Self Taught Decorators Club

Comment by Sandy Sparks on September 19, 2012 at 2:37am

Melanie...I feel your pain. But I bake and decorate for fun. it is my hobby. But I do sell stuff.,

I dont think you can ever charge enough to make a real profit. Too much time involved.

Comment by Mandy Nel on September 19, 2012 at 3:25am

@ Sandy - maybe somebody in your neighbourhood needs a kindness?

 

A Melanie - I love your profile cake - was that all hand piping?  Very beautiful cake :-)

Comment by Danielle Dyskin on September 19, 2012 at 5:41am

Melanie, you need to have a base price that will either scare them off or let you know they are serious before you go into the details.  For example, our shaped cakes start at $100 and we have prices on our website of the basic cakes with edible images and sizes.  If they have heard your base price (which you say clearly and without being embarrassed) and are still listening then go into details.  We still have times where we email 10 times with no final order but it happens less like this. Good luck

Comment by Katy Nott on September 19, 2012 at 7:03am

@Sandy - buy some dummies and practice on those!

Comment by Joann Gottermeyer on September 19, 2012 at 8:52am

Melanie, I understand completely! Think we all do.....we've all been there and it can make you crazy. I think that too many people have the "it's just a cake - you can buy a mix for $1" idea in their heads and have no idea what actually goes into the process. So glad we all have someone here to vent to who understands! Need a laugh? I had a call the day before yesterday that went something like this: :"I need a cake for the 27th for a guy at work who's being promoted to a supervisor. I don't really know what he does now, or what he'll be doing in his new job....we don't want it to look like a cubicle 'cuz he already works in a cubicle....but I want it to be cooler than the 3D cake of his truck that his wife just got him for his birthday. You can think of something, can't you?" WHAT?!

Comment by Joann Gottermeyer on September 19, 2012 at 8:55am

Sandy, if you want to practice on actual cake instead of a dummy, a senior center would be happy to recieve your cakes!

Comment by Sandy Sparks on September 19, 2012 at 9:36am

JoAnn, That is an EXCELLENT idea! You are awesome! I make decorated sugar cookies, too. I give those to the youth pastor at our church. The kids scarf them right up!

Comment by Joann Gottermeyer on September 19, 2012 at 10:05am

I bet!!

Comment by Melanie on September 19, 2012 at 11:10am

Thank-you Mandy! Yes, I did hand pipe that cake :)

This customer I'm venting about wants a Halloween themed cake for her son and daughter. She wants it to be Girly, but good for a boy too??? Then she sends me a picture of a cake that is a computer designed cake that's not real?? It has a tree coming out the top, a girl figurine sitting on top, 5-6 cats, 7-8 pumpkins. Now mind you, these would all have to be figurines, but truthfully, the image she sent, is so over the top, I wouldn't even consider doing it for less than $500! Lol! It would take me a week just to make the details. Could this be why it's a design and not a real cake?? Lol! Ugh! I'm getting ready to make some big changes come the first of the year. Thanks for the advice Danielle, and the funny story Joann! I've so had those kind of requests! People sometimes think I'm some kind of miracle worker!! Lo!

Comment by Joann Gottermeyer on September 19, 2012 at 1:48pm

"Oh...I'm sorry dear...I think you put an extra zero on the estimate for my cake. You did mean $50, right? Not $500?" People are crazy!!!!!!! Maybe she can just put the picture of the cake on the table and everyone can oooh and aaaah over it!

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