A jewlery store approached me for a cake order! Yay. I need to feed 400 people for a v.i.p. event. Only downfall it is for "trade" for advertisement. They will accept sheet cakes to serve and let me display a dummy cake in the front of the store. They are looking for a christmas themed cake. I committed to making a stack of gifts in the colors requested (red gold silver green). I am sooooooo NERVOUS! I haven't ever done an order this large before and it for next thursday when I have cakes due for that weekend also.

Blah Blah Blah I know I ramble but I am soooo excited & nervous at the same time. I really hope I didn't get over my head. I accepted this for the huge advertising I will recieve.

Tell me I am not crazy.....please

Did I mention this store is the center of a shopping mall??? EEEK

You're not CrAzY...but you will be BuSy!!!! {(((Good luck!!)))}

congratulations! I'm sure you'll do great...don't worry. Just think...this'll get you prepare for all the holiday orders this will bring in. You're not crazy!

Just make sure you REALLY get advertising out of it! Posters, cards, brochures - the works! Don't just make the cake and put a little card next to it that says "made by"....... that's a lot of work to make sheetcakes and a display cake and not get paid so you better get something out of it!! I'd plaster the place w/ brochures and business cards and such - ooh maybe even bring a book of some of your work to have on display..... and contact info!! Good luck!

If you are comfortable about baking, decorating and delivering the huge order, why not .. It's only you who can really tell youself if you are capable of making this cake or not. So I really won't say that you are or are not crazy.

Good luck

This is what they are allowing me:

8X10 sign next to cake
brochures

They are also handing business cards with each slice

I think it sounds like a great opportunity. I can't wait to see what the cake looks like. I just took a peek at your photos--you do great work!

Are they going to display it beyond the one day of the event? I hope so! Otherwise that doesn't sound like a good enough deal for you.

Good luck and be sure to post a picture!

Holly

I agree with imartsy, make sure that you make the most out of the advertising, because placing a card beside the cake just isn't enough.
And...I totally agree with the photo album, with all your cake photos, or perhaps a poster board.

Sounds good to me . . . go for it!
Leslie

Prettycake, I guess I am comfortable, it just came from out of the blue. I think it will test me if I am ready to enter the business and handle alot.

Lisa. I think this is a great oppurtunity for you!!

All of your cakes are fabulous!

You will do great


(no you are not crazy) well... ...na... j/k!

Thanks Holly...I guess I am just getting my feet wet with the business side of the cake business. That was something I need to discuss with them tomorrow. I already committed. But I will learn from any business mistakes I may forgot.

Sounds like a great deal to me!

Wow no you are not crazy wish I could get something like that set up good luck.

Congratulations!

The display cake sounds wonderful. Will you be using dummies? How big will each gift box be? I can't wait to see this, please post a photo!

Theresa

Lisa - you are not crazy and you are more than up for this. Your cakes are beautiful - I hope the advertising trade works for you because truthfully I think you should be getting paid, too. You are way talented.

you can do this!! Don't doubt yourself, you can totally pull it off and it will be great for your business.

Are you kidding me? I just took a look at your photo gallery and I think you would be crazy if you DIDN'T think you were ready for this! In my opinion, you are more than ready! You go get 'em girl!!!

I also just peeked at your photos...you are already a pro, whether you realize it or not! Good luck with the huge order! I'm sure you will do just fine. This could open a lot of doors for you!!! Please let us know how it goes...I'll check back!

What a great opportunity, but that's a lot of work. How much cake do you need for 400 people? The advertisement will be fantastic if you survive the process. Crazy? Heck no, just BUSY!!

i really should take this personally, i go off for a couple of weeks & BAM, i'm on the back burner....you didn't tell me this...well hmmmm...i'm not real sure what to think...wanta fly me out to help ya

oh yeah


GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU, CONGRATULATIONS, YOU GO GIRL

Does it have to be one cake, or can it be several cakes? If you can do it in several cakes, it would give you an even greater opportunity to show off your skills.

Theresa

Go Lisa, go Lisa, go Lisa! My idea...have Michael walking back and forth wearing a sandwich board sign that says, "My Mommy bakes the VERY best!" That would be too cute! Best of luck to you, I am soooo proud of you!

Thankyou so much everyone. Sorry Tara!!!!! LOL. I love you Babe.

Well here's a pic of my display cake so far.It is the top 3 tiers. I am aiming to do 5 or 6 high.

Thanks Again for all the encouraging words. It has definetly helped!!!!

Spottydog, I looked at your pictures when I read your first post and said aloud "OMG, you can so do this!!!" (And DH looked at me like I had two heads! ) Then, I looked at your display cake- you go, girl! Congratulations and hugs to you!

Well, you MAY be crazy, but either way it looks like you can realy do this! You have talent girl!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy the fame of the mall window! Go by it 5 times a day just to see your creation in the window! Love your window cake! (oops, got caught up in the window cake fantasy) And you should get your advertising and they still should have paid you, I have done some promo petit fours (my talent shrinks to yours) they handed out business cards, and I still charged half price and they were thrilled! Again, you are so much more gifted, hope to develope a talent close to yours! Congrats!

I think it is a great opportunity. Jewelry stores (especially in the middle of the mall!) will get so much business around Christmas time and I'm sure you will definitely reap the benefits of that! By the way, I just looked at your photos and I wanted to say that your cakes are absolutely gorgeous! I hope I can eventually make cakes as beautiful as yours !!