Ok so I live in a very nice mobile home. Yes you read that right. I know the stereotype I thought the same thing. However its over 2600 square feet and brand new. It looks like a regular home inside. Nicer than most homes. So my question is how do I sell cakes...I fear the same reaction I had will happen when they come and pick up cakes. I have sold many cakes to co-workers of my husband and they don't mind. Some of them live in mobile homes and they are business professionals working in health industry. I mean we live in the country its 45min from the city.

Do I tell people up front? How do I word it? Do I put a picture of my kitchen on the website sort of as pre-notification to soothe them when they drive up?

The outside looks new.. my flower bed is perennials so it looks kinda sad they are still growing. Its a heavily wooded acre and not in a mobile home park.

Thanks in advance.

AI wouldn't mention it. They are selecting you based on examples of your work or advice from others.

It's true that some may not be repeat customers. Shame on them for stereotyping.

Ok well thank you, we are only living here for six years it was just such a profit maker as far as price we couldn't pass it up. However now I'm seeing the $$$ benefit in cake business if I had a house.
 

AI would love to live in some of the trailers I have seen! They are nice! But why not just call it a "modular home" if you mention it at all?

I agree with Annabakescakes - if you are trying to describe it so they can find it, just say modular home or pick out a defining feature - "the house with the red door and pine tree out front".

It actually could work to your advantage - would someone buying a custom cake want to drive up to a McMansion to pick it up?  They might think you are charging more on cakes to live in that style of house.  I'm just saying the subliminal message may be that you are living within your means, and are modest, and your pricing is probably modest as well.  Just some of the psychology of selling/buying that I find fascinating.

Liz

Thanks ladies!

Anna-ya my only fear is them saying its a mobile home after I say its a modular home...lol at which point my face turns bright red..lol

Plus I'd be lying, its huge, but its still a mobile home. In fact I've only ever seen one other the size of this one. Would that look like I slightly

lie to look better?

Liz- I get what your saying its true McMansion would be awkward. Problem is people don't think of that when they are picking up a cake. In fact

its so obvious when friends from church come over. They always comment "Oh it looks like a real home in here" "Its nice" lol I'm not offended I take that as a compliment but in the back of my mind I'm thinking what if you were a customer picking up a cake would you have even came to my door or just drove off?

I would just use a describing feature then (i.e. the color, a landmark, etc.).  If you told me it was a trailer, I would be looking for something about 800 s.f., and would probably pass you by. :)

Liz
 

AWell, you should have the cake paid for in advance, and they can't drive off! I never even add a cake to my bake list unless it is paid for. And yes, there are people who are that shallow, but most aren't. As long as your yard is well kept, and your home is clean and tidy, and there aren't pets or children running wild, most people will not care if it is a 1972 single wide, a McMansion, or a shed.

I have lived in a mobile home for 22 years now. It is home. It is my house. No its not a big house, as big as yours, but it is a nice house, a clean house, a place I can come home to and stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. And I am very proud to say I have a house. It may not be much but it is mine.  And when I am talking about my home or inviting people to my home I call it my "house". I dont say...would you like to come to my mobile home for lunch?... I say would you like to come to my house for lunch? I think you are sterotyping yourself.

AA nice picture of the front of the home on your web site should suffice, there's no need to mention what type of home it is.

AThere is nothing wrong with living in a modular home. I do. I live in a country setting where homes like this are common. Not a park, or neighborhood that looks run down and trashy. Don't worry about it. It seems like you have more of a problem with it than anyone.

Well I've just been in a lot of trailers, and just like houses some are clean and some are not. I'm just being realistic. I get looks from people and my MIL hates that we live in one. She would like to refer to it as modular. I personally don't have a problem with it being a trailer and like to somewhat tease her by saying mobile home. I just know there are people who have stereotypes in their mind. Its not nice, but it is a fact.

I would love to stay here I just can't see doing $900 wedding cakes in the future out of a mobile home. Business has to grow and I don't see getting that kind of clientele from a mobile home. Maybe those of you who have experience can prove me wrong.

