Before you stop the little person in your head that says, "you didn't hear from them so they must not like it" or "Oh, no, they hated it. I should have done it better". If I don't hear from somebody, I always expect the worst-even when I KNOW I've done a good job and exactly what they asked for. UGH! I don't know if I REALLY want to get into wedding cakes EVER (even though I'm starting next week-HA) because I need my ego stroked constantly.
Do you have this problem too?!
I generally wait for a few days after the event and call the person who ordered as a "couresty call" to make sure that everything went well.
I get a lot of feedback and several return clients because they like the thoughtful gesture of following up on the order to ensure satsifaction.
I have that "little" person bound and gagged inside myhead..
Under penalty of NO MORE CHOCOLATE if they EVERY dare to speak out!!!
I think the day you stop critiquing your work is the day you need to shut off your oven and stop doing what you are doing.
I am usually disappointed in every cake I make, in one way or another. I am always looking for mistakes and ways to correct them.
I'm never totally happy with a finished product and I think that is what has made me get a bit better at what I do.
That probably sounds weird. 
There are people out there who won't contact you if they were pleased. I chalk it up to being ignorant about common courtesy. Believe me..if they weren't happy you would hear about it.
I feel your pain! LOL I'm the same way. Some people, however, just don't think of this as any more than a business transaction. They're on to their next mountain to conquer! I guess it's a lesson to US, that it's a nice courtesy to make that call and say thanks and that the cake was marvelous! LOL Or whatever the service was.......
I agree! If you DON'T hear back - assume that it was awesome! Most people won't call to compliment - but they WILL call to complain! I haven't really done cakes for people I don't know yet so I'm always pestering them with "how was it, did you like it, did you like this part? I tried something new - did you like that?" I'm sure my mom's tired of hearing "did you like THIS fondant......" 
B/c I'm trying out so many recipes TRYING to find one that will work for me LOL You're fine - don't worry about not hearing back!
When somebody makes something personal for me-be it a friend or service of some kind, I always give them the WOW factor. Because I am that way, I expect everyone to be I guess. It's really hard for me when they are not.
Thanks for the input. I feel better seeing your beautiful cakes and knowing that so many feel the exact same way!
I totally know how you feel - I'm exactly the same. I've actually written people off my list of people 'allowed' to order from me as their response wasn't suitably gushing - now that is am embarrasing admission. I made a three tiered cake with fried eggs, sausages and beans on for a woman's son's 30th birthday and it turned out pretty good - she emailed one line to say 'the cake was great, thanks' and I felt she hadn't raved enough about it and resolved not to do one again for her. It took hours and hours so I wanted a bit more feedback. Isn't that dreadful? I'm such an egomaniac!!
I think, to a certain extent, until you get your own show on the Food Network, that little person will stay there with you....blabbering away. 
I made a Harley cake for my cousin to thank him for fixing my TiVo and never heard anything and the FBCT alone took me almost 2 hours.... I just never said anything but I always wondered if it was nasty or they didn't like it. It was a carrot cake recipe that usually goes over very well so I just didn't know..... I think some people literally have no idea of how much time goes into cakes and how sensitive us cake decorators are!
man, I shouldn't post when I'm tired or it's very late! Too many mistakes!! lol
I totally agree with emmascakes. There are times when I put SO much work into a cake and then expect huge oohs and aahs and get a "that looks nice" and I get a little disappointed!! I guess I too am a total egomaniac!!!!
I am finally coming to realize that not everyone gets as excited as I do over things or shows it in the same way I do. And yes, to some people this is just like any other business. To them, picking up a cake is not different than picking up the drycleaning!
I am the queen of low self esteem. I ALWAYS worry that they didn't kike it, or something was wrong,or SOMETHING! That is why I always try to praise anything anyone does for me. I don't want to make someone else feel the way I do.
I know, I need therapy.....
No news is good news. 
I guess I'm one of those who would get written off and never get sold another cake. If I purchased a cake from a decorator (someone I don't know) I wouldn't call them afterwards to tell them that I liked it, but I would if I disliked it.
Now, if the decorator were a friend, I would tell them if I liked or disliked it, but wouldn't make a HUGE deal out of it because that's the way I am.
So with that being said, by writing someone off and not selling them cakes in the future just because they didn't make a big deal about it, you could be sending some good business elsewhere.
Everyone does behave /respond differently to things. If you're eyes glaze over at everything you see/do in life then it's hard for someone else to get you really psyched about something.
Ideally, people would give good thorough feedback, and honest, about everything in life whether it's negative or positive. So we know where our strengths are and what needs improvement. But for one thing I chalk it up to people just being too afraid of the truth hurting someone's feelings- which really is dumb because it's not that person's responsibility how you handle the truth, it's yours.
No news in the wor ld of customer feedback may be good news, but its INFURIATING as hell not to get feedback LOL. (Which is why, as a few people mentioned already, the courtesy call comes in handy). Plus it makes your name stick in their heads for future.
I pondered that yesterday as I walked through the elementary school hall with my nephew to deliver his cupcakes. You know, why do I do this, what motivates me? I love the creative part of it. I also love the WOW factor. Which is why I like to have a bit of free reign and design something with the element of surprise.
And then there was the Dora cake. And I did all that work on the jigsaw puzzle and the 3 different layers and all the work and felt awful when the kids barely ate it LOL. But it was a super hot day and they had pigged out on other stuff. And I TRIED to remember those things, plus they're little kids.
I dnno, everyone is different, as I said. I am in for a hell of a ride if I ever decide to charge
But I would say in response, if Im curious, I just take the initiative and ask/call up. Instead of sitting there brewing in anxiety LOL (THat causes ulcers and shortens one's life. Seriously. LOL)
And whatever the outcome, you can look at it with pride and say, I did this, and compared to my first cake or whatever, this rocks, and I see such and such a flaw here but over all this is pretty cool and not get disillusioned enough about 'no gushing' from customers that you stop decorating 
good luck with that
I am the queen of low self esteem. I ALWAYS worry that they didn't kike it, or something was wrong,or SOMETHING! That is why I always try to praise anything anyone does for me. I don't want to make someone else feel the way I do.
I know, I need therapy.....
Well, I'm your runner up then! It drives me nuts if I don't hear back. Fortunately though for the moment, because I make cakes for the Naval Hospital out here, someone is bound to get back with me when I ask because it's usually about 100 people that partake of my cakes.
The last wedding cake I did, I didn't get any feedback from the bride and groom. I got feedback from my BIL and SIL that attended the wedding!!!
I had assumed one time when I was told that my cake was dry, that I'm through! They are going to find someone else to make their cakes from now on. I even emailed the hospital's secretary (she orders the cakes) and told her that the one last cake commitment I had would be my last. I thought I was a total failure especially when I barked about that type of cake being my best one!!!!!!! 
Turns out, it was her opinion and not everyone else's!!!
Soooooo, now what is happening...people are going around her and calling me or emailing me themselves for cakes!!!!!! I felt so much better after that!!!
Never give up on yourself! I am the queen of that!!! I overcame that hurdle and now am more confident about what I do.....(for the most part)!! 
You can't please everyone all of the time and that is a very difficult thing to accept!
Amy
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