AI started a at home baker and need to build a good client tell for the holiday. If it is relevant I make cakes, cheesecakes and cannolis mainly but I can also do a lot of cupcakes and such

AWelcome to CC Leeajohns!

AWelcome to cc

A

AThanks yall any advice?

I'm in the process of building up my clientele list. I did a few market stalls in my area to promote myself. Handed out free samples to my neighbours and parents at local schools. I have four or five nurseries around me and they were all very sweet and let me leave a batch of cake pops to give to the parents as they came to pick up their kids. Go out to your local high street and hand out business cards and get your friends to pass on your cards too. I make customised cakes, cupcakes, cake pops etc so targeting the parent market for me was key for all those birthday parties. You make one cake a success and the other parents will see it too and be interested. Similarly I also left samples at two florists and a boutique shop near by just so that they would recommend me to their clients for weddings etc.

Personally I find that cake pops are a good sample to give away. They're much smaller than cupcakes so you aren't giving away huge amounts of cake and you can get them to look very pretty easily so you can show off your skills that way. I'm not sure how this would translate for you but you can do something similar. 

What I've learnt is that building a clientele is difficult and long and you need to invest money into it. I hope you have some online presence to showcase your work? I have a FB page and am in the process of building up a website. I have gotten all of my friends to like it and they have shared it also. There are groups you can join to advertise yourself. For example I posted on a FB group for Es*** Mums. Perhaps get an Instagram account too? Bit by bit it will happen. You just need patience and a bit of elbow grease! I started off first by the market stalls and cakes I made for friends. Then I sent out samples and a few orders for friends. I took pictures of everything and advertised them on FB and Instagram. Even now I am planning to make some cake balls next weekend and send them as samples to the nurseries again. Please don't expect overnight success! Be patient! :)

AThank you so much!! So helpful

AI have been a home baker (legal) for almost 8 years now. I decided I wanted to target brides because in my area weddings are where the money is at. So I signed up for a free listing on wedding wire and a paid listing on The Knot. I get most of my clients from these two sites. Make sure you have a business Google account (free) to direct the Googlers to your website. There is also a large bridal show in my area that I participate in once a year (about 600 brides).

My website is what really helped my business. Once that was up and running the orders started coming fast and steady.