The principal of my daughter's very small private school said I could put letters in the kids Friday folders. These have all kinds of info for the parents. Since we are a very small Jewish community I am the only kosher baker in town. If someone wants fresh stuff they usually have to drive 3 hours for it, so this could be a major boon to my fledgling business. Anyway, this is what I was thinking of writing, and then including a list of available items and prices. Please help me polish this.
Thanks,
Kathi
Dear Parents,
I would like to take this opportunity to announce the opening of Biscotti Bliss, a home baking business specializing in kosher parve desserts. Below you will find a listing of some of the more popular desserts I provide, however, I will gladly provide for any special requests you may have, including nut free specialties. My business is under the kashrus supervision of Rabbi Pinchas Herman of Shaarei-Israel Lubavitch Center. Please place your order as early in the week as possible to ensure pickup for Friday afternoon. I look forward to providing you with all your baking needs.
Sincerely,
Kathi xxxxxx
Looks good--short and to the point, and it includes the important details. Perhaps include something to catch the eye--a picture or two of some showy pieces, like a flashy dessert and a beautifully braided challah (enforces the dessert and bread/others ideas).
Good luck! It sounds like a perfect opportunity!
sounds great, is there a way to attach a small sample of one of your Biscotti?
I like it, but would change the end of the last sentence. When you say "baking needs", some people might misunderstand and think that you're also offering ingredients and/or supplies.
How about changing it to something like this:
I look forward to providing you with all the delicious, fresh baked items you need.
I hope your flyer brings you lots of new business - sounds like a great opportunity!
Laura.
RisqueBusiness, I could attatch a sample. I hadn't really thought about it. I'll have to give that one some thought. I don't know if the parents would actually get it, since the kids would see it. Besides most of them have tasted my desserts at various school and community functions.
modthyrth, I have made a version of my avatar that is light enough to go behind the words, but perhaps just a picture of a few items would be better. I also plan on attatching a business card to each flyer.
Laura, Thanks for the idea. I like your phrasing better and changed it.
Thanks,
Kathi
Once folks get home from driving 3 hours for fresh baked goods, they aren't too fresh anymore, eh?
I can't remember if I read it before, but you are licensed, right? Given this advertising, I would hate for you to get in trouble. If you are licensed, then sorry for bringing it up, I just couldn't remember from your previous post.
Question: How will you be accepting orders? We have read many times about people having problems will payment and cancellations. Will you be providing an "order form" with the price list, along with a policy of some sort. I hate to project the worst, but you never really know. Even in a small homogeneous community...there can always be problems. They normally stem around money and gossip! Just want you to cover all your bases!
Good luck to you, sounds like a great way to drum up business....and then you could maybe do that raffle for dinner thing?
yes, payment seems to be like it's going to be a nightmare.
first of all, if the parents send the money with their kids to school to give to your kids to bring home...then there is a possibility of it getting lost and people unhappy because as far as they are concerned..they paid for their order!
the second scenerio..is to bring assorted goodies for sale, first come first served...but then you may find yourself fined for unlawful assembly..! and creating a traffic jam.
also, you are going to have people that will always want to pay you TOMORROW.
so, with all that into consideration..if you have a lic business, I would advise you to put your hours in your flyer along with your product and price list....make sure the hours are from to..and keep them.
Make sure that you add, that after a certain time, hours are by APPOINTMENT ONLY. so people dont interfeer with your family time.
When I had my home baking based business at home, it was a lower level space that was supposed to have been a garage. it had a separate entrance with a glass door that I had the name of my busines and hours put on with sticky letters.
I had a 2 line phone...and the second line I used for business.
ALL PICK UPS had to be done an HOUR before I closed...If I closed at 7..............all the orders had to be out by 6.
When I closed the door and went upstairs, if you didn't pick up your order....I would make a big to do about it....lol
I'd drag my kids down with me..clutching their little chicken legs...or throw on a robe over my clothing and a sh ower cap...and pretend they pulled me from the shower..
