It's tough to start your own business from scratch, especially if you don't have any experience. When I decided to start my own home bakery, I had no idea where to begin. I read article after article, watched video after video, and still felt so lost. I was fresh out of work, bills were pilling up, and I had absolutely no direction.
I never thought I'd say this, but in retrospect, it feels so great to be free! After years of working in an office setting, I found myself at a crossroad. There were many paths available: pursue another career direction or go into entrepreneurship? And while doing some soul searching on what would make me happy -it hit me: I’m at my happiest when I’m baking- and thusly came "Sucre Etc…"
Now, it seems like every other person is starting their own business, so how can you make sure your business stands out? By focusing on the quality of your products, and by making the right business and marketing moves, people will be drawn to what you're selling. I’m here to help aspiring bakers like yourself with everything you need to know about starting and running your own bakery. From business advice and marketing tips, I’ve got you covered.
Choosing Your Niche
I'm the kind of person who really loves to bake. Really REALLY loves to bake. I can't get enough cupcakes, cake pops, eclairs or anything else sweet. But that doesn’t mean I’d be any good at say, decorating a mirror glaze cake.
If cake decorating is your thing, then craft your skill as a cake artist. You can create masterpieces with your piping skills, or maybe you have an eye for detail and would rather decorate cakes in the most intricate way possible. No matter what you choose to do - whether its customized sugar cookies, petit four, or the whole bakery gambit- sharpen your skills, learn the basics, and advance your craft.
Research Research Research
At times, it will literally feel that is ALL you’re doing. Research. And if you’re a creative person, this can feel like a drag.
BUT- I can’t even begin to stress the importance of this step, the goal is to ensure, as best as possible, the success of your business. You can’t achieve this without researching what the key factors are that contribute to success in cake shops or retail bakeries. A detailed cost analysis and research into your target demographics, as an example. Would you market to households with children that have disposable income? Or families that live in high end boroughs? What about your competitors in the area? Are they established? What are the price points for their items? All this will help you identify which products are best suited for your business, what suppliers you can trust to get the best price from, and the selling price of your goods.
Branding
What type of image do you want people to see for your new home bakery business? You might think the answer is straightforward, but the options are infinite. It all depends on what sort of feeling this will create with your customers.
What's the best way to sell your brand? With stunning, creative branding that will inspire customers and make them want more. Branding is a feeling, so it’s a bit hard to quantify, but your branding and marketing actions play a key part in describing: a) who you are, b) what you do, and c) what you offer.
Get Organized
I’m going to admit, organization was NOT my forte. It had to be learned. I would stick my hand in my pocket and pull out a receipt that was so crumpled, it was illegible. Did I buy gas or potatoes? That’s between the receipt and the ether. The key to success in the bakery is organization. You need a clean workspace, reliable storage for your wares and paperwork so you can remain productive.
Get yourself organized by setting and cleaning up your workspace. Keep everything where it should be when not being used. Establish an efficient system of storing baked goods using proper shelves/ bags, then label what goes into each category (baking ingredients etc). Start and maintain spreadsheets with all your expenses, revenues and net profits. Now you can have a clear and unobstructed visual of where you are, and where you need to be.
Good Customer Service
Most often, home bakeries are a one-man (or woman) show. It’s you and your oven. That’s it. Which means, you are baking, decorating, cleaning, updating your site, researching, updating your social media, paying suppliers, tracking costs, picking up stock, troubleshooting, taking calls, and answering questions- all by yourself. I’m exhausted just writing this.
In the end, your customer is paramount. Without a happy customer, you don’t have a business, just a year’s supply of flour and disappointment.
You have to make yourself comfortable with asking questions. You will get questions like: how much is a wedding cake? Or, how soon can you make a sweet table? All valid questions, but you need more information to help your client. How many servings, what flavors, any allergies, what theme or decor etc..
This is where your homework comes in. Know your costs. Have them locked in your head next to an embarrassing memory that randomly shakes you awake at 2am (don’t lie, we all have them). Statistically, the faster you are at replying to a prospect, the higher chance of them buying.
Be Ok with Instability
This part is the toughest. It can be hard to predict how much income you'll make from your home bakery. Sometimes you'll have an influx of customers, and you won’t be able to catch your breath, and sometimes it will be slow. Like, snail on sleep aids slow.
You have to ensure that you have enough to eat and live, while getting through the hard times. There WILL be fluctuations depending on your niche, and area. Having a strong support system can help as well.
Speaking of Support System
A support system like family or friends isn’t limited to the financial. You need your people to bounce ideas off of, try new recipes, get feedback on social media posts or *ahem* blogs (thanks husband). You need cheerleaders. People that will lift you up and tell you what a bad boss babe you are and that you CAN do this. At times, your internal monologue will tear you down, and you’ll need outside perspective to get you back up. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called my best friend and asked: “Why am I doing this again?” Her reply is almost always a variation of: “Because you can”.
Conversely, and equally as important, are your friends that will tell you EXACLY what they think. Trying a new recipe? Give it to your brutally honest friend with zero poker face (you know who you are). They will tell you, almost down to the molecular level, what is wrong with it. You can’t just surround yourself with people that will agree with you, you’ll never grow. And for that, you’ll be eternally grateful to them.
Marketing
“If you build it, they will come” has to be the biggest load of - (really want to swear but google doesn’t like it). They will not just show up. They’re looking at reviews, asking friends, and searching online. What you need to do, is make it easy for your prospective clients to find you. And when they do, make sure you make it as easy as possible for them to find what they are looking for. Repeat clients are incredibly important.
Branding, SEO, blogs, adwords, emails, calls etc.. are all valued marketing efforts. Do I like some of them? No. Do I understand how important they are at keeping my business alive? Yes. If a home bakery is your path, take a digital marketing course to learn the basics. If you’re well versed in web design, even better. Having an online presence helps boost your reputation.
Work In a Bakery
This may seem counter intuitive but stay with me for a sec. Aside from the amazing connections you will make, you will also learn what to do, and what not to do when running your own business. You’ll be privy to what works, and what doesn’t. You’ll learn cool new things, get pushed out of your comfort zone, and hone your skills, all while getting paid. Please don’t misunderstand though, its hard, backbreaking, feet hurting, work. But work that will get you in a better place that is so, so, so worth it.
In conclusion
Now that I’ve taken 10 minutes out of your life that you’ll never get back, I’d like to end by saying whether you’re a complete beginner when it comes to starting your own bakery or have been in the business for a while and could use some advice, I hope this guide was of some help to you. As always, if there’s anything else you’d like me to cover, or if you have any questions about running your own bakery, feel free to reach out. And don't forget to take a look at our delicious products (I know, shameless plug).
コメント