My question is this. As selling cakes fondant vs. others. I know there are pros and cons post about but I want to know is how to earn customer to choose fondant. Our business does nothing but fondant covered cakes so I have to sell the idea that it is better the fondant. Taking into account that it is a town where people are accustomed to cakes with exotic flavors and "rich". And my cakes taste good but if people expect the same flavor or more because they are paying more. In my mind I know what I'm charging for my labor but how to say it in an elegant way of tell my client? As I say do not expect a great flavor, which 3d pie filling can not bear fruit without scaring them?
AI'm sorry, but I don't understand the question at all. I will simply say, based on what I think you're asking, is a cake with fondant shouldn't be any different in any what so ever than a cake without it. Same filling, same amount of icing, etc. Except...there's a layer of fondant. People can peel it off if they don't want it. Voila, no fondant.
I don't understand what you are talking abou tin regards to flavour, sorry. It sounds like you are saying your flavours are good but not as good as others in town, so because of that people won't want to pay extra to cover the fondant?
Sorry for my english. yes, its a fondant cake but i dont make them with fruit as filling, also i dont make them wet or moist (dont know the word). People come and think that because of the price, the cake will taste like heaven...it does not taste bad but compared to a cake with fresh fruit and moist bread it will never win. People in my town want something more for the price, even when i tell them that its not about the cake, its about the design. How to make people turn their mentality pro fondant cake because of design. I know my cakes take and some people love it but like 60% ask or expect to taste even better because of the price.
Your English is much better than my Espanol!! No problem.
The things that come to mind would be:
1) seals the cake keep it moist (note to those of you who are bothered by the word, moist: suck it up)
2) keeps you from having to dye the icing - enough dye (food coloring) can effect flavor, but icing with no coloring is more appetizing
3) allows decoration not otherwise possible (note to those who want to explain that you can do anything in buttercream that you can in fondant: No, you can't. And the reverse is also true)
4) for people who don't eat fondant - it's a nice shell on the cake protecting it from the elements
If you want to improve taste consider offering modeling chocolate which is an improvement over fondant in terms of complimenting your delicious cake. You can also mix modeling chocolate into the fondant. You can make it from scratch, etc In my opinion all that's a waste of time because to me it still tastes nasty.
Note to those of you who want to explain to me that it may not be the taste of fondant, but the texture: I don't like fondant regardless of the taste or texture, so back off! 
AIf I understand it correctly, you're not using the same kinds of cake that other people in your town are using because you also use fondant? Like AZCouture said, you can use the same cake and fillings that you use with buttercream with fondant. It sounds like you have a lot of complaints about the flavor of your cakes, so you need to improve the flavor. You can't expect people to say "oh, I understand, I will pay more even though the cake doesn't taste good." People want to be able to eat cakes, not just look at them. So you need to improve the flavor of your cakes. Work on that, and you won't have to convince people that they should pay more for them.
A
Original message sent by costumeczar
If I understand it correctly, you're not using the same kinds of cake that other people in your town are using because you also use fondant? Like AZCouture said, you can use the same cake and fillings that you use with buttercream with fondant. It sounds like you have a lot of complaints about the flavor of your cakes, so you need to improve the flavor. You can't expect people to say "oh, I understand, I will pay more even though the cake doesn't taste good." People want to be able to eat cakes, not just look at them. So you need to improve the flavor of your cakes. Work on that, and you won't have to convince people that they should pay more for them.
If someone wants tres leches, cheesecake or raw fruit in a fondant cake, I just say no. That works fine for me, and with the cottage food law in Texas, I'm not allowed to sell anything that must be refrigerated, anyway. Fresh fruit is a very common request with people of Mexican heritage who contact me and if that's a deal breaker, I refer them elsewhere.
There are types of cakes that work well with fondant and types that don't -- luckily here in the states the type that works well is what most people are happy with.
Lo siento, I wish I could be of more help. Buene suerte
Quote:
If someone wants tres leches, cheesecake or raw fruit in a fondant cake, I just say no. That works fine for me, and with the cottage food law in Texas, I'm not allowed to sell anything that must be refrigerated, anyway. Fresh fruit is a very common request with people of Mexican heritage who contact me and if that's a deal breaker, I refer them elsewhere.
There are types of cakes that work well with fondant and types that don't -- luckily here in the states the type that works well is what most people are happy with.
Lo siento, I wish I could be of more help. Buene suerte
Yes! Howsweet, this is it, this is my problem. People in my town like cake with to much moist and to much milk (tres leches) , pineapple juice on them, and so on. Cakes that needs to be refrigerated. People expect them to be moist...and fondant cakes are not. its not a matter of taste. I know and many people are happy with my cakes but thats always the turn off for clients or there is always the comment "it was to dry" but its not like the cake was bad o that it was like a stone its because people expect cake with liquid on them. So that is my question. how do you sell a non- liquid cake ? lol to liquid-cake..ers? They expect liquid because thats what everyone is doing and thats what everyone is selling, so for us who make fondant cakes its hard because they complain about something that its not about the cake its more about a custome?? something they expect. oh! also give me a like on my fb page lol www.facebook.com/detallesmemorables >_< Any suggestion on what words to say to custumers that my cake is not extra extra moist?
