Hi all:

I have the opportunity to have a table at a "craft" fair to promote my cakes. I will have a presentation book of my cakes, but I really only have about 7 or 8 to show. I was thinking of doing some cookies and cupcakes to sell that day as examples as well. I've never done anything like this and wondered if I should have a dummy cake on display..also wondering if it is in really bad form to show examples of types of cakes I could do and I did, how to present that since it wouldn't be my work. I kind of feel I shouldn't do that though.

The craft fair is at the Chinese cultural school my daughter goes to on Saturdays. There are hundreds of people who bring their children (all adopted from China) and 99% are girls so I'm thinking I should focus on designs for girls parties, baby showers and anything asian related..i.e. panda bears etc etc.

One BIG problem is that it is on Sat. 12/3 and I will be out of town for Thanksgiving the previous weekend and up to Tuesday! So if I do the fair (and it's the one chance that's come my way to do something to get more orders for cakes)..I have to do things that I can make almost two weeks in advance. Maybe I do cookies that far in advance and then jam on cupcakes the three days before.

Just wondering your opinions and if anyone has done anything like this what your experiences have been and if you can give me some tips/ideas..pleeeeease.

Thanks!
Thalia

I don't have any experience with this, but I would suggest decorated cupcakes. You could start baking now and freeze them. Also, maybe some dummy cakes to display.

I would do a dummy cake and you could start now. It will keep till then. Just keep it somewhere it won't get dusty. : )

Then cookies and cupcakes are great too.

I agree w/everyone else. Do some cupcakes and cookies and have some dummy cakes. I wouldn't use pictures of cakes that you didn't bake though.

I also agree with all of the above. It seems like you have all the right ideas. But don't display photos of stuff that you didn't make. Work your butt off that week and produce the best that you can.
Mini cakes might be cuter than cupcakes. They are a little more unusual and if you make them a bit whimsical...people LOVE that stuff.....I'm sure you'll sell a ton!

Make sure you have lots of business cards and maybe a price guide...offer a discount to people in attendance.......maybe some kind of coupon that you can print on your computer?

Good Luck!

Another thought......why don't you offer a raffle.....with every purchase, they get a chance to win a free cake?

Have some boxes handy so people can take stuff home also. And recruit someone to help you....you'll need a break during the day.

I love the raffle idea!!! People LOVE the chance to get FREE cake!!

I did this very thing last year!!I rented a table at the church's craft/bake sale... Here's what I learned...
I had about 5-6 of my character cakes decorated up in the theme of Christmas since it was a Christmas craftsale.Used the novelty Wilton pans like the Noel Candle,Wreath,Santa Face etc..I priced them at 1/2 of the price I regularily charge to customers...They did NOT sell!! Many people walked by and said how nice they were etc...but no one would buy them at $15.00 each!! only when I lowered them down by 1/2 again an hour before the sale ended just to get rid of them...did a few people buy!! Grrrrr.That was heart breaking!!

Cookies sold great and so did Brownies!!
Muffins sold good too!!

Lessoned learned....most people at these bake sales are not going to spend a huge amount on cakes etc....but I did hand out alot of cards and received quite a few new customers from it!!

I think a dummy cake is a must but you might keep in mind something from the Martha Apprentice show. If you didn't see it, two groups had to do a cake to sell and the group that won did a plain cream colored cake. If you do a color you might make it a usual color, if that makes since.

it's not that they won't spend the money for a cake, they just don't want to walk around with a cake..

I suggest that you decorate a couple of dummy cakes like they do at bridal shows,and bring in small squares of cake, cupcakes and such.

If you can sell them you can make up the money that you spent to make your display cakes.

Thanks everyone! Some great ideas and confirmation on some things I was thinking too! Now I need to get to work...eeeeeks

Thalia