Alright - enough already! All that talk of business planning, health regulations and customer service and it's easy to overlook what attracted us to the cake decorating business in the first place - cake! So, just for a while, let's forget about rules and regulations, and focus on the good stuff. Today I am going to share my favourite carrot cake recipe, some simple frosting recipes, and some videos on how to make buttercream icing, and how to make and use icing bags to decorate cakes.
CARROT CAKE RECIPE
This is now the only recipe I use for carrot cake. The friend who gave it to me got it from his next door neighbour, who described it as a 'foolproof' carrot cake. She claimed to have occasionally forgotten various ingredients and said that the cake turned out fine regardless. I have used an egg substitute when making it for my allergic son's birthday cake, and it has been fine. It is always a popular cake when I make it for guests or functions, it freezes well, and is pretty simple to make. You can make one large cake, or make a medium size one for home and a loaf tin size as a gift for someone.
The recipe works equally well when made into muffins or cupcakes - just be careful to adjust your baking time. Some people like to put pineapple pieces or sultanas in a carrot cake - I don't like these additions so I prefer the cake as is. Be aware that if you are making the cake for a function which includes a formal cake cutting, the addition of pineapple pieces will make it difficult to cut the cake neatly. Anyway - whatever you want to use this delicious cake for - here it is.
Ingredients
1 cup wholemeal flour
1 cup plain flour
2 teaspoons baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups raw sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup olive oil
3 cups grated carrot
4 eggs, beaten
Sift and mix dry ingredients
Add oil and mix well
Mix in beaten eggs, then mix in grated carrot
Place in greased or baking paper lined 25cm cake tin (or muffin, or cupcakes if desired) and bake at 180 degrees celsius/ 350 fahrenheit for 1 hour (less for smaller sizes). Cake is ready when thin knife inserted comes out clean.
Cool on rack, then ice with your choice of frosting.
1. Cream cheese frosting
100g/3 1/2 ounces vegetarian cream cheese
50g/ 1 3/4 ounces melted butter
2 cups sifted icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
Beat all together, spread over cake, and sprinkle with chopped nuts
2. Lemon icing
1 cup icing sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon rind
hot water to mix
Mix all together with enough hot water (added slowly) to achieve desired consistency
NB: Quantity of lemon juice can be increased according to taste - I love the stuff, so I use a whole lemon which often means I don't need any hot water
3. Maple syrup icing
Mix vegetarian cream cheese, maple syrup and lemon juice to desired taste and consistency. Add icing sugar if texture is too soft.
Buttercream Icing Video
Buttercream is one of the most popular icings. It is easy to make and use, and it is rather tasty. Have a look at this video for recipe and instructions on how to use it.
Piping Bags
Now that you know several different types of icing, have a look at this video on making and using icing bags to decorate a cake, especially lettering and more intricate decorations. It is a good idea to practise by making an inexpensive icing and piping it onto baking paper or an easy clean cutting board. You can re-use the practise icing, and work out your designs before applying them to a cake.
Happy frosting! Check out my next post for some more cake decorating tips, before we get back to the nitty gritty of starting and running your cake decorating business.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Customer Service in A Home Based Cake Decorating Business - Part 4
Going the Extra Mile for Your Customers
When you are first starting out in your home based cake decorating business, it can seem like all your energy is used in just getting to grips with the basics: baking, designing, and decorating cakes; marketing your service; dealing with the tax and health departments - leaving you little time to focus on the most important feature of the whole operation, customer service. If you are serious about succeeding in this market, you will already understand the importance of basic things like being punctual, delivering what you say you will, communicating efficiently and returning phone calls and e-mails promptly, and you may think you have all the bases covered in terms of customer service. But it is the little things that count, and while 'going the extra mile' may seem like a bit of a cliche, it is here that you will be remembered and judged. People will remember little personal touches that were not a part of your contract to supply - perhaps a small wedding gift for the bride and groom whose cake you have supplied, or a birthday present for the child whose birthday party features one of your creations. Maybe you can bring cupcake miniatures of your designs to consultation meetings - these are a pleasant accompaniment to the coffee or tea your are inevitably offered at such meetings, and of course a good showpiece for your baking and decorating skills. A good idea as a thankyou gift is some nicely packaged home made confectionery - easy enough to make and store, and another good showcase for your culinary abilities.
Such 'extras' do not have to be big or expensive - you are in this business to make money - but their added value is worth more than the effort or expense involved. Of course, 'going the extra mile' is not solely about material extras or gifts, it is chiefly about service; about making absolutely sure that the client gets the very best experience out of the service you provide. It is about being available when they need you, and about being there to meet their needs, regardless of your own convenience.
Have a look at this brilliant video of a talk given by customer service guru Shep Hyken about the added value he received from a taxi driver - it starts to get a little over the top at the end, but it is a great example of how to provide good and - most importantly - memorable service, for it is this that will keep customers coming back.
When you are first starting out in your home based cake decorating business, it can seem like all your energy is used in just getting to grips with the basics: baking, designing, and decorating cakes; marketing your service; dealing with the tax and health departments - leaving you little time to focus on the most important feature of the whole operation, customer service. If you are serious about succeeding in this market, you will already understand the importance of basic things like being punctual, delivering what you say you will, communicating efficiently and returning phone calls and e-mails promptly, and you may think you have all the bases covered in terms of customer service. But it is the little things that count, and while 'going the extra mile' may seem like a bit of a cliche, it is here that you will be remembered and judged. People will remember little personal touches that were not a part of your contract to supply - perhaps a small wedding gift for the bride and groom whose cake you have supplied, or a birthday present for the child whose birthday party features one of your creations. Maybe you can bring cupcake miniatures of your designs to consultation meetings - these are a pleasant accompaniment to the coffee or tea your are inevitably offered at such meetings, and of course a good showpiece for your baking and decorating skills. A good idea as a thankyou gift is some nicely packaged home made confectionery - easy enough to make and store, and another good showcase for your culinary abilities.
Such 'extras' do not have to be big or expensive - you are in this business to make money - but their added value is worth more than the effort or expense involved. Of course, 'going the extra mile' is not solely about material extras or gifts, it is chiefly about service; about making absolutely sure that the client gets the very best experience out of the service you provide. It is about being available when they need you, and about being there to meet their needs, regardless of your own convenience.
Have a look at this brilliant video of a talk given by customer service guru Shep Hyken about the added value he received from a taxi driver - it starts to get a little over the top at the end, but it is a great example of how to provide good and - most importantly - memorable service, for it is this that will keep customers coming back.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Customer Service in A Home Based Cake Decorating Business - Part 3
Yesterday I posted an article by Joe Love about the importance of not leaving customer service to the chance assumptions of common sense. While something may seem self evident, if we do not take specific, deliberate, and thoughtful action, then we run the risk of neglecting vital steps toward the achievement of our goals.
A seemingly obvious, and yet often overlooked point to remember in the customer service industry, is that we are here to suit our customers' needs - not our own. Following is a personal example of frustratingly poor customer service that could cost a local retailer our future custom.
We bought several items of furniture and appliances from a large retailer a few years ago and arranged delivery. They used an outside contractor to deliver and install, and this company would only deliver on weekdays, and only during business hours. Problem was – we were both working full time (like most people) and one of us would have to take time off to be at home to receive the delivery. That's acceptable – but they would not give us a more specific time than morning or afternoon. I worked near home at the time, and could quite easily take an hour off to be there for them, but it was ridiculous to expect me to take a whole afternoon off to wait for a half hour delivery that might not arrive until 4.30. Next time we will buy elsewhere, or more likely wait until the sale docket is being drawn up and then tell the commission salesperson that the sale is dependent on a specific delivery time being given to us – I bet they will be able to do it then. This really is just crap service – the retailer is making the sale conditional on meeting their requirements, not the other way round as it should be. It is quite ridiculous that a retailer cannot arrange delivery times to suit its customers, instead of its contractors.
As far as I am concerned, if they have the product in store, and I have paid for it, they should be able to deliver next day at the latest. If their delivery contractor can’t do that, they need to find another contractor. He will need them more than they need him – there are plenty of delivery companies available in town, just as there are plenty of retailers.
Now that I have finished my little rant, check out this You Tube clip from John Cleese's series "How to Irritate People". The salesman is a great (and not totally unrealistic!) example of crap follow up service.
A seemingly obvious, and yet often overlooked point to remember in the customer service industry, is that we are here to suit our customers' needs - not our own. Following is a personal example of frustratingly poor customer service that could cost a local retailer our future custom.
We bought several items of furniture and appliances from a large retailer a few years ago and arranged delivery. They used an outside contractor to deliver and install, and this company would only deliver on weekdays, and only during business hours. Problem was – we were both working full time (like most people) and one of us would have to take time off to be at home to receive the delivery. That's acceptable – but they would not give us a more specific time than morning or afternoon. I worked near home at the time, and could quite easily take an hour off to be there for them, but it was ridiculous to expect me to take a whole afternoon off to wait for a half hour delivery that might not arrive until 4.30. Next time we will buy elsewhere, or more likely wait until the sale docket is being drawn up and then tell the commission salesperson that the sale is dependent on a specific delivery time being given to us – I bet they will be able to do it then. This really is just crap service – the retailer is making the sale conditional on meeting their requirements, not the other way round as it should be. It is quite ridiculous that a retailer cannot arrange delivery times to suit its customers, instead of its contractors.
As far as I am concerned, if they have the product in store, and I have paid for it, they should be able to deliver next day at the latest. If their delivery contractor can’t do that, they need to find another contractor. He will need them more than they need him – there are plenty of delivery companies available in town, just as there are plenty of retailers.
Now that I have finished my little rant, check out this You Tube clip from John Cleese's series "How to Irritate People". The salesman is a great (and not totally unrealistic!) example of crap follow up service.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Customer Service in A Home Based Cake Decorating Business - Part 2
In yesterday's post, I shared an amusing, but extremely pertinent open letter to the manager of any company that provides poor customer service. Although it seemed more aimed at retail type companies with walk in customers, the fundamentals apply to any business. After all, if you are creating stunning cakes with the "wow" factor, and people get excited when they see your designs, you are well on your way to making a great success of your cake decorating business. Why then would you go and destroy all that hard work by providing poor quality customer service? A quality product is only half of the equation in any commercial enterprise - it must be backed up by customer service. Have a look at the fascinating article below, by Joe Love, CEO of JLM & Associates, in which he makes some interesting points regarding the assumptions people make about customer service. I particularly like what he says about the best way to handle customer complaints being to avoid giving customers "a reason to complain in the first place".
