35 Creative Ways to Market Your Cake or Cookie Business on a Limited Budget.

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You’re not a marketer, you’re a cake decorator! You don’t know how to market a business. This is a problem not only for cake and cookie decorators, but for a lot of creative business owners. We have creative minds, not marketing minds. And we’re trying to run a business to make more money not spend it! But the fact is, we do have to market our business to get more customers. Marketing your cake business doesn’t have to cost tons of money. All you need is some creativity and the ability to think outside of the box. This guide will give you 35 creative ways to market your cake business on a limited budget.

Market your business on social media.

• Start a business Facebook page. Social media is the best way to market your business on a limited budget. Be sure to post on your page regularly.

• Share all of your cakes and cookies on your personal page too. This is how I got my cake and cookie business booming without even really trying!

• Start an Instagram page. Show off all of your cake and cookie pictures.

• Go live! People love behind the scenes footage. Share some quick videos on Facebook live or Instagram stories.

• Share your business on local Facebook groups.

• Interact on social media. Ask questions when posting your pictures. Example, when posting a picture of a unicorn cake you just made, ask “How many of you have little unicorn fans at home?” People love to interact on social media. That’s why its called “social” media!

• Ask for reviews and then share them on all of your social media accounts. If your clients love your products, they’ll be more than happy to share a review.

• Host a giveaway on social media. Hold a drawing for free goodies to those who share your post or business page

• Run a Facebook contest. This is a great thing to do around a holiday. Example, share your best decorated Christmas cookie and be entered into a give away for free goodies.

• Create a social media survey. Ask your customers what their favorite type of treats are. This is good information for you and a great way to start interacting!

• Create an online portfolio. The best way to do this is on a website or social media.

 Market your cake or cookie business locally.

• Offer a guarantee. Guarantee your clients will love the taste of your cakes and cookies or they’ll get their money back. Customers love guarantees!

• Join local networking groups for small businesses.

• Get business cards made or make your own and hand them out. Leave them on bulletin boards in other small businesses.

• Ask your friends to share your business cards with their friends and co-workers.

• Create a loyalty or membership program.

• Donate your goods to local events and fundraisers. Be sure to put business labels on everything.

• Give out free samples. Take extra cookies or cupcakes to your hair appointment, to the bank, or wherever you go that you can give someone free samples of your goodies.

• Bake for all the events. There are always opportunities to bring sweets! Bring yours to your child’s school, baseball games, small group, any gathering that you attend. Get your goods out there for people to taste!

• Give gifts. I love giving my sweets out as gifts. I ususally give cookies that say thank you for thank you gifts. I make cookies for friends that just had a baby. I’ll bring cupcakes to a friend on their birthday. I love baking and decorating and I love it even more when they are a blessing to others!

• Sign up for vendor events, markets, or craft shows.

• Find and join local groups for small business owners.

• Offer products to other local stores or cafes. Do you have a local coffee shop that may be willing to sell your decorated sugar cookies?

• Network with other local business owners like florists, photographers, and event planners. Advertise in your child’s school newsletter. Advertise in your local newspaper around the holidays with any specials you have going on.

• Create a website. It’s not as hard or as expensive as you think!

• Get advertising magnets or stickers for you car.

• Get a business logo. Business logos make your business look more professional. Do you have a friend that can create a logo? Trade him or her a birthday cake for your logo!

• Barter. Do you have friends that are really good at something who would be interested in bartering services? I barter with my hairdresser! She cuts my family’s hair and I make her family’s cakes! Win-win! And she is one of my best word of mouth advertisers!

• Teach a class. Is there somewhere locally you can teach a cake or cookie decorating class? If not, invite some friends over and teach them! Be sure to take lots of pictures and make sure everyone shares them and tags you on social media.

• Have shirts made.

• Offer gift certificates.

• Make an email signature with your business information. That way every time you send an email you’ll be advertising for your business!

• And the #1 way to market your cake or cookie business on a limited budget is to have great customer service! If you are kind and offer superior customer service, your clients will market your business for you by word of mouth. They will recommend you to others and they will be life long clients themselves.

Have I missed any other creative ways to market your cake or cookie business? I’d love to hear your ideas! Let me know in the comments the creative ways you’ve been successful with marketing your business!

Happy decorating,

~Nicole

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