I just got licensed to work from home here in North Carolina and now I'm having the hardest time trying to put my name out there so that I can start my business. I have NO CLUE where to start as far as promoting my business. How are some of the ways you all put your name out there to start getting customers.

PLEASE SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your best advertisement is word of mouth. Hands down, this will drive them to you in droves or away from you, depending on the comments. People can make you or break you with word of mouth advertising.

I started out taking sample cakes or cupcakes to every bank in the county. Banks are always having monthly bd parties.

Take sample cakes to local schools and drop them off with business information in the teacher's lounge. Teachers spread the word like wildfire for you. They have really added to my customer base.

Take samples and information on your cakes to party stores, bridal gown/tux rental shops; local wedding reception venues; wedding planners; florists; daycares; hospitals, doctors/dentist/orthodontist offices, etc.

It will take some time to get the word out, but YOU are your best advertisement for your business.

Good luck!
Amy

I've handed my card to the girls in Wendy's drive-thru window when I see an engagement ring on their finger.

I give a 20% military discount .... I've given my card to moms who has the back end of their car covered with support-our-troops ribbons and "my daughter/son is a marine" (or whatever branch). Did that last week and picked up a shower cake for next weekend PLUS a quasi-commitment for her daughter's reception next February.

definately get business cards and carry them with you wherever you go!!! Always offer your services when the opportunity comes up.

Ads in local military papers...usually are free.

Website (and put it on your card)

Send out emails to your friends with promotional sales...or just a quick "hey i bake!" and have them forward it on to their friends.

flyers, if you are able to post them around town

offer your goods at bake sales and craft fairs and make sure your name and info are on the products

always bring your product to a get together, or party, and keep those business cards handy to pass them out!

I hesitate to offer this opinion because of how often I see the suggestion on here, but I'm going to chance it.

Define yourself by the company you WANT to keep.

I don't do flyers on car windows, telephone poles, grocery store bulletin boards, laundry mat boards, etc. I dont' do craft shows, flea markets or farmers markets.

Why? Because the top notch, expensive, big name caterers and bakeries don't do that.

A photographer friend used to be very proud of the fact that he and his team always wore name tags at a wedding. He then hired a marketing firm to take his business to a higher level (and this guy is now soaring!!). The FIRST thing his marketing guy told him was to lose the name tags. "You never see anyone from a blue chip company wearing a name tag. Bill Gates doesn't wear a name tag. Michael Eisner doesn't wear a name tag."

I don't want to be known as the telephone pole cake lady. I want to become associated as one of the sought after, well known, reputatable caterers / bakers.

And you don't do that by putting a flyer on a windshield next to the one left by the neighborhood psychic and palm reader.

heres what i did....

i took (and still take) goodies everywhere i go...they need to taste it.

people love food...take stuff and drop it at different places with a price list or business card.

other than doing a radio ad for the first month, this is all i ever did...geeze i think i must tell this on here once a week.

One thing to promote any business.

Give stuff away on the radio. I'm not kidding here.

A cookie company here in town is one of the major prizes on a morning call-in show, and it's great publicity. You don't even usually have to pay to do this. You just provide the product. The DJ says "The winner of this/the third caller, whomever, gets a free bouquet of cookies from such-and-such." When you win, you get a plain letter on their business letterhead that says "This entitles the bearer to one cookie bouquet." They call, or come by, whatever, to get their cookies.

And every morning, your name is on the airwaves, several times, spoken plainly. You just gotta be in the book, or have a website, be easy to get for somebody who knows your name.

I am not kidding you, this seriously works. Yep, you have to give away some product, but that is the only cost of the advertising.

A side note about flyers--they basically don't work. Where I use to work I had to leave for 2 hours a week for months to go put flyers wherever I could. In the course of 6 months not one single sale came from those flyers. They are a waste of time, gas and money. Don't want to sound harsh to those who like doing it but look at how many sales you actually have from doing so.


I know someone who has a business doing cookie bouquets. She took them in to places like Disall, Danbury, century 21...basically anyone who sells houses. The agents are always looking for gifts when their clients buy homes. Her business took off and she no longer offers her services to the public but strictly to the agents that order non-stop from her.