Bakers Make The Dough
Bake Off
If you are looking for Premises. That is that you have come to that point, Be careful about buying some other baker’s business. You can obtain equipment from any number of sources. You will still have to get your own clearance from The Food Protection people and they will always want you to improve something or other. And The Out Going baker can not deliver to you The Customers. They like “The Old Baker” and you ain’t Him. You may have some of the same but you will have to establish a customer base of your own who look forward to sinking their teeth into your breads and sweets. You can buy his equipment. You can rent the shop he once rented but pay nothing for the business he built up because he can not promise that his customers will also be yours. So The question on the table will be, How do I gather customers. It is Vital that you gather your own customers or you will have no business. Hang onto your hat now because this will work well. I have seen it work. It sounds nutz but you can do it. The first 4 weeks that you are in Business announce a “BAKE OFF” Come in. Visit the New Baker. Have a pastry or cookie or slice of cake or sticky bun or Danish or brownie or even a small loaf of bread for free. Now they can not hall out grocery bags full of bread and sundries but they can come in on Monday and try your molasses cookie and Tuesday try your cheese Danish and Wednesday your Cream Cheese Brownie and so on for near a month and their full sized samples are without Charge. Compliments of the New Baker. This is His/Her Bake Off. All the customer pays for is the coffee or milk or Hot chocolate or chai or Juice. And Whatever they want to take home to the Family. You will have a lot of people every day come in to try something new. By the end of that 4 weeks they will have established the habit of coming into your bake Shop door and They will never mention “The Old Baker” Again. An expensive start? Well Yes and no. You’ll make it on the profit from the Beverages and the New customers will keep coming and it is possible they would have never darkened your door had it not been for your Bake Off. With the Bake Off Done. They will expect to pay Fair market price and think nothing of it. When you introduce a new cookie or pastry you will sell more for years if you give it away at first. Keep your shelves full. Always bake too much. Nobody wants to buy your last loaf of bread. You can use today’s bread for tomorrow’s sandwiches or you can have a soup kitchen or the Salvation army pick them up and give you a tax voucher for the full retail value as a charitable donation. Always bake too much. You never want to have the reputation that your shelves are empty. Keep your Bake Shop Clean. Clean your Glass . Keep your restrooms sparkling and well stocked. Let your customers see you washing your hands often. When Mixing and Baking, Clean as you go. Do not let things pile up especially in sight of your customers. Learn their names. Make them feel like a friend. Smile...When folks come to your bakery, Everything is right with the world. People like places like that. Do these things and your business can thrive. Remember,
Nothing Smells Better
Than a Bake Shop
In The Morning...
Bake Well.
~~~~~
Edward
