently, but this is how I do it...then talk about how to start looking for a baker. The licensing and inspection thing should be front and center, I'm with Godot on that. Feel free to use the story of the health inspector who told me he'd been to one place where the woman had to have three inspections before she had "an

acceptable level of dog hair in her candy." That always wakes people up, hahaha!

You can mention that calling around and asking for pricing can be deceptive because once people add in their "art fees" delivery etc, the price can be a lot higher than it starts out.

I'd tell them to limit their shopping to three or fewer cake appointments, because they should get referrals from friends and family before they even start calling around, and there's no good reason to go to ten appointments.

Tell them to not wait until three or four months out to book their baker, the wedding magazines are wrong!

5 minutes is going to go by pretty fast. [/quote

I would definitely follow this list of suggestions.

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