Client Keeps Adding Her To 2 Cents!

Decorating By lesgateaux Updated 15 Apr 2011 , 2:09pm by jewels710

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lesgateaux Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 1:46pm
post #1 of 3

I'm making an 18th bday cake for a woman's granddaughter... She gave me free reign of whatever I wanted to do because she said she trusts my creativity.
HOWEVER, she has since come up with multiple ideas that have all been lousy (you can this woman doesn't have a creative bone in her body). I've already told her that I didn't think the original idea she had was a good one because she wants fun and bright colors, but then basically asked me to use maroon, navy blue, and yellow... (yuck)
I drew up pictures and offered her different options, one of which she picked and loved, but she keeps emailing me to ask me to add ugly things to the cake. icon_confused.gif

How do I go about telling her that her ideas will make the cake look bad? I don't want to not include what the client wants but I also don't want a false representation of my work. icon_cry.gif

HELP!

2 replies
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KASCARLETT Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 2:06pm
post #2 of 3

Is she paying for the cake or is it a gift? If she's paying for it, she can have it however she likes! If it is her design/color choice, then it is not going to hurt your reputation. Your cake and design abilities will speak for themselves. I had a 9 yo girl tell me one exactly how she wanted her birthday cake (green icing, blue border, purple flowers and pink writing and yellow on it somewhere). My friend was thinking "that is going to be one ugly cake", but it is one of my favorites! http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.1007642884331.2000910.1622703211#!/photo.php?fbid=1090627118885&set=a.1007642884331.2000910.1622703211&type=1&theater

If it is a gift, then just tell her you have already chosen the design of it, but appreciate her input!

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jewels710 Posted 15 Apr 2011 , 2:09pm
post #3 of 3

I feel your pain. I have done a few cakes at the request of certain customers who "KNOW" their ideas are better than anything I'd do...to much hesitation I attempt to turn their disasters into something "acceptable" to me, that I'm at least comfortable putting my name on (although I still look at some cakes when they're done and say, Ew, thats ugly). LOL
I try to live by the rule that it is the customers cake and they are the ones paying for it.
Luckily, most of those customers are bringing pics of other cakes to me, so I have the luxury of telling them "I won't copy someone elses cake EXACTLY, but will use it as a general guideline", this way I am able to make the ugliest parts "disappear" LOL.
Maybe you'll get the opportunity to use that line!
Good Luck

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