Owing and operating a bakery that offers a variety of sweet treats that sets your products apart from all others can easily cause you to be the pride of your community. Opening a bakery can be stressful at times, but if done right, the rewards will outweigh the stress. Follow the guidelines in this article and learn open and be successful with a neighborhood bakery and to earn the friendship of your loyal customers. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Prepare. When starting any business, you will probably need to talk to the bank about making a small business loan, unless you have a private source of funds. Starting a bakery is not going to be cheap. You will need to have the funds to rent or buy a location, renovate the location to the specifics recommended by your county or state food and health inspector and you will also need funds to purchase your cooking and baking supplies.
2. Choose a location. When looking for the perfect bakery spot, remember, the saying, "location, location, location." The three top choices of convenience for your future customers would be either at a busy shopping center or intersection, near a large workplace, or in the view of a busy gas station. Why a gas station? When travelers are passing through your area, they will tend to stop at a large gas station and convenience store. They will see your bakery and say "why buy a donut at this gas station when we could get something delicious at that bakery."
3. Acquire licenses and permits. You will need a number of permits and licenses before you are able to serve food to the public. Contact your local courthouse to find out what paperwork you will need in order to start a small business. You will also have to contact your local health inspector to inquire about specific restaurant inspections and requirements. If you are planning to provide tables and chairs for your customers, you will need to contact the fire marshal to find out how many people can safely be in your building at one time. You should hang all of these licenses and permits on the wall behind the cash register.
4. Offer outstanding products. The key to having a bakery that will set you apart from all others will be your products. Have a "lure" for your customers to be drawn to you. A few ideas are to offer a "sugar free" selection, a "low fat" selection" or even a "gluten free" bread selection. Learn to make fruit pies that will have everyone talking for miles around. Remember that the success of your bakery will depend on your products.
5. Take a cue. Take a cue from the popular donut shops that light up a "hot" sign when the donuts come out of the oven. Customers line up at the door as soon as they see the "hot" sign. You should have the same method of attraction with your products either early in the morning, late in the evening or at both times.
6. Satisfy your customers. The heart of your bakery will be your early morning traffic. Offer a few tables inside your store to accommodate early morning coffee groups. While people are visiting with one another, offer free samples of a new recipe that you are trying. Get the honest opinions from your customers, they will in turn, come back for more.
7. Support your community. Offer a catering service to company meetings, special events and ball team celebrations. For example, if the local high school football team wins a big game, you will be the hit of the celebration if you volunteer to bake a cake for them and decorate it like a football.
8. Schedule appointments for special occasions. When a future bride comes to you wanting a wedding cake or when you are asked to bake a cake and a few treats for a party, schedule an appointment to meet with your client so you are able to sit down with them to find out the details of what they want. Always remember to be personal with your customers, trying to discuss details across the counter at a busy time of day is not personal.
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