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Help! Wedding cake Advertising???

post #1 of 37
2/15/10 at 2:30pm
Thread Starter 
I would like some advice on how/where to market yourself for wedding cakes. I had a vineyard down the road from me ask for a book of work to show their brides.

Would it be a good idea to make several other books and take them to various wedding event locations around me? I know of at least three within 10-15 miles of me.

I also have an ad on a big local wedding blog. Are there any other techniques y'all have used to get your name out there for wedding cake?

Any information is appreciated!!
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post #2 of 37
2/15/10 at 3:39pm
Hi Bozilla_Cakes!

It is always a good idea to network with other wedding related companies, keep in mind most local cake decorators are NOT doing that and so it will definitely grow your business. My husband is very good with internet marketing and I will Private Message you some more information on that.
OneSweetSlice Facebook Page
Utah Wedding Cakes
Salt Lake City Wedding Cakes
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OneSweetSlice Facebook Page
Utah Wedding Cakes
Salt Lake City Wedding Cakes
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post #3 of 37
2/15/10 at 5:51pm
Definitely get to know the reception locations around you, personal referrals will always be the best advertising. You have to have a website, that's non-negotiable these days. I get most of my business through word-of-mouth and my website. The print ads that I do are limited to the local wedding guides that get handed out at bridal shows and bridal shops, since they get a lot of exposure and also have links to my site from theirs included in the cost of the ad.
http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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post #4 of 37
2/15/10 at 6:57pm
At your prices, I can't imagine you're not just swamped with orders!!
Answers to the most often asked questions re: SPS. SPS instructions are on Page 15 of the Sticky at the top of the Cake Decorating Forum. Supplies can be ordered from Oasis Supply, Global or BakeryCrafts.
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Answers to the most often asked questions re: SPS. SPS instructions are on Page 15 of the Sticky at the top of the Cake Decorating Forum. Supplies can be ordered from Oasis Supply, Global or BakeryCrafts.
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post #5 of 37
2/15/10 at 7:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by leah_s

At your prices, I can't imagine you're not just swamped with orders!!



I went to see what Leah_s was talking about, and everything was okay until I got past the deposit and delivery fee amounts. Then I saw the price for butttercream and I said "What the He**" out loud! Waaaaay too low! icon_eek.gif
http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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post #6 of 37
2/15/10 at 9:16pm
OMG! Even "I" almost wet myself when I saw your pricing. How are you making money girl???
life is short, get a cakesafe.
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life is short, get a cakesafe.
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post #7 of 37
2/15/10 at 9:17pm
She's not. She's actually paying people to take those cakes off her hands.
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post #8 of 37
2/16/10 at 4:45am
If you look at her site the cakes don't seem consistant. All the sheet cakes and some of the other occasion cakes look like an amature decorator did them, and then the wedding cakes are spectacular. Really odd.
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post #9 of 37
2/16/10 at 5:58am
Spicewood! I have been camping there a few times. (the place with the HUGE wind chimes and spring fed swimming pool) You are just west of Austin, and Austin has lots of bakers and many talented decorators. Maybe you could work on updating your site pix. Your gallery is difficult to use, I also expect to see a section for just wedding cakes. BTB in your area are going to go straight for a web site and expect to see professional cakes on the lines of Boss, Weinstock, Confetti, you get the idea. Be sure to enter a cake (preferably wedding) in That Takes the Cake (Crockett Center, last weekend in Feb) as lots of BTB's attend functions of this sort as much as formal Bridal Shows.
* The OP's have a point...your prices are way too low. People will wonder what they are getting..
**CD...I didn't notice any pix that really blew me away, more like the normal skill improvement over time.
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post #10 of 37
2/16/10 at 6:34am
Yes, the comment about her skill level was kind of unncessary - I know I have progressed a lot from cakes I did two years ago. And the pricing comments? Maybe she's too low, maybe not. Its her business - if she asks for help with her pricing then help her, otherwise don't let it ruffle your feathers.
"Kitchen-ista and Ranch-wife-extraordinaire" (It's all in a day's work!)
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"Kitchen-ista and Ranch-wife-extraordinaire" (It's all in a day's work!)
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post #11 of 37
2/16/10 at 6:35am
Hi Bozilla_Cakes,

I've just joined up today and saw your post. Yes you're certainly on the right track and good to see you're being pro-active.

I'd recommend making contact with as many people in related wedding industry areas such as wedding venues, florists, photographers, bridal shops, jewellry stores.

You could offer them a voucher with a certain discount to give to their best clients. You could also offer to take their vouchers and to give them to your clients. That way everyone is helping everyone else with their marketing efforts.

Best of luck with your marketing.

Sigrid
http://cakedecoratingprofits.weebly.com
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post #12 of 37
2/16/10 at 6:52am
Thread Starter 
Thank you to those of you with positive, constructive feedback. That is appreicated and I will make an effort to follow your advice.

To the rest.....The bakery is in a town with no other bakery, I am it. And the closest city only has two bakeries that advertise. My prices are the way they are because of the area I am in and my overhead (which is very low). When/if I move close to Austin at a later point, I will absolutely raise my prices to be more competitive with other bakeries. But I also don't have years of wedding decorating experience. So a bride that wants an outrageous cake that she is willing to spend $850 on for buttercream is not the business I am ready for right now. And I know I'm not. I would like to service brides that are on a budget and want a nice cake that tastes good for a decent price. Isn't it better for me to know my limits than try and do something that I am not completely confident about? If I don't start somewhere, how am I suppose to learn and get better?

Again, the few that did answer the question that I posed, I truly appreciate your info and advice. Thank you.
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post #13 of 37
2/16/10 at 7:08am
Bravo Bozilla!
"Kitchen-ista and Ranch-wife-extraordinaire" (It's all in a day's work!)
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"Kitchen-ista and Ranch-wife-extraordinaire" (It's all in a day's work!)
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post #14 of 37
2/16/10 at 7:25am
Bozilla, I still think that you're WAY underselling yourself and underpricing yourself, but if that's what you want to do then go right ahead. I don't understand it, but that's totally up to you. You can always tell brides that you're not comfortable doing certain designs, if you don't think that you can do them, but I don't see why you wouldn't want to get paid a fair wage for your work. To each her own.
http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
Reply
post #15 of 37
2/16/10 at 9:32am
Thread Starter 
It seems like this thread is becoming all about my prices instead of about my help with advertising......so I will address the price problem more to help clear that up....

From my understanding, prices vary from state to state and sometimes city to city. So when working on my prices, I looked at the closest bakery in the area to help guide me. I am very, very new to wedding cakes. I did research around the area (many bakeries are hesitant to give price information to another bakery unless you really are ordering a cake) and looked at prices of as many wedding cake places as I could that had information posted online. Then I took into account how long they had been in business and their skill level as no one can walk into this business being a perfect decorator. So based on that criteria and my location, I thought my prices were fair.
I would like to hear what y'all think my prices should be though

I am really surprised at some of the comments here. I am not years deep in this yet nor have I had a bunch of wedding cake orders. Is there another way I should be going about this? It seems that some people just want to criticize without providing me a better way of doing things. Which becomes hurtful and unproductive instead of helpful. I will be more careful next time I post a question here. Sorry none of my pics blew you away minicuppie....
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