okay so here it goes.... this month I had 4 people ask me to make them cakes.. I say yes, and give them my ideas... I also give them a price.. and then nothing, Yesterday I had someone call all excited about ordering a cake, it was going to be a Dora Mermaid cake I was going to make a 2 tired cake, 8in and 6in, all the details on the cake was going to be made out of fondant/gumpaste, was going to make the dora mermaid as the topper, make shells.... fish.. anyways you get the idea... So I tell them my price $80.. they tell me they will call around and let me know today...
Well Like I said before this has happened 3 time already this month so when I heard that, I already knew I was not going to get a call back...
Okay so what am I doing wrong... I know there are people that want something for nothing, but come on... it will be like I'm giving my cakes away, I can;t do that, the frist few times it has happened It didn't bother me, but I was so excited to make this cake, Any ideas on what I should do??
TFTH...
ask them their budget first and them make the cake fit their budget. it may not be what you want to do but it will be what they can afford.
i know we all love to do the extra fun stuff where we get to play, but if you are not willing to play for free you may have to simplify to fit the clients budget.
Do Not Undercut yourself. $80 for a 2 tier cake with gumpaste figures is a steal. Your work is very good, it is their loss if they go somewhere else. Some people have no idea what is involved in making a cake and you just got those few this month. Hang in there and don't give up hope. Once you go cheap, there is no going back.
You're not doing anything wrong. People today have champagne taste, but want it for a beggar's pocketbook. Stick to your prices, or build yourself a reputation for being able to be "chewed down.
Theresa 
Here's where all the great cake shows have affected our businesses. People know now what is possible, BUT have no idea of the work or costs involved. They see Duff and his crew knocking out 3 fabulous cakes in 23 minutes! They don't see 98% of the work involved. And since price is never discussed, they mentally go to the only prices they do know about, at the local grocery store.
I had a lady call me for a shark cake. For 3D cake to serve 30 people, I gave her a price of $200. I was SURE I'd never hear from her again. She paid happily! When i delivered it, I found out that she had actually called Charm City, and gotten a price of $600, plus a hefty delivery charge. (I'm 3 hours from Baltimore.)
My point is, since she knew what the tv price would be, she considered me a bargain. It was me vs Duff, not me vs Coscto.
Stick to your prices. Get a reputation for terrific work. People will pay once they know what your cakes are worth.
Here's where all the great cake shows have affected our businesses. People know now what is possible, BUT have no idea of the work or costs involved. They see Duff and his crew knocking out 3 fabulous cakes in 23 minutes! They don't see 98% of the work involved. And since price is never discussed, they mentally go to the only prices they do know about, at the local grocery store.
I had a lady call me for a shark cake. For 3D cake to serve 30 people, I gave her a price of $200. I was SURE I'd never hear from her again. She paid happily! When i delivered it, I found out that she had actually called Charm City, and gotten a price of $600, plus a hefty delivery charge. (I'm 3 hours from Baltimore.)
My point is, since she knew what the tv price would be, she considered me a bargain. It was me vs Duff, not me vs Coscto.
Stick to your prices. Get a reputation for terrific work. People will pay once they know what your cakes are worth.
Here's where all the great cake shows have affected our businesses. People know now what is possible, BUT have no idea of the work or costs involved. They see Duff and his crew knocking out 3 fabulous cakes in 23 minutes! They don't see 98% of the work involved. And since price is never discussed, they mentally go to the only prices they do know about, at the local grocery store.
I had a lady call me for a shark cake. For 3D cake to serve 30 people, I gave her a price of $200. I was SURE I'd never hear from her again. She paid happily! When i delivered it, I found out that she had actually called Charm City, and gotten a price of $600, plus a hefty delivery charge. (I'm 3 hours from Baltimore.)
My point is, since she knew what the tv price would be, she considered me a bargain. It was me vs Duff, not me vs Coscto.
Stick to your prices. Get a reputation for terrific work. People will pay once they know what your cakes are worth.
Here's where all the great cake shows have affected our businesses. People know now what is possible, BUT have no idea of the work or costs involved. They see Duff and his crew knocking out 3 fabulous cakes in 23 minutes! They don't see 98% of the work involved. And since price is never discussed, they mentally go to the only prices they do know about, at the local grocery store.
I had a lady call me for a shark cake. For 3D cake to serve 30 people, I gave her a price of $200. I was SURE I'd never hear from her again. She paid happily! When i delivered it, I found out that she had actually called Charm City, and gotten a price of $600, plus a hefty delivery charge. (I'm 3 hours from Baltimore.)
My point is, since she knew what the tv price would be, she considered me a bargain. It was me vs Duff, not me vs Coscto.
Stick to your prices. Get a reputation for terrific work. People will pay once they know what your cakes are worth.
Here's where all the great cake shows have affected our businesses. People know now what is possible, BUT have no idea of the work or costs involved. They see Duff and his crew knocking out 3 fabulous cakes in 23 minutes! They don't see 98% of the work involved. And since price is never discussed, they mentally go to the only prices they do know about, at the local grocery store.
Wouldn't you just love it if they put a little price tag up when they are showing a picture of the cake? You know like they do on HGTV on Househunters. How cool would that be?
Here's where all the great cake shows have affected our businesses. People know now what is possible, BUT have no idea of the work or costs involved. They see Duff and his crew knocking out 3 fabulous cakes in 23 minutes! They don't see 98% of the work involved. And since price is never discussed, they mentally go to the only prices they do know about, at the local grocery store.
Wouldn't you just love it if they put a little price tag up when they are showing a picture of the cake? You know like they do on HGTV on Househunters. How cool would that be?
Here's where all the great cake shows have affected our businesses. People know now what is possible, BUT have no idea of the work or costs involved. They see Duff and his crew knocking out 3 fabulous cakes in 23 minutes! They don't see 98% of the work involved. And since price is never discussed, they mentally go to the only prices they do know about, at the local grocery store.
Wouldn't you just love it if they put a little price tag up when they are showing a picture of the cake? You know like they do on HGTV on Househunters. How cool would that be?
Here's where all the great cake shows have affected our businesses. People know now what is possible, BUT have no idea of the work or costs involved. They see Duff and his crew knocking out 3 fabulous cakes in 23 minutes! They don't see 98% of the work involved. And since price is never discussed, they mentally go to the only prices they do know about, at the local grocery store.
Wouldn't you just love it if they put a little price tag up when they are showing a picture of the cake? You know like they do on HGTV on Househunters. How cool would that be?
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