5 Simple Steps: Make Your Cupcake Shop Successful
You want to make your cupcake shop successful. It’s your dream – how do you accomplish it? Maybe you just want to add some oomph to your own established cupcake business. In either case, you need a strategy.
Follow these 5 steps to:
Make Your Cupcake Shop Successful
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Develop Your Recipes
Spend some quality time with your recipes and figure out which ones are the best. Are they moist? What about their texture makes them great?
Perhaps even think about signing up for some baking classes. You might not need the baking refresher, but it’ll certainly give you a boost of inspiration. The more current you stay with your trade, the fresher your cupcakes will taste and the more successful your cupcake shop will become.
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Meet the Requirements
Every state has different licensing requirements. Check and make sure you’ve covered everything your state requires. Some might require you to only sell baked goods that have been made in a commercial kitchen. Do you have to borrow a kitchen? If so, check the local churches, schools, or restaurants for one that’ll let you rent their kitchen.
Some cities actually allow you to sell from home! But again, do you have a commercial-grade kitchen? Before you open your company, make sure that you have the necessary certifications and licenses – so you can keep the cupcakes coming without interruption.
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Create a Business Plan
A business plan is vital for your Cupcake companies success. It’s essentially a road map for where you want your business to go. You’ll want to include marketing, revenue goals, and comparisons with your main competitors.
Remember to add your expenses (factor in license fees, lease costs, baking supplies, EzFrost machine, etc.). If you need help creating a budget for your business plan, search online for a relevant example to get you started.
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Create a Website
People will recognize your company by its brand: your name, logo, colors, and product. Solidify a good name for your business with a logo that’s eye catching and easy to recognize. Your website should display: your menu with photos (Menu), information about yourself (About), how to purchase your cupcakes (Buy), and a page with your address, phone number and email (Contact).
If you’re working with a minimal budget, you can create a WordPress website for a decent price. If your revenue allows, you can hire a web designer.
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Sell Online
Starting off, selling your cupcakes online is easier and cheaper to handle than renting a physical location.
However, you don’t want people stopping by your home to pick up orders. Some zoning regulations won’t even allow them to! The solution is to ship them. There are a number of shipping services that you can use.
As you start selling more, make sure that your website is substantial, leave your business cards wherever you go, and to save for a permanent local cupcake shop.
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Every successful cupcake shop owner knows it takes the right ideas – and tools – to make everything work right. Investing in time (and labor)-saving devices goes a long way to make your cupcake shop successful.
Hopefully these steps will help as you consider how to start your own cupcake shop. Here’s to your success!