hi all!

So this is my website, i am just starting out, so any opinions you have are much appreciated!



http://s1.webstarts.com/cake-diva/

Hi Cake Diva,
Great website a few things came to mind while I was looking at it. If you have fillings I would list those flavors as well. For your cake pictures try to make sure they is nothing going on in the background just a picture of the cake. I would go more in detail in the About Me Section, list what kind of cakes you make (topsy turvey, wedding, etc), if you are a member of any cake clubs, or any other cake decorating info. You also don't have where you are located anywhere, you probably don't have a separate location, but the general area would be great and if you deliver and how far you would go. I hope these ideas help.
Good Luck with everything!
Amanda

Not to be rude, but the website is a little messy. If you don't have any experience setting up a website, I suggest using a blog. It has templates set up that make your site look very organized. I would also try to use a little bit more professional wording.

In my opinion I think you should go in more detail in your about me section...and like mandyscraftycreations said...you should make sure your pics are only of the cake...no messy backgrounds. Also, I think your cupcake pricing is very very low. My cupcakes start at $1.25 and go up from there. I don't know where you are located so I don't know what the industry standard is there, but I'm sure you could raise the price on your cuppies with no problem.

Other than that I think it's good. Just a few touching up is needed.

You really need to think about presentation when you take photos of your cakes. You are selling food remember. All of that clutter and mess around the food is a major turn off for me as a potential customer for sanitary reasons. Also, clean the cake boards off of buttercream smears, crumbs, etc.

Here is something easy I do to take pictures of my cakes. Just drape a sheet over a dining room chair. Place the chair by a window for lighting. Sit the cake on the seat and shoot.

Oh and your quote under your logo is unfinished.

I have to agree with the others. The pictures need to be re-done. As a buyer I wouldnt contact you becuase of the clutter and messy areas.
I would also remove the breast cake, if a customer was looking at your work with there child to get ideas I dont think they would like to have that suprise!

Pricing: You are not serious about selling cookies-on-a-stick (cookie pops) for 30 cents apiece? What size are these? Are these different from your cookie bouquets and if so, where is the pricing for the bouquets?

Cupcakes are 28 cents? I'll buy them from you and sell them for $3.00. "Not including icing"......as a customer, I'd be thinking, "holy cow, is she going to charge me for the wrapper, too?" Have one price for an iced cupcake. If you have a premium icing that you charge extra for, then state "add'l charge for premium icing". But since you only list 2 icings on your Flavors page, why are you pricing naked cupcakes anyway?

Contact Me page: This is just a personal preference, but I HATE fill-out-this-form contact pages! I prefer to see the actual email address so I can send my own email. Sometimes what I need to inquire about doesn't fit "inside the box"es. Plus I like to keep a copy of the email in my records. I understand some folks don't want their email on there to avoid getting hit with spam. Again....this is just my personal preference.

Your home page says you will sit with them and plan their cake, but on the Contact Me page, you ask them to give you a description "in detail" so you can send them an estimate. This is conflicting and to most cake civilians, ordering a cake "in detail" means telling the baker "I need a cake .... vanilla .... round ..... make it pretty .... no flowers." I would change the Contact Me verbage to something like "Please give me a general idea of the cake you are looking for, including number of people you need to serve."

And on your pricing page, there is nothing to indicate that any one flavor cost more than the others, so what kind of flavors might I have to pay extra for? "Email me your ideas and I will give you an estimate" again sounds like you're putting the design responsibility on the client, which conflicts with your home page statement. Maybe something like "Email me your ideas and I will work with you to come up with a cake design that fits your theme and your budget!" This sounds more like a partnership than like a grocery store order clerk.

Where are you? If I'm in California, I dont' want to ask you about a cake if you're in Maine. If you dont' want to give your full address, at least give folks a state or a region (i.e. "serving the southern Philadelphia area").

About Me: "So far I am home taught...." Lose the part of "So Far..." it sounds apologetic and sounds like you're in training. Own your statement: "I am home taught". I would suggest using the phrase "self taught" as opposed to "home taught".