It is my feeling that people who are passionate enough about a craft like cake decorating are going to also be passionate enough to look after their customers properly, but it is always useful to see what experts like Mr Love have to say on the subject. When you have finished reading his article, don't forget to return here for some more information on starting a cake decorating business, which covers various aspects of the process, including the importance of customer service.
Three Myths Of Customer Service
By Joe LoveAt one time or another, all of us have been aggravated by bad customer service. The complaints are familiar: the dry cleaner who refuses to accept responsibility for staining your shirt; the salesperson who talks to a friend on the phone while handling your transaction; the hotel clerk who treats you like a trespasser instead of a guest.
The list goes on. And it happens all the time. Poor customer service is so rampant in this country that we've come to expect it.
Maybe that explains why most disgruntled customers don't bother to complain to organizations that don't give them quality service, they simply take their business elsewhere. They'd rather walk than talk.
Yes, I know, you've heard this before. Just as you've heard about the research revealing that unhappy customers do talk to their friends and family. According to customer satisfaction research studies, the average unhappy customer will tell nine or ten people about the poor service he or she received. In other words, large numbers of dissatisfied customers are routinely deserting organizations that displease them and are encouraging their friends to do likewise.
It's a familiar message. You've heard it, your children have heard it, your dog has heard it; for the past few years everybody has heard it. Service excellence! That's what consumers need!
Companies have certainly heard it. All sorts of organizations are striving to improve their customer service orientation. Hotels, hospitals, airlines, and online businesses now flood their customers with service quality surveys. Everywhere you look you see customer-contact people with service theme buttons on their lapels. Companies spend millions on training programs aimed at improving their employees' service skills. Customer service has been woven into the fabric of so many corporate credos you'd think abrasive employees would be an extinct species by now.
Yet despite all of this, only a handful of organizations have managed to achieve a standard of consistently excellent service. For some reason, it just isn't as easy as it sounds.
I think the problem is this: A lot of companies operate on the basis of some pervasive myths that make it difficult if not downright impossible, to achieve first-rate customer service.
1. The quality myth
"Pay attention to quality, and customer service will take care of itself." Many organizations focus a lot of effort on manufacturing quality. Quality gurus like W. Edwards Deming, Philip Crosby, and Genichi Taguchi have helped hundreds of companies use techniques such as statistical processes control to increase the quality of their products dramatically. But these efforts are often thought to be the sole answer to remaining competitive.
Reality: Quality and service are interdependent. It's impossible to describe quality adequately without considering it from the customer's point of view. If your product can't do what your customer wants it to do, it doesn't matter if your engineering department is proud of its innovative design and your manufacturing department can boost a terrific production record.
Even if you measure product quality from the customer's point of view, however, that alone does not ensure customer satisfaction. A superbly manufactured product with poor sales and service support will breed aggravated customers. How many products have you vowed never to buy again because of the poor service you associate with them?
Organizations that pursue quality improvements as the answer to all their problems are misguided. It is only part of the answer. Without superior customer service, efforts to improve product quality will be wasted.
2. The complaint myth
"Good customer service is a matter of knowing how to handle complaints." "Call 800-111-2222 or contact us at www. customerservice.com if you have any complaints." "Let us know if you're unhappy with your room; we'll change it." "Please fill out this form. We want to hear from you."
Companies have poured millions of dollars into making sure their customers have a chance to complain, complain, complain. The problem is, many of these companies never make strategic use of the complaints. And more often then not, they fail to provide complainers with satisfactory responses.
Reality: Without resolution, or at least some response, customers' complaints are just so much hot air. A company that focuses solely on complaint handling may win a few battles, but it will lose the war to keep customers satisfied. And this approach is no solution for the great majority of dissatisfied customers who never complain, but simply walk away.
Superior customer service involves much more than handling complaints. It means striving to provide customers with no reason to complain in the first place. Strategies aimed at consistently meeting and exceeding customer expectations are a must for achieving service excellence.
None of this suggests that you can forget about complaint handling, but it must be an integral part of a broader service strategy. Well-managed companies see customer complaints as a way to learn: What lesson can we derive from this complaint that will improve our service in the future? Successful companies also see complaints as opportunities to impress customers by going to any lengths necessary to resolve the situation to the customer's satisfaction. In other words, successful companies pay attention to complaints, but dedicate most of their efforts to preventing whatever caused the complaints in the first place.
3. The quick-fix myth
"Good service is simply good common sense." Many organizations try to take the easy road to improving service. They believe that by adopting a new service policy, introducing a new training program, or giving stirring pep talks to their employees, they'll become known for their excellent service.
Reality: This is the most lethal myth of all. As we've seen, it's not easy to achieve service excellence. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes. Organizations that build their reputations on service do so by observing not just one, but every "reality" there is to providing excellent customer service.
Good training without adequate selection is a waste of time and money. Carefully selected and well-trained service employees who are not empowered to look for ways to improve customer service quality are a waste of precious resources. Good service comes only from a well-executed, coherent strategy. All the pieces of the puzzle need to be in place.
The way we treat customers, listen to their needs and strive to meet their expectations will make the critical difference. We can continue to perpetuate the myths. Or we can face the realities, and take action to change.
Copyright© 2005 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in personal and business development. Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many of America’s largest corporations, on the subjects of leadership, self-esteem, goals, achievement, and success psychology.
Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com
Read more articles and newsletters at: http://www.jlmandassociates.com
Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com
Read more articles and newsletters at: http://www.jlmandassociates.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Love
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Customer Service in A Home Based Cake Decorating Business - Part 1
From yesterday's post on pricing our service, we now come to the important subject of making sure we keep the customers who pay that price. Today's post is an article on customer service by Jerry Kennedy that I found both informative and entertaining. I am now looking forward to being treated badly in a sales situation so I can send a copy of this letter to the company concerned! Although the article is not specific to the cake decorating business, the principles Jerry outlines are applicable in any service industry - in fact any industry that has customers. Read and enjoy! (And don't forget - for further information specific to the cake decorating business, check out the brilliant e-book Cake Decorating Business Secrets )
An Open Letter to Crappy Customer Service Reps and the Companies Who Employ Them
By Jerry Kennedy Platinum Quality Author
I'm increasingly disturbed...OK, appalled would be a better word...by an attitude I'm seeing crop up more and more frequently. As you know from reading this blog, I'm kind of a fanatic about customer service. As a result, when I encounter what I percieve to be bad customer service, I'm vocal about it.
What concerns me is the growing number of people who react negatively when I point out bad customer service. Many of them say things that basically amount to "that's what the stupid customers get for being so stupid and stupidly calling with their stupid complaints!"
More and more, people in general (and customer service reps in particular) are defending the right of businesses to provide bad service. The icing on the cake was an article I came across via Dan Waldschmidt's blog about Dell charging a monthly fee for customer service. Have a look at the article here, and pay special attention to the first dozen or so comments. You'll read things like this:
"I whole-heartedly agree that most calls to tech support should be charged a service fee. Especially if the caller is someone whom is too stupid to actually read the instruction book or has absolutely no common sense. I mean, we are here on the phone trying to help them fix a problem that is usually created by the customer in the first place. Should we really have to waste our time fixing your mistakes for minimum wage with you complaining in our ear and saying how crappy support is while we can still hear you?"
When I read that the first time, I saw red. I started shouting at my computer at the top of my voice. My wife even took note of it, saying that I sounded like I had a lot of anger about something. She was right, and part of my frustration is that more people aren't righteously indignant over the situation.
In one way, we're getting exactly what we deserve. For far too long, we've been tolerating the decline of customer service, and that's led to a generation of people who think that all the fuss over expecting good customer service is just an "old people thing". It's a problem that I refuse to contribute to; I don't, under any circumstances, tolerate bad service. I'm going to continue to raise a fuss, and I hope you'll join me.
In that spirit, I've composed the following Open Letter to Crappy Customer Service Reps and the Companies Who Employ Them. Feel free to copy it and insert the names of the offending parties, then send it to the person in the company who can do something about it! As tempting as it is, there's absolutely no sense in getting into a debate with the person providing the poor service; if they cared at all, they would be giving you good service. Talk to the boss, and talk with your dollars. It might cost a little more or be inconvenient, but are you really enjoying the less expensive/more convenient alternative? I didn't think so.
Here's the letter:
"Dear _______________,
I think it's time we had a little "come to Jesus" meeting about the level of service you provide to me, your Lord and Master. Yes, you read that right: I am your King. In case you've forgotten our arrangement, let me remind you: I'm the customer, which makes me the Boss. As such, I expect the following from you in all future interactions:
1. Your respect. In return, I promise to treat you with respect...but you have to go first. When I approach you with a complaint, I don't want to hear sighs of frustration. I don't want to see your eyes rolling back. I don't want to be addressed in a tone that clearly conveys (whether you're aware of it or not) that you think I'm an idiot. Even if you think that I'm to blame for the problem I'm having, I want you to take ownership of the problem and FIX IT!
2. Your gratitude. Yes, that's right: I want you to say "Thank you," and I want you to mean it. After all, if it weren't for me you wouldn't have a job! Think about that the next time you take my order or deliver my product or hand me my change. Make eye contact, smile, and say a hearty "Thanks!" We'll both feel better about the interaction, and I might even mention it to a few of my friends.
3. Your smile. Even if you're having a bad day, fake it for me. Like it or not, your attitude is written all over your face, and part of my selection criteria for the people I choose to do business with is friendliness. You can convey that friendliness with your facial expression...or not. It's your choice, and it's mine to come back to your business...or not.
4. Your deference. I know it's fallen out of fashion of late, but there used to be a very popular phrase that said "The customer is always right." Let's get back to that arrangement, shall we? I'd really appreciate it. And if I'm really not right, let's just pretend that I am and figure out a way to make me happy, OK? Thanks.