Tal vez me entiendan mejor en español los que hablan español. La gente se queja del sabor porque esperan que el pastel este remojado/ extra extra humedo / cuando los pasteles de fondant no deben de ir humedos. Mi receta sabe muy bien y muchos compran mis pasteles pero siempre esta el comentario de que esta seco....les pregunto que cual es el problema y dicen que le deberia de poner tres leches o algun jarabe al pan.... Todo es por costumbre de las personas a que asi deben de ser los pasteles y por lo tanto el mio esta seco en comparacion a lo que venden en todos lados...bueno no todos lados pero se acostumbra mucho que el pan pase a ser un 30% del pastel.
English. I was explaining in spanish my problem :P
AYou could put two different categories of cake, tres leches and butter cakes, and make a clear distinction between the two. But if people want a tres leches style cake, they're not going to be happy. The thing you seem to be missing is that it isn't the customer's fault if you don't explain the difference. People don't know the difference if they're used to getting a "wet" cake, and it's your job to tell them what you sell. That's the marketing part of running a business.
You have to do a better job of explaining what you sell, and if you don't want to sell what people want to buy in your area then you might have to rethink your business. It would be like someone from Scotland opening up a tripe only restaurant in my area and complaining that people don't want to buy it. Nobody here wants that, so if you want to run a business and sell to them you have to see what the customers want. If you sell something different, then you need to explain it clearly on your website or wherever you advertise like that.
ACall them "American style cakes" or something like that.
We have a menu with the options to choose from and fondant cakes says buttercream and the cake its extra moist. BUT they think that extra moist means WET. Its more of a social problem than taste. we sell the same cake to other town and they love it! we even go undercover to some parties and we hear pretty good comments. People adore our cakes. But the town i live in there are too many "wet cakes shops" , when they visit my site and fb page they love the designs and they tell me "oooh its just like the tv program" and because every other store serves tres leches cake,etc. they think its the same thing. There are even agressive customers that want a 3d cake with tres leches no matter what i do. it has to have it. So i have to decline the order. i have only had 3 verbal complains about it not been wet. but i want to find words to tell them that fondant cakes is more about the design so it has to be well... moist but not wet.
To make it short. People in here like wet cakes, with raw fruit and they expect that in (for example) a 3d cake because of the price. Did i mention that i live in mexico and the weather is to hot and people love doing birthday parties outside :S So its perfect to have a fondant cake because they last longer than cakes that need to be in the freezer! Im not the only one doing fondant cakes but its a common problem. How do i sell them the idea that fondant cakes are better?
Quote:
We have a menu with the options to choose from and fondant cakes says buttercream and the cake its extra moist. BUT they think that extra moist means WET. Its more of a social problem than taste. we sell the same cake to other town and they love it! we even go undercover to some parties and we hear pretty good comments. People adore our cakes. But the town i live in there are too many "wet cakes shops" , when they visit my site and fb page they love the designs and they tell me "oooh its just like the tv program" and because every other store serves tres leches cake,etc. they think its the same thing. There are even agressive customers that want a 3d cake with tres leches no matter what i do. it has to have it. So i have to decline the order. i have only had 3 verbal complains about it not been wet. but i want to find words to tell them that fondant cakes is more about the design so it has to be well... moist but not wet.
To make it short. People in here like wet cakes, with raw fruit and they expect that in (for example) a 3d cake because of the price. Did i mention that i live in mexico and the weather is to hot and people love doing birthday parties outside :S So its perfect to have a fondant cake because they last longer than cakes that need to be in the freezer! Im not the only one doing fondant cakes but its a common problem. How do i sell them the idea that fondant cakes are better?
They're not better, they're different. If I'm a customer who wants a "wet" cake then that's what I want. If I want a decorated cake that uses fondant that's something different, but it's your job to make sure that people know that. For outdoor parties the fondant holds up better, but if people are looking for the cakes with fruit and a lot of syrups they're not going to want the fondant cakes.
First, take the word "moist" out of your descriptions, since you said that causes confusion. Don't even use that if it makes people think of the wet cakes.
Second, make some kind of a clear distinction on your menus about the types of cakes that you offer. If you don't do the wet cakes with fondant, put that in plain writing under the description of the cakes. Specifically put "We do not do tres leches cake for decorated cakes becasue the fondant won't work with that type of cake" or however you want to word it. If you don't do the wet cakes at all then you have to specifically say that you don't do traditional cakes with fruits and syrups somehow to get the message across. It's your job to tell the customers what you sell so they won't be surprised when they get it. Maybe you could give out samples of the cake to people who are going to order a fondant cake, that way there will be no confusion.
Quote:
You can't, they have to come to that conclusion themselves. It's going to take time and they've got to taste your cakes to get to like them. Do you sample them for free ever?
Two things:
1. Are you certain that your American style cakes are really good? The best cake possible? Are you making traditional sponge cakes or devils food and vanilla type cakes? Do you add traditional flavors to the American style cakes and it's fillings that the people prefer?
2. I think you should consider making some compromises. You can't change other people, you can only make changes yourself. You can make cakes soaked with tres leches, raw/fresh fruit and whipped cream and still cover them with fondant décor. You have to adjust things and use a lot less of milks than usual. Than frost the cake with butter cream frosting to seal the moisture in so it doesn't penetrate the fondant. Or you could use American style butter cakes and use fresh fruit fillings and whipped cream inside, than again frost the exterior with butter cream to seal and than put fondant on that.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%