Starting Out And Giving Away Samples
Business By tysmom Updated 7 Oct 2007 , 12:28am by purplebutterfly1234
When you were first starting out did you make up samples and give them to local businnes' with one of your cards to promote your business? I made up six containers of cookies and thought I would drop them off on my way to work tomorrow at some of the local businnes'. I hope it is worth it. I have some of my cards in a local party supply store and they refer me so I thought I would take one to them.
What do you all think?
Back when I actually did this for money, I gave away lots of cakes. Not samples, as in pieces...whole cakes. They really don't cost much, and there's nothing like the "wow" factor of a beautiful design, beautifully executed. The occasional freebie to the spouse's office...or Sunday School....or a volunteer committee meeting...will do wonders in getting the word around. Plus, you can try out new techniques that way. Just pray that the weddings you get at first are for the girls who are the first in their crowd to get married. Weddings are GREAT for referrals. People will be asking where they got that beautiful wedding cake that actually TASTES good!
Do you guys have Playgroups or Mothers groups? you could arrange to provide their morning tea one week and hand out some cards.
Mums are quite often the ones that order the cakes for parties, I have made alot of cakes from referals from my local playgroup.
I don't know if you have one where you are at, but here there is a hair cutting place that just does kids hair cuts. I've dropped my business cards off there when I take my kiddos in and I've gotten a GREAT response from it.
You could also look into other small businesses out of someones home and see if you can swap cards and when they do something they give your card and vice versa. I've had some business from that as well.
Good luck!
~Erica
I wish there was a playgroup in my area that would be great it would just be hard to go during the day I work 8:30-5:00. I did take a flyer over to the local YMCA.
We do have a "Hair Kutters" - that is just for kids, I will try that one as well.
Thanks everyone for all your great suggestions!!
Tammy
Dentist offices and pediatrician's offices are good places too (especially if you have kids and you can them to their pediatricians), also your bank, and if you have a Gymboree (the play place, not the clothing store) or something along those lines.
There's a cookie shop in NY called Eleni's (I think website is elenis.com)
and she says that she searched out high profile celebrity, charity events and donated themed cookies to them - she seems to be hugely successful. Her shop is on many must-visit lists when in New York.
her cookies a beautiful...i wonder how they taste
Giving away samples is the BEST form of advertising.....thats what I did when I first opened my shop...it was the only thing I could afford to do.
Matter of fact I still give out samples when people come in the shop.....thats how i reel them in 
when i first started out i made 1/2 sheets and took them to the schools and dropped them off at the teachers lounges at lunchtime.
i think i did 10 schools.
thats was it...those teachers really get the word out!
now many weekends i booked solid with cakes.
in the next few weeks i'm going to add cookies to the mix.
i'll be bringing baskets of cookies to my teachers again!
tysmom,
providing that your legal you could go on the web and see for local day cares and local little gyms for little ones and make a banner of cakes list that you do like sponge bob, princess ect this will attract the moms for there little angels,
Good luck to you and hope that all works out for you.
I think the idea is a GREAT ONE. I did it and I am not legal IN CT AND this has work WONDERFUL.
Michelle
When you do the cards and samples arent you supposed to get licensed before you do that? I wouldnt want to do it then they come after me cause i have no license.
That is an awesome idea, in our area the schools do not allow home baked or store baked goods, b/c they are trying to promote healthy lifestyles to keep down children obesity throughout the country. It kinda sucks because people were always in aww of what I did, such as life I guess. I hope it goes well for you, I would always do refreshers as well if it begins to slow down. Some companies have those monthly meetings where they need baked morning goods, or something other, those will always help too.
A great idea on promoting is to do a theme per drop off, like you drop off at a bank, do "coin" cookies.
Everyone has to make up their own mind about doing things illegally. Working from home in most places is illegal. Doing theme cakes like spongebob etc, etc is illegal.
Can you afford the fines should you be 'caught'???
Yes, there are many, many of us who started out that way......many yrs ago before such laws were enforced or even thought of. You will get many replies such as "I have been working out of my home for 31 yrs and never had a problem....." but again I say do you have the $$$$ should you be so unlucky to have someone show up at your door w/a badge and say you are under arrest for making a wedding cake or a dora cake or, or, or?
Not character themes, themes that pertain to the business, ie bank = money, daycare = children at play/playground, etc, zoo = animal cake. laundry service/dry cleaner = stack of clothes or towels cake and so on and so on.
What is sad is that now people are so money hungry they will fake food poisoning so they can get a buck out of you, that would be the only thing I would worry about, but if you know someone at that establishment, I would think you are set to just get in there and drop a lil something off for the employees along with a business card, and trust me word of mouth will keep you going, that is all I am saying.
Keep it simple and original.
Actually even though baking for money/materials/favors from home is illegal in most states, it is my understanding that baking and giving it away for free is not illegal.
I am not currently legal however I have started baking and giving away/donating my cakes as a way to test the waters to see if it could be profitable for me to become legal and sell. I have had some interest and since I am not legal I continue to "donate" my cake as my gift for the occasion as so far most of my business has actually been co-workers of mine or my fiance.
I would like to ask what is the average servings one should drop off? For cake and cookies?
I was just wondering about all this myself and would like to find some people who would want to order and pay for my services.
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