Starting a Cake Decorating Business
A cake decorating business marries food and
design. Artistic designs are added to cakes
to give life to what is otherwise a
bland-looking food. The business of cake
decorating involves taking the suggestions
of a client and bringing them to life for a
birthday, wedding, or other event. Knowing
which tools and styles to use for each
occasion will help a cake decorator to go
far.
Cake Decorating Classes and Training
Are you already good at decorating and
making delicious and mouth watering cakes?
Then feel free to skip this part and head
straight over to
legal issues. If you have no experience
at decorating cakes you're going to need
extensive practice. You can enroll in a cake
decorating class to help guide you through
the art of decorating cakes. Most often your
local craft store may even offer cake
decorating classes. You can also buy
training guides, magazines and books to help
you master your craft.
Legal Issues
Since this is the business of cakes and you
will be handling food, you will want to look
into any legal issues before starting this
business. First you will need to decide
whether or not you will be leasing
commercial space and operating your business
there, or if you will be working straight
out from your home kitchen. You should also
consultant with a lawyer to determine which
legal entity and options is best for you and
your business.
Marketing
Your Cake Decorating Business
Unlike most other professionals, cake
decorators rely heavily on word-of-mouth and
on samples of their work. After all, there
is nothing worse than eating a beautiful
cake that tastes terrible. And although
serving samples of your cakes may appear
frivolous, it may actually be what sets you
apart from the rest. A good review of your
samples will undoubtedly work to your
advantage in the future. Include a business
card with contact information and a catchy
name, and you will be well on your way to
becoming the newest go-to person in the cake
decorating industry. You will also want to create a cake portfolio. Because
professionally decorated cakes are very
visual, the potential client will need to
see your work. Putting pictures of your work
into a portfolio will make your business
appear more professional and well
thought-out, as well as giving the client
options and ideas to choose from. You will
also want to run advertisements to get the
word out about your business. You may want
to run television commercials locally
so that you reach mass audience in your
area. Also, you may want to hire someone to
distribute flyers to local grocery stores,
bridal boutiques, children's stores, and
your local malls. Of course you will need to
get the store owner's permission before
leaving a stack or your efforts and money
will go down the drain. Good luck with your
new business venture and send us your
success story if you want to our mailing
address and let us know how your business
has prospered.