5. Your professionalism. If you make a promise to have something fixed for me by a certain date, make a habit out of keeping that promise. I understand that things can sometimes come up that keep you from fulfilling your commitment to me, but that's really not my problem. Do your best to get it done anyway.
6. Your honesty. If you quote me a price, stick by it unless I change something. And make sure that the price you quote includes providing me with great customer service after the sale. Don't give me a low price to get me to buy your stuff, then try to charge me more when something goes wrong. If I have a problem, I want to be able to call you without getting my credit card out of my wallet. That's part of our deal.
7. Your enthusiasm. When I come in the door of your business, please look up from what you're doing and acknowledge my presence. I'm there to spend money on something I want or need, not to be ignored. If I want to be ignored, I'll go to the DMV. Acknowledge me, look happy to see me, greet me like I'm the one writing your pay check...because I am!
If you'll agree to these rules of engagement, I will continue to frequent your establishment and trade my dollars for your product or service. Should you decide to ignore this request, however, I'll have no choice but to take my dollars elsewhere to get the products and service I need.
Oh, you didn't know I could do that? You weren't aware that at least ten other establishments in our neighborhood do exactly what you do? And that at least one or two of them would be happy to comply with my list of demands? That's too bad; you really should get out more. No worries though: you'll have plenty of time to go check them out when all your customers are gone.
Sincerely,
Your (Former?) Customer"
Let's declare the rest of April "Customer Appreciation Month" and, rather than think of this as a battle against bad customer service, let's make it a movement for good customer service. Use the letter above (or something similar) to state your intention to receive excellent customer service at the establishments you frequent from this point forward, forever. Put the businesses you buy from on notice that you aren't going to tolerate bad customer service any longer. Vote with your dollars. Be willing to sacrifice a little convenience to make your point. Because if we don't do it now, we'll continue to get exactly what we're asking for.
Are you with me? Prove it by leaving a comment below and forwarding this post to your friends, family and coworkers. On my own, I can make a ripple; together, we can start a revolution!
An Open Letter to Crappy Customer Service Reps and the Companies Who Employ Them
By Jerry Kennedy Platinum Quality Author
I'm increasingly disturbed...OK, appalled would be a better word...by an attitude I'm seeing crop up more and more frequently. As you know from reading this blog, I'm kind of a fanatic about customer service. As a result, when I encounter what I percieve to be bad customer service, I'm vocal about it.
What concerns me is the growing number of people who react negatively when I point out bad customer service. Many of them say things that basically amount to "that's what the stupid customers get for being so stupid and stupidly calling with their stupid complaints!"
More and more, people in general (and customer service reps in particular) are defending the right of businesses to provide bad service. The icing on the cake was an article I came across via Dan Waldschmidt's blog about Dell charging a monthly fee for customer service. Have a look at the article here, and pay special attention to the first dozen or so comments. You'll read things like this:
"I whole-heartedly agree that most calls to tech support should be charged a service fee. Especially if the caller is someone whom is too stupid to actually read the instruction book or has absolutely no common sense. I mean, we are here on the phone trying to help them fix a problem that is usually created by the customer in the first place. Should we really have to waste our time fixing your mistakes for minimum wage with you complaining in our ear and saying how crappy support is while we can still hear you?"
When I read that the first time, I saw red. I started shouting at my computer at the top of my voice. My wife even took note of it, saying that I sounded like I had a lot of anger about something. She was right, and part of my frustration is that more people aren't righteously indignant over the situation.
In one way, we're getting exactly what we deserve. For far too long, we've been tolerating the decline of customer service, and that's led to a generation of people who think that all the fuss over expecting good customer service is just an "old people thing". It's a problem that I refuse to contribute to; I don't, under any circumstances, tolerate bad service. I'm going to continue to raise a fuss, and I hope you'll join me.
In that spirit, I've composed the following Open Letter to Crappy Customer Service Reps and the Companies Who Employ Them. Feel free to copy it and insert the names of the offending parties, then send it to the person in the company who can do something about it! As tempting as it is, there's absolutely no sense in getting into a debate with the person providing the poor service; if they cared at all, they would be giving you good service. Talk to the boss, and talk with your dollars. It might cost a little more or be inconvenient, but are you really enjoying the less expensive/more convenient alternative? I didn't think so.
Here's the letter:
"Dear _______________,
I think it's time we had a little "come to Jesus" meeting about the level of service you provide to me, your Lord and Master. Yes, you read that right: I am your King. In case you've forgotten our arrangement, let me remind you: I'm the customer, which makes me the Boss. As such, I expect the following from you in all future interactions:
1. Your respect. In return, I promise to treat you with respect...but you have to go first. When I approach you with a complaint, I don't want to hear sighs of frustration. I don't want to see your eyes rolling back. I don't want to be addressed in a tone that clearly conveys (whether you're aware of it or not) that you think I'm an idiot. Even if you think that I'm to blame for the problem I'm having, I want you to take ownership of the problem and FIX IT!
2. Your gratitude. Yes, that's right: I want you to say "Thank you," and I want you to mean it. After all, if it weren't for me you wouldn't have a job! Think about that the next time you take my order or deliver my product or hand me my change. Make eye contact, smile, and say a hearty "Thanks!" We'll both feel better about the interaction, and I might even mention it to a few of my friends.
3. Your smile. Even if you're having a bad day, fake it for me. Like it or not, your attitude is written all over your face, and part of my selection criteria for the people I choose to do business with is friendliness. You can convey that friendliness with your facial expression...or not. It's your choice, and it's mine to come back to your business...or not.
4. Your deference. I know it's fallen out of fashion of late, but there used to be a very popular phrase that said "The customer is always right." Let's get back to that arrangement, shall we? I'd really appreciate it. And if I'm really not right, let's just pretend that I am and figure out a way to make me happy, OK? Thanks.
5. Your professionalism. If you make a promise to have something fixed for me by a certain date, make a habit out of keeping that promise. I understand that things can sometimes come up that keep you from fulfilling your commitment to me, but that's really not my problem. Do your best to get it done anyway.
6. Your honesty. If you quote me a price, stick by it unless I change something. And make sure that the price you quote includes providing me with great customer service after the sale. Don't give me a low price to get me to buy your stuff, then try to charge me more when something goes wrong. If I have a problem, I want to be able to call you without getting my credit card out of my wallet. That's part of our deal.
7. Your enthusiasm. When I come in the door of your business, please look up from what you're doing and acknowledge my presence. I'm there to spend money on something I want or need, not to be ignored. If I want to be ignored, I'll go to the DMV. Acknowledge me, look happy to see me, greet me like I'm the one writing your pay check...because I am!
If you'll agree to these rules of engagement, I will continue to frequent your establishment and trade my dollars for your product or service. Should you decide to ignore this request, however, I'll have no choice but to take my dollars elsewhere to get the products and service I need.
Oh, you didn't know I could do that? You weren't aware that at least ten other establishments in our neighborhood do exactly what you do? And that at least one or two of them would be happy to comply with my list of demands? That's too bad; you really should get out more. No worries though: you'll have plenty of time to go check them out when all your customers are gone.
Sincerely,
Your (Former?) Customer"
Let's declare the rest of April "Customer Appreciation Month" and, rather than think of this as a battle against bad customer service, let's make it a movement for good customer service. Use the letter above (or something similar) to state your intention to receive excellent customer service at the establishments you frequent from this point forward, forever. Put the businesses you buy from on notice that you aren't going to tolerate bad customer service any longer. Vote with your dollars. Be willing to sacrifice a little convenience to make your point. Because if we don't do it now, we'll continue to get exactly what we're asking for.
Are you with me? Prove it by leaving a comment below and forwarding this post to your friends, family and coworkers. On my own, I can make a ripple; together, we can start a revolution!
Jerry Kennedy is the Chief Transformation Officer at Inside Out Business Solutions, a sales coaching and training firm based in Sacramento, CA. For more great sales advice from Jerry, visit his blog at http://jerrykennedy.com.
You can also receive a free 10-minute MP3 (no strings attached) from Jerry by visiting http://www.motivation101audio.com.
Thanks for reading!
You can also receive a free 10-minute MP3 (no strings attached) from Jerry by visiting http://www.motivation101audio.com.
Thanks for reading!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jerry_Kennedy
Monday, May 10, 2010
How to Price Your Cake Decorating Business, Part 2
In yesterdays post, we looked at pricing your business from the perspective of costing the making and decoration of a cake, and remembering to include your time and all related expenses in the overall cost. Now that you know how much it costs to create and deliver your product, it is time to determine how much you will need to charge for it.
This is one of the most difficult parts of starting a cake decorating business. You need to arrive at a point where you charge enough to make a profit and remain viable, but not so much that you price yourself off the market. In a market economy, a product is only worth what people are prepared to pay for it. Having said that, though, it is important that you do not consider price as your selling point. If you want to compete with supermarkets and bakeries and their low cost, mass produced cakes designed for the convenience market, all well and good, but it would be hard to compete with their economies of scale. As a professional providing an individualised, high quality product and service, you can charge – and expect to receive – considerably more than these lower end suppliers.
Where you need to focus your research is on other suppliers like yourself, who discuss each client's individual requirements and design their cakes to order. People who require this level of service expect to pay top dollar for it, and as long as your quality and service are impeccable, it will be you they pay.
It is a good idea to look at catalogues, websites, shop windows, and brochures, to compare styles and quality, and to find out what prices others are charging. Ask people you know who pay for cakes for birthday parties or weddings how much they pay, ring suppliers and ask for quotes, make discreet enquiries when you are a guest at a function – whatever it takes to find a range of prices within which you can set your own.
Armed with this research, you then need to work out how much money you need to make per week. Using the information you already have on costing, you can then work out how many cakes you need to make per week, and how much profit you need to make on each one to achieve your target income.
For example: a cake costs you $20 to make, you can complete 4 per day, and you need to make $100 per day. This means that you need a $25 profit on each cake, giving a total price of $45. If you consider this too high for your market, you will need to revise and lower your costs, or produce and sell more to achieve the weekly income you need.
Most businesses don't make a profit immediately, and in the cake decorating business which relies mainly on word of mouth to build a client base, you must expect to take some time to achieve your desired income. During this initial stage of your enterprise you will be gaining cake decorating and business experience, so that by the time you have a full roster of clients, you will be much better and quicker at the whole process, enabling you to not only produce more, but maybe even to charge more according to your expertise.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember is to not undersell yourself. If you are getting regular customers, you are most likely being recommended by others, which means your product and service are of a high standard. Make sure you charge accordingly.
