Question: Did Some Advertised On The Craglist?
Business By sugarcheryl Updated 7 Jun 2009 , 3:00am by cakeschmake
I thought I read a thread that someone did and they had success. I wondering if I did find that on here could someone share with me there results and advice.
The only thing I have read on CC about advertising on Craigslist is not to unless you are legal. HTH Good luck
I've heard that it kind of invites crazy people. But I'm just a hobby cake maker...so I don't have any experience to back up that statement!
craigslist is pretty much a bargain-hunter's site, so if you advertise on there don't expect to get a lot of responses from people who want to pay you a decent amount. You WILL get a lot of people asking you to do $1000 cakes for $50, though!
I put an ad on Craigslist YEARS ago when I was a homebaker, and offered it as a "trade" to see what I could get! I figure, if no money changes hands, you should be cool as far as the legal stuff goes? Anyway, I got my hubby's beloved old SUV fully detailed by a hippie couple who did mobile detailing. I was to make them a small wedding cake. Sadly, they ended up getting hitched out of state, so I made them their next two party cakes instead. They recently visited my shop with their little boy. So, I met a really nice couple out of the deal! However, I was lucky!! I probably would never try it again... My nickname for Craigslist is Flakeslist... 99% of the people who respond are total flakes!
Once I offered something for FREE, and the first six people who swore they would come immediately for this item they desperately wanted never showed. So you've got to have major patience!!
I look at it like the classifieds - not so much as business. You just have to be smart/have common sense.
Gracias a Dios, I've had good luck on it - found my car on it for a GREAT deal, tons of cake stuff from two businesses that went out of business, stuff for our church.
But there's this lady that advertises ALL the time on there. I don't know who she is so I can't say it works either.
I have in the past, and usually got an order or two every time...but lately I've noticed some odd decorators advertising, some real questionable stuff...sooooo I have decided to kinda "rise above" that now. Not in a proud way, but just do not want people to think I'm the same as some of these other ones who list there. (Not to say all that list are unprofessional, but I have seen a few weirdos on there. Wrote one asking for photos of her work and she said she didn't have very many but she could email me an erotic one if I wanted to see it. Great.)
It does work though, if you want to try it.
(Not to say all that list are unprofessional, but I have seen a few weirdos on there. Wrote one asking for photos of her work and she said she didn't have very many but she could email me an erotic one if I wanted to see it. Great
An erotic cake photo, or one of herself? Eeeeeeewww!
I have advertised a couple of times for custom baking and many times for another business. My opinion is that it won't hurt you but you won't build your business off of it either. Like others have aluded to, it is a bargain basement for goods and services. I can see it being used just as the Airlines or hotels use expedia.com or priceline.com. If you are in between seasons or clients then maybe you can give it a shot and pick up lower tier jobs. Or you could catch someone in a pickle and upsell because of short notice. So far for baking I haven't seen any success there and have been curious about those who do since no one ever uses their name in the ad.
I have advertised a couple of times for custom baking and many times for another business. My opinion is that it won't hurt you but you won't build your business off of it either. Like others have aluded to, it is a bargain basement for goods and services. I can see it being used just as the Airlines or hotels use expedia.com or priceline.com. If you are in between seasons or clients then maybe you can give it a shot and pick up lower tier jobs. Or you could catch someone in a pickle and upsell because of short notice. So far for baking I haven't seen any success there and have been curious about those who do since no one ever uses their name in the ad.
I actually got a small wedding from CL before...as well as kids party cakes (by listing in the kids section). after awhile it looked like one baker in particular was trying to draw business away from me (I didn't list often, maybe once per month) by saying "Why pay crazy prices for those modern fondant cakes? Hire me and I can make you the cake of your dreams for much less!" So I was like "You know...forget it....if people are looking for a custom cake, they will find my website."
So I haven't listed on there for quite awhile now.
That's the same way I feel about it Suzy... I am not going to be that bargain basement cake lady and most people who are advertizing on CL (at least around here anyway) are exactly that. "Get your awesome cake here for CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP". I think about it just like you... they want a custom cake... they'll find me on Google.
I usually have an a on CL but it really has not done much good. It drives a lot of traffic to my website, but very few customers ever contact me from a CL ad. I figured it was like every one else has said, because CL shoppers are bargain hunters.
It does open you up to spam and scam emails too, even if you dont put your email address in the ad.
The only reason I do it is because I'm new in business, and if I get one good order from it then its worth it, because its free.
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