if a bakery is faltering do its location, what is the best solution to increase business (short of moving)?

Question

family owned small business dependent upon word of mouth
for advertisement

Answer 1

Do you have enough room to run birthday parties ?

If so, run kids' birthday parties. Register the names, addresses, and birthdays of all who attend the parties. Send Happy Birthday cards to those on the list reminding them of your facility and services. You could also use the Internet instead of the mail.

Post pictures of the kids on a wall . Date and mark the age of the child. It will be awhile, but they will be back .

You can start right away getting a list of children's birthdays in your area. Schools, churches, Town Halls, would make a great start. List mandatory.

Prime the pump. Give away a few parties. Let current customers participate in a monthly drawing.

Some people would like the birthday cakes delivered---deliver.

Have a small area where customers can sit and get a cup of coffee. Give some free samples with the coffee.

Promote, promote, promote. Above all be friendly, not phony friendly, but real jolly friendly.

Cakes can be purchased anywhere. Service and thoughtfulness is rare.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Location, location, location. Always good to attack the market and not just wait for them to come by producing a great product and by being in the best location possible. Right in the middle of where everyone is.
Word of mouth means, it will take some time before people start coming around. And word of mouth will not fly if you don't have any products that will be worth talking about.
So, hang on, bake the best products you can bake, tell your friends about it, ask them to tell their friends... to speed things along. If you BAKE it, they will come...of course, a little advertising like signage or flyers would go a long way in increasing customer awareness.
We are in the same business, but we are right on the street where everyone passes, plus our pastries and breads are to die for, baked fresh everyday on the spot. The best of luck to you...

Answer 3

Make it attractive on the outside and I know you are depending on word of mouth, but some sort of advertising would help, even in a little nickel want ad or something. Maybe you could get a newspaper article about your family business.

Answer 4

Well, advertise. Word-of-mouth only works when the place is truly spectacular. Post some newspaper ads at least, make some coupons...