The last one year has been a challenging time for all of us professionally. While many lost jobs, a lot of bakery businesses have had negative business impact. At the same time, we saw the highest surge in the number of bakers last year. This brings about many questions. While we know bakers can truly add a smile to a rather dull day, is a baking business viable and sustainable, especially during trying times like these? We have put together some interesting insights along with expert tips!
Make a brand
It is important for you to stand out amongst competition. While most things about bakeries would be common, it is necessary for you to single out a USP or 2 about yours and give the brand a look and personality that stands out. There are many agencies that can help you do this or marketing freelancers who could help you figure a basic creative setup for your brand’s personality.
Maintain Customer Relations
This goes without saying. It is necessary to keep in touch with your customers and ensure that their feedback is always considered whenever you make new changes in your business. Make your customers speak for you. Urge them to share testimonials with you about their experiences. Share this with the world. Word of mouth is still the most powerful tool for increase in sales. Have a social media presence. Create a WhatsApp Business account. Connect with customers on a monthly basis to see what they would like to see on the menu and what you can do to make their lives even sweeter!
Manage Finances Well
This is super crucial for any business. Make sure that you have all the figures you need written down in a planner. Have a CA to do your filing and a neutral person to run your finances by? Given that you would be invested so heavily in the creative side of the business, it is necessary for you to take help from a team that is good at it. At the end of the day, the more you sell is going to take you places but the more you save is what you invest to grow bigger!
Measure Success
Keep a target for every quarter and see where you stand every fortnight. See what corrections need to be made for the 3-month target plan. If the targets seem unachievable, try an annual plan and project numbers accordingly.
Modify and Create
Modify your menu, keep it fresh. Keep creating. Keep innovating and be trendy to be relevant to your target audience. Make sure you never miss holiday or seasonal trends. When people look for a Mango dessert during summer, your bakery must come to their mind! You want to do this consistently and effectively always. This could also be customising your existing menu for different tastes like diet, vegan, sugar free solutions. Read your target audience and connect with them!
Make mistakes
If not now, then when? Learn from whatever mistakes you make. World is on pause, try the things you’ve never tried before. Try that recipe that you were worried wouldn’t turn out the way you wished. Let someone celebrate their birthday with a wedding 3-tier cake. Try that oddly shaped anti-gravity cake today! Keep creating and let your customers keep celebrating!
It is the need of the hour for all of us to practise the above to ensure that we remain relevant during these times when competition and quality both are at their peak. Also, read our blog where our in-house expert chefs, Chef Naheed, Chef Dennis, Chef Roland and Chef Ashian responded to some of the most pressing questions asked by professional bakers about their business during the lockdown.
Don’t forget to mail us on [email protected] to order your premixes well in advance to stay ahead of the game