Freshness counts in every food business, but especially in bakeries. Items are labor-intensive to produce and must move within a day or two, or they’ll become unsellable. Know how to grow your bakery business to build your customer base and keep them coming back for more.
Marketing
Boost your social media presence by including gorgeous photos of your offerings, tips on baking techniques, and highlights of your community involvement. You can announce new items, specials, and sales, and emphasize services like cakes for weddings, graduations, and kids’ parties. Use professional food photography to build your bakery business through your website, Instagram, and Facebook pages, and post frequent updates on your Twitter account with enticing images of your latest treats. And don’t forget how powerful packaging can be when it’s done right – investing in custom deli paper, for example, will not only keep the goods safe and secure, but will also be a handy tool for spreading the word about who you are.
Let Patrons Sample Your Creations
Maintain a supply of cookie pieces, mini-cupcakes, or tasting portions of tarts for customers to sample. They may not buy right away, but they’ll remember when the time comes to fill the cookie jar or send a corporate gift in the holiday season.
Establish Partnerships
Local coffee shops and restaurants may not have dedicated bakers. Join up to help them out with a partnership where they buy your goods and sell them in your packaging in their shop. This is a win-win for smaller operations. They add variety for their patrons, and your brand reaches a broader audience.
Offer Smaller Portions and Specialty Items
The days of muffins the size of your head are over. People are becoming more conscious of portion control, and daintier snacks are more desirable currently. Offering gluten- and allergen-free items is also a draw, as long as you can absolutely guarantee they are uncontaminated with the substances that are supposed to be absent. Nuts, eggs, dairy, and wheat are common allergens. Do some research to see if it is feasible for you to offer allergen-free baked goods.
Invest in Commercial Equipment
As your bakery business grows, you’ll need equipment that can turn out more items at once, faster. Depending on the size of your location and your clientele, you may need to add more essential bakery equipment, like racks, a bigger dough sheeter, or more pie pans and cookie sheets.
Provide Visual Stimulation
Tempt the eyes, and you’ll lure the curious. A beautiful window showcasing a wedding cake and display cases lined with tarts, mini-cheesecakes, brownies, cookies, and cupcakes will keep customers in the shop long enough to peruse and purchase.
