I was totally caught off guard this evening. The doorbell rings I was just about to feed my fish and I'm like who is this. My kitchen is a reck because I'm updating my displays and trying to get ready for my consultation on tomorrow evening. But it's this lady saying she had an appointment today. I was like what I was lost for words I look a mess my dog barking. So she said well can we come in and see some pictures since we are here. I'm like sure totally unprepared. I'm like is this a bad sign. This is not the first incident. Her daughter is who contacted me. I showed her what I could. She said I did nice work seeing the displays I had already but all the incomplete ones to. I was frazzled. It's her 50th birthday and her daughter wanted her to have a pocketbook cake with a shoe. She's having 350 guest. I told her it would be $1000. if she wanted to do a tiered cake and for a pocketbook for 40 servings $160. She said she would get back to me it's a black and white. She was going to even invite me to the party. I thought that was nice. What would you have done?

I would have hidden behind the curtain until she left

Seriously? I would have kindly told her that it was a bad time for me and that I would happily see her at another scheduled time.

Some people used to do that to me. My kitchen/shop is in my basement, because I happen to live here too they just assumed that they could "drop by" if they saw my car in the driveway.

I had to be firm with people........I didn't want them just showing up whenever I was in the yard or on my porch. It's a tough thing to work out of your home, and there will be some people that will try to take advantage of it. Only you can set the boundaries and don't be afraid to do it.

Yeah you're right about me setting boundaries. It was to late for me because I didn't check out the window. I'll know the next time. You live and learn.

I have been working from my home for 19 years and people think if you are home, you are open. The worst one was during my son's 1st Communion party on a Sunday, 50 guests, 20+ cars in our yard, you get the picture. A car pulls up and parks at the end of the driveway and everyone is asking who they are, no one knows them. They ask for the owner of the cake shop, I say that's me, and they say great, you're here, we happened to be out for a drive and we want to design our wedding cake for our wedding next year. Umm, do you see any of the 50 people looking at you in disbelief? I politely told them I would be happy to make an appointment with them, but we would not be doing a cake consultation that day. To put it lightly, they were not happy. You will have a few every year just show up, even if you post everywhere you can think of that you are open by appointment only.

I had someone stop by just a couple days ago. It was about 7:30 in the evening... I had my comfy clothes on and barefoot.. my kids were blaring Spongebob on the tv. We had just finished dinner! Luckily they were dropping off a color swatch for a cake that I am doing this week. STILL.. that is just rude!!! Some think just because you work from home that you are open 24/7!!

Let her know no appointment was made for her (which I'm 99% aure, she all ready knew that) & that you would be happy to call her later to schedula an appointment for her. but right now it's not a good time & just not possible. I'll be danged if I have people showing up at my house. That is totally inappropiate & disrespectful to your business. They wouldn't want you showing uo at their talking about "Hi, would you like to buy a cake?".

Long time ago, I use to have a business from my house(not cakes). People would do that all the time..7:30 in the morning knocking doors!..
I stop that real fast. First I told my clients that I worked by appointment only and that I was not around if there was no app.

So if anyone came with no app, I simply would not even answer the door...They learn to call and make app. And I was able to sleep!
Edna

Geez... I won't even 'drop in' on my BFF without calling first!

I agree with the other posters...you need to be firm (but polite of course). Customers that have so little regard for your time could be an ongoing problem, and may not be worth your efforts.

An aside, my next door neighbor runs a successful chocolate/confectionary business from her home. One day last summer she was having coffee with me in my home when someone began knocking on my door very insistently. When I answered the door, the woman standing there asked me if I knew where __________ was. She had a hostile edge to her voice, so hedged and asked if she had an appointment with _________. She replied with, "No, but I've driven over an hour to see if she can make what I want." At this point, my friend (the chocolatier) came to the door, and in her sweetest voice told the woman, "___________ just left for Tenerife for a month. It's such a shame you wasted all that petrol." The woman left muttering under her breadth. My friend told me that she could have handled the drop-in, but couldn't tolerate the woman's tone of voice towards me and her lack of apology for interrupting my day. Then she said,
"That one's not worth the truffle."

Miss-Tiff, that was a perfect explaination!

oh wow, i have that facebook/myspace problem all the time, and then if they dont get me on my home phone, they try my cell. did you ever think that if i really wanted to talk to you, that I would call you!! oh, and they ask, "oh, is it too late to call, cuz i saw you online?" im thinkin, if you are scared that its too late, then that probably means its too late