Ok had a bridal tatsing Thursday. I felt it went well she was a referal for a wedding I am doing next weekend. I sent them on there way with the contract. I really had the feeling that they are going to use me but I have not heard anything yet. Should I try & contact them by a certain time or just leave it alone? Thanks
It wouldn't hurt to make a call if you have their number. Especially in a few days just to ask if they had decided to use you or not. I would explain that you just wanted to go ahead and get that date set up in your date book in case anyone else would call and ask about you doing a cake that same date. You will learn that you can't sit and wait around on some people to call back, etc...and think you will hold the date open while they make up their minds. I let people know when they leave from a tasting of my cakes...that I can't hold that date for sure until they sign a contract with me, or sometime they will ask me to just pencil it in and then I tell them I have to have a call back by 2 days. Then if they have not called back I don't keep their name in my book anymore. My business is set up for "confirmed" bookings....not thinking about it. And I would get part of a deposit when even holding a date....just in case you would have someone back out, then you at least are compensated for holding the date and passing on other cake orders.
I will write up an estimate, but they don't leave with an unsigned contract in their hands. If they don't want to book immediately, then I note on their estimate that the price is good for one week, but their date is not being held. In my experience if they leave without signing, you're not likely to see them again.
Thanks for your thoughts. I actually require 30% of the total wedding due to hold the date. I will probably give them until the end of the weekend & call them back.
Wow, you guys are tough! When my brides leave, I will email them the quotes the next day. I encourge them to comparison shop with other bakers. I tell them "....you are spending a lot of money on this event, so take your time to make sure you are making all the right decisions." I tell them ".....once you have made your decision, let me know via email and I'll need the first payment at that time."
I have brides shopping 18 months in advance! They are not ready to start making final decisions yet. I can't imagine "strong-arming" them to make a decision in 48 hours.
If you want to contact them in 2 days, then send them an email thanking them for taking the time to meet with you, with an offer to "....let me know how else I can help."
I would discourage becoming a PITA vendor. As a customer, a vendor who kept after me like that would be the vendor I would classify as "vendor-zilla". It makes you look desperate.
I haven't had alot of wedding tastings yet, only a few. The few I've had have already been fairly sure they want to go with me, they just want to taste and be sure. They have always been ready to sign the contract and leave a deposit.
If it was way way ahead I'd probably do like Indy and not mind shopping around. However if only a couple months in advance I'd probably strongly encourage them to leave the deposit since by then, dates are not guaranteed and I would need to know for sure if I had a wedding order.
I also change the deposit amt with how soon the wedding is. If they book a whole 6 mos in advance or something I only require maybe $25 just in case something comes up. But if closer to the wedding I ask at least $50, or if really close I'll as for half down.
I posted this in the Bridezilla thread, but it is apropos here too:
At the tasting, I write down all the details I need to know...contact information, reception details, and we look through a photo album and I do a sketch of the proposed cake. They taste the cake I've brought and decide on flavors (usually they know coming in pretty much what they want). At the end, I give them a rough estimate of the price. I give them some samples to take home and tell them I will mail the contract to them the next business day. They then have one week from the time they receive the contract in the mail to sign it and send it back with a deposit. I put this "deposit due" date on the contract. I then type up the contract, do a color sketch of the cake, and send it off (two copies -- one for them to keep, one for them to sign and return). If they return the contract to me with deposit by the due date, they're booked. If I don't hear from them, then I assume they've gone elsewhere and I free up that date for other bookings.
I've had great success with this method for a couple of reasons. First, I don't put them on the spot and make them tell me yes or no at the tasting. Second, it doesn't leave me waiting around, chasing them down, wondering if they're going to book or not. They have a piece of paper in hand with the date they must book with me and the amount of the deposit.
I do not want them to feel pressured, and I feel like they appreciate not getting a hard sell. My tastings are on Saturday and Sundays. I mail the contract out Monday morning, so they should get it by Tuesday (in-town). I give them until the following Wednesday sign and return it with deposit. That leaves another weekend for them to shop around if that's what they want. However, it doesn't leave *me* holding their date indefinitely, waiting and wondering what I should do.
