I want to talk about selling ala carte desserts and sweet tables

[momoreg]

Anna makes a lot of good points.

Just to add to that, your business name will also say a lot about the style of product. So, if your name is "The Chocolate Chip", for instance, you kind of limit yourself to selling homey (less expensive) items. Since your product does have an unusual twist, make it known in your name or logo.

In terms of delivery policy, why does it have to be set in stone? You should certainly research options for wedding cake delivery people, but if time allows it, then make wedding cake deliveries yourself. For all your other wholesale orders, you will (hopefully) find that you can't possibly do all your production, costing, marketing, etc., PLUS deliveries.

[panini]

I agree woth all of the above. I also agree with Momo on the delivery. You can't really set everything in stone. Just doesn't work that way. When we first opened many years ago we made a descission that we would service all of our customers. Small weddings, large, near, far. Well we just can't be profitable doing that. We have become very selective due to the economy. Calls come in for cakes, the first ? is how many guests expected and where is the reception? If it's a small (100p) we reffer them out. If it's outside our delivery area we also reffer.We just can't be profitable doing 7- 400. cakes vs 1 -2500. cake. This was our first year of this and our wedding cake count dropped by 80 cakes. We did approx 180 cakes but added many dollars to the bottom line. Our yield for these cakes was approx. 31% over last year. With cogs,labor,supplies,misc. reduced, it's our only way to go.
Just a thought.

[W.DeBord]

Jeff, I didn't understand some of what you wrote.....?

Min. $$ amount for delivery is 200., anything less isn't worth the drive.... .

[panini]

For wedding cakes we just looked at the local map, plotted in sites we would like to be associated with. Outside this area we refer to other bakeries. We've been blessed to have narrowed the area to 12 sq mi. Our delivery charges are minimal 50-75. I prefer that we all take a break on Sundays so our delivery on Sun. is 150++.
We do have minimums for wholesale. We like to have at least 200. in the van for it to be profitable to leave with a driver.
Wendy,
It's good to think ahead on all this stuff, but your customers needs will dictate really how you perform. Everything you try will not be sucessful. You will have to take the good with the bad. Try not to put all of your eggs in one basket(getting one huge account vs a couple of small ones). I gotta tell ya, I really feel a few consistant products is what pays the bills. JMO!!!! Then I think your idea would follow as a natural.
Be really, really careful how you conduct yourself with this economy. I have not experienced anything like this in the 10-13 yrs. I been doing this. Money is driving most of the decisions of my customers. The old days of passing the cost on to the customer are gone. Everyone waits to the last minute for everything. People refuse to order in advance(killer for perishable products). These past holidays, business waited to the very last minute to place orders to make sure they had the funds.
This was the first year I had to chase monies(which happens to be the only thing that makes me hate what I do) from customers I've had for years. DO NOT extend yourself!!!!!! Put as much thought and effort into the agreements with your accounts as your product. Use credit applications(call their refferences). COD to start. I would do 7 days net for everyone after that. Any orders over 1000. get a PO. Most of all, make sure your liability ins. is enough to cover anything that might happen. Its the crappy part of the business to talk about all that stuff(email me if you want) Protection of your family should be the first thing you do.
This is a hard road, remember you work to live. not live to work. I find it best to split up my day. I set aside a few hours in the afternoon to think about the things your thinking. When I'm in the kitchen I focus only on what is at hand. When I'm doing paperwork, selling,P/R, that is all I do at that time.I found that if I did not segment my day I got clutered thinking about everything, all the time, which made me less productive. I try not to leave any task undone. The worst thing is coming home after a grueling day and can't find any one thing that you had accomplished. This is all mumbo jumbo crap, I guess I just want to tell you all the mistakes I made so you don't have to. You'll be very sucessful. Just take it one step at a time.
Like Momo said, nothing is in stone. That's what's great about working for yourself! If you want to charge 50 for del. then do it. If someone calls for a hot shot and it's really going to throw off your day, make it rewarding.CASH!!BABY!!!!
Hey!! how's that for an answer to a very short question.
GTG chef out at a new hotel invited my family to his Sunday brunch. He's young, just has the smooze thing backwards.
Wake Up now!!!