And if you need a reminder of what you are charging for - check out this You Tube video clip:
Aren't they amazing - and inspiring? If you want to learn how to make them, check out this e-book.
Tomorrow's post will look at customer service – which is of the utmost importance to any business, and is especially so for a personal service based industry like cake decorating.
This is one of the most difficult parts of starting a cake decorating business. You need to arrive at a point where you charge enough to make a profit and remain viable, but not so much that you price yourself off the market. In a market economy, a product is only worth what people are prepared to pay for it. Having said that, though, it is important that you do not consider price as your selling point. If you want to compete with supermarkets and bakeries and their low cost, mass produced cakes designed for the convenience market, all well and good, but it would be hard to compete with their economies of scale. As a professional providing an individualised, high quality product and service, you can charge – and expect to receive – considerably more than these lower end suppliers.
Where you need to focus your research is on other suppliers like yourself, who discuss each client's individual requirements and design their cakes to order. People who require this level of service expect to pay top dollar for it, and as long as your quality and service are impeccable, it will be you they pay.
It is a good idea to look at catalogues, websites, shop windows, and brochures, to compare styles and quality, and to find out what prices others are charging. Ask people you know who pay for cakes for birthday parties or weddings how much they pay, ring suppliers and ask for quotes, make discreet enquiries when you are a guest at a function – whatever it takes to find a range of prices within which you can set your own.
Armed with this research, you then need to work out how much money you need to make per week. Using the information you already have on costing, you can then work out how many cakes you need to make per week, and how much profit you need to make on each one to achieve your target income.
For example: a cake costs you $20 to make, you can complete 4 per day, and you need to make $100 per day. This means that you need a $25 profit on each cake, giving a total price of $45. If you consider this too high for your market, you will need to revise and lower your costs, or produce and sell more to achieve the weekly income you need.
Most businesses don't make a profit immediately, and in the cake decorating business which relies mainly on word of mouth to build a client base, you must expect to take some time to achieve your desired income. During this initial stage of your enterprise you will be gaining cake decorating and business experience, so that by the time you have a full roster of clients, you will be much better and quicker at the whole process, enabling you to not only produce more, but maybe even to charge more according to your expertise.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember is to not undersell yourself. If you are getting regular customers, you are most likely being recommended by others, which means your product and service are of a high standard. Make sure you charge accordingly.
And if you need a reminder of what you are charging for - check out this You Tube video clip:
Aren't they amazing - and inspiring? If you want to learn how to make them, check out this e-book.
Tomorrow's post will look at customer service – which is of the utmost importance to any business, and is especially so for a personal service based industry like cake decorating.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
How to Price Your Cake Decorating Business, Part 1
It can be quite daunting, when you are starting out in the cake decorating business, to set and ask for a price for your product. If you just want to do cakes for friends and family because you enjoy it and you like to do them a favour, no problem. Maybe they cover the costs for you, maybe this is your contribution to the celebration – whatever you want to do is fine - but if you are serious about turning your craft into a profit making business, or at least a self supporting, money making hobby, then you need to get serious about working out how to price your creations. It is important to keep two things in mind when doing this:
1. Be confident in the quality of your product, and don't be afraid to set a price that you think truly reflects the time, effort, and expertise that goes into its creation.
2. It costs you money to make, and you need at the very least to cover this cost.
When you start charging people who have traditionally received your services for free, some will accept it, some will be indignant, and some – believe it or not – will laugh at you. It's human nature – there will always be someone who resents people who they think are setting themselves up as being in some way superior – like asking for payment for something they have always done for free. I am reminded of a story I read a while back in a biography of the Rolling Stones: a woman was interviewed who knew Mick Jagger before he joined the band. She said "We all laughed when Mike Jagger changed his name to Mick because it sounded more rock and roll, we thought it was pretentious and he was getting ideas above himself." Nearly fifty years and hundreds of millions of record sales (and dollars!) later, Mick Jagger is one of the most famous men ever on the planet, and his name is synonymous with rock and roll. He is an icon and will be remembered for centuries, yet unbelievably, this woman is still laughing at him! Go figure.
(Check out the You Tube clip to see why Mick Jagger is such a legend!)
The point is – if you are confident in your product and service, then you are entitled to expect payment for it, and anybody who has a problem with this does not deserve to have your product or service.
So, now that you are confident enough to be offering your cakes to the market, the first step is to work out how much the cake costs to make. Quite simply, you need to calculate - to the cent! – the cost of every single ingredient that goes into it. Weigh everything exactly, and don't overlook something like food colouring because it seems too insignificant to bother with. Everything costs money, and even little bits add up. As my lovely old Scottish Grandma used to say "If you look after the pennies, the pounds will look after themselves." I wish I had taken more notice of her!
And don't forget – it is not just the edible ingredients that cost money. Electricity (or gas) to run your oven, and any other electrical appliances you use, cleaning products and equipment, telephone charges, rental of premises if you are not working from home, petrol for deliveries, printing of promotional material, an internet connection for your website and e-mail, tools you use for baking and decorating – there are a lot of peripheral expenses that are easy to overlook, but will end up being a significant part of your expenditure.
Whatever you do – make sure your business is paying you – not costing you money. In tomorrow's post, we will look at pricing from a market research perspective – how much you need to charge versus how much the market will pay.
1. Be confident in the quality of your product, and don't be afraid to set a price that you think truly reflects the time, effort, and expertise that goes into its creation.
2. It costs you money to make, and you need at the very least to cover this cost.
When you start charging people who have traditionally received your services for free, some will accept it, some will be indignant, and some – believe it or not – will laugh at you. It's human nature – there will always be someone who resents people who they think are setting themselves up as being in some way superior – like asking for payment for something they have always done for free. I am reminded of a story I read a while back in a biography of the Rolling Stones: a woman was interviewed who knew Mick Jagger before he joined the band. She said "We all laughed when Mike Jagger changed his name to Mick because it sounded more rock and roll, we thought it was pretentious and he was getting ideas above himself." Nearly fifty years and hundreds of millions of record sales (and dollars!) later, Mick Jagger is one of the most famous men ever on the planet, and his name is synonymous with rock and roll. He is an icon and will be remembered for centuries, yet unbelievably, this woman is still laughing at him! Go figure.
(Check out the You Tube clip to see why Mick Jagger is such a legend!)
The point is – if you are confident in your product and service, then you are entitled to expect payment for it, and anybody who has a problem with this does not deserve to have your product or service.
So, now that you are confident enough to be offering your cakes to the market, the first step is to work out how much the cake costs to make. Quite simply, you need to calculate - to the cent! – the cost of every single ingredient that goes into it. Weigh everything exactly, and don't overlook something like food colouring because it seems too insignificant to bother with. Everything costs money, and even little bits add up. As my lovely old Scottish Grandma used to say "If you look after the pennies, the pounds will look after themselves." I wish I had taken more notice of her!
And don't forget – it is not just the edible ingredients that cost money. Electricity (or gas) to run your oven, and any other electrical appliances you use, cleaning products and equipment, telephone charges, rental of premises if you are not working from home, petrol for deliveries, printing of promotional material, an internet connection for your website and e-mail, tools you use for baking and decorating – there are a lot of peripheral expenses that are easy to overlook, but will end up being a significant part of your expenditure.
Whatever you do – make sure your business is paying you – not costing you money. In tomorrow's post, we will look at pricing from a market research perspective – how much you need to charge versus how much the market will pay.
Friday, May 7, 2010
The Birthday Cake Niche – An overview
There is probably more potential for a cake decorating business in the childrens' birthday cake niche than any other. Every child celebrates their birthday once a year, and most like to do so with a cake. Just think of how many people you know with children, including friends, family, work colleagues, your children's friends and classmates, church acquaintances – the number is probably much bigger than you realise, and indicates a potentially very large market.
Your entry into this market is likely to be through making cakes for your own children's birthdays, or those of close friends or family. This is your first and best opportunity both to practise your craft, and to get yourself known, so it is important that you take as much care over these cakes as you would those of a paying client, and also that you don't miss the opportunity to promote your service.
What type of cake to make? This of course depends on the requirements of the client – or, more importantly, the child concerned. They will most likely ask for a specific character or theme, so your job is then to discuss the details with them and find out exactly what they want. If they leave it up to you to decide, then you should go back to them with a final proposal before making any firm decision. This will avoid any disappointment if you deliver a cake with a picture of Elmo on it, instead of the sculptured 3 dimensional Elmo the child had their heart set on.
Stock Designs Some themes are perennially popular – aeroplanes and racing cars for little boys, and pirate ships or trains. Little girls have been wanting princess doll cakes since I was a child, and they are still popular today. And of course there will always be a demand for number cakes to match the age of the child. With all these standard cakes, it pays to keep your templates as well as photographs of the construction process and final product so you can re-use them, but it is also important to vary the design and decoration of the more popular styles so you are not repeating yourself within the same market. Children go to a lot of birthday parties and many of them will be at each others, so you don't want to provide identical versions of the same popular character to all of them. It is easy enough to make changes in size, shape, colour, etc, and if you keep good records of all your cakes with details of names, dates and photographs, this should not be a problem.
Here are a couple of videos - the first one shows a very simple method of making a train birthday cake - as you will see there are endless opportunities to vary the decorative scheme here.
This one shows how to make a princess doll cake for a wee girl. This video is really good for showing some basic techniques - applying a crumb coating, using the freezer to speed up setting, etc. Again there is plenty of scope for creative variation. Enjoy watching these - then get to work on your own!
The children's birthday cake niche is a very enjoyable one to work in – there is endless scope for your creativity, and - apart from receiving the cheque! - there can be nothing more rewarding than seeing the look of delight on a child's face when he sees a perfect rendition of his favourite television character in a cake you have made. That look is worth good money to you, so study and work the niche, and maximise the fun and profit that are available within it.
Your entry into this market is likely to be through making cakes for your own children's birthdays, or those of close friends or family. This is your first and best opportunity both to practise your craft, and to get yourself known, so it is important that you take as much care over these cakes as you would those of a paying client, and also that you don't miss the opportunity to promote your service.