Do you have any photos to show the customer the difference between a cookie bouquet and a cookie pop? What is a cupcake pop? (cake civilians have no idea).


Agree with the others on the photos. (are those socks laying next to the elephant cake?). I would seriously re-consider having the boob cake on there. Many people would be offended, especially if they were looking with their children.

I'm a fan of bullet points, so please don't take it as an attack, but meant to be helpful advice-- it took me 9-10 rewrites to get my wesbite right.
*Are you legal? If not, you may consider just posting your photos and not pricing.
*About me should be the second page and should be focused mainly on your cakes rather than your personal life. I'd suggest a photo of you with a spatula as opposed to your daughter, though she is cute!
*On your about me, the sentence "And wife of " is poor grammar, never start a sentence with "and"
*On your pricing pages "cakes are a as per " also does not sound like proper grammar.
* Your flavor pages is not aligned properly, the listing shifts to the left as you scroll down.
*Pricing- do you get many cupcake orders without icing? If so, then the pricing is apporpriate, if not, then you should price as a completed cupcake.
* I agree with removing the boob cake. I'd also consider removing the copyright cakes, arial etc, as the fines can be pretty hefty!
*As far as the photos go, can you crop them to remove the messy background? I know that it can be VERY difficult when all of your photos are messy to start, but try to remove the background as much as possible. From now on, try to take photos with a background.

Again, I"m only trying to be helpful, not hurtful, although I know it can hurt with so many critques. Will you keep us updated on the progress?

I noticed first thing that in the quote under your logo, the word "Theres" needs an apostrophe....so it reads "there's"....short for "there is". I agree with the others....take out the breast cake photo.

site looked pretty good to me, but about the pics. you can crop out the cake and put it on a plain background. i have done that with several of my other crafts. that way you can keep the pics of ones you already did and make them look neater. i should go do that to some of mine right now. it think there are some baby toys visible in my backgrounds, lol. also, i love to see pics of cakes set up for the predentation of the actual event since the table is usuaully decorated. of course i always take pics before just in case something happens during transport

To start off, I personally like the logo. I would prefer if the images are are bit finer.

Cupcakes with no icing reminds me of a muffin.

I personally think that the prices are on the low side but I really have no say since I have no idea where you are located at.

Just like everyone says, the picture should be clutter free. Not to be rude, but the mess in the background will reflect on the cake you produce... which is a major turn off.

As a customer, I would love it if you added more information about your company. I would also suggest you to add some professionalism on the wording because it seems like you are just talking to a friend. If it doesn't seem like you are taking me seriously, I wouldn't take you seriously as well.

Good luck and you have done a good start on decorating =]

I would also suggest you

The website has potiential! I would say that your are in need of some tweeking. The pictures though are a totally different story. Do some cropping if you can. Is that a tampon and open containers of glue in the picture with the purple elephant cake? I would say no to ordering your cakes if I was a customer based on the pictures, and you dont want customers to do that. Do what you can or seek help with it. Good luck and Im sure it will come together.

Than kyou all with the help!!! No offense taken, this is my first time doing the cake buisness and making a website I will try and fix everyting you all suggested

Please let us know what you have come up with. We would love to see the improvements =]

Good luck.

im embarassed that I ddint think of these things, than kyou again

This is very interesting info because, I will be building a website soon ,Thank You very much for this info Guys I love you all especially Indydebi you always go into detail

Agree with everything previously. I would put the picture of the "boobs" in a different area and name it something else, such as "adult cakes". This way, if someone who might be offended by such a picture has the choice to view them or not.

Hey cake-diva! I was back on your site and noticed the changes you've made already! I am impressed and I applaud you ... many people ask for feedback and get offended and you are taking many of the suggestions, made by many CC'ers, and running with them! You are demonstating that you are serious about this! Looking forward to seeing all of your changes!

ok all i made a bunch of changes!

The biggest problem im having is with the "about me" page....... I have no idea what to say, if I gave you my info would someone be able to help me?

