Like any creative or artistic enterprise, cake decorating is
very labour intensive, and it can be difficult to receive remuneration that
properly reflects the time put in. There are, however, a number of things you
can do to streamline the process and maximise your productivity. Remember that
greater efficiency leads to greater profitability. Here are a few tips to help
you decorate more cakes in less time.
Make bulk lots of frequently used decorations
There are a lot of decorative items that you will use
repeatedly on cakes. Flowers, hearts, teddy bears - whatever is appropriate for
your niche - can be made in advance so they are ready to use whenever you need
them, and it is always useful to have a supply on hand for emergency repair
jobs, or an urgent request. Be careful though - some things will keep well for
months, while others should not even be made the night before, so you will need
to research which items and ingredients are suitable for bulk production and which
ones are likely to create problems with food safety and product quality.
Exploit your niche
When working a particular niche - children's birthday parties,
for instance - you will find a lot of recurring themes. Exploit this by keeping
all templates, patterns, and designs for re-use on other cakes.
There is nothing wrong with repeating yourself - really, it
is essential in this business - you can always individualise a standard design.
The important thing is - if the kid wants a Spongebob Squarepants cake, then
that is what he shall have, and since he won't be the only one, you will find
yourself with plenty of opportunity to maximise your skill and efficiency
through repeated use of a base design and structure. (Thomas the Tank Engine,
and Elmo are also very popular cakes at the moment). If you keep a record of
every cake with full details of its creation, and take step by step progress
photos, you will find the planning and design phase of subsequent projects a
lot quicker (and therefore more profitable!).
Communicate with your clients
Obtain written details from clients as to their requirements
(this should be part of the contract) and make sure that you have times, dates,
and delivery addresses clearly spelled out.
Delivering to the wrong function at the wrong time, or
(heaven forbid!) on the wrong day, is not only a waste of your time, but also a
sure way of making you and your cake decorating business look unprofessional
and incompetent. Keep them posted as to your progress - this way they will be confident
that you are doing the job in a professional and timely manner, and it will
avoid them constantly interrupting you. E-mail is a good way of doing this -
you can do it at any time that is convenient for you and avoids interrupting
the client. You could attach progress photos to your e-mail if you think it
appropriate - this is not essential but may help to placate the more nervous or
less trusting client.
Experiment with cake storage It is a good idea to test freeze cakes
- most of them freeze well, but some don't - and it is very handy to be able to
take a cake from the freezer for a rush job (just make sure you allow enough
time for it to thaw!). Many of the rich fruit cakes used at weddings can be
stored without freezing for months if packaged properly, and in fact for
certain types this will improve their quality. Of course good cakes can be bought
fairly readily if you are in a hurry, or don't want to make them at all, although
price will be an issue here, but it is a good idea to get to know local
bakeries and groceries to find out exactly what will be available at any given
time. And there's nothing wrong with using a packet of cake mix if you are in a
hurry! Some really good books of children's birthday cake designs even specify
the use of a certain brand or type of cake mix, so check out a variety of them
and find the ones you like, then keep a few on hand for whipping up a quick
cake.
Be prepared for emergencies!
Always have a "plan B" for when things gowrong. Part
of this is maintaining your supplies of materials and equipment, but you also
need to be able to respond quickly and effectively to any problems that arise.
Have everything readily accessible so you don't have to search for, or clean
equipment before you can use it. As you gain more experience you will learn
effective ways to make emergency repairs, and you can then decide whether or
not you will make yourself available to clients in the event of disaster -
drunken Uncle Albert stubs his cigarette out on the middle tier of the wedding
cake half an hour before the cutting ceremony - that sort of thing.
Cake decorating, like any creative endeavour, is labour
intensive, which means it can be difficult to maintain the level of profit
needed to make your business viable, but with a bit of forethought and
planning, there are a variety of ways in which the process can be made more
efficient and productive, and therefore more profitable.
Team up with someone who has the skills that you don't
If you are a great cake decorator and make really good sugar
sculptures, but aren't very good at lettering, or you are a great decorating
all rounder, but not much of a baker, then why not consider teaming up with
someone who has the skills you lack? This means the cake will be of good
quality, and you can focus on what you're best at while not wasting your time
on producing an inferior product. You may wish to contract another person to do
this, or you may wish to go into partnership with someone - either way make
sure the contractual and legal issues are clearly laid out in writing before
you start.
Business partnerships are great destroyers of friendships if
they go wrong, so be clear about everything.
Consider buying cakes, or some decorative elements
If you are better at decorating cakes
than baking them, it may be worth your while to buy them from a good bakery.
This can save you a lot of time, and leaves you free to do what you are really
good at, as well as guaranteeing the quality of your cake. Check out a few
bakeries until you find one that makes the range and quality of cakes that you
need, and make sure that they can reliably supply the quantities you need. If
you get to know them you may be able to negotiate a good price for ongoing
business, and don't forget that they may be a good source of referrals for you
as well.
The same applies to certain decorative elements - perhaps
sugar sculptures - that you find are just too time consuming. Some people specialize
in these and it may be best to purchase from them so your profits are not
eroded by spending more time than is necessary on a project.
Stick to a plan
This really goes without saying for any business, but planning
your day, your week, and your year is vital in achieving the immediate and long
term goals you have set for yourself and your cake decorating business. Keep a
detailed diary (wall planners are ideal) of upcoming engagements so you can be
well prepared and knows what you have to achieve each day. Having a well organized
plan also helps to avoid the last minute rush where mistakes are more likely to
happen, and leaves you in a better position with more time to cope when
something does go wrong.
Maintain Supplies
If you keep a well managed inventory of all the supplies and
equipment you need for your cake decorating business, then you will save a lot
of time by not having to run out to various shops or suppliers all the time.
Over time you will get to know how much of each item you should keep on hand at
any given time, and this will ensure not only more efficient use of your time,
but also of your money.
Keep up with the paperwork
Do the books regularly - weekly is good. This will give you a
much clearer picture of where you are at with your business and what you need
to keep an eye on or improve. It also means you won't lose valuable production
time or even customers by having to shut everything down so you can do a
rushed, panic job on a whole year's worth of tax returns or bill payments. As
you clean your kitchen regularly and thoroughly, so too should you keep clean
and tidy books.
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