a letterbox drop is putting your flyers in peoples letterboxes. =) like junk mail.lol. i always get them for all sorts of business here; sewing alterations, mowing, gardening, fitness, etc.. i dont see why caking should be any different.. ill be doing it when i (eventually) start my business. and by areas, i mean suburbs. =)soo, dont go posting in the dodgy suburbs, go for the higher end ones.. the ones with the money... hahahaha.
oh geez, so many things are illegal there! im in australia btw...didnt mean to get anyone in trouble...
I'll be honest with you. Don't waste your time with a flyer. They have been proven many times over by businesses not to work. They cost more money and man power to print and place around town than you'll bring in money wise. They have done business studies even on how ineffective they are. Think about it, how many times have you received a flyer just to chuck it into the trash. However, you could do one of those coupon books that people get at their house in the mail. That may work, not sure though?
That may be the idea Noahsmummy was talking about.
Most people do not read the newspaper anymore so I personally wouldn't advertise in one of them. It's all about the internet and word of mouth.
Start making those important vendor relationships so they can pass your information on and you can return the favor.
One thing I learned when you try to get the word out is to ask people "How did you hear about us?" People ask this question for a reason, not small talk. They mark it down so that way they know which advertising is working and what is not. Then they know which way to direct there attention better as well as put $ towards what's working the best. Also, by knowing what doesn't work you can save $ by not using that in the future. You'd be shocked how many people don't do this and realize once they start that what they thought was working wasn't.
Take a few small donations of cookies or whatever to a school. They will spread the work like wild fire. Other businesses would work too, but make sure not to donate to the same one too much. They'll see it as free food instead of placing an order.
I know someone who does muffin and cookie baskets. Nothing fancy at all. Her entire business is built around Realitors (sp?) She dropped off some baskets at different places and talked to them briefly and left a card saying "Consider a basket like this for a Welcome Home gift for your clients."
Evoir... u r so right!!! I started this thread and thought I might get a few hints, here and there.... but I tell you... I have learned a wealth of onformation, both for my website and for local advertising.... the information I have gotten here and the advise... people pay $$$$$ to advisors for it....
I thank each and everyone that has taken the time.... my cake central family went to my site and looked at every detail there is to look and gave me a whole lot of constructive critisism that has helped me to improve my site (still working on it) and has given me a whole new outlook on following my dream (which before this thread I thought I would have to give up on)....
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mkolmar....
I know what u mean by flyers... I toss them in the trash w-out even looking... but I got some other good ideas here.. like buying a mailing list... and about a partnership with a very famous Philly vendor that might prove to be the one thing I needed...
everyone has told me what I have done wrong, and I know they mean well... I have not felt like they are telling me in a pretensious (sp?) way at all....
I think this is information that all of us new cake designers with new busnss should know.....
with tons of love, appreciation and gratitude to everyone here.... keep'em coming.... I have a chart with my TO DO's hehehehe.....
May I add one more suggestion? Go over the copy in the Wedding Cake section of your website. I noticed quite a few grammatical and punctuation errors.
A few are:
Types if flowers should be types of flowers
Wedding cake that your guest will line up to photograph should be guests
Your cakes are beautiful and I know your business will take off!
I have never had luck with offering "freebies" or "donations. I get a nice thank you, but never any orders or any referrals from them. I would be very very selectful about who you "give" things to. (most folks that get free stuff keep wanting free stuff or very cheap - they are never interested in actually ordering something and paying for it) This is just my observation on that!
May I add one more suggestion? Go over the copy in the Wedding Cake section of your website. I noticed quite a few grammatical and punctuation errors.
A few are:
Types if flowers should be types of flowers
Wedding cake that your guest will line up to photograph should be guests
Your cakes are beautiful and I know your business will take off!
Fixed.... thanks.... 
A note on mailings - I used to work for a global marketing company. Their main focus was mailing in mass quantities an "advertisement". This advertisement was many things - some were a postcard, some a rip off from your return envelope, some a full letter type marketing piece.
The EXPECTED response rate from one of these mailings is 1%. That's it. Just 1% should respond/purchase to be considered a successful mailing. Of course there are better ways to craft your mailing list, than just a random zip code. Getting a more concentrated target group will of course get you more responses.
Point is: don't spend a ton of money, time, & creative energy designing a mailing. **in fact, the "uglier" mailers got higher responses, if you can believe that!!**
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