Also i will be adding more photos, and was wondering if I should add them too the pricing or flavors page, and also if I should change the Flavors page to " what we have" or something along those lines ") thank you again everyone!!

also, should I put that there is a delivery charge?????

You guys have been so helpful!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with Debi- big shocker-- Kudos to you for taking the advice and not geting offended. The changes do look great already!

Definitely post the delivery charge- gives people more helpful info.

As far as the about me page, you could do something like

"I've always loved beautifully decorated cakes. As a wife and mother, I wanted to be able to make those cakes for my loved ones. I've taken classes and practiced on my friends and family (much to the chagrin of their waistlines)--this is only if you want to be cute

Now, as my passion grows, I want to be able to share my treats. I enjoy taking on new and challenging ideas in the medium of cake and icing. '

This is just random, off the top of the head stuff from reading your page. Think about what you would write on a resume to "sell yourself" to an employer. You are selling yourself (well, sortof ). Make yourself sound great!

wow jill thank you.... CAN I STEAL THAT????? lol!!!! or atleast borrow it until i can think of something?

Ok I will post the delivery charge, and also if there is a deposit ( cake stand etc)

Hey your site is coming along well. I just have a few things that I want to mention. If all your cakes start at $20 what is going to make the cake cost more? ie; several fillings, types of frosting, decoration, premium flavors of cake/filling?
I see that fondant will cost additional what will it be?

Do you really want to sell cuppies for a dollar? Can I get a jumbo cuppie with filling and frosting for that?

I'd add a faq page as that will answer general questions customers will have and will save you from saying the same thing over and over.

Are you going to be making wedding cakes? If not/or not yet say so a future bride can skip your site.

hth

First off try never to price lower than those around you including the grocery and or big box stores. Price what you are worth!

Second price fondant and your cakes in general per slice *say $3.00* or *$4.00 for fondant* which is the normal standard, but I do know that ppl will price their cakes as awhole. If you're not sure price per slice check other bakeries, cost out one of your cakes then you can come up with a price. But again not less than those around you.

Why have different prices for your cakes? Someone on here said it right a cake is a cake the only difference is the decoration. If you price your cakes per slice you wont ever have someone say "why is the wedding cake more than the same sized birthday cake?" It can and will happen.

ok thank you, im still quite new at this..... I have a decorating book from wilton that says how many slices are in each size..... my question is... what do you charge is some one want 40 slices, but the cake cuts to 60?? for example i mean....


Im uncomfortable charging the same or even a bit lower..... becuase I am self taught.... I just dont know if mine hold up to other peoples yet ( like people who have gone to school and such)

It costs me about $8 to make 1 batch of fondant......

I appreciate the help

Hey you're asking great questions
If you have a customer ask for a cake for say 40ppl and the smallest you can get it is 50 let the customer know this and have them decide to either pay for the extra slices or not. If you have someone that doesn't want to pay for more, and there are, then ask them nicely "so who won't be getting cake" *thanks indy * LOL

Try, try not to price lower than you have to even if you are self taught. You never want to be known as the cheap cake designer!! If their prices are 3.25 then go 3.00 till you feel more confidant then raise your prices and if customers ask why more say everthing has gone up over the last yr so you had to adjust your prices too.

Keep it coming I'm happy to help

You certainly have made a lot of changes for the better! Kudos! I had one small thought on the home page. It says, "Small, Large, square, whatever you want..." It might be nice to have something to contrast with "square". "Small, Large, Square, Round, Whatever you want!" I think it would just flow a little better...

I had that same question about pricing out cakes too, but a serving is a serving. They pay for however many servings are in the cake, regardless of how many they need. They can go with a different shape or size if they don't want so many servings. On my website I have a little chart listing shapes and sizes of pans I have, then how many servings are in each one, and how much the starting price will be for each cake. I also have a chart for things that will cost extra. If you want to check out what I've done, it's at:

http://suchcakes.webs.com

I'm still working on and updating mine, so I'm in the same boat as you! Good luck on your caking, and I'm looking forward to seeing more pictures on your site!

I actually liked your site-but everyone here had some great advice and input.