What type of cake to make? This of course depends on the requirements of the client – or, more importantly, the child concerned. They will most likely ask for a specific character or theme, so your job is then to discuss the details with them and find out exactly what they want. If they leave it up to you to decide, then you should go back to them with a final proposal before making any firm decision. This will avoid any disappointment if you deliver a cake with a picture of Elmo on it, instead of the sculptured 3 dimensional Elmo the child had their heart set on.
Stock Designs Some themes are perennially popular – aeroplanes and racing cars for little boys, and pirate ships or trains. Little girls have been wanting princess doll cakes since I was a child, and they are still popular today. And of course there will always be a demand for number cakes to match the age of the child. With all these standard cakes, it pays to keep your templates as well as photographs of the construction process and final product so you can re-use them, but it is also important to vary the design and decoration of the more popular styles so you are not repeating yourself within the same market. Children go to a lot of birthday parties and many of them will be at each others, so you don't want to provide identical versions of the same popular character to all of them. It is easy enough to make changes in size, shape, colour, etc, and if you keep good records of all your cakes with details of names, dates and photographs, this should not be a problem.
Here are a couple of videos - the first one shows a very simple method of making a train birthday cake - as you will see there are endless opportunities to vary the decorative scheme here.
This one shows how to make a princess doll cake for a wee girl. This video is really good for showing some basic techniques - applying a crumb coating, using the freezer to speed up setting, etc. Again there is plenty of scope for creative variation. Enjoy watching these - then get to work on your own!
The children's birthday cake niche is a very enjoyable one to work in – there is endless scope for your creativity, and - apart from receiving the cheque! - there can be nothing more rewarding than seeing the look of delight on a child's face when he sees a perfect rendition of his favourite television character in a cake you have made. That look is worth good money to you, so study and work the niche, and maximise the fun and profit that are available within it.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Promoting Your Cake Decorating Business – Part 3
Now that you have perfected your cake decorating skills and are confident enough to start offering your services professionally, you will need to find ways of promoting your cake decorating business that cost little or no money. This is not difficult to do – all you need to spend is a little bit of money on business cards and perhaps some brochures with photographs of your work, and for the rest of your promotional efforts, the only thing you will need to spend is time. Part 1 and 2 of this series gave some ideas of what you could do, and here are a few more – but don't forget, your own creativity in your promotional efforts is your best tool.
Make yourself known to restaurant and café managers It is quite common for such establishments to do outside catering for a variety of functions, so they are always on the lookout for specialty cake decorators. Get to know the person in charge of this, and show them samples of your work. Don't forget to leave a business card (which will have your website address on it, of course!). Perhaps you could invite them to your kitchen to see cakes that are ready for delivery, so they can see first hand what you are capable of. And don't forget the persuasive powers of a ready to eat sample of cake – maybe you could use off-cuts, or perhaps use some of the cake batter for cupcakes to be used as samples.
Competitions These are often overlooked as a promotional tool, but entering local baking or decorating competitions (often held as part of agricultural shows or county fairs) is a great way to get your name known. It is also good practise for meeting strict deadlines, and in preparing cakes to a high standard of perfection. The judges in these competitions are likely to be more strict than your clients – they know what faults to look for and will be quite unforgiving.
The other benefit of these competitions is that if you win them, you will often find your name in the local paper among the results, and sometimes these are made into a feature story – even with pictures. Make sure you mention any awards you have won on your promotional literature and website.
Freebies You may find that family members and friends will sometimes expect or ask you to do a cake for free. It is up to you how often to do so – you are trying to make a living, after all – but these can be quite useful opportunities for promotion, particularly for those just starting out in this business and trying to make a name for themselves. Personally, I would feel quite comfortable in being a little more obvious with self promotion on such occasions – handing out business cards etc – and if you are attending the function as a guest you can find yourself getting a lot of attention after everyone has seen the cake. People will want to compliment you on your skill, which really begs for you to take advantage of the promotional opportunity. And of course, you can claim the cost of the cake and your time as a perfectly legitimate business expense for tax deduction purposes.
Secure high profile clients Radio and television companies, charities, political groups - all these and many other public organisations have anniversaries or promotional events that often feature (sometimes very large!) cakes. Because these groups are newsworthy in their own right and very good at self promotion, you can sometimes find that their celebrations make the news and will often feature your cake. Here is an example of a local company who provided a cake for a radio station wedding promotion, which ended up getting television and womens' magazine coverage (see the "comments page")Not only did they get paid well for providing the cake, but they got huge publicity that is worth more than any paid advertising. Check out the rest of their site too - it's a great example not only of how to set up a website for a cake decorating business, but also of how a home business can grow by maintaining quality and service.
Follow up all clients A few weeks after you have supplied a cake, send a thankyou letter to your clients, congratulate them on their success of their celebration, and enquire as to their satisfaction with your product and service. Enclose 2 or 3 business cards and a copy of your brochure, and mention that if they were happy with your service, they may like to recommend you to friends, family, or colleagues. This will probably happen quite naturally anyway, but it won't hurt to give them a little nudge.
That concludes this 3 part series on promoting your cake decorating business. Remember – the best form of promotion is word of mouth generated by providing a consistently high standard of product and service.
Make yourself known to restaurant and café managers It is quite common for such establishments to do outside catering for a variety of functions, so they are always on the lookout for specialty cake decorators. Get to know the person in charge of this, and show them samples of your work. Don't forget to leave a business card (which will have your website address on it, of course!). Perhaps you could invite them to your kitchen to see cakes that are ready for delivery, so they can see first hand what you are capable of. And don't forget the persuasive powers of a ready to eat sample of cake – maybe you could use off-cuts, or perhaps use some of the cake batter for cupcakes to be used as samples.
Competitions These are often overlooked as a promotional tool, but entering local baking or decorating competitions (often held as part of agricultural shows or county fairs) is a great way to get your name known. It is also good practise for meeting strict deadlines, and in preparing cakes to a high standard of perfection. The judges in these competitions are likely to be more strict than your clients – they know what faults to look for and will be quite unforgiving.
The other benefit of these competitions is that if you win them, you will often find your name in the local paper among the results, and sometimes these are made into a feature story – even with pictures. Make sure you mention any awards you have won on your promotional literature and website.
Freebies You may find that family members and friends will sometimes expect or ask you to do a cake for free. It is up to you how often to do so – you are trying to make a living, after all – but these can be quite useful opportunities for promotion, particularly for those just starting out in this business and trying to make a name for themselves. Personally, I would feel quite comfortable in being a little more obvious with self promotion on such occasions – handing out business cards etc – and if you are attending the function as a guest you can find yourself getting a lot of attention after everyone has seen the cake. People will want to compliment you on your skill, which really begs for you to take advantage of the promotional opportunity. And of course, you can claim the cost of the cake and your time as a perfectly legitimate business expense for tax deduction purposes.
Secure high profile clients Radio and television companies, charities, political groups - all these and many other public organisations have anniversaries or promotional events that often feature (sometimes very large!) cakes. Because these groups are newsworthy in their own right and very good at self promotion, you can sometimes find that their celebrations make the news and will often feature your cake. Here is an example of a local company who provided a cake for a radio station wedding promotion, which ended up getting television and womens' magazine coverage (see the "comments page")Not only did they get paid well for providing the cake, but they got huge publicity that is worth more than any paid advertising. Check out the rest of their site too - it's a great example not only of how to set up a website for a cake decorating business, but also of how a home business can grow by maintaining quality and service.
Follow up all clients A few weeks after you have supplied a cake, send a thankyou letter to your clients, congratulate them on their success of their celebration, and enquire as to their satisfaction with your product and service. Enclose 2 or 3 business cards and a copy of your brochure, and mention that if they were happy with your service, they may like to recommend you to friends, family, or colleagues. This will probably happen quite naturally anyway, but it won't hurt to give them a little nudge.
That concludes this 3 part series on promoting your cake decorating business. Remember – the best form of promotion is word of mouth generated by providing a consistently high standard of product and service.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Promoting Your Cake Decorating Business - Part 2
If you make and decorate cakes that you are proud of, then tell the world about it! Nothing impresses people more than something that is stunningly beautiful to look at and that they can also eat! In yesterday's post we looked at some low cost ideas for promoting your cake decorating business. Here are a few more:
Quality sells itself This one is a bit of a no brainer – if you are providing a top quality product backed up with top quality service, then your satisfied clients will recommend you and you will gain a reputation for excellence. And remember – for an expensive and (supposedly!) once in a lifetime occasion like a wedding, or 50th anniversary, people will accept nothing less than excellence in a cake. Put quite simply – the better the cakes and service you provide, the better your chance of making a success of your business.
Networking Think about all the different groups you are involved with – family, friends, work colleagues and clients, church, hobby or interest groups, networks of parents through your childrens' school, sports, childrens' sports – and the extent and variety of your networks may surprise you. Then consider that all of these people have their own range of networks, and the numbers become exponential. This is your biggest opportunity to get known as a cake decorator and attract clients. These people all have special occasions that need cakes, they all talk to each other, and don't forget that there will be a lot of overlap between your various networks, so every time you do a cake for one of them, others from within their various groups will see it and want to know who made it. Again – make sure your business card is readily available with your contact details on it (especially your website address – it is the best way for people to contact you as they can see more examples of your work as soon as they see your homepage). It really is quite feasible for you to make a living in this industry by focusing exclusively on personal networks and the business that you can attract through them. And remember – talk is not cheap, it's free!
Use a Website This is probably the best point of contact for potential clients (after word of mouth, of course!). If you use an easy to remember address like cakes.com or something similar, you don't even need to have it written down for people to remember, although of course you should make full use of business cards and brochures. The beauty of websites is that clients can find out everything they need to know about your service without disturbing you from your busy schedule. They can e-mail you from the site and you can then be much more efficient and organised in your response. It is prudent to note here that it pays to reply to e-mails quickly, maybe no more than 4 or 5 hours, certainly no more than a day. Ideally, you should schedule 2 or 3 times a day for attending to e-mails and telephone messages. Potential clients should not have to call you back.