They only missed the deadline once, because I would tell them.
OH< lucky you found me at home, I made plans to leave in about 15 minutes!!!..lol
People don't come after closing hours to a regular bakery or even a clothing shop....why should they with a home based business with regular h ours??
Keep us posted!
Risque offers *excellent* advice. It took me a while to figure that out in my business, but it took a lot of discipline to seperate business from home time. Seperate email addresses, seperate phone lines are absolutely necessary for your sanity. Else you run the risk of your home life blurring with your business, and you won't have a retreat, a place to relax--there will *always* be something to do. But you deserve to have work hours and off hours, and you'll be far happier if you figure that out earlier than I did!
Well, you've given me a lot to think about. I am not liscensed yet. I am trying to make sure I have enough business to justify the $300 investment.
I definitely don't want anyone sending money to school with their children! I could say that I collect prepaid orders on Wdnesday mornings at the school. My plan was to deliver items at school on Friday afternoons. I have to give this some more thought. I do live very close to the school so it wouldn't be hard for people to pick up orders at my home.
Thanks for all the ideas,
Kathi
My husband and I work for a private school in administration...just clear it with the superintendant and or principal first...but your not licensed..? hmmm..I would have a little meeting with the superintendant or Principal first just to make sure everyone is o.k. with it. 
i would do it if you've cleared it with the principle. i did it with my kids preschool. i agree with the pics, especially if you do decorated cakes, always nice to let them see the beautiful creation they could get.
Yeah, $300 seems like a sound investment. Then you can start writing things off, like your investment! And I would think that even if you don't write things off, you will re-coup your $300 pretty quickly.
Wow, 25 students, what a little school. Must be good for your kiddos to have such a student:teacher ratio! But with that small of a community, things can get dicey....think survivor!
I think it sounds great but the only thing that came to mind is that asking people to place their orders as early in the week as possible really leaves it open for people to feel like they can "just call her up and have it the next day".
That's great if you can do that, but people will already try to place last-minute orders, without it seeming "allowed" on your flyer, especially around holidays.
I would want to have more notice than that! Especially if you start getting a TON of orders.
Maybe something like "Please try to place orders 10 days in advance." So it's not so cut-and-dry but still sounds friendly.
Good luck! I hope you get a TON of orders!
Hey, Kathi, if you bake challah, too, I'm on my way! This is so cool. I have a friend, a pastry chef, who just moved back down there. Now I have two reasons to visit!
It is a good idea that you documented who is certifying you. Where I live, it is a requirement of the certifying agency that you post it at your location.
My question to you is about the word Biscotti. Are you offering Italian Kosher fare, or babka and rugulah too? I am wondering if the word biscotti may be misleading.
Theresa
Theresa, just let me know when you're coming and I'll have some of the best challah you ever had ready for you! (not to toot my own horn 
)
Anyway, I am offering kosher Italian style biscotti, plus the more traditionally Jewish desserts like rugelach and black and white cookies. I still haven't found a babka recipe that I'm thrilled with, so that's on the back burner for a while.
czyadgrl, you're right I need to set a time that orders and payment are due.
Thanks,
Kathi
Are you willing to share your rugelach recipe? Not so much rugelach in Arizona (the stuff they sell in the gourmet grocery is NASTY) and I desperately miss it from my years in New York. I'd love your recipe if you're willing to share.
I already make an awesome challah, if I do say so myself, so I won't pester you for that one. 
Could you shoot the rugelach recipe my way, also? I went to lunch one time about 15 years ago and had one and fell in love. I told everyone that they had to go the a certain luncheonette and had to try those things and that they must me some new thing because noone had ever heard of it before. (can you tell I'm not Jewish or from a community with a large population??) I couldn't even tell you what it tasted like, but I've never seen one anywhere since. Please shed your grace on the palate of this poor CC sister!!!
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%