Baking is seriously fun. There’s something oddly satisfying and magical about making chocolate chip cookies, cakes or what-have-you from simple ingredients. It’s a rewarding hobby, one that engages all your five senses, and certainly something you could turn into a business if you’re up to the challenge.
Running a bakery business is not unlike running other types of business. You need to be wary of your financials, how you operate and of course how you can make your product people would line up for.
In the first few months, even years, of running a baking business, however, you will definitely run into hundreds from problems. The good news here is that you avoid making them altogether. Here are some mistakes most new bakery owners tend to do.
Thinking it’s still a hobby
The difference between baking as a hobby and running a baking business is that with the former, you’re making food for you or your friends’ consumption. You need to change this mindset and stop treating that is just a hobby. You can start that by getting all the equipment and tools you need for making large batches of pastries from measuring scoops to large pans to a bigger oven, most especially.
Disregarding competition
While it’s good not to be intimidated by other bakery business owners, you still need to know who the other competitors are in the area. Try to see how can you set your business apart from them then identify your strengths. Should you try your hand at making specialised, artisanal products or should you concentrate instead on ensuring yours have better quality.
When you know how the other businesses are faring, you’ll have a better understanding of how to run your business, without getting too worried about your competitors.
Not marketing your products
Even if you think your cookies or pastries are top-tier, you will not make sales if customers don’t come to you. Apart from considering your overhead expenses, you also need to allot a budget for marketing your business.
You can go with the traditional means of spreading the word about your business like putting up posters or giving out flyers. You can also go online to market your business and potentially more people.
Undervaluing your product
Now, it’s hard to put a price on your baked goods, especially if you’re not used to it. However, even some seasoned bakers find it hard how to accurately price their products. Most business owners usually start making price structure from knowing the cost of making their baked goods. You can also see how other bakeries are pricing there for reference.
The important thing here is not to undervalue your product and at the same time find the right price that would entice prospective customers.
While baking itself is fun, running a bakery business isn’t exactly a piece of cake. But avoiding these common mistakes early on can help you gain momentum, have a better sense of what you are doing and, most importantly, help you focus on what you have set out on doing: to bake mouth-watering, delicious baked goods.