There are many questions that you will have when considering having
your own cake decorating business. Some answers will depend on your
location, specialty and individual business policies, but it is
important to consider having some guidelines in place so that your
business gets off to a good start. You can also take a look at your
competitors to see how they handle common cake decorating questions
concerning pricing or delivery. If your company has vastly different
policies and pricing it might be a good idea to have a reason in place
to tell prospective customers.
Do I need to have a consultation?
It
is extremely important to get together with your clients in person to
discuss the cake flavor, design, and any other details concerning venue
or delivery. Your client should bring the colors they wish to use so
that you can match them perfectly, any pieces of fabric, paper items,
pictures or other inspirations so that you know exactly what is expected.
A consultation can take several hours so make sure your schedule is cleared.
How long do wedding cakes take to make?
This
is entirely dependent on the design elements and of course, on your
skill level. Simple cakes can be put together in a matter of hours and
some more elaborate designs can span weeks and weeks totaling hundreds
of hours in gum paste and fondant work.
Should there be a cake tasting meeting?
It
is always a good idea to let clients taste an assortment of cake,
filling, and icing choices so that they are 100% aware of exactly what
the cake will taste like on their special day. You can offer this
service free or charge a nominal fee for your time and ingredients. That
pricing aspect is up to you, and you can always build the cost of the
tasting into the cake invoice.
How far ahead should clients book their cakes?
Special event cakes such as anniversary or birthday cakes
are often booked 4-5 weeks in advance of the date. It is not unusual
for wedding cakes to be booked over a year in advance. If the cake is
very elaborate, the more time the better.
Should there be a delivery charge and set up charge?
This
is up to you as a business owner whether you will charge for this part
of the service. Many designers offer free delivery for clients within a
certain geographic region or build the cost into the price of the cake.
Do most clients pay a deposit?
A
deposit might not seem like an important aspect of the business but it
is very important to value your time. Imagine booking a wedding cake for
a client and then getting another request for the same date. If you do
not have a non-refundable deposit of at least 25% to hold the date you
are out of money if they cancel and the other client is probably gone.
Another 50% of the contract should be paid one month before the date and
the last installment a week before the date. The cake should be
completely paid for before you deliver it to the venue.
Does the designer have to be there to cut the cake?
In
most cases the staff at the venue will cut the cake according to your
instructions. Simply leave a detailed instruction list to remove any
design elements and the cut pattern needed to create the correct number
of servings.
Should the top tier be saved for the first anniversary?
This
is certainly a tradition but year old frozen cake (even when stored
correctly) is kind of disgusting. If your cake tier is going in the
freezer make sure the flavor, filling, and frosting freezes well. You
can also provide a mini cake for your clients on the correct anniversary
date.
If the client does not have all the information needed can they still place an order?
A
save the date order can certainly be placed with details to follow. It
is always a good practice to confirm the numbers and details two weeks
before the event.
How does a cake designer figure out pricing?
Cake
prices are based on many factors including size, number of servings,
design work, and construction. Most designers charge per serving so a
very simple plain cake might be $4.00 per slice and an elaborate alcohol
filling cake might be as much as $25.00 per serving.
source: about.com
