HI everyone, new to writing on this forum, but have read so many helpful tips and advice. YOu all seem so talented and your cakes are sooooo fab! I've done a few cakes now (which I will get around to up loading on here soon) but maybe not so busy as I thought I might be. Each cake i've done people have always said how lovely it looks and even had a few raves about how fab my cakes tasted. The cakes so far have been for friend and family and work colleagues and i've done little business cards which people have taken and even asked for. my question is how long does it take to get more orders in and is word of mouth usually enough. Is it usually a slow start?
cheers Jan

WELCOME TO CC! It does take a little while to get going, I'm still kind of in this phase too. Unfortunately, in our business, we have to wait for people to have birthdays, etc. Something that I've thought of to get things moving along a little faster is to set up a referral discount system. By this, I mean that I am going to give my neighbor some business cards and have him write his name on the back. When I get 10 of them back from NEW paying customers, he will get his next cake order 25% off, or something like that. This gives my neighbor incentive to talk about me (especially MY neighbor, he is always looking for a good deal! LOL) and I know that once the new people try my cakes they will stay with me.

I don't know what your laws are in England, but here in the states you have to be legal to hand out actual business cards. (I am) Otherwise, many people hand out "calling cards" with pictures of cake to get the point across without blatantly saying that they bake cakes for sale.

Be patient, and they will come!

I did a couple of fun cakes for my church's youth. I think that helped alot to get the word out.

thanks for your words. I guess I know its gonna be slow to start with, just makes me feel better knowing that is usually the case with most people. I do have a couple of cakes booked in the next few months, so at least its something. Just finished a one tier wedding cake and it was a great sucess so might get more from that yet! We don't need a licence to hand out cards here in England, but I'm not sure yet about handing out cards too much, maybe would rather go by word of mouth in the beginning. I also think maybe making cakes to go into church fetes etc may start to get my cakes noticed. cheers jan

I also use a referral system. I give 5% referral credit. How is works is if Alice refers Betty to me and Betty spends $2000 on her wedding (I also do catering), then Alice has earned 5% of what Betty spent, or $100, to apply toward her own wedding, toward a cake, a cookie order, her invitations, etc. The more Betty spends, the more Alice earns, so it gives my current customers an incentive to get their friends to spend more with me. Lots of my customers have earned free birthday cakes and one bride sent me 3 other brides so the original bride earned enough credits to get her wedding cake free! (If someone sends me over $8,000 worth of business, will I do a $400 wedding cake free? You bet I will!)

When I was first getting started, it seemed to take forever for orders to come in, but there comes a point where you suddenly look around and think, "Wow, when did all of this happen!" It's a great feeling!

Welcome to CC Jan! I definitely found the best way to get business started was by donating cakes, and of course leaving some business cards with them! I dontated to my childrens' school (bake sale, silent auction), to an event thrown by our local neighbourhood association, and to a large charity event. I've actually had to turn DOWN orders (and I am by no means as talented as a lot of CC members!). Good luck with your business!