The other huge advantage of a website, is that you can display photographs of your best creations, testimonials from satisfied customers, links to other related sites (being careful not to give away your business to the competition of course!), and general interest things like video clips, music and the like. If you use Web 2.0 sites like Squidoo, it won't cost you anything, and you can even make money from the site through Google Adsense and affiliate marketing links. And it's fun!
Here is a link to a really good website for a cake decorating business
Use your business networks As you gain experience, your cake decorating business will gain exposure within the industry – particularly within the wedding industry which has a lot of related businesses associated with it; wedding dressmakers, photographers, caterers etc. It is a good idea to get to know some of the people who run these; although you are supplying the same clients, you are not competing with, for instance, a dressmaker, or a photographer, so you can enter into informal arrangements with them – you recommend them to clients, they recommend you. Wedding planners are the ideal people for this – they need to keep a stable of available contractors to supply for all aspects of a wedding – give them all your contact details, make sure they see samples of your work, and keep in touch with them.
And don't forget - if you are recommending someone to a client, make sure they say it was you who mentioned them – the point of the exercise is to promote your services as well as to help your clients.
Check out tomorrow's post for some more ideas about the promotion of your cake decorating business.
Quality sells itself This one is a bit of a no brainer – if you are providing a top quality product backed up with top quality service, then your satisfied clients will recommend you and you will gain a reputation for excellence. And remember – for an expensive and (supposedly!) once in a lifetime occasion like a wedding, or 50th anniversary, people will accept nothing less than excellence in a cake. Put quite simply – the better the cakes and service you provide, the better your chance of making a success of your business.
Networking Think about all the different groups you are involved with – family, friends, work colleagues and clients, church, hobby or interest groups, networks of parents through your childrens' school, sports, childrens' sports – and the extent and variety of your networks may surprise you. Then consider that all of these people have their own range of networks, and the numbers become exponential. This is your biggest opportunity to get known as a cake decorator and attract clients. These people all have special occasions that need cakes, they all talk to each other, and don't forget that there will be a lot of overlap between your various networks, so every time you do a cake for one of them, others from within their various groups will see it and want to know who made it. Again – make sure your business card is readily available with your contact details on it (especially your website address – it is the best way for people to contact you as they can see more examples of your work as soon as they see your homepage). It really is quite feasible for you to make a living in this industry by focusing exclusively on personal networks and the business that you can attract through them. And remember – talk is not cheap, it's free!
Use a Website This is probably the best point of contact for potential clients (after word of mouth, of course!). If you use an easy to remember address like cakes.com or something similar, you don't even need to have it written down for people to remember, although of course you should make full use of business cards and brochures. The beauty of websites is that clients can find out everything they need to know about your service without disturbing you from your busy schedule. They can e-mail you from the site and you can then be much more efficient and organised in your response. It is prudent to note here that it pays to reply to e-mails quickly, maybe no more than 4 or 5 hours, certainly no more than a day. Ideally, you should schedule 2 or 3 times a day for attending to e-mails and telephone messages. Potential clients should not have to call you back.
The other huge advantage of a website, is that you can display photographs of your best creations, testimonials from satisfied customers, links to other related sites (being careful not to give away your business to the competition of course!), and general interest things like video clips, music and the like. If you use Web 2.0 sites like Squidoo, it won't cost you anything, and you can even make money from the site through Google Adsense and affiliate marketing links. And it's fun!
Here is a link to a really good website for a cake decorating business
Use your business networks As you gain experience, your cake decorating business will gain exposure within the industry – particularly within the wedding industry which has a lot of related businesses associated with it; wedding dressmakers, photographers, caterers etc. It is a good idea to get to know some of the people who run these; although you are supplying the same clients, you are not competing with, for instance, a dressmaker, or a photographer, so you can enter into informal arrangements with them – you recommend them to clients, they recommend you. Wedding planners are the ideal people for this – they need to keep a stable of available contractors to supply for all aspects of a wedding – give them all your contact details, make sure they see samples of your work, and keep in touch with them.
And don't forget - if you are recommending someone to a client, make sure they say it was you who mentioned them – the point of the exercise is to promote your services as well as to help your clients.
Check out tomorrow's post for some more ideas about the promotion of your cake decorating business.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Promoting Your Cake Decorating Business - Part 1
When you are starting out in your cake decorating business, you will probably not have much – if any – money available for advertising and promotion. This does not need to be a problem – in fact it could be seen as an advantage – because the best advertising you can do is to make and decorate good quality cakes, and to provide top rate customer service. Word of mouth will then do most of the promotional work for you. All you need to do is to maintain quality at all times, and look for and capitalise on all the opportunities that will present themselves to you in this exciting industry. Here are a few ideas to consider (and a couple of videos showing you how to cover cakes with fondant - with all this talk of legalities and advertising, it's easy to overlook the reason we're here in the first place - beautiful cakes made by people who are passionate about their craft. Enjoy!)
Word of Mouth This is undoubtedly the most important form of advertising for cake decorating, or any business, but be warned – it is a double edged sword. People will talk about your cakes and recommend your service if they are impressed with what they see, but if you deliver an inferior product or lousy service, they will talk about this even more, and you will have done serious damage to your reputation and jeopardised the viability of your business. Put simply – the cake is its own best advertising. The guests at any celebration which features your cake as the centrepiece are a captive audience – they all watch the cutting ceremony or blowing out of candles, and many of them will photograph it (see an upcoming post on the photography of cakes). If they like what they see, they will talk about it, and this is marketing gold. Make sure they know who made the cake – leave copies of your business card with a reliable person – a bridesmaid, best man, caterer – someone who will be happy to give them to anyone who enquires about the cake. Your aim is to pick up at least one more client from every function you supply to.
Keep a note of dates Use a wallchart or computer based diary to record all dates of local anniversaries, upcoming public occasions, jubilees of clubs and societies and other organisations in your area, and of course birthdays of people you know – particularly those for whom you have done cakes previously – and contact the appropriate people in advance to offer your services. Local knowledge is a great asset in this business.
Get yourself known within the trade Attend wedding or bridal expos, business forums, trade shows – anything relevant to your cake decorating niche area, and participate in these with promotional material, demonstrations, and giveaways. This not only gets your name before the general public, but also gets it known among other professionals in your chosen niche. Networking is an important part of any business, and these kinds of events are a great way to do this. Do remember though, that when you get to the point of becoming known in the trade, you will also be getting noticed by tax and health authorities. See yesterday's post for some information on how to keep your business legal.
Photograph your cakes Digital photography is one of the best inventions ever for people who want to promote a creative service like cake decorating. If used properly, it is like a visual version of word of mouth advertising. Think about it – how often have you seen photos of someone's wedding that feature the cake? Every wedding album in the world has them, but not just the official album belonging to the bride and groom – lots of people take photos at weddings, and now that modern technology allows these to be quite literally shared all around the world within a few seconds, the numbers who will see your cake (and quickly!) has increased exponentially. Of course it would be a bit much to write your advertising on the cake (very handy though!), so people who see it in photos won't necessarily know who made it – but the important thing is that they will see the cake, and when they are in the market for one themselves, they will be able to find out. They have already seen your best advertising – a cake that has grabbed their attention.
See tomorrow's post for part 2 of this 3 part series.
Word of Mouth This is undoubtedly the most important form of advertising for cake decorating, or any business, but be warned – it is a double edged sword. People will talk about your cakes and recommend your service if they are impressed with what they see, but if you deliver an inferior product or lousy service, they will talk about this even more, and you will have done serious damage to your reputation and jeopardised the viability of your business. Put simply – the cake is its own best advertising. The guests at any celebration which features your cake as the centrepiece are a captive audience – they all watch the cutting ceremony or blowing out of candles, and many of them will photograph it (see an upcoming post on the photography of cakes). If they like what they see, they will talk about it, and this is marketing gold. Make sure they know who made the cake – leave copies of your business card with a reliable person – a bridesmaid, best man, caterer – someone who will be happy to give them to anyone who enquires about the cake. Your aim is to pick up at least one more client from every function you supply to.
Keep a note of dates Use a wallchart or computer based diary to record all dates of local anniversaries, upcoming public occasions, jubilees of clubs and societies and other organisations in your area, and of course birthdays of people you know – particularly those for whom you have done cakes previously – and contact the appropriate people in advance to offer your services. Local knowledge is a great asset in this business.
Get yourself known within the trade Attend wedding or bridal expos, business forums, trade shows – anything relevant to your cake decorating niche area, and participate in these with promotional material, demonstrations, and giveaways. This not only gets your name before the general public, but also gets it known among other professionals in your chosen niche. Networking is an important part of any business, and these kinds of events are a great way to do this. Do remember though, that when you get to the point of becoming known in the trade, you will also be getting noticed by tax and health authorities. See yesterday's post for some information on how to keep your business legal.
Photograph your cakes Digital photography is one of the best inventions ever for people who want to promote a creative service like cake decorating. If used properly, it is like a visual version of word of mouth advertising. Think about it – how often have you seen photos of someone's wedding that feature the cake? Every wedding album in the world has them, but not just the official album belonging to the bride and groom – lots of people take photos at weddings, and now that modern technology allows these to be quite literally shared all around the world within a few seconds, the numbers who will see your cake (and quickly!) has increased exponentially. Of course it would be a bit much to write your advertising on the cake (very handy though!), so people who see it in photos won't necessarily know who made it – but the important thing is that they will see the cake, and when they are in the market for one themselves, they will be able to find out. They have already seen your best advertising – a cake that has grabbed their attention.
See tomorrow's post for part 2 of this 3 part series.
Monday, May 3, 2010
The Law and Your Cake Decorating Business
It is said that there are only two certainties in life - death and taxes. I don't have any help to offer regarding the former (except don't eat too much cake), but there are a few things to consider in regard to the taxman, and his cousin the health department, when you are starting a cake decorating business.
The Taxman You cannot avoid him, so don't even bother trying. If you are generating income of any kind, then you owe some to the government and they are more determined to collect it than Tony Soprano (and more ruthless and powerful.) It is far better to research their requirements as part of the process of setting up your cake decorating business than to ignore this and find yourself in trouble (expensive trouble!) some time later. Tax regulations vary all around the world, so don't make assumptions. Call your local department and ask what you need to do. They all have staff whose job it is to make this as straightforward and painless as possible, so take full advantage of this service (which your tax pays for.)
