When Will She Accept No!? Long!!
Decorating By MustloveDogs Updated 11 May 2007 , 9:12pm by MustloveDogs
Last Sunday night, i had forgotten to turn my mobile phone off (my only phone for cake orders) and it rings at 8pm.
I thought this was a little rude and too late, so I let it go to messages.
I rang the lady back the next morning and the conversation goes like this...
I see from your website that you're fully booked for May.
I say Yes that's right. Well I want a cake for May.
I say Sorry but I'm fully booked.
But can't you fit in one more? she says
I say No I am chokkas, totally full and cannot do any more cakes for the month of May, sorry.
She again says just one more cake?
I say sorry, no I am full.
Okay bye
I say bye with relief.
Fast forward to this morning and my phone rings.
Lady says I want a cake for my daughter for May and I know you're full but can't you do one for me because my daughter really wants it.
I recognised her voice and asked if she was the lady I spoke to earlier and she said yes.
I said I'm sorry but I am fully booked and I cannot do anymore for May.
She says can't you fit in just one?
I said No. I can't.
She says how about a smaller cake. 
I tell her my cakes start at 30 slices and I cannot fit anymore in.
She says How about a simple cake.
I said none of my cakes are simple and I can't fit anymore in regardless of the design.
Then she says how about a small simple one just one more cake. 
At this point I used my I'm not happy voice usually reserved for a toddler's tantrum and said..
Look, I am fully booked for the whole month of may and will not do anymore cakes, I don't get cancellations and even if I did I would spend that time with my young children and that I am FULL!
She then said alright Bye.
I said Bye with as much irony in my tone as possible. 
Now I don't want to seem nasty and the fact that she wanted my cake so badly is flattering, but seriously, how MANY times do I have to say it before she gets it?????? 
My parents are joking saying if I said yes, she would have started negotiating the price lower then! 
I just felt really annoyed that she still refused to accept it after reading my website and two extended phone conversations with me.!
Thanks for listening to my rant! It feels so much better to have a whinge about it and put it all aside!! 
From what I read above, and the stories others have told here on CC, your parents are probably right about the price negotiation.
Congratulations for standing your ground.
Theresa 
Yes, well done! I have a problem saying no, which is why I've ended up with 8 cakes and a wedding tasting to do in the next 5 days! Maybe I should take a leaf out of your book!
The thing is I have finally set myself limits.
Recently I was lucky enough to have 2 papers and 1 tv show feature my cakes and i and the amount of bookings from it have been flabergasting!!
But I still am a fulltime mum to my 3 year old daughter and my 5 year old son is only at prep until 2.30pm, so I limit myselft to how many cakes I will do each day and each week.
I hate turning away business, but I am full and the more they pressure me lately the more I feel my heels digging in.
Cos I'm always aware that if I do it once, they will keep on trying again next time!
At least this way she learns to book earlier, like all the others did whose cakes I am doing in May!
Way to go Keira! Are you sure this was an adult? It sounds like one of my kids.lol. I know how you feel about setting your limits, I was getting so may orders I had to take a break and my kids (teenagers) were glad to have me back. Keep up the great work and congrats on the tv and paper features! 
Congrats to YOU for staying within your boundaries!! Now, HOW did you do it again? LOL I'm doing only 2 more cakes this month because of my schedule (just really PLAY at this).
MY rule is 2 weeks notice or don't even call. I have TWO customers (Okay I dont' have THAT many, okay? LOL) that NEVER follow the 2 week rule. I have told them NO in the past and reminded them of the rule. BUT, I said Yes yesterday because it's the boy's 16th birthday and I'm doing his cousin's cake the day before; it's ONLY a sheet cake and I told the mom it CAN'T be to complicated...yada, yada, yada! And ONCE AGAIN....I broke my own rule!!
STOP THE MADNESS!!
Beth in KY
Good for you! I only hope to be that successful soon!
Rachel
aww don't get too frustrated or upset - this woman REALLY wants YOUR cakes! Obviously she must have been very impressed by seeing it on TV - or maybe her daughter was - and she was trying everything she could to get one.... be flattered!
However, if she called back again, then that would've been the "three strikes, you're out". I may make 2 calls if I was really really despertate to have something - but no does mean no and eventually you gotta take a hint.
Good for you for standing your ground! Let's hope she may come back when you're not full - and that she turns out to be a good customer and not a bad one!
Good for you for standing by your rules. You just have to set your limits or they will rule your life. It's ridiculous (and comical sometimes) how people can hang on like a dog with a bone and whine to get their way. I'd just as soon ot deal with those types at all.
Thanks everyone for your lovely support!!
The publicity from the newspapers and tv have been unreal!!
The best thing about the publicity is that it was all free!!
I did a cake for the assistant to an editor and she suggested me for an article about work from home mums and then the paper journalist just stumbled on my website and did her article (which is my fav!)
and then the tv show producer read that and rang wanting to use me on their show, wow what a wild ride that was!! and all in the same month!!
So just remember no matter how small your business is, you can get noticed. I work in my legal home kitchen and it's only me no other staff!!
I hope this helps motivate!! 
The "i don't listen to no" lady is really flattering, it's just that there was nothing else I could say to her and after repeating no 5 or so times in one conversation, I started to wish that I could get back to playing with my 3 year old daughter at the playground (thank god for mobile phones sometimes!!) 
Many thanks!
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