7 Great Places to Sell Homemade Cookies
You can sell homemade cookies in these 7 places.
Where to Sell Homemade Cookies
1. Farmer’s market
The farmer’s market is not just for selling produce. Vendors can also sell an assortment of cakes, cookies, and other baked goods. Selling homemade cookies at the farmer’s market is beneficial for a few reasons. For one thing, it is a good way to get feedback. Are your cookies too sweet? Too salty? Are they missing an important condiment?
By listening to customers’ feedback, bakers can change their recipes and improve the flavor profile of their products. This is great for people who eventually want to own an established baking business. They can start at the farmer’s market and then move into a bakery. Maybe one day, the business can turn into a large franchise.
2. Etsy
Etsy is an online marketplace known for handmade products. It is a natural fit for homemade cookies. Online marketplaces like Etsy already have a customer base. People know about the website. They go on there with their credit cards in hand and search for products to buy. This means that a lot of the marketing is already done for sellers.
Bakers just need to make their goods stand out on the website. They can do this by taking great pictures that highlight the textures of the cookies. Sellers can also write detailed product descriptions and include a way for buyers to contact if they have any questions.
3. Your website
Sellers on an online marketplace must follow the platform’s terms and conditions. Their accounts will get banned if they violate any policy. Sometimes, sellers get kicked out when they accidentally break a rule that they did not know about. Imagine your entire business shutting down overnight and there is nothing you can do about it. Appealing the account closure can take a while. It also might not be successful. Customer service can be slow since they work with a lot of sellers at once.
Sellers with original websites do not have to worry about this scenario. They have more autonomy over their business. However, sellers going this route must be more proactive with their marketing. Customers will not magically flock to your store. They need to find out about you somehow. Therefore, you must launch advertisements on social media and generally come up with a digital marketing strategy.
4. Coffee shops
Coffee shops need baked goods. Their customers don’t just want coffee; they want coffee in addition to something else. This is your chance to shine. Reach out to a few coffee shops to see if they are interested in what you can offer. Bring a few samples. The coffee shops might give your cookies a test run. They will order more if it goes well. It could be the beginning of a mutually beneficial, long-term business relationship.
5. Door to door
If the Girl Scouts can do it, then so can you. Going door to door can be an effective marketing strategy, especially if you are popular with the neighbors. They would be happy to support your business venture. Before you start knocking on doors, however, make sure you meet all the legal requirements in your area. Check if you need to submit forms and/or obtain licenses.
In addition, you should practice your sales pitch. Know exactly what you are going to say when someone opens the door. Refine your sales pitch over time by analyzing people’s reactions.
6. Instagram
As a visual platform, Instagram is a great fit for food-related businesses. The website is filled with images and videos. Bakers should create an account and upload high-quality pictures of their cookies. Use relevant hashtags and let people naturally find you. Put your business phone number on your page so that people can call when they are ready to place an order.
7. Food truck
Bakers with enough money should consider buying a food truck. Selling homemade cookies now becomes a full-fledged business. It is no longer a hobby. Most people should not buy a food truck as their first step, especially if they do not have any experience in the restaurant industry.
However, a food truck is a good investment for bakers who are already getting results. They might already be getting a lot of sales. Their customers might also be giving them a lot of good feedback. If so, then bakers should buy a food truck so that they can scale the business and increase profits. They should also consider hiring more staff so that there are more people on the team.