In yesterday's post I mentioned the importance of keeping up with your paperwork - tax paperwork is the most important part of this. All of your business related expenditure is deductible, so if you are onto it from the start, you won't miss out on any claims.
The Health Department Health regulations vary even more widely than tax rules between jurisdictions, so check out your local requirements. There will always be rules as to what you can and cannot do with a food based business, so be very careful here. You may find that you need to work from a registered kitchen - your own, or rented space in commercial premises - or that there are restrictions on which type of ingredients can be used at home (usually depending on their degree of perishability)so be as strict on yourself as the authorities will be. This is a safety issue after all - who wants to make their clients sick because they didn't adhere to food safety standards? You may not even be aware of the potential for certain hazards, so do your research thoroughly and protect yourself as well.
Commerce department and insurance Most commerce regulations relating to a cake decorating business are covered by tax and health department requirements, but it pays to check this anyway. As for insurance - this is more a matter of personal choice, although some jurisdictions may require you to have public liability cover. Of course, your premises and whatever vehicle you use for deliveries are a valuable part of your business, and insurance of these is essential. It is also a good idea to find a reputable company that covers you for loss of income in the event of accident or illness. This is particularly important in the type of business in which you are either the sole employee, or the most important one.
Finally - if you need a reminder of the importance of staying on side with the taxman - remember that no-one is immune to his peculiar charms. Even the rich and legendary are subject to his demands - like the Beatles, for instance - whose own experiences led to the writing of one of their most popular (and cynical)songs, and naming it after him. Check out the You Tube clip, and check in tomorrow, when I begin a 3 part series on promoting your cake decorating business.
The Taxman You cannot avoid him, so don't even bother trying. If you are generating income of any kind, then you owe some to the government and they are more determined to collect it than Tony Soprano (and more ruthless and powerful.) It is far better to research their requirements as part of the process of setting up your cake decorating business than to ignore this and find yourself in trouble (expensive trouble!) some time later. Tax regulations vary all around the world, so don't make assumptions. Call your local department and ask what you need to do. They all have staff whose job it is to make this as straightforward and painless as possible, so take full advantage of this service (which your tax pays for.)
In yesterday's post I mentioned the importance of keeping up with your paperwork - tax paperwork is the most important part of this. All of your business related expenditure is deductible, so if you are onto it from the start, you won't miss out on any claims.
The Health Department Health regulations vary even more widely than tax rules between jurisdictions, so check out your local requirements. There will always be rules as to what you can and cannot do with a food based business, so be very careful here. You may find that you need to work from a registered kitchen - your own, or rented space in commercial premises - or that there are restrictions on which type of ingredients can be used at home (usually depending on their degree of perishability)so be as strict on yourself as the authorities will be. This is a safety issue after all - who wants to make their clients sick because they didn't adhere to food safety standards? You may not even be aware of the potential for certain hazards, so do your research thoroughly and protect yourself as well.
Commerce department and insurance Most commerce regulations relating to a cake decorating business are covered by tax and health department requirements, but it pays to check this anyway. As for insurance - this is more a matter of personal choice, although some jurisdictions may require you to have public liability cover. Of course, your premises and whatever vehicle you use for deliveries are a valuable part of your business, and insurance of these is essential. It is also a good idea to find a reputable company that covers you for loss of income in the event of accident or illness. This is particularly important in the type of business in which you are either the sole employee, or the most important one.
Finally - if you need a reminder of the importance of staying on side with the taxman - remember that no-one is immune to his peculiar charms. Even the rich and legendary are subject to his demands - like the Beatles, for instance - whose own experiences led to the writing of one of their most popular (and cynical)songs, and naming it after him. Check out the You Tube clip, and check in tomorrow, when I begin a 3 part series on promoting your cake decorating business.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Make Your Cake Decorating Business More Efficient, part 2
In my previous post, I looked at a few simple ways to make your cake decorating business more efficient, which is of course one of the best ways of making it more profitable. In part 2, we look at a few more of these tips and suggestions, and I have added a video clip of an absolutley gorgeous christening cake, if you are in need of a little inspiration.
Swap Skills If you are really good at some parts of cake decorating but not others, team up with someone who has complimentary skills to yours. You can both work to your strengths as well as learn from each other, and you will be able to take on more assignments by spending less time on things that you are not so proficient at.
Are you a cake baker, or a decorator? If you are good at both, then you can make the whole cake from start to finish, but if you are more interested in the artistic side and don't want to mess about perfecting your baking skills, then there is no reason why you can't buy cakes ready made from a good bakery. This will let you get on with what you are good at and passionate about, and means that your cake is guaranteed to taste as good as it looks (which is really important, and often overlooked when we get carried away with a spectacular design. Bought cakes also guarantee consistency of size and shape, which means you don't have to spend so much time patching up holes or balancing surfaces.
Plan carefully, and stick to it You need to have a carefully worked out plan of what needs to be achieved each day for every client you are working for. In any one day you will find yourself doing a variety of jobs - baking the cake, choosing and decorating boxes and boards, applying finishing touches, discussing requirements with prospective clients, making deliveries and many other tasks that are a part of this business - so it is vital that you use a detailed diary and refer to it throughout the day. Check it off at the end of each working day to make sure you have not missed some small but important detail, and prepare the next day's working plan. Cake decorating is not something that handles last minute rushes too well, so it is important to keep on top of things and have a very clear idea of where each project is at in relation to where it needs to be.
Inventory Part of planning and efficiency is the maintenance of your supplies of tools, equipment, and ingredients. As you gain experience you will come to know what you need to have on hand at all times, so perhaps it is wise to draw up an inventory of this so you can replenish supplies before you run out of anything. It is far better to do your shopping as part of your schedule, rather than have to rush to the store every time you need something. Of course, many of the cakes you do will have their own specific requirements, but if you plan your daily, weekly, and monthly schedule carefully enough, you can incorporate this into your regular shopping.
The boring stuff All businesses, large and small, have to do paperwork. Financial planning, marketing plans, tax returns, accounting - the list is endless, and sometimes you will feel like you are spending more time with paper and ink than you are with frosting and fondant, but like the artistic part of your enterprise, it is best to do this on a regular basis so it doesn't pile up and force a last minute rush. If you build administration into your regular schedule, after a while you will get used to it and it won't hurt so much. Of course, if you are lucky, you may have a friend or partner who will take care of such matters for you - perhaps in return for a steady supply of cake!
And now after taking care of the boring details, here is a video of someone's first attempt at a christening cake. It shows what can be achieved by studying, learning, and practising this wonderful craft, and by paying attention to detail - note the little footprints around the edge of the cake board. I could look at cakes like this for hours - but who has the time? Enjoy.
Swap Skills If you are really good at some parts of cake decorating but not others, team up with someone who has complimentary skills to yours. You can both work to your strengths as well as learn from each other, and you will be able to take on more assignments by spending less time on things that you are not so proficient at.
Are you a cake baker, or a decorator? If you are good at both, then you can make the whole cake from start to finish, but if you are more interested in the artistic side and don't want to mess about perfecting your baking skills, then there is no reason why you can't buy cakes ready made from a good bakery. This will let you get on with what you are good at and passionate about, and means that your cake is guaranteed to taste as good as it looks (which is really important, and often overlooked when we get carried away with a spectacular design. Bought cakes also guarantee consistency of size and shape, which means you don't have to spend so much time patching up holes or balancing surfaces.
Plan carefully, and stick to it You need to have a carefully worked out plan of what needs to be achieved each day for every client you are working for. In any one day you will find yourself doing a variety of jobs - baking the cake, choosing and decorating boxes and boards, applying finishing touches, discussing requirements with prospective clients, making deliveries and many other tasks that are a part of this business - so it is vital that you use a detailed diary and refer to it throughout the day. Check it off at the end of each working day to make sure you have not missed some small but important detail, and prepare the next day's working plan. Cake decorating is not something that handles last minute rushes too well, so it is important to keep on top of things and have a very clear idea of where each project is at in relation to where it needs to be.
Inventory Part of planning and efficiency is the maintenance of your supplies of tools, equipment, and ingredients. As you gain experience you will come to know what you need to have on hand at all times, so perhaps it is wise to draw up an inventory of this so you can replenish supplies before you run out of anything. It is far better to do your shopping as part of your schedule, rather than have to rush to the store every time you need something. Of course, many of the cakes you do will have their own specific requirements, but if you plan your daily, weekly, and monthly schedule carefully enough, you can incorporate this into your regular shopping.
The boring stuff All businesses, large and small, have to do paperwork. Financial planning, marketing plans, tax returns, accounting - the list is endless, and sometimes you will feel like you are spending more time with paper and ink than you are with frosting and fondant, but like the artistic part of your enterprise, it is best to do this on a regular basis so it doesn't pile up and force a last minute rush. If you build administration into your regular schedule, after a while you will get used to it and it won't hurt so much. Of course, if you are lucky, you may have a friend or partner who will take care of such matters for you - perhaps in return for a steady supply of cake!
And now after taking care of the boring details, here is a video of someone's first attempt at a christening cake. It shows what can be achieved by studying, learning, and practising this wonderful craft, and by paying attention to detail - note the little footprints around the edge of the cake board. I could look at cakes like this for hours - but who has the time? Enjoy.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Make Your Cake Decorating Business More Efficient, part 1
It is true of any business that efficiency equals greater profit. In the previous post, we looked at some general ideas to consider when starting your own cake decorating business, and in this number one we look at a number of things you can do to maximise efficiency and make your time and effort more productive.
Bulk Produce items that you will use frequently. Things like fondant flowers, figurines, certain types of lettering - these can all be made in advance so you don't have to set up to make them each time you do a cake. Every niche uses particular things repeatedly, so if you work your niche thoroughly, you can save a lot of time and effort by this type of mass production. Many of these things can also be bought from a good supplier, or contracted out to someone who specialises in them. Do be careful though - storage methods and times will vary for anything edible, so check this before you start.
