I've been trying to get orders to come in, but I haven't gotten even one order from 'non family' (We all know they don't count!)
I offer a lot more than cakes too.
I was just wondering what some of you have done to get up & going at part time at home bakers>

Thanks!!

Bump!

I am just in the starting stages of my business and am not doing this YET, but I plan on advertising in neighborhood newsletters of the neighborhoods around me. It is usually quite inexpensive to do and does get you good exposure to that area. In fact, in my HOA's newsletter, I ususally read the ads first! =)

Another thing that I think is worth doing is to send out really cute notes to EVERYONE you know announcing your business, detailing what you offer, etc. In the note state that you are enclosing 3-5 business cards and you ask, as your friend /family, if they will keep one themselves and give the others to people you do not know! Most friends and family are happy to help you out!

Good Luck!

i made business cards for free at vistaprint.com
if you arent licensed you have to be careful who you give them to, though.

second, i made a dummy cake and put it on display at a church event. that was free, but i went ahead a 'sponsored' the event so they put my name in the program (it was a church bingo type thing).

most recently i created a website.
im licensed so im turning this into a fulltime job.

If you also work outside of your home, consider taking a cake to work. That way, people get to taste and find out about your new business. I work strictly by word of mouth, reputation and business cards and I get a lot of orders.
It takes time, but I'm sure your orders will pick up.
Good luck!

You can not advertise if you are a home baker. My buisness came from word of mouth. I did sample cakes and donated them to schools, and husband and father's works. You could send them to elderly housing community or places like that. Then that is how the orders start coming in. I made myself buisness card with my name, address and phone numbers. I did not add a buisness name, so it is not tracked as advertising.

Hey Gale-
I see you are from VA- where are you located? I'm in Winchester (Northern VA) It's nice to have a home state girl!!
Cheryl

whyteicing, I checked out your website and it is great! Good sized photos with good detail, the pricing is posted, your bio is very interesting. I particularly like the phrase "attention to detail is not only a priority, but a passion". What a great tagline!

All of the above is good advice.

I've been trying for 1 1/2 yrs. with not luck.

I have a young girl call me and wants to come over Saturday to talk to me about doing her wedding cake. So I will see what happens there.

I would be happy to make enough to help pay for this expensive hobby.

I received a lot of my business from word of mouth & making cakes just because and sending them to whom ever would take them! LOL It takes time to build up your customer base but sometimes you have to give away your product to get business. Make sure you take lots of pictures of your work.

For me it is word of mouth. I had made cakes for a few people and then they tell their friends. I haven't been doing a lot of cakes , but is by choice. I can not do it full time right now.

One of the things I have done (and boy is it paying off big time) - I ran ads on Craigslist.com. Yep! The ads expire every 48 hours so every two days I copy/paste and resubmit my ad. In my ad I describe my services and tell them to reply for a link to my website (if you need a website tryy www.freeebs.com). I get tons of emails everyday. I've been running ads on craigslist for about 3 months now and to date I have probably gotten 4 confirmed wedding cake orders and too many b-day cake orders to count.

Hope this helps!

It takes time to build business. I just went legal a few months ago, but I have been doing it as a hobby for years, so people know I do cakes and have after me to start a business. I'm so busy know, I can hardly get paperwork done, much less my website. All I have right now is the domain name secured. You will get busy. I donate cakes to functions to get my name in the program and always leave business cards with all cakes I deliver. I was asked by my SIL to do a baby shower cake for her work, and she did not have much money collected, so I did it for practically nothing. ( Baby Shower pic in my photos), but by time I got home from delivering the thing, I had 3 messages on the phone from people wanting to order cakes from me. I think I have had 10 orders from her office alone. Keep putting your product and name out there and the business will come. I have a few weeks where I don't have anything.

Like Gale & cakedeco, I make my own business cards, and work by word of mouth. I also have a CD that I use for Brides who call and ask for photos of my work, and I donate cakes to any organization that asks (the High School Band for a spaghetti supper fundraiser, the Post Prom Committee for prizes, etc.).

The thing to remember is that it takes time to build up your business and nothing will help that more than a good reputation. Be uuber-friendly to people, call them back BEFORE you say you will, have a GREAT product and a fair price. People will remember how easy you were to work with, your promptness and efficiency, and the quality of your product and before you know it, you will be turning away business.

You will have slow times and busy times, the key is to balance them with your "real life". Keep smiling and you will make it!

Odessa

Some of the best advertising I have gotten is to give away free cakes to charitable events. I just donated a sheet cake to a United Way banquet. An I give a cake or cupcatkes to the VFW every Tuesday for their luncheon. I have put a dummy cake out at a florist for her wedding section. Take adds in the neighborhood newspaper. Our regular newspaper has a wedding directory that you can advertise in and it comes out every Sunday, I will be putting an ad in it the end of February. I have taken cupcakes to my doctor's office. We had a Taste of Home expo here and I put a fake cake on display with a caterer friend of mine. It takes time to build a client base. I am still just barely making my rent on the kitchen space I rent and I expect not to really make any money this year. (That is whay I still have a full time job) But it is growing and I am getting good responses from people. I only have one wedding booked so far this year. Just keep at it and give yourself time and most of all don't give up. Plus if you are going to advertise make sure it is okay or that you are licensed and don't get in trouble.

My church has definately been my best word-of-mouth sales pitch.

Also, you may want to check with some of the local country clubs/ wedding reception sites in your community and tell them you would like to be added to their vebdor list.

i send my cakes to work with DH and get a lot of word of mouth orders. you can also hop on craigslist and go to your city and post an ad that says specifically you bake from home, need the practice, etc and give your email.

I don't work outside the home, but I do have 2 kids in school. We have room moms who take care of a lot of duties like planning parties and such. I made a point to know who our room moms are and let them know I decorate cakes and would love to do one for a teacher's birthday party when the time comes. That has led to them calling me for their own kids parties as well as some great word of mouth to friends. A lot of my kids' classmates have gone home and said "I want Samantha's mom to make my next cake!" Between that and donating to church events, those 2 have been my best ad strategies. Make sure your business card is taped to the cake board with a note saying to please return boards. (I purposly use the plastic sep plates if I'm donating to church. Just call me bold, but it works.)

And like someone else said, don't give up. It took me about 1 1/2 years of giving cakes away before I was getting enough business to become official. Just keep at it. Your reputation will speak for itself in time.

Thanks to all of you. You've all given me some really good tips!