Surviving The Unbusy Season
Business By loriemoms Updated 14 Oct 2007 , 1:39pm by SweetConfectionsChef
March-October is nuts nuts nuts for me. Then bang, I hit the dead times, where the phone stops ringing and I don't get any email for days. Its scary, I want to yell out the window WHERE IS EVERYONE?
I need ideas on how to drum up business during the holidays. I can do cookies, but I have no idea how much to charge. I just don't think people want cake? And in January, everyone is on diets!
What do you do during the slow times or am I the only one who gets slow during the holiday/early year?
it's like that every year for me....so i'm gonna change some things this year...i'm starting to do cookies now...and buying stuff for cookie gift baskets.
since its getting to be the holiday season perhaps you could approach city halls, businesses, any gatherings that probably serve a dessert or want a cookie platter for meetings and such.
I'm trying to push cookies and cupcakes for school parties. The hard part is getting them to order ahead. For some reason most parents will wait till the day of and then grab something at the grocery store and I'm trying to break them of it, lol.
They also don't seem to realize it is okay to buy my stuff for school parties even though I operate out of a bakery and do all my baking and decorating there.
I dropped some Petit Fours off at the teacher's lounge on Friday and I'm hoping that will help..
petit fours UGH....i think i'd be rich if i'd do those....for me they are a real PIA!
i'm gonna charge 8.99 a dozen for cookies, that's around 75 cents a peice, isn't it?...i think thats fair.
Are you making decorated cookies? If so, 75 cents is way to cheep! $2-$5 each (depending on the size and complexity of the design) would be my guess.
PS: why is the fall and winter seasons so slow business wise? I would think with all the holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Mardi Gras, etc) it would be crazy busy.
PSS: Sweetcakes suggested soliciting local businesses. I agree. The company I work for always has snacks (muffins, cookies, brownies) at meetings and several birthday cakes a month. Find out who does the ordering and send that person a sample of what you have for sale.
it seems here in Florida I get more weddings in the fall,winter and spring....summer months for me are the WORST(June-Sept) 
During the Holidays Nov-Dec I dont have a whole lot of big cake orders...other then wedding cakes(average 1 1/2 from here on out) so I make alot of COOKIES,PIES,and DESSERT CAKES which actually is a real PIA but....a girl has to pay the bills!! 
Actually I have turned away 3 wedding cakes for the Saturday after Thanksgiving........................I have to go SHOPPING I cant be BAKING!!!!! 
I think I sold my cookies for $8 a dozen last year...these are small 1 inch butter type cookies dipped in chocolate rolled in nuts or thumbprints of all kinds.....what ever strikes me that day......
heck no!...i'm NOT decorating cookies!...i worked awhile at the cookie bouquet...that was enough cookie decorating for me, FOR A LIFETIME!...i'm talking about drop cookies....i've been messing around with some recipes and have gotten some i'm really happy with.
i'd actually like to go with all cookies and wedding/fancy cakes.
but like johnnycakes, i gotta do what i gotta do to pay the bills!
BTW...johnnycakes, when do the cookie orders start rolling in?...i had 15 or so orders today, and alot of walk ins, placing orders...and i'm making everyone eat my cookies, LOL!...i'm dropping them off everywhere i go, i sent some thru the drive thru at the bank when i was making my deposit yesterday, getting a few free cookies sure does make people happy.
Glad to know your up on the cookies littlecake! 
We had petfest today and I tried a new recipe.....my regular oatmeal cookie recipe and added walnuts & hershey cinnamon chips....they seemed to be a HUGE hit! I make big cookies...but I sell them for $1.25 each or 6/$6 or 12/$12...they sell like hotcakes! Let me know how it's going.....
so what is the best way to approach businesses? Just call the HR department and ask who does their stuff? A lot of biz's here use Sams and BJS for thier bday parties, but I would like to see what they use for the fancier events..
I don't think we are allowed to bring food to the schools. I think the only food allowed is from the grocery stores, even for kids parties and such. They have gotten very picky about things like that. How are you guys giving cakes to schools? Do you call the office?
I was going to write letters to all the local country clubs and such and see if I can get on vendor lists. I can't afford the bridal shows (they run $800-1500 dollars for a table) I have done a couple of department store shows (which are free, except you have to donate a door prize) but they dont happen very often.
But I am going to try the cookie thing.
that's how i got my biz kicked off....i took cakes to almost all the schools....to the teachers lounges at lunchtime....they won't let you bring stuff if you aren't legal....that's the catch, you can't really blame them for that.
What about promoting cakes to businesses for their staff parties at the end of the year. Things with logos, retirement, etc.
that's how i got my biz kicked off....i took cakes to almost all the schools....to the teachers lounges at lunchtime....they won't let you bring stuff if you aren't legal....that's the catch, you can't really blame them for that.
I will have to check..I beleive they won't let us do it, even if we are legal (which I am) becuase they require labeling. (which I do not do) They are so paranoid of food alergies! Although I don't get it because the groceries stores use all those premade frozen yecky cakes around here, which I would think were worse!! hahaha!
But its a neat idea, I will fer sure call around.
During the holidays people use their family recipes for desserts.....SOOOooo what I do is push my carrot cakes, Italian Cream, Coconut and Humingbird....Not decorated...just a delicious homemade dessert...and they are willing to pay dearly for these (I think they try to pass them off as their own LOL).
Last year 1 of my customers ordered a Southern Living style carrot cake 10 inch AND pecan pie (2) and she didn't even look twice at the 100.00 price tag I put on these. She didn't want to go without dessert on the Thanksgiving table but she was not willing to forgo the taste from let's say Wal Mart.
So I say push homemade style cakes that aren't decorated. Just nicely iced with the go with icing. Also I do really good making pecan pie muffins and a homemade oatmeal raisen cookie that is to die for with essence of coconut 
I'm at a dead point right now. I just did 2 cakes this weekend..but the only thing I have this week is a anniversary cake. My next order so far after that is 3 donated cakes on Nov. 2 
Have a wonderful day guys!!!
Christi
Maybe you could print a "Holiday order form" with a picture of your cookie tray or signature holiday dessert and take that around to businesses. You could always offer a sample too. Put all your new offerings on your web page and include your web address on the order form.
that's how i got my biz kicked off....i took cakes to almost all the schools....to the teachers lounges at lunchtime....they won't let you bring stuff if you aren't legal....that's the catch, you can't really blame them for that.
I will have to check..I beleive they won't let us do it, even if we are legal (which I am) becuase they require labeling. (which I do not do) They are so paranoid of food alergies! Although I don't get it because the groceries stores use all those premade frozen yecky cakes around here, which I would think were worse!! hahaha!
But its a neat idea, I will fer sure call around.
If you are legal you are the same as the grocery stores....your label has to have nutritional information on it....probably very similar to the the one the grocery store actually uses without all of the enhancers and preservatives. I do things for the schools all of the time and I print my labels from my computer.
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