I tend to forget about some of the new ones who are just starting out with doing wedding cakes and you do have to learn as you go what's the best with dealing with your customers and how much to charge, deposits, etc. I've been doing my cake business for over 25 years and to the point that when someone comes to do a tasting with me, they are pretty set in concrete that they are going with me to do their cake. I'm like Indy....I am already booking wedding cakes for May, June and July of 2008. The girls may not know what their style is just yet.....but they know for sure they want me to do the wedding cake for them....so they have already come by to begin looking and pay a deposit to hold their date for them. Once they sign the contract and have all the details worked out.....then they pay a percentage towards their cake. The booking deposit is not refunded if they decide to not go with me.....but then it's included if they do have me make the cake. The reason I take a booking fee... is to compensate for holding that date when I have so many calling and wanting to book. As you make more and more wedding cakes each year, then you can decide what's working for your business and in your area. Any of us who have been doing this for a number of years all had to start out where you were in knowing what you should charge. Thank goodness there are the forums like CC where you can get help, and ask questions. There wasn't anything like this when I first got started into cake decorating. Good luck with your business.
..... First, I don't put them on the spot and make them tell me yes or no at the tasting.....I do not want them to feel pressured, and I feel like they appreciate not getting a hard sell.
Very well put. I feel the same way. In fact, part of my opening speech is "I am not expecting a commitment from you today. You are here information gathering and to see what I have to offer." It puts them at ease and removes me from the Pressuring Vendor category. I think it is a factor for my very good booking rate.
I consider a bride who has come for a sampling "first in line" for a particular date, but I haven't been putting an expiration date on that privilege. I think I'm going to reconsider that, based on Kelley's and Cakery's comments in here. Another item I can put in the "Things I've Learned from Fellow CC'ers!" column!
Wow, you guys are tough! When my brides leave, I will email them the quotes the next day. I encourge them to comparison shop with other bakers. I tell them "....you are spending a lot of money on this event, so take your time to make sure you are making all the right decisions." I tell them ".....once you have made your decision, let me know via email and I'll need the first payment at that time."
I have brides shopping 18 months in advance! They are not ready to start making final decisions yet. I can't imagine "strong-arming" them to make a decision in 48 hours.
If you want to contact them in 2 days, then send them an email thanking them for taking the time to meet with you, with an offer to "....let me know how else I can help."
I would discourage becoming a PITA vendor. As a customer, a vendor who kept after me like that would be the vendor I would classify as "vendor-zilla". It makes you look desperate.
I totally agree
Wow, you guys are tough! When my brides leave, I will email them the quotes the next day. I encourge them to comparison shop with other bakers. I tell them "....you are spending a lot of money on this event, so take your time to make sure you are making all the right decisions." I tell them ".....once you have made your decision, let me know via email and I'll need the first payment at that time."
I have brides shopping 18 months in advance! They are not ready to start making final decisions yet. I can't imagine "strong-arming" them to make a decision in 48 hours.
If you want to contact them in 2 days, then send them an email thanking them for taking the time to meet with you, with an offer to "....let me know how else I can help."
I would discourage becoming a PITA vendor. As a customer, a vendor who kept after me like that would be the vendor I would classify as "vendor-zilla". It makes you look desperate.
I totally agree
second that!!
Thanks so much for your input. Great advise cake boss I may start doing that. The wedding is September 1st so it's right around the corner. I as well did not want them to feel to pressured. They took alot of notes asked alot of great questions. Told me what they wanted what flavors etc. Asked my opion. The groom mentioned he would have to run it past his mom because she was going to pay for the grooms cake. After everything was over we just sat at the table. I told them I had a contract I required because it protected me as well as themseleves. Take it home look at it and let me know. Do you think I should have handled it diffrently. I do alot of party cakes but not wedding this would be my second one. By myself anyways. Thanks for hearing me out.
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