AA friend who has a party business, wants to design cakes with/for his clients and then have me make the cakes. Would anyone here work through a third party? I like to have personal contact with my clients to ensure the cake they want, and I see a client as the person who ends up receiving and eating the cake, not the inbetween person, as my friend sees it. Any thots? I see a future of misunderstandings and added stress working indirectly as I often have last minute questions and so on, and I dislike having to wait for replies when going through a third party.
Here's the thing with having a middle man..there is constant miss-communication. I have a wonderful friend who is a Henna artist, and we tried to work together to make specialty "Henna Cakes" (made with Royal Icing..not henna). While it was a great idea, and the cakes we made together were excellent..it nearly tore our friendship apart. There is a constant miss-communication when one person is putting getting all the information about the cakes and then just passing it along to you..I know your situation is different but my experience is that unless you are physically there to help with every consultation there will be friction.
AHe is completely clueless when it comes to cakes and what it entails. He Googles and chooses an image and says he is a designer. When I told him I have chosen to run my business only with direct contact with clients, he uses the reasoning that he is the client.....but that does not make sense to me.
if he is clueless about cakes as gingerlocks says it would be disastrous to do business with him
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He is completely clueless when it comes to cakes and what it entails. He Googles and chooses an image and says he is a designer. When I told him I have chosen to run my business only with direct contact with clients, he uses the reasoning that he is the client.....but that does not make sense to me.
O jeeze, this guy sounds sketchy. I mean he is NOT the client, no matter what he says..nor is he some big desinger. Run!
ANot a chance in that often referred to really hot place that some people believe bad people go to. The only way I'd consider such an arrangement, and I'd have to be hard up for business, is a set of specific predetermined designs that are ordered "as is, as they look, no deviations from the picture" kind of setup. Personalized as far as name and colors go, but [B]that's it.[/B]
AThanks. That is all helpful insight. I did not feel right about it, but wanted to get some feedback from others in the cake business.
I will be informing him of my decision to be the sole designer, but that if he does have clients that want cakes, he could refer them to me by passing them my email address or website. However, I can already figure he would want a referral fee. Is that something to do? And if so how much is a good fee?
He had wanted a 15% fee for his "referral/designing". I find that too high, for the fact that he does not actually do much.
I do not really need the business right now, and all things considered if I give a 5% fee for the 10 seconds it takes to give my contact info, that is way more then I even make for all the hours spent making the cakes. However, I do know he is trying to be nice in giving me business, so I do not want to bash his attempt at goodwill...he just is clueless to the cake aspect of parties, but somehow thinks he knows how to run that part of the business rather then leave it the ones who do, in this case me.
Any advice?
I do plenty of referrals with other cake decorators in the area, and we have no fees between us.
He is completely clueless when it comes to cakes and what it entails. He Googles and chooses an image and says he is a designer. When I told him I have chosen to run my business only with direct contact with clients, he uses the reasoning that he is the client.....but that does not make sense to me.
I think you have answered your own question, but if not, here's another vote for keeping away from this person.
As far as the referral/design fee, since he will not be "designing" then he's only open to the possibility of a referral fee. 15% is way too much, especially if you don't need the business.
I do not really need the business right now, and all things considered if I give a 5% fee ... that is way more then I even make for all the hours spent making the cakes.
Any advice?
My best advice: You might want to think about your pricing structure. Your statement needs exploration.
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My best advice: You might want to think about your pricing structure. Your statement needs exploration.
I can try to break it down....if I receive an order for a 100 $ cake, he gets 5 dollars for the 30 seconds it takes to pass my email along. If I got 5 dollars every 30 seconds, then a custom made cake that takes me roughly 5 to 6 hours to make, would actually cost 3000 to 3600....that is the meaning of my statement....making the cakes is the hard work, and so either I have to lose out money, or he has to charge clients more....
I'm no expert, but he sound like a moocher. If he wants money that badly, tell him to get a job.
There are just too many red flags. I agree with AZ on the preset design if you go forward with this. The potential for miscommunication is far to great. This is your business & reputation.
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