“Sweets and Tarts: The Most Wonderous Bakery in All of Hearts” – Marissa Meyer
Bread is considered to be one of the most popular foods in the world and it has been around for ancient history. Young and old people alike include bread in their diet, and you can eat bread at any time of day and from any place.
Starting a bakery is one of the simplest types of storefront businesses to launch because it is an idea that locals will get excited about and support right away. Everyone loves the smell and taste of warm fresh bread, they adore seeing cookies and cupcakes in a display case, and they will fawn over you if they know you will consistently deliver beautiful, high-quality products.
If you’re thinking about starting a small business, a bakery is a viable option that can be considered. The following is a list of steps that can help you kickstart your business so that it can lead to profitable results.
Steps to making a successful bakery business
- Have a business plan
A business plan is a necessary tool for any entrepreneur. Not only does it assist you in concentrating on the critical steps required to make your company a success. However, it also allows you to set and accomplish both short and long-term objectives. A good business plan should be able to assist you in making informed decisions about management, finances, bakery marketing, and human resource planning. To prevent potential misunderstandings, both of these problems should be discussed in the business plan from the start.
A business plan may also assist you in raising funds for your company. Before any investor will consider investing in your company, they will require a detailed business plan that outlines all of the company’s details, and how much money is needed to get the company off the ground.
- Develop a Business Website and make it shine out
For the majority of the people, websites are the first step in making their venture or innovative concept feel true and tangible. It feels like things are starting to happen when the website is up and running! Here is a list of things you can follow to help develop your website and make it shine out:
Optimize your online presence: The first thing to do would be to create a website. My recommendation would be to create a website from Squarespace since it’s considered to be one of the best all rounder website builders. Beautifully made, editable templates that have been thoroughly checked in terms of customer journey and user interface. It’s also really easy to use after you’ve gotten the hang of it.
Secondly you can list your business and website on the popular web directories such as TripAdvisor, Zomato, bakery review sites, and also on any food web directories that are famous in your area. The review and recommendations that you can get are crucial when it comes to your online presence.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Identify and use the most effective SEO terminology. Invest time and money into the SEO process, and make sure your website contains appropriate phrases and keywords. The SEO method greatly aids in achieving a high ranking in popular search engines while also improving user experience. It makes the website more user-friendly and boosts traffic.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM): It’s just as important to make people aware of the web as it is to make it attractive. It is critical to have a website that is designed and easily searchable, with keywords that appear naturally.
Attractive photos must be posted: Word text by itself cannot compare to the impact of images especially when it comes to food. Photos of your bakery’s delicious looking goods can be used to decorate the website, drawing in potential customers who are craving for
Relevant bakery product descriptions: On the internet, accessibility is quickly becoming a requirement. In addition to photographs, the website should provide a concise and accurate overview of the delicacies.
Include an online ordering system for your website: You’ll need more than just effective SEO for your site; you’ll also need online ordering features. Offering simple, fast online ordering so customers can get sweets and desserts on the go is critical for a bake shop. Invest in a good developer who will collaborate with you to create and customize your web pages so that you can reap the benefits of this fantastic source of revenue. If you work entirely online, be sure to communicate with your customers quickly and make it simple for them to order cakes or cupcakes online.
- Build your Social Platforms
Social media platforms are one of the most important factors in a business as they help you communicate with interested leads, learn more about your target audience, and generate sales. While social media is known as a form of connecting to other people through online, there are still many different types of social media platforms that have a unique purpose and can be differentiated from other platforms.
Instagram: Designed exclusively for visual content, Instagram has carved out a niche as one of the most popular digital marketing channels. It is ideal for promoting bakery businesses. Not only will posting professionally curated and visually appealing photographs and videos help you spread information about your products, but it will also help you promote special events and content.
Facebook: Facebook is considered to be one of the most popular and biggest social media sites across the world.It proves to be a valuable tool for preserving customer relationships and delivering exceptional service. It aids in the promotion of the goods and services, the introduction of new products, and the attraction of potential customers. You will make it easier for your customers to find and contact you by building a Facebook page. Setting up a business page with all relevant information about your bakery, such as the store location, website address, email address, and product description, would be extremely beneficial in terms of marketing your bakery.