As for saying its a home I used to say that but then people would call because its mixed home and mobile and then they get lost.

I don't want to put a sign out because its the country and you get strangers coming to your door.
 

I'm not trying to down anyone living in a mobile. Like I said I was uninformed I lived in the city my whole life and had only seen mobile parks in the city that were trashy. I even grew up in one but it was in the 80s i never imagined they could look like they do today. Its not like that is the first thing people go house shopping for.  So maybe its part me...but again its also how people react. I love my mobile which is why I don't mind people knowing its a trailer vs house. It doesn't bother me but I can see it bothers them. I'm like you Liz I like to see peoples reactions, however its not good in business.
 

AMaybe make sure you put large numbers on your house? I have numbers on my pumphouse and at the gate. Then, there is a 'landmark' for people to reference. If there is skirting on your house, it probably doesn't look so 'mobile homey'.

Ya that is a good idea the numbers I have seem to still be too small since the UPS man at times has asked which house is which...lol...So I'll look into that.

AIf your business does grow, at some point you will outgrow your state's cottage food law restrictions and have to use a commercial kitchen anyway, so where you live won't matter.

If your area as a lot of mobile home, it somewhat becomes the norm. I had a friend who moved from the city for his job and ended up buying a mobile home. Because it's remote, the area where he lives as tons of them so no one would think anything of it.

That is true Jason I keep forgetting there is a cap of income.

Pyro yes that is true, thanks.

Thanks for the feedback guys you have helped out a lot and I'll make some changes to the house:) so its easier to find. I'll also pray my flower bushes grow like weeds...lol
 

I live in the same situation as yours.  I have a huge trailer that looks like a "modular home".   I deliver my cakes into town which is about 15 miles away.  If you are concerned, just charge a bit more and deliver the cakes.

ropalma- the only problem I have with that is the cottage food law- they either have to mail me the check or come and pick it up.

I live 45min from the city and I have a PO BOX

I have a PO BOX because ppl steal your mail out in the country and its just safer over all...they stole mail even when we lived in apt in the city.

So maybe Jason with his legal brain can help out with that one.

Is it still ok if they mail the check to the PO BOX or does it have to be the physical address?

I usually do deliver even though I'm suppose to have one of the two of those, but I'm trying to get more official and I don't want that to bite me in the butt later.
 

AThere's nothing wrong with asking people to send checks to your PO box, but your address of record (for your business license, insurance, etc.) will probably have to be a physical address.

Thanks Jason! So it still counts under the cottage food law as sending the check to me? I thought I read it had to be sent to the physical address to verify they knew who they were getting there goods from location wise??? In other words if they send a check to my po box and I deliver the cake is that still ok under the law?
 

A

I've never heard of a restriction based on where the check is sent. Which state do you live in?

Texas
 

AYou could always meet them somewhere central.

I am by no means a legal expert but I do operate under the TX Cottage Food Law and my understanding is that under the current law your customer must do one of the following at your home 1) place the order 2) pay for their order 3) pick up the order. I do not think mailing a check will be considered fulfilling one of those three criterias and I really don't want to find out in court. For my business, my customers place an order by e-mail and pay and pick up at my home since I don't want to deal with the possibility of lost checks in the mail. I will say I have changed this protocol for family orders ( I was going to the party after all) or really large orders for convenience when I was delivering the cake so they just stopped by the house and gave the check to me. btw there are some laws that could loosen this up that have been passed but not signed.

Make sure you send an e-mail or call Rick Perry to get that law signed!

send an e-mail

ABased on my understanding, the only requirements based on the letter of the TX law is that the food is produced in your home and is sold directly to a customer (via delivery or pickup, not shipped). It does not matter where the customer places the order, pays for the order, or picks up the order as long as they buy the product from you directly..

Thanks guys!

I'll have to google the new bill which I think rdjr is referring too to help with my ? above. I called last time I'll be glad to call again:)