Don't Just Rely on The Knot and Wedding Wire - Here's Why.
Let's see….there's advertising on wedding sites, posting on Facebook, posting on Instagram, selling to your friends and family, and all the other ways you can boost your cake sales.
But let's talk about the BEST strategy to increase your cake orders that's FREE! If you level this strategy up, it will ALWAYS work for you.
So Kristina, what is this magical strategy?
NETWORKING.
Yes! Networking.
"Whhhhy networking Kristina?!"
I just want to sit at home and collect wedding cake inquiries, not leave my house, and grow my business from there.
Hmm…how's that working for you?!
Networking hands down is one the BEST strategies to increase your orders.
Selling your cakes is required for you to make money, and a lot of cake designers don't like to put themselves out there to massively grow their business.
Look, I’m a natural extrovert. However, when it came to putting myself out there to promote my cake business, I was so scared! I would get nervous, afraid to promote my business, and I would be nervous I would be shunned from society just for promoting my business. Dramatic I know…
However, I knew that the more people were talking about my business, the more business would come my way. I didn't have too much money to spend on advertising my cake business online. Therefore, I had to leverage spreading the word about my cake business for free.
My Journey from Fear to Flourishing
Let me tell you about my first networking event. I walked in clutching my business cards so tightly my knuckles turned white. My heart was racing, palms sweating, and I seriously considered turning around and running back to my car. What if nobody liked my cakes? What if they thought I was just another amateur trying to play professional?
But I pushed through. I took a deep breath, plastered on a smile, and introduced myself to the first person I saw – a wedding photographer who, as it turns out, was just as nervous as I was. By the end of the night, I had connected with three wedding planners, two venue coordinators, and a florist who all asked for my cards.
Within two weeks, I received my first referral. Within a month, I had booked three wedding cakes. All because I spent two hours at a local wedding vendor meetup.
This is the way to rapidly grow your business! Spreading your name like wildfire happens through people. The more people who know who you are, share how amazing your cakes are, the more orders you will repeatedly book.
Yes, networking is scary - but how about having referrals after referrals come in month after month?
I'd say walk through the fear and do it!
Here's Why Networking Will Double Your Cake Orders
1. WORD OF MOUTH IS THE #1 SALES STRATEGY EVER
Before we purchase from a company, we like to hear how amazing that company is before we buy. That's just how our brains are wired. We love social proof. We want to feel confident in our purchasing decisions and believe we are spending our money wisely.
When you have a slew of people in your local area promoting your cake business for you, for free - sharing to their customers how awesome you are… the sale is pretty much complete.
Think about it – when a wedding planner or photographer says to their client, "I know the PERFECT cake designer for your vision," that couple is already mentally booking you before they've even tasted your cake. They trust their planner, and now that trust extends to you.
These warm leads are vastly different from the inquiries you get from wedding websites. These couples are pre-sold on your expertise before they even reach out!
Cake sales still slow? I have just the thing! Download my FREE eBook, My Top 4 Strategies to Double your Cake Orders in your Cake Biz. Click here to download, it’s located inside the Cake Business Library.
2. NETWORKING MAKES YOUR CAKE BUSINESS SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE
When you are building your network, people in the event planning industry will talk about you.
Which is a good thing!
And the more people talk about you, the more people know about you, the more inquiries and orders you will book.
I remember when I created a statement cake for a high-profile wedding in my area. I had networked with the planner months before at a local business mixer. After that wedding, my phone wouldn't stop buzzing with new inquiries. The photographer had shared images on social media and tagged me. The planner had raved about how professional I was. The florist told her other clients how perfectly my cake design complemented her arrangements.
One spectacular cake led to countless referrals because I had built relationships with the right people who witnessed my work firsthand.
And this is happening for FREE. While you have your paid advertisements going, you have your network building for you as well.
Utilize all strategies to your advantage and not just rely on paid advertising to build your business.
Still attracting budget cake customers in your cake business? Let’s change that around! Click here to download my FREE eBook: 10 Strategies to Become an High-End Wedding Cake Business. It’s located inside my Cake Business Library.
