Hey guys I'm hoping someone can help me. I had an events coordinator from a local country club email me today and she's looking for a baker for cupcakes and the occasional wedding cakes and she wants me to call her Monday to answer some 'questions'.

My question is - how do bakeries handle this sort of situation? I know they exist but I'm worried that she might be wanting me to cut her a special 'deal' on cakes which is absolutely out of the question. Other than that what else could an events coordinator want to know?

I'd kinda like to have some of my ducks in a row before calling her on Monday. I am a licensed baker and I work from commerical kitchen, I'm just not sure what an 'events' coordinator would be looking for and don't want to be caught off guard.

Anyone had an events coordinator contact you for cakes???? anyone?

Usually what they want to know is your prices (including any delivery fees) and what services you offer. She may also want your website address and your contact information. She will probably just ask some of the same questions that a customer would ask.

My guess would be that she just wants to talk to you about pricing, cakes and what services you provide (delivery? setup?). She's probably looking for a baker that she can refer her clients to. I wouldn't assume she's looking for a price break. Unless she's planning on buying 20+ cakes a week type of volume, she's just placing an order.

none of the planners I work with expect a price discount.

And as far as price goes, if she is just referring her brides to you, that's one thing, but if you make the cake and set it up, but it's part of her complete 'package' you can be sure she's charging them more than you're charging her, even at your retail price.

I'm guessing as everyone has said, that she wants price lists, maybe a basic 'menu', and to know what your skill level is etc. She may want to know if you have any 'special skills' or things you simply won't do. She may want to look at your portfolio just to be assured that you are the person she is looking for.

Good luck, that's really exciting!!

As an event planner, its as what everyone else has stated. She will ask you questions like prices, experience, references/testimomials, advertising, your legalities, and possibly a discount, but highly unlikely. I refuse to ask any vendor for a discount, unless in a charitable case, so its probably not that. Good luck and you should consider this a great opportunity.

Thanks everyone. You have all put my mind at ease.....

I'll keep you posted on how this turns out. Hopefully this will be a GREAT opportunity.

I'd be thrilled if I were you. Just answer her questions and see what she has in mind. It's probably the start of something really cool.

It will most likly be a "getting to know you" type interview. No reputable event planner would recommend a vendor to a client without feeling comfortable that they will do a good job for their client....otherwise the "egg" is on their face and their reputation is also at stake if the bride has a bad experience.

One of the local venues here has its own function coordinator, she presents the bride with portfolios from various bakeries. If the bride chooses me then the fee to the coordinator is 15% of my sale, direct from me to her, the bride has no knowledge. If I didn't give her my cut then my portfolio wouldn't be shown.

oohhh...bad business giving comissions< i mean on their part, i am a member of the assoc. of bridal consultants ( and take many classes each year to keep my prestige) they would kick their butt out in a minute if they found one of their members made money on kick back comissions,, I understand you gotta do what you gotta do to get your contracts, but it is very unethical fora event planner to take kick back comissions on her vendors.

I would run from someone that expects a commision...especially one as high as 15%. That means they are making more for my time, labor, and costs than I am......I spend hours doing the cake, and they just give my name out....NO WAY!

I have one hotel social catering manager that has pushed for us to be the ONLY baker allowed in the hotel. It is worth about $2500 a month in business. I don't give her a comission, but I do loan her any plateaus or stands she needs for free. She gets a 50% discount on all her "personal" purchases, and we give her boxes of cupcakes for her tastings etc.

Cultivating people to do your selling for you is ALWAYS a good idea.

Many times a corporate business needs/wants to make sure you are a legal business and will ask for proof of insurance, licencing, health inspection recipts and a list of happy customers. you should have no problem because you can provide all that.
it's regular biz.
don't be afraid to share your paperwork with a corp biz, it could make you very profitable.

How did it go?????

ps. special deal is the lingo for volume discount or wholesale account.

if it swims like a fish, stinks like a fish and has scales like a fish, you're not gonna put it around my neck and convince me it's a diamond necklace... sometimes it is what it is

When I was a catering manager I often worked with event coordinators. They never asked for discounts they just did all the footwork for the client. I would work with the coordinator for months before I met the client. It is really all about the relationships. If the client trust the coordinator and the coordinator trust the baker etc everyone ends up happy and it is a new business relationshp you can continue to use. I often worked with the same coordinators over and over.