Help. Small Cake Business And No Customers
Business By aroostookcakes Updated 11 Jul 2007 , 10:32pm by nicolevoorhout
There is some great software out there, that is well worth the investment, to make your pictures more professional. I know there are times when you have to take the picture, and you have no control over what is in it besides your cake. The software is great for cropping out the background and adding your own. Adobe makes some great photo software. Hope this helps.
The one thing you can NOT do is compare yourself to Walmart, Costco ect. I tell everyone that I don't consider them competition. I do "Custom" cakes and flavors and that is why my cakes cost more. I researched different web site of local cake companys and priced mine similar to theirs. I would definatley pick up Adobe Photo Shop Elements. You can find it at Coscto or office supply stores. It runs about $60 - $70 and is well worth it. All of my photos are done with that program. I don't have a dedicated area for photos in my home so I use Photo Shop Elements (not the full flown Photo Shop which can run $400). If you are licensed try to hook up with a wedding planner and definatly offer wedding cakes. That is where the money is! Don't be intimidated, a wedding cake is just several small cakes put together. Tell everyone you meet what you do and always have business cards on you. My hair sylist is the owner of her salon and has allowed me to place my cards there and I've drummed up quite a bit of business from the salon. I also gave a friend a small cake and he happend to take it to work (he's a long shoreman) and everyone loved it and I got an order from there as well. Keep your chin up and work on your marketing...you'll get there!
Jacqui
My business was very slow for the first few years and then I did the local small business expo. Food vendors can usually get a booth for free if they agree to give out samples. From that, I met so many people including a contact that called a couple of months later to ask me to participate in a fundraising gala at the biggest house in town!!!! I literally met who I wanted to be my target clients!!! I was able to chat with them and actually put a face with my name. These are people who would have never went to a website and cold called me for their next big party.
I'm sure there are things like this in your community. You just have to get out there and find them. Go to your chamber of commerce website. Look for mothers with young children groups or business women's groups. People like this are great contacts!
Don't get discouraged, I live in Northern Maine also and I know how it is to try and price your cakes/confections around the local markets. Maine is a very poverty ridden state for the locals (not the transits) especially Northern Maine we have a lot of people that buy homes here stay a week and leave.
That being said, I have found that the people that do live here don't mind paying for something that is custom made. No, we can't set are prices the same as some can but don't sell yourself short, you have to make money. I don't get paid nearly what I should for an hourly wage but who really does? I've gotten some really good advice here on CC and one is to set your price for what You do, not Wal-Mart or Hannaford!!
The Caribou craft show is excellent and you don't have to bring tons of real cakes, make up some dummy cakes, bring some business cards, flyers, etc. and go to town networking. Best of Luck to you and Congrats on the new business!!
In your opinion how much would you charge for a sheet cake, 3-D cake, cupcakes, heart pan, etc? I think that's the hardest part I'm having. It's hard figuring out prices for a small area. I would love to charge city prices because I do think my cakes are unique for this area.
I'm confused... so you don't do wedding cakes?
I'm willing to do small weddings. I just don't have the money right now to buy cake seperators and special stands. But if they want a stacked tier I could do that. I do think wedding cakes are intimadating though. It's their big day and the cake is the centerpiece. I would feel horrible if I messed that up.
I'm willing to do small weddings. I just don't have the money right now to buy cake seperators and special stands. But if they want a stacked tier I could do that.
When I started catering, I didnt' own ANY equipment, but I bought everything I needed out of the deposit they gave. I never used any of "my" money to build this business .... not even credit cards. It all came out of the deposit and customer money.
I do think wedding cakes are intimadating though. It's their big day and the cake is the centerpiece. I would feel horrible if I messed that up.
Hate to tell ya, but their little darlin's first birthday or Sally Sue's Sweet 16 or mom and dad's 50th anniversary are ALSO "big days" and they would be just as upset if those cakes were messed up, as a bride would be if her wedding cake was messed up.
