5 Mistakes Made by Bakers in Marketing their Cakes
This week, I will be sharing 5 common mistakes Bakers should avoid in marketing their cake business so that cake decorators can get profitable results and more sales.
Marketing is a business strategy. So there is a need to organize and execute an effective marketing plan for your cake business.
So here goes:
Mistake 1- Not following up with customers and potential clients
Following up with customers after they have ordered from you will guarantee you repeat orders and referrals. Remember, getting repeat business from customers is important to growing and staying in business.
Always keep in touch with your customers and try and contact them at least once a month. You could do this through monthly email newsletters or by SMS. Try and connect with them in a genuine way. This way, they are more likely to remember you and tell their friends about you.
In addition, try and maintain a data base of your customers such as their address, birthdays, the type of cake they ordered, email address, phone number, etc.
Mistake 2- Ignoring customers around you
Prospective customers are all around you; in your neighbourhood, your children school, the salon you go to. So get involved and familarise yourself with your local community and network your cake business within your local area.
To succeed in your cake business, you need to expose yourself. People need to know about you so that they can remember you when they need a cake. Many Bakers are introverts and would rather immense themselves in their craft, so fail to expose themselves enough to generate a sustained flow of customers and cake orders.
Don’t be shy, make sure you get out there and tell everybody you meet about your cake business.
Mistake 3- Failing to monitor the success or failure of your marketing strategy
Whatever marketing strategy you employ, monitor the outcome after 3-4 months; if it’s not producing tangible results then try another strategy. Don’t keep giving out flyers and business cards if it’s not bringing new customers.
Your marketing efforts must bring you a reasonable return on your investment. You cannot be spending money on marketing materials if it doesn’t lead to sales.
So every few months, reflect on your marketing strategies and find out what works and what doesn’t and think of new ways to attract new customers
Mistake 4- Social Media Abuse
Social media marketing can be an inexpensive, effective marketing solution and is a must-have for most cake business. However, starting a Facebook page and posting a few posts are not enough. Social media marketing is a complex marketing tool, and if used the wrong way can actually harm, rather than help, your business.
What you need is a social media strategy. First, understand how to use social media effectively, and then, create a social media marketing plan. Use your market research to understand where your customers are online and create a presence there. Only communicate relevant, helpful information to your followers.
Another big mistake that Bakers make is gathering with other Bakers on various Facebook cake groups and spending too much time discussing with other cake decorators. This will not help you get sales.
Instead of joining various cake groups, join groups whose members are your target customers such as mum groups, wedding planners groups etc and build relationships with the key influencers in the groups so they can give positive recommendations about your cakes.
Mistake 5- Not having a Website or a Call to Action
A website is an absolute must for your cake business. I cannot stress it enough. Your website doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. A website will offer people the option to view your cakes before committing to an order. Remember, always update your cake gallery to sell on your website to maximise your income.
Also when a potential customer comes to your website, what do you want them to do? Subscribe to a newsletter? Sign up for a free quote? Without a call to action, your customers won’t know what to do with the information you’ve given them, and if they move on, you’ve lost your opportunity.
If you don’t take the initiative to help your customer find you, they likely won’t find you at all.
Finally, I hope the knowledge of these common mistakes will help you to re-evaluate your marketing strategy for your cake business and help you make the necessary changes to guarantee your success and more cake orders.
Please leave a comment below if you found this article useful or have any questions. I am here to help.
Till next week.
Happy Caking!
RotimiCakeLady