I AM WANTING TO START A HOME BASED BUSINESS IN CAKE DECORATING. I AM A STAY AT HOME MOM WITH 3 KIDS AND LOVE BAKING CAKES,PIES AND PASTERY AND REALLY LOVE TO DECORATE THEM. I' VE TOOK CLASSES AS WELL ON CAKE DECORATING AND NOW WANT TO GET MORE INTO IT A LOT MORE. I'VE BEEN DOING CAKES FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY FOR ABOUT 7 YEARS OR SO. ALSO WHERE AND WHAT OTHER CLASSES CAN I TAKE TO HELP OUT AS WELL. ANY SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
2006-12-26 06:51:21 · 3 answers · asked by ANGEL010401 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Small Business
The easiest way is word of mouth advertising, cause it's free. Tell everyone you know to spread the word. Tell your childrens friends parents so they can call on you when their kids have birthdays.
A cheap way to get started is actually right here with Yahoo. They can start you a website for under 10 bucks a month, they do all the hosting and the website creator program they have for you is very easy to use, it does not require any experiance in website building to use. Then use a free program to submit your website to search engines.
Go to Kinkos or somewhere and make some cards. They can start you out with 500 or so, then drop them off everwhere you can. Also have them make you a magnetic sign (usually a page size graphic advertizement with just your name and business name on it with a big phone #) and stick this on your car.
As far as the legality goes, your just one person so you won't need to worry about all the pesky tax and labor issues for yourself, but go to IRS.gov and get a TIN # they are free, and will help you later come next year tax time. I'd consult an accountant once you start making some money from this, to help keep you tax-complient, but don't worry about that right away.
The key is to get new business, (people you have not helped with cake before) then ask them what they think about your finished product, if they are complementing you slide them a couple of business cards and tell them to pass them out if they know anyone with a wedding coming up or something.
Starting in March, you may want to buy advertising either online or somewhere, getting the word out that you make wedding cakes. Make sure to start early. Another good way is to create refrigarator magnets (although not really as cheap a business cards, they do work well) either with a home printer and magnet printer paper, or again at your neiborhood printers. Normally runs about 25-50 cents per magnet. Pass them out in March, so when those looking for cake decorators see them at a friends house or as that person if they know anyone, they will remember the magnet they have been staring at for a while on the frig.
Hope that helps
2006-12-26 07:39:09 · answer #1 · answered by askdrwiz 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Luckily you will be able to get this going without much trouble. Alot of people simply rent kitchen time from a local church to bake all of their cakes and then take them home to decorate them although if you are renting enough time you could probably do everything there. Alot of people do this in order to avoid all of the licensing issues involving having a food company in your house. Wedding cakes and children's themed birthday cakes are a big hit and a hot seller. Just market to your local chucky cheese for the children's cakes and bridal shops for the wedding cakes. If you are good you will make a ton of money on the wedding cakes.
2006-12-26 08:09:34 · answer #2 · answered by Medical and Business Information 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My buddies wife use to sell wedding cakes ;she would bake one at a time and people would pre-order in her own home. She started in the basement while working her other job and she made great money. Low overhead and matenaince.
2006-12-26 07:01:10 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