Do you like to bake? Are you the go-to person for the cookie-sale fundraiser at your school or a local non-profit organization?
Do you binge-watch baking competitions on TV and fantasize about competing for the grand prize of opening your own bakery?
Then you might want to think about monetizing your ability to bake delectable treats.
Selling your cookies is an excellent way to combine your passion for baking with a home-based business. Starting a home-based cookie business, on the other hand, necessitates more than a batch of snickerdoodles.
To ensure that your business gets off to a good start, you must conduct research and plan ahead of time. You must also comply with state laws governing food sales, which includes obtaining a special permit.
How to launch a home-based baking company
Here are the steps to starting your home-based baking business if you're ready to start baking up profits.
1. What is your product line - what kind of cookies do you sell?
What kind of cookies do you like to bake? Which cookie does the majority of your pals drool over? What niche do you wish to explore in cookie baking?
Everyone sells the same chocolate chip cookies, so strive to provide something different to your clients. People are more interested in healthy items these days, so you may try developing a healthy cookie recipe.
Some healthy cookie niches to consider are paleo diet cookies, keto cookies, protein-rich cookies, healthy fats-rich cookies, low-carb cookies, healthy meal replacement cookies, and veggie cookies.
If you're doing all of the cooking, packing, shipping, marketing, and designing yourself, having a variety of items might be intimidating, but it's not impossible if you're willing to put in the effort.
It is essential for you to get the services of the best box maker to design an ideal cookie packaging.
2. What laws apply to the food selling the business?
Starting a business without a previous understanding of the laws and requirements for starting a cookie company is like playing at a casino.
Use Google Search to learn about the rules you must follow while beginning a new business in the baking industry.
Inquire with those who are more knowledgeable about the law, such as an accountant; the last thing you want is the tax department coming on your door.
Some nations offer flexible procedures for starting a company, whilst others need you to fill out a lot of paperwork, consult with an expert, and sort all of this out before you start operating a firm.
Do your homework to see whether you need a permit or license to establish a company.
3. What is the name of your company?
People enjoy intriguing names, but no one buys anything from a store just because the name of the firm is wonderful, right?
Make a note of all the names you come up with and see whether your company name is available for purchase on any domain selling website (if you want to start small and sell locally, you don't need a website).
Once you've decided on a company name, head to the top 5 social media networks and register an account. This ensures that you have a social media presence.
It is not required to utilize all five social media networks to expand your cookie company; you simply need to activate your account.
4. How do you create the best cookie (recipe)?
Most people skip this step, but I want you to take your time with it. You must either have a unique cookie recipe that everyone enjoys or develop a new cookie recipe.
In both situations, I want you to test out various cookie recipes and tweaks on an existing one. You might use vanilla extract or almond butter for the peanut butter, or stevia for the honey.
You may already have a cookie recipe that your grandmother taught you; I'm not opposed to that recipe, but if you could add a fresh twist to it, it may sell better.
Again, it's all trial and error; in the end, whichever cookie recipe you, your friends, and your family fall in love with will be the one you serve.
5. Form Your Team
If you're just beginning up from home, you may not need any staff. However, as your company expands, you will most likely need employees to cover a variety of positions. Positions that might be available at a cookie company include:
Depending on the size and demands of your company, you may need to employ for all of these jobs or just a handful.
Depending on the necessity, you may also recruit numerous workers for a single position or a single person for multiple responsibilities.
Posting advertising on popular networks such as LinkedIn or Facebook is a free way to acquire personnel. You may also use free classified websites. You might also think about hiring a premium recruiter.
Furthermore, if you have the finances, you might hire a recruiting firm to assist you in finding talent.
6. How should you package your cookie to encourage repeat purchases?
Packaging and labeling must be considered. How are you going to package the cookies so that they don't turn into a bag of cookie crumbs by the time your clients open them?
Examine cookie containers in shops, then search for "cookie packaging" online. Labels? You may use your home computer and a color printer to create and print them.
Many different varieties of label material are available at office supply shops. The majority of states have fairly stringent regulations for what information must appear on a food product label. A case study from Colorado is depicted on the right.
Again, precise regulations may be found on your state's website.
