I'm wanting to start a bussiness.?

Question

I'm starting a business making cup cakes for special events

like weddings, birhday parties ..ect. Can some one give me some ideas the best way to get customers to buy my goods,

and let people know what i'm selling.

Answer 1

Few ways to get customers without you doing a lot for advertising.



First is to visit several bridal shops and see if you can leave business cards or small flyers.  Allow for a finders fee to them for any sales  they send your way.

Second is to approach some of the catering businesses in the area and see if they would be interested in having an alternative to themselves doing the goodies as this would reduce their work load and worry.

Next is to get a few wedding planners in the area to know of your products and they can definitely do similar of forwarding work to you.

Party planners are next on the list of places to hit with your idea.  

Definitely provide some samples for tasting and seeing creativity.  Talk to the people and listen to advice and also pay attention to any negative stuff.  Don't get upset, listen and learn.  

After that you can make use of small ads in the paper next to the party planners and the bridal stuff to gain exposure.  BUt for each ad and placement, make them a little different.  Different ad for party planners and for bridal etc.  This will attract more attention.

During your visits be positive, good attitude goes further than dullness, wear something nice as professional looking means your confident and capable (even if you're not) and will attract better responses.

It is harder to sell direct unless you have a store front or lots of money for adverts.  So use others who are in the business of parties (all kinds) to do some of your advertising for you.  Even if they don't tell the customer who you are as they may want to keep it secret.  If you're good they'll reuse you time and again.  

So pricing becomes the issue.  Do not overly low ball the price.  Good quality (use the best ingrediants only) and great creativity costs.  You can be reasonable but do not compromise all your profit.  You have make some profit, otherwise you're working for nothing and no money to expand or cover a real large order. See what the competition is costing and price accordingly.  May have to be a little lower for frst few customers but after that....  go for the profit.

Never copmpromise your quality and you can get a decent price.  always deliver on time or ahead of time.  make sure you allow for possible problems and have a backup plan (oven failure, mixer dies, shortage of certain ingrediants whatever).  Plan for a disaster and make sure of the backup plans and you'll be a winner that delivers.  This will make you better than the rest and oh yeah means you get to charge especially if you can handle a last minute order from a planner or caterer in a panic.  Be the best and only the best!!!