A successful business isn't just about the product you offer. You can have a junk product but know how to sell and become a success. You can offer a great product but struggle on the business end and you won't succeed.
Went in the day they opened. Owner was there. Lovely young man who seemed excited about his new venture. Before I left I asked for a business card and was told he didn't have any; you know...first day. Ok, no problem, I guess I get it (although not really bc he should be handing them out to everyone, everywhere, and they aren't expensive). Returned several months later with my husband and some celiac friends. Unfortunately not much had changed. The display case was almost devoid of product which made it seem like the place was about to close permanently and they hadn't packed up the few remaining treats. Nothing was labeled or had a price. The chalkboard was blank. The menu was a photo copy. A single sheet of paper. As we were looking at the menu the owner needed to take it from us bc it was the only menu he had and others were waiting. When the food came, even though we stayed to eat it, everything was packed in to-go styrofoam containers. Part of our order was forgotten. Ok, so that's the gist. Here's what needs to happen.
1. Branding. Settle on a design, font, logo and replicate that for all your printed goods....and then get printed goods. If you don't currently have $5 to photocopy your menu then write it on the chalkboard. You can get 500 business cards on vista print for very little. Maybe it's not your ideal but you HAVE to have something.
You could even have a code to scan that goes to an online menu. Too many solutions to list.
2. No more take out containers if the person isn't leaving. Talk about a waste of money that could go towards....menus! And the middle finger to the environment is really a bummer. If you can't have a reusable plate then offer paper plates if people eat inside. Sandwiches wrapped in foil and put in brown bags if they are taking out. An old-school brown bag with a cool sticker on it (with your name and logo and website) would be more interesting and less expensive than the styrofoam.
3. The display doesn't make people want to try your product. You have to care how things look. It does matter if you present your goods in an appealing way. Good presentation will make people want to buy more. An almost empty display case makes me think the stuff left must be old or picked over. I get that it's expensive to produce stuff that might go bad but there is another way. You'd be better off with just a stainless counter on wheels and your things thoughtful laid out on a wood cutting board with a glass dome over it. And things need to be labeled and priced. There are so many interesting ways to do this that are not costly. What is there now is simply a lack of imagination. And that's not shameful! Not everyone has that. I can't bake for shit but I can make a turd look stylish. You need to find someone who has this talent. Or go on Pinterest and enter bakery food display and replicate something there. While you are at it clean the glass. This was the main complaint of one of my companions.
4. Get rid of the refrigerators you aren't using and consolidate. It's a small space and it's getting cramped with the additional cooling units that are..... almost empty. Fill one in a pleasing way so it looks like you are overflowing with bounty. One full one is better than 3 partially empty.
This bakery has a really good product. Most of what we had, particularly the sweets, was delicious. My sense about this business is that the owner knows he has a good product and thinks that's all he will need. It's not. Businesses fail bc they are not being approached like they are, first and foremost, a business. Thousands of business fail because the owner has a passion for cooking, or art, or plants, or whatever, but they are out of their depth on the business end. If you don't care about this and just want to throw up a shingle and do whatever as long as you can; I have no problem with that. Selfishly I would like you to stay in business and expand and have success bc Troy will be better for it. read more