Dont' stress it. A wedding cake is just 3 cakes that happen to be stacked on top of each other. You can do it! 
indydebi
So if the plates cost $30 would you charge that much? Unfortunatly I have another problem the closest cake shop is 3 hours away. The only things I have available are at Wal-Mart. I think they do have some seperator plates. God I wish we had a Michaels, A.C. Moore or something!
That woulld be a good idea though. That way I don't buy stuff I might never use. If I do decide to do weddings, how would I state it in the website? If I needed to order the stuff or purchase it a couple hours away, how much of a order notice do you think I would need?
And you're right. Those are big days as well. I shouldn't be so intimadated.
No, I wouldn't charge $30 for the plates unless I am leaving them with the person.
For example, I had a catering for a large wedding .... over 200 people. I had to buy extra chafers, another 100 plates, more silverware, add'l Cambros (insulated carriers to transport food), a few more cooking pans. When the bride gave me the $2500 deposit, I was able to buy all of this equipment out of the $2500, plus the food I needed. I then had this equipment to use at my next event(s). Obviously, I couldn't "charge" the customer for the purchases of these pieces of equipment.
When you're first starting out, and you price it right, you can buy what you need from your customer's money. Eventually you dont' have to reinvest the money into your business, because you've amassed quite a collection of necessary equipment.
$2500! Holy Crap!! My wedding cake served about 100 people and cost me under $200. It was a three tier cake with water fountain underneath. Man I am living in the wrong state.
Thanks for your help. I understand what you mean now. I could buy some stuff right now.
I would also hand out some home made fortune cookies (very easy to make) and on the little paper that goes inside I would put your website addressand name People will always take a free fortune cookie and they always read the little note inside. Then they could just put it in their pocket. I wish you all the best of luck in your business.
indydebi
So if the plates cost $30 would you charge that much? Unfortunatly I have another problem the closest cake shop is 3 hours away. The only things I have available are at Wal-Mart. I think they do have some seperator plates. God I wish we had a Michaels, A.C. Moore or something!
That woulld be a good idea though. That way I don't buy stuff I might never use. If I do decide to do weddings, how would I state it in the website? If I needed to order the stuff or purchase it a couple hours away, how much of a order notice do you think I would need?
And you're right. Those are big days as well. I shouldn't be so intimadated.
I have the same problem with not having anywhere to shop except for WalMart, so I buy everything online. If you will do some searches on this site, you will find lots of info about online suppliers! You just have to be super organized and plan very well so that you always know you have everything ordered and ready to go when there is a big cake to do.
I am the same as Debi -- no loans, no credit cards, no savings -- I wanted to do this without having to take money from somewhere else. Even now, sometimes I look at a particular cake as "this is the money for ______."
As far as putting that on your site. I would simply remove that you do not do big weddings. When someone calls, get the info for what they are wanting. If you don't feel you're ready, tell them you are booked, thank them for calling, and ask them to call on you the next time they need a cake.
As far as putting that on your site. I would simply remove that you do not do big weddings.
Customer Service 101: Never say what you CAN'T do .... always tell them what you CAN do.
"We specialize in small intimate weddings"
I would like to congratulate you on your new business venture and wish you good luck!
I looked at your website and it is great the only thing I think you should change are your photos. You do need to stage the background for the photos so all you see are your cakes, cupcakes, cookies, etc.
I sell homemade chocolates and decorated cookies. I made a photo album of my products and take that with me to bridal shows so people can actually see what they will be ordering, I found that the book and samples of my goodies have brought in a lot of orders.
I also order most of my supplies online as most of the supply stores are over an hour away.
Relax and enjoy your cakes are beautiful!
Oh that's a great comment, about specialty, absolutely never say what you can't, if you don't feel ready, say you are booked. I can do different types of cakes, but my specialty is my brownie cake, my family won't allow me to do any other type of cake, and if I do for whatever reason, I have to bring brownie cake as well. I've made this a feature on my website. Sometimes it's about finding what makes you unique in your area and then playing on that, it may help you be able to raise your prices to.
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