3. YOUR CAKE BUSINESS BECOMES TRUSTED
When your cake business has an amazing reputation, people will know that and want to spread your business.
Trust is required in order to steadily grow your cake business. The more people trust you, the more people will recommend you, the more orders you will book.
It compounds and compounds over and over for YEARS.
Last year, I got a call from a bride who said, "My mom's best friend's daughter had her wedding cake made by you three years ago, and they still talk about how delicious it was!" I never even met this bride's mom or her friend, but my cake had made such an impression that the recommendation traveled through multiple people over several years.
This is the power of network-built trust. It's not just about that immediate booking – it's about creating a reputation that continues working for you long after the cake has been eaten.
Do the work to reap the benefits in the long run.
Building your cake business is a long steady race, not a sprint.
How to Network Effectively When You're a Baker, Not a Schmoozer
Maybe you're thinking, "That's great, Kristina, but I'm terrible at networking! I'm a baker, not a salesperson!" I get it. So let me share some practical networking strategies that even the shyest cake artist can implement:
1. Start with Cake Tastings as Mini Networking Opportunities
Every client consultation is a networking opportunity. When couples come in for tastings, ask them about their other vendors. Express genuine interest in their wedding plans. When you show enthusiasm for their vision, they'll remember how engaged you were in their special day.
After they book, ask if you can connect with their photographer and planner on social media. This simple step has led to countless professional relationships for me.
2. Create Vendor-Specific Offerings
I developed a "Vendor Appreciation Box" with mini cake samples, my business card, and a handwritten note. Once a month, I deliver these to a venue or wedding business I'd like to connect with. The personal touch makes an impression that an email never could.
One venue coordinator told me she receives dozens of emails from cake decorators weekly – but I was the only one who took the time to bring cake and introduce myself in person. Guess who she recommends to her couples now?
3. Join Local Business Groups (Not Just Wedding-Specific)
Some of my best referrals have come from unexpected sources. The realtor who sends all her clients buying new homes my way for celebration cakes. The corporate event planner who discovered me at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. The restaurant owner who recommends me for his customers' special occasions.
Expanding beyond the wedding industry creates multiple streams of referrals and helps weather the seasonal nature of wedding work.
4. Follow Up Meaningfully
Networking isn't a one-and-done activity. After you make connections, nurture them. Send thank you notes when you receive referrals. Share professional photos of the cakes you created for mutual clients. Remember personal details and ask about them when you reconnect.
Building relationships takes time, but the compound interest on your efforts pays dividends for years to come.
Instead of trying to build your cake business without having a clear, defined strategy to double your cake orders - learn how to increase your orders and double your prices with a proven strategy that has worked for myself and my clients.
Building a long-lasting cake business full-time is something you can easily achieve and have orders flooding in your cake business month after month.
You need a detailed marketing strategy, attract better-paying clients, and the confidence to charge the prices you want.
From Struggling to Thriving: Linda's Story
One of my coaching clients, Linda, was on the verge of closing her cake business when we first connected. She was working 60+ hours a week, charging bare minimum prices, and still couldn't make ends meet. Her entire marketing strategy consisted of responding to low-budget inquiries from wedding websites and hoping for the best.
After implementing our networking strategy, Linda's business transformed within six months. She connected with three luxury wedding planners in her area who now send her their high-end clients exclusively. She's booked solid six months in advance, has raised her prices twice, and now works fewer hours while making three times the income.
The turning point? Linda created a stunning display cake for a local venue's open house – for free. That single cake, seen by hundreds of potential clients and dozens of vendors, generated enough business to fill her calendar for months. The investment of one cake and one afternoon yielded returns that no amount of online advertising could have achieved.
Conclusion: Your Network Is Your Net Worth
Networking isn't just another marketing strategy—it's the foundation that transforms struggling cake businesses into thriving ones. Those who push past their initial discomfort discover that authentic connections lead to consistent bookings, higher-quality clients, and a reputation that advertising dollars cannot buy.
What's the one networking opportunity you've been hesitating to pursue in your cake business?
Share in the comments below how you plan to step outside your comfort zone this month!