Google My Business: Google, as the most commonly used search engine on the planet, is unquestionably an important tool for promoting a bakery. If you own a small local bakery or a national bakery chain, Google My Business is a free online tool that allows you to mark your business on Google Maps and label photographs of your business using GPS data. It also allows the customers to leave feedback about your bakery on Google.
Joining this free business listing service is a simple process. It enables you to provide all necessary details about your bakery, making it easier for those looking for information about bakery products to locate you. You can share and post appealing photos of your products. They also offer a free analytics tool that allows you to keep track of how many people have visited your website. This allows you to target potential customers and entice them to visit your place.
- Focus on your Unique Selling Position
Every business requires something that distinguishes them from the competition. This is often referred to as a niche or USP (unique selling point), but it refers to the one thing at which your products excel at. Was there a recurring trend in the items you made? Perhaps you and your baking or decorating style are your unique selling point. Maybe it’s because you only make vegan goods or only use locally sourced ingredients. Alternatively, you might specialize in savory bakes or French patisserie. Examine your bakery and make a list of what distinguishes your goods.
Once you’ve established your USP, you’ll need to figure out what you want to convey and how you want to present it to your target audience. Be sure to tell your customers precisely what it is about your bakery that makes it special, and don’t forget to tell them what makes you stand out from the competition. Make sure your unique selling propositions (USPs) are highlighted in your ad copy, brochure, website, and social media channels.
- Research your competitors
Start by looking up the locations of your competitors. Competition exists in any coffee shop, restaurant, and bakery. Understanding what sets your bakery apart from the competition will aid you in developing a successful business and marketing strategy.
Conduct a small competitive study in your local community by conducting some research; try to keep your research to your region only. Examine a few of the main competitors’ goods or services, making notes and taking pictures of what works and what doesn’t. Create a competition profile plan and collect information such as the following: name, address, hours of operation, style, prices, menu, retail items, décor, packaging, merchandising, services, website, and social media channels.
Most importantly from checking their website you can study how well the competitors website differs from your business, it could be from how well designed their UI system is, how they rank in terms of SEO and whether they appear in the top of the search page in google. The same goes with their social media platforms, you can determine how many posts are they putting each day and whether they rely on organic content, or also sponsored.
- Investing in your content
When it comes to your online media presence, content is king. For brand recognition, increased sales conversations, and overall effective marketing strategies, creating your own exclusive content is crucial.
According to Oberlo, did you know that there are over 3.5 billion users using social media which represents around 45% of the total population. Facebook is considered to be one of the market leaders with over 2.32 billions active monthly users. With this social media statistic in mind, you’ll want to figure out how to get the most out of your assets. With Facebook currently holding the title of largest social networking service in terms of global reach and total active users, it’s critical to understand how your content could perform, as well as how you can maximize your paid and organic reach.
How can you build and increase your audience?
To begin with, take inspirational photos and shoot engaging videos of your freshly prepared bakery products to share on your website and social media accounts on a regular basis. This keeps your audience informed about your brand and products.
Besides being active on the social media account, you should know that you should be a little more creative on your postings in order to bring out your value and attract new audiences. One thing that can be done to engage with potential customers is to upload tutorial videos on how to create the products themselves. This will then help form a personal and emotional relationship with them making them more likely to be a part of a loyal customer in the future.
Conclusion
Starting a bakery is a wonderful and enjoyable way to turn your hobby into a career. Investing in a solid and comprehensive digital marketing campaign is the perfect way to promote the bakery business in the modern world. The first step in growing your bakery business should be to map out a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that not only gets your brand in front of as many people as possible, but also helps you build the reputation. The way to achieving success in this business is by conducting a thorough study on the Bakery market in your surrounding area and putting the digital marketing tools into work.
References:
https://www.cuisinerboxes.com/post/advantages-having-in-store-bakery
https://www.sbdc.duq.edu/Blog-Item-The-Importance-of-a-Business-Plan
https://digitalscholar.in/digital-marketing-for-baking-industry/
https://www.cupcakemonster.com/blog/how-to-market-your-bakery
https://www.bakethishappen.com/blog/bakery-brand-worksheet
If you are interested in learning more about Digital Marketing then visit this website: https://thedigitalmarketinginstitute.org/
About the author
Imam Muhammad is a Certified Digital Marketing Master from International Institute Of Digital Marketing™.