7. Shipping and Delivery
You'll most likely carry them in your own automobile if you're selling to local retailers and at a farmer's market. Check that they are secure and that they fit any health department regulations.
You will most likely be shipping orders that you get online or over the phone. Examine each of your options to see which provides the finest service at the cheapest price.
Also, you don't want to have to battle traffic every day just to send cookies!
8. Recognize what it takes to create a profit.
Before you prepare your first cookie, figure out how many you'll need to sell at what price in order to break even and eventually profit.
What is the price you need to pay for it to happen? It's elementary arithmetic. To identify all of your expenditures, the easiest method is to create an Excel spreadsheet.
9. Trial runs and ironing out the wrinkles - ahead of time
Making cookies for a company is not the same as making them for your child's school class. Customers must be able to rely on the quality, taste, and presentation of your products.
Make several trial runs and search for any points of failure, anything that can go wrong, or things that might hold you down or weaken quality and consistency. Create a system and a routine for making and distributing cookies.
You could want to establish a habit of baking in the morning after the kids go to school, then deliver the freshly baked cookies to your local clients.
Then, in the afternoons, I clean up and cultivate new consumers, as well as perform marketing and bookkeeping.
Also, shoot images for marketing and your website.
10. How do you identify and sell cookies to new clients on a constant basis?
The issue with most handmade cookie enterprises is their inability to produce consistent income. They'll get four orders today, nothing for two days, then two orders on the third day.
Your objective from the start should be to obtain orders every single day, no matter what. This is achievable if you devote less time to baking and more time to marketing.
You're not earning money if you don't spend time promoting your cookie firm, no matter how fantastic it is. You must devote 70% of your effort to marketing and 30% of your time to finding out the remainder.
Your marketing plan should contain specifics on how you want to discover and attract clients, as well as how you intend to keep them coming back for more (re-orders).
Pictures may be seen by clicking here.
You must persuade your clients to purchase your stuff. What better way to do this than with a photoshoot? Take out your phone and begin photographing your cookies. Upload it on your social media platforms and watch them salivate.
Every time you post a picture, don't forget to add a Call-to-Action. You may use Buy now, mail me to buy, or click the bio link to place order words or more for it.
Word-of-Thumb
Word of mouth is beneficial; it increases credibility; yet, the procedure is lengthy. Your word-of-mouth campaign should be effective, but depending completely on it is a terrible idea.
Request that consumers post an Instagram Story about your product and invite their friends to try it. This should bring you some customers.
The Internet of Things
This list includes Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and any other social media network that helps a company expand. Instagram seems to be working well for most startup firms, but Pinterest also performs a good job of bringing in more leads.
You might also buy magazine advertising to boost your sales. There are several digital periodicals that would be delighted to work with your cookie jar company.
Contact Local Bakeries
Most small bakeries outsource their goods to bigger bakeries, which may surprise you. This is simply due to a lack of capacity and funds to produce a diverse selection of items at a reasonable price. As a result, they outsource.
You may contact local bakers and request that they publicize your cookie brand name to their consumers. You may either place your items on their display (which is the best choice) or put a banner in their store.
People see the banner and ask the bakery guy what it is, and the bakery man recommends it to you. Try putting your things on the show; people are more likely to buy if it's right in front of them, rather than reaching out to make a transaction.
It should be sold everywhere.
Take samples with you when you go to the mall, when you stroll to the garden, to bake sales, and to local food stores, and offer them your samples, brochure, and website link (not compulsory).
If you have a great product with gorgeous packaging, getting a yes from a neighborhood business won't be too difficult. Bring them to a farmer's market and sell them there. You must market it everywhere!
Conclusion
Finally, keep improving and innovating. Especially at the beginning, you are likely to make mistakes and have setbacks. Take what you learn from these and improve. Do not just fix the mistakes, but resolve the causes as well.
Keep evolving and learning from your competitors. Create new combinations and flavors.
You can also advertise festival-specific cookies. You may sell cookies for Christmas, Valentine's Day, etc. You can also advertise your cookie business online in a variety of ways. Let's bake!
Also, tell everyone you started with this checklist once you became a famous cookie entrepreneur!