Maintain good communication with clients Be very clear about their requirements for the cake, and also of dates and times. If you are unsure, ask. It is better to double check than to have to start over because you thought they wanted red flowers when they really wanted blue. You will save a lot of time and extra work, not to mention your reputation, if you get all these details in writing and refer to them often. It is a good idea to give progress reports - e-mail is ideal for this - so the client knows you are working for them and care about the service you provide. It will also give them the opportunity to correct any misconceptions, but be careful here - people do change their minds about such important features of their special occasions, and you need to be clear about exactly when final decisions must be made.
Emergencies will arise from time to time. Experience will teach you what to be prepared for, and it is wise to always have necessary equipment, tools, and materials ready for unexpected repairs when disaster strikes. (Sometimes a cake is beyond saving - check out this You Tube clip. It may be amusing as a video clip, but look at how upset the bride is - it really isn't funny. Someone's carelessness has caused this to happen - if it is the cake maker, then I wouldn't expect them to get paid). Being efficient in all aspects of your cake decorating business will help to avoid last minute rushes that tend to create such problems. Part 2 of this post will talk about some more things you can do to help achieve this.
Bulk Produce items that you will use frequently. Things like fondant flowers, figurines, certain types of lettering - these can all be made in advance so you don't have to set up to make them each time you do a cake. Every niche uses particular things repeatedly, so if you work your niche thoroughly, you can save a lot of time and effort by this type of mass production. Many of these things can also be bought from a good supplier, or contracted out to someone who specialises in them. Do be careful though - storage methods and times will vary for anything edible, so check this before you start.
Maintain good communication with clients Be very clear about their requirements for the cake, and also of dates and times. If you are unsure, ask. It is better to double check than to have to start over because you thought they wanted red flowers when they really wanted blue. You will save a lot of time and extra work, not to mention your reputation, if you get all these details in writing and refer to them often. It is a good idea to give progress reports - e-mail is ideal for this - so the client knows you are working for them and care about the service you provide. It will also give them the opportunity to correct any misconceptions, but be careful here - people do change their minds about such important features of their special occasions, and you need to be clear about exactly when final decisions must be made.
Emergencies will arise from time to time. Experience will teach you what to be prepared for, and it is wise to always have necessary equipment, tools, and materials ready for unexpected repairs when disaster strikes. (Sometimes a cake is beyond saving - check out this You Tube clip. It may be amusing as a video clip, but look at how upset the bride is - it really isn't funny. Someone's carelessness has caused this to happen - if it is the cake maker, then I wouldn't expect them to get paid). Being efficient in all aspects of your cake decorating business will help to avoid last minute rushes that tend to create such problems. Part 2 of this post will talk about some more things you can do to help achieve this.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Starting a Cake Decorating Business at Home, part 2
While it is important to develop and maintain your cake baking and decorating skills to the highest standard, if you want to start a cake decorating business at home you will also need to master a range of business skills. In part one of this series, we looked at finding and working a niche, developing your creative skills, and promoting your cake decorating business. In this post we focus on presentation of yourself and your product, understanding and working within your abilities, and the use of technology, both for making and selling your cakes.
Presentation It goes without saying that the presentation of your cakes is of the utmost importance - and that includes everything from the cake itself to the board it is displayed on and whatever table or stand is used - but it is equally important to present yourself and your business in a totally professional manner. Personal grooming and hygiene is fundamental in the food industry - doubly so when you are meeting clients, and so too is the presentation of your promotional material, price lists, contracts, and any other documentation you need. Keep them in a clean, tidy, and easily accessible folder so they are readily available to hand to people. The quality and convenience of desktop publishing means that this material can be printed as required, rather than keeping papers in a ratty old folder to get dog eared or covered in cake decorating ingredients. Make sure your vehicle is clean and in good repair, and the same goes for your home, especially that part of it you use for your business, particularly if you see clients at your home.
Work within your limitations You will know your strengths and weaknesses regarding designing and decorating cakes, so work within these. If you are confident and capable with fondant and sugar sulptures, and the other finery involved in wedding cake construction, then by all means enter this most lucrative of all cake markets, but if your skills are not yet sufficiently developed, work other niche areas until you can meet the exacting demands of this one. If you are constantly improving your knowledge and skills, you will soon find yourself able to offer a full range of cakes for all occasions, giving your business a broader and stronger footing.
It also pays to be careful of over committing - you are better to start slowly until you get enough experience to know how many clients can be properly serviced within a certain period of time. Nothing will damage your reputation more than delivering an inferior product because you have had to rush, or even worse - failing to deliver at all.
Technology is your friend and it is a friendship that you should take full advantage of. You will be well aware of the various electronic and mechanical devices available for the actual making and decorating of cakes, but where technology really comes into its own is in the management and promotion of your business. There are lots of business software programmes available - find a really good one that covers everything, from accounting and taxation, to business planning and staff management (if you get big enough to need that!).
Perhaps where technology really comes into its own, is in the promotion of your business. E-mail and the various types of social media (Facebook, Twitter etc) are great for maintaining contact with clients and suppliers, and it is a very simple matter to make and host your own website (this can be done very easily and free on Web 2.0 sites like Squidoo) and used in conjunction with the recent advances in digital photography, these are the perfect way to promote your business and provide a portfolio for potential clients. Use of all these types of technology is greatly to your advantage in running your cake decorating business, and will only be more so in the future.
Tomorrow's post will look at ways in which you can make your home based cake decorating business more efficient (and profitable).
Presentation It goes without saying that the presentation of your cakes is of the utmost importance - and that includes everything from the cake itself to the board it is displayed on and whatever table or stand is used - but it is equally important to present yourself and your business in a totally professional manner. Personal grooming and hygiene is fundamental in the food industry - doubly so when you are meeting clients, and so too is the presentation of your promotional material, price lists, contracts, and any other documentation you need. Keep them in a clean, tidy, and easily accessible folder so they are readily available to hand to people. The quality and convenience of desktop publishing means that this material can be printed as required, rather than keeping papers in a ratty old folder to get dog eared or covered in cake decorating ingredients. Make sure your vehicle is clean and in good repair, and the same goes for your home, especially that part of it you use for your business, particularly if you see clients at your home.
Work within your limitations You will know your strengths and weaknesses regarding designing and decorating cakes, so work within these. If you are confident and capable with fondant and sugar sulptures, and the other finery involved in wedding cake construction, then by all means enter this most lucrative of all cake markets, but if your skills are not yet sufficiently developed, work other niche areas until you can meet the exacting demands of this one. If you are constantly improving your knowledge and skills, you will soon find yourself able to offer a full range of cakes for all occasions, giving your business a broader and stronger footing.
It also pays to be careful of over committing - you are better to start slowly until you get enough experience to know how many clients can be properly serviced within a certain period of time. Nothing will damage your reputation more than delivering an inferior product because you have had to rush, or even worse - failing to deliver at all.
Technology is your friend and it is a friendship that you should take full advantage of. You will be well aware of the various electronic and mechanical devices available for the actual making and decorating of cakes, but where technology really comes into its own is in the management and promotion of your business. There are lots of business software programmes available - find a really good one that covers everything, from accounting and taxation, to business planning and staff management (if you get big enough to need that!).
Perhaps where technology really comes into its own, is in the promotion of your business. E-mail and the various types of social media (Facebook, Twitter etc) are great for maintaining contact with clients and suppliers, and it is a very simple matter to make and host your own website (this can be done very easily and free on Web 2.0 sites like Squidoo) and used in conjunction with the recent advances in digital photography, these are the perfect way to promote your business and provide a portfolio for potential clients. Use of all these types of technology is greatly to your advantage in running your cake decorating business, and will only be more so in the future.
Tomorrow's post will look at ways in which you can make your home based cake decorating business more efficient (and profitable).
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Starting a Cake Decorating Business at Home, part 1
There are many reasons for starting a cake decorating business at home – from the artistic to the purely financial, and it is the intention of this blog to take a look at some of the things you will need to consider before embarking on this fascinating, enjoyable, and potentially lucrative enterprise.
The importance of promotion The cake you decorate and supply for a special occasion will be the focus of attention for a number of people for a period of time – cake cutting is usually the focal point of the formalities – so the cake itself is your best advertising tool. This will generate word of mouth, a vital ingredient in any marketing campaign, and absolutely indispensable in yours. With good word of mouth, you can probably run a successful cake decorating with no other advertising; without it, you may as well not bother. Of course good word of mouth advertising is not only free, but also very easy to get. You just have to provide a consistently high standard of product and service, and make sure everyone knows your name.
Think about the numbers for a minute – there are 6 billion people in the world, and every one of them has a birthday every year. Of course, they don't all have birthday parties, and of those who do, not all of them will have a celebration cake, but even a small percentage of 6 billion is a fairly sizeable potential market, and that's just for birthday cakes. Consider the number of people who get married each year – just in your local area or circle of acquaintances – and then consider that everyone who gets married then has an anniversary each year, often celebrated with an anniversary cake. The numbers are starting to stack up, don't you think? Don't forget graduations, retirements, business and club anniversaries, and of course Christmas – all regular occasions that require the services of a creative and reliable cake decorator.
If you are considering entering this profitable market, there are a few things you will need to consider apart from the development and refining of your baking and decorating skills, and it is the purpose of this blog to address some of these issues, as well as to display some of the quite stunning photographs and videos of the amazing cakes made by some very clever people in this industry (of whom you will eventually be one if you master your artistic abilities alongside your business management skills.)
Here are a few ideas to begin with – there are plenty more in upcoming posts:
Specialise in one type of cake to begin with Every occasion requires a different type of cake, and these all use different techniques, materials, and equipment, and employ a wide range of themes. Decide on a niche, then research the market thoroughly and develop your skills accordingly. If you are mainly interested in weddings, then study that niche and become familiar with it. As you work the niche, you will gradually become known within it and build up a client base which may even be sufficient to enable you to make a good living from just the one niche, but if you wish to broaden your horizons, by all means learn and master other niches too. Many of the skills you develop are interchangeable across all areas of this diverse market, especially the basic business principles.
Perfect your techniques It goes without saying that your cakes need to be of a high standard before you can offer your services to the market. Practise makes perfect, and you can gain heaps of this by decorating cakes for family and friends (not for free though – it can be an expensive hobby, and you will at least need to recover your costs), and of course for your own immediate family's special occasions. If you need help to refine your skills, there are a number of top quality books and tutorials available online, or at the local bookshop, and you can probably find classes in your area as well.
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