How To Increase My Business, Need Advice
Decorating By trixie05 Updated 5 Jun 2011 , 2:36pm by trixie05
I've been making & decorating cakes from my home for about a year now, and still cannot generate much business. I get compliments when I deliver the cakes, even had one customer call me from their party stating how great the cake was! However, never any repeat customers, and new ones are very few and far between.
I'm advertising on Craig's list, have a web site, pass out cards whenever I feel it is ok to do, and leave extra cards with my customers when delivering the cakes. My prices I think are very reasonable, and on two occasions, the customers paid me $5.00 more than I asked.
I've contacted a few shops with the idea of leaving dummy cakes on display with them, but they had other people they were working with. If one did agree to do this, I don't even know what type of arrangement to work out with them.
I'm tried attaching a few of my cake photos, but am not able to do so. Thanks for any suggestions, as I am at a loss.
You have a website--but have you tweaked it so that you show up in search results such as Google? That has helped me generate inquiries. Also, post on any free sites (lots of wedding vendor sites). Good luck!
Post on every free wedding/party site that you can. Also, you might want to look into Search Engine Optimization. My website host has this feature where certain words that people type into to yahoo, bing, or google will bring up my site. Also, if you don't have a FB page, you should set one up with a link to your website. My business is 90% generated from the web.
Which state are you in? You might want to try networking with venues, but you should make sure you're operating legally first, since some venues require vendors to be licensed and insured.
pass out cards whenever I feel it is ok to do,
It's ALWAYS ok to pass out a card. I gave them to cashiers in retail stores, anyone I happened to hear talking about weddings or cakes (like the table next to me at a restaurant), I even gave them to the girl in the Wendy's drive-thru window when I saw an engagement ring on her finger.
If you're not handing out (and receiving) at least 20 cards a day, you're not doing it right. My daily goal was 50 cards a day. Sometimes I hit it .... sometimes I didn't, but that was the goal.
Assuming you're licensed and can do sign advertising, get a sign on the side of your delivery vehicle. I had people approach me and ask for my card while I was pumping gas, in the mall parking lot and one young lady flagged me down in an Arby's lot .... she was on her way in to clock in and I was heading to the drive thru (yeah ... I DID do a lot of fast food back then! ).
Always have some in your pocket and always pull one out to give away.
Thank you all for your replies. Yes, I also have a FB page, but will try your ideas also. TY
pass out cards whenever I feel it is ok to do,
It's ALWAYS ok to pass out a card. I gave them to cashiers in retail stores, anyone I happened to hear talking about weddings or cakes (like the table next to me at a restaurant), I even gave them to the girl in the Wendy's drive-thru window when I saw an engagement ring on her finger.
If you're not handing out (and receiving) at least 20 cards a day, you're not doing it right. My daily goal was 50 cards a day. Sometimes I hit it .... sometimes I didn't, but that was the goal.
Assuming you're licensed and can do sign advertising, get a sign on the side of your delivery vehicle. I had people approach me and ask for my card while I was pumping gas, in the mall parking lot and one young lady flagged me down in an Arby's lot .... she was on her way in to clock in and I was heading to the drive thru (yeah ... I DID do a lot of fast food back then! ).
Always have some in your pocket and always pull one out to give away.
Trixie, You can also get affordable printing online. Vista Print will not only print cards, but they will do the car magnets Ms. Debbie is speaking of. Because I am in a major destination wedding location, much of my business has traveled through the real estate rental companies and most of that through word of mouth from the locals who live here. As far as printing the business cards, print twice as many as you think you are going to need!
Thank you tokazodo, I ordered my cards as well as magnets from Vista Print & have been passing some out. I guess I haven't been passing out enough yet. Will give it an "all out" effort. I guess I feel shy about passing out my name, but I am too old to feel that way!
indydebi because of our neighborhood restrictions, I cannot keep a sign on my van, but you gave me an idea. I can order magnetic signs & put them on my van as I go about my daily chores. Thanks!
I am also too shy sometimes to hand out buisness cards. It is something that I have to get over myself..You said it the best, I am too old to continue to be shy. This is a great forum topic and has helped me out too.
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