Well, I am thinking about my home business. I know how to get some advertisement in my area for a special ocassion cakes, but is it enough.Where do you sell yours?

A few of my husband's co-workers, a few members of my church, and our friends. I mostly do cakes as a hobby and don't sell many.

I am mainly an hobbyest but when I do get orders I mainly sell through word of mouth. When I was working, I sold various baked goods to my co-workers...everyone knew that I baked all sorts of things. I'd bake for family and friends, also, but those cakes were gifts. I now get most of my orders from an organization that I donate baked goods to.

11cupcakes thanks posting this subject. I have been decorting for less than a year and I wonder the same thing myself. I had thought about advertising until I found that my state doesn't allow home cooks to sell to the public. So many people on this site get upset when you speak of doing cakes for people if you do not have a bakery (that's there right to feel that way), funny thing is that many well known bakers and cake designers started out illegal. The way I see it is you have to start of somewhere. When I do get my commerical kitchen built, I will express empathy to those that bake illegally(that's their choice). I have been doing cakes for my co-workers, friends, friends of friends, my husbands co-workers, and my parents friends and co-workers. I have been considering farmer's market for next year. I live in illinois and it is okay to sell home baked good at a farmer's market, go figure. I'm also taking order from those same group of people for the holidays.

Littlejewel I'am from Illinois too! I mainly sell to friends and family. I want to stay just a hobby! For Illinois, I thought, it depends on the county you live in. I'm so confused about what you can and can not do for Illinois. I have my assumed business name registed with one county. They research the name through the state. I thought the next thing to do was to take the Food Manager San class. I'm working to remodel my garage to a separate second kitchen. There is no such thing as a lic Home Baker in Illinois. I researched that area too. Should I get a food vendors lic?
I'm lost.
Hammy

I think farmer's market is a good idea. I also read astory in the paper about local homebaker that sell pound cakes to gourmet store. I think I could do same with cookies, brownies and maybe some dessert cakes. I would feel guilty to have my kitchen licensed and do just one wedding cake a week. So I just think of ways to sell first. Thanks for your replies.

I think farmer's market is a good idea. I also read astory in the paper about local homebaker that sell pound cakes to gourmet store. I think I could do same with cookies, brownies and maybe some dessert cakes. I would feel guilty to have my kitchen licensed and do just one wedding cake a week. So I just think of ways to sell first. Thanks for your replies.

where are you from 11cupcakes?

NC

Please check post called "some advertizing tip that worked for me" by three_sets_of_twins you'll find some good ideas.

When I was starting my shop years ago I sent fliers to the local police department and fire stations stating that we support Emergency responders and appreciate their line of work and offered them a special discount.

Anyone who could provide proof of being a Policy/Military/Fireman/EMT-Paramedic would automatically receive 15% off their order.

Just a few family parties and word getting out from it with "the baker gave us a discount for him being a police officer, we were shocked at their support for his line of work" well... we'd get their mom, aunt, cousin, sister all flocking to us knowing they didn't get the discount but we won their loyalty because of our support for their family member.

From there their friends and the friends family would come in from good word of mouth.

Looking back I think we could have offered just a 5% discount and still flourished. It was the fact we acknowledged them and thanked them for what they do that counted more than a discount.

We also had the birthday club. For every cake you ordered you got a raffle ticket to put in the slot for the month your birthday. On the first of each month we drew a winner and who ever got pulled got a birthday cake free. The flavor was their choice, and it served 25. That was a huge success. It motivated them to order cakes for all their occasions, office parties etc from us because everyone wanted that free birthday cake.