hello everyone!
In an effort to get my cake out there, and hopefully generating some more business, I'm considering offering a sale until the end of the month. All cakes booked by March 31st get 25% off the total cost of the cake.... basically a 2 week special. Is this appropriate? or is it too much of a discount?
thoughts?
that is a lot of discount... but as long as you still cover all your costs and at least most of your time, then i guess it doesnt matter quite so much. but the only discounts i have seen have been 10-15%.
xx
You need to do a little math and see how much a 25% discount would affect you in terms of covering expenses and still having enough money left to make it worth your while. Then you can determine if it's too much.
Personally I would do a 10% discount.
A very expensive marketing guru (that a friend of mine paid for ... I'm too cheap!) says "Never discount .... always add value."
On a $400 cake, a 25% discount equates to $100 off. It will cost you WAY less than that to offer, for example, 2 dz free choc covered strawberries for the bride and groom (or the head table, if they want to share). Value? $60. Your cost? About ten bucks.
Offer a small, simple groom's cake. 8" round max. size. SImple design (sports theme, for example). Value? $75 to $125. Your cost? About 15 bucks.
Offer two "Parents Cakes": two 6" cakes decorated similar to the weddign cake or just BC iced w/ simple decors. These are gifts to the parents .. a souvenier of sorts of the wedding. With brides trying to buy "jsut enough" cake for the wedding, having an extra cake that mom can take home just for her is something special. Value? $75. Your cost? Under 20 bucks.
See where I'm going here? 
I also wanted to add, but forgot it in the last post, that when you give a discount, you are handing them cash back out of your pocket. WHen you give them a gift, it only costs you the wholesale cost, not the retail cost.
The above example of the 25% discount on a $400 cake means you are handing them a $100 bill.
When you give a "free gift", you are handing them something that has a retail value of, let's say, $100 but your out of pocket is usually WAY under that.
Instead of handing them a $100 bill, you're "handing" them just a $20 bill but you've made them very very happy with their $100 gift.
THat's why its much cheaper to give them a $100 value-added gift than it is to give them a cash discount gift.
hmmmm... you have a point indydebi. great advice too!
I still want to be indydebi when I grow up... 
Me too, johnson6ofus !!!
My sister in law runs a cloth shop and she said to me, when we were discussing about regular customers and friends discount: "I never give them a discount, I always give them something as gift, if you give them discount they still have to pay and it does not make the same effect in their had as when they get something for free". Plus it is cheaper for you as indydebi explained above.
I offer something free or a bonus like Indydebi said.
Question for you Indydebi: reading where you mentioned the strawberries at 60.00. I am pricing MOB for bride and groom strawberries for the wedding. She has 300 guest, how many would you suggest she have? Do you charge 30.00 per dozen? I was planning on quoting 24.00 per dozen, but If I can get 30 even better..lol!
I charged $2.50 each ..... $36/doz. Depending on the time of year, to get 300 good ones, you'll need to buy probably 500 berries (figure 4 to 5 flats minimum).
If she is going to set one at each place setting, then one each. If they are going to be part of the dessert table, where guests can help themselves, then I'd plan on at LEAST 2 per person. These are VERY popular and they go FAST! Had one bride who planned a wedding for 100; ordered 100 berries; and there were none left by the time she arrived at the reception.
A very expensive marketing guru (that a friend of mine paid for ... I'm too cheap!) says "Never discount .... always add value."
On a $400 cake, a 25% discount equates to $100 off. It will cost you WAY less than that to offer, for example, 2 dz free choc covered strawberries for the bride and groom (or the head table, if they want to share). Value? $60. Your cost? About ten bucks.
Offer a small, simple groom's cake. 8" round max. size. SImple design (sports theme, for example). Value? $75 to $125. Your cost? About 15 bucks.
Offer two "Parents Cakes": two 6" cakes decorated similar to the weddign cake or just BC iced w/ simple decors. These are gifts to the parents .. a souvenier of sorts of the wedding. With brides trying to buy "jsut enough" cake for the wedding, having an extra cake that mom can take home just for her is something special. Value? $75. Your cost? Under 20 bucks.
See where I'm going here?
great adviceas alwys...thanks!
I agree Indy always has the best answer. I purposely look for her replies cause i know its going to be right and good. I wish you would right a book about running a business and all your little sayings, it would be invaluable. please, please please consider it!!!!! 
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