Donut Shop Advertising aims to inform and create interest. Bakeries should stress convenience, specialties and service. Three methods can be effective:
• Direct mail, for reaching specific markets such as neighborhood homes.
• Newspapers, especially local community papers.
• Promotions: window/in-store displays, signs, banners, 'tea-room' sitting area.
• A special marketing program will also be incorporated by offering special coupon prices for nearby restaurants, motels, city pool, the donut shop, and the gas station to customers who purchase any product at Ice Dreams.
Contact your local city/town/RM office for bylaws on signage.
Our Web site you should have details to describe the location (your bakery's address, telephone and fax numbers, and directions on how to get to your bakery), hours of operation, menus, and anything else you think may be of interest to potential customers. However, once you launch a Web site, you must update it on a regular basis.
Successful businesses have extensive knowledge about their customers and their competitors. Acquiring accurate and specific information about your customers and competitors is a critical first step in market investigation and development of a marketing plan.
In developing a marketing plan, your primary functions are to understand the needs and desires of your customer, select or develop a product or service that will meet customer needs, develop promotional material that will make the customer aware and ensure product or service delivery.
5.1.1 Positioning Statement
Our main focus in marketing will be to increase customer awareness in the surrounding community. We have plans to use coupons and discounts to increase sales.
5.1.2 Setting the Right Price.
Prices should allow for sufficient gross profit to cover overhead expenses and a net profit. Bakeries usually use a markup method, based on costs. The markup depends on the pricing policy, but should be around 40-60% and cover expenses.
Set up a cost book listing individual ingredients and their costs.
Set up a 'cost of recipes' book listing the costs for producing specific items.
Because small bakeries cannot buy in large volumes like superstores, do not attempt to offer lower prices. Instead, stress convenience and specialties.
5.1.3 Marketing Tactics and Programs
I can’t tell you the answer to that! However, taking into account the targeted marketing tips I provided earlier, I’ll discuss here a few of the popular options for advertising, promotion and PR efforts.
All of the techniques listed below are perfectly capable of generating new clients in droves. Your challenge is to identify which option suits you, try it, and measure the results so that you can improve your ROI in your future promotional efforts.
Newspaper Advertising
Base your budget on the CPM I mentioned earlier. Newspaper advertising needs to be really well targeted to be successful. As we’ve discussed, it would probably be more cost effective for you to advertise in a business newspaper, rather than the local community newspaper.
Yellow Pages Advertising
This is almost a ‘must have.’ Many people will choose a designer from the Yellow Pages. These ads can be very expensive and, unfortunately, with this medium it’s a case of “the bigger, the better!”
If you do make the commitment to buying a large, prominent (and more expensive) Yellow Pages ad, then make sure you very closely measure which clients find out about you from these ads, and what sort of return you receive on your investment.
Radio Ads
Radio spots are not usually well-targeted. Don’t advertise on radio unless you can try it very cheaply, and be sure to track the results!
On the other hand, a radio appearance can be a great way to boost your profile. For instance, if you're interviewed as a special guest during the computer show on your local radio station, you can attract real attention to yourself and your business.
Flyers
Flyers are OK, but only because they’re cheap. You can target them a little (for example, by delivering them only to local businesses), and with a little luck you might receive a call or two as a result of your efforts.
Branded Merchandise
T-shirts, stickers, buttons, mouse pads, pens, and mugs with your logo on them? Don’t even think about it!
What influences people to select someone in your line of business? I’ll bet it isn’t how nice your branded coffee mugs are. Prospects won’t initially select you based on merchandise, so don’t do it: it’s a waste of money.
Having said that, I do find these products great as gifts for clients you want to thank for some reason. But this kind of expense can only really be justified when you’re well established and very profitable.
Classified Ads
Advertising in newspaper classifieds is very cheap and can work quite well. Worth a try.
Telemarketing
Phone marketing can also work well. Try it and see.
Guest Speaking
Fantastic! Guest speaking is free, and generates real interest on the spot. You’ll be perceived as an expert, you’ll learn the techniques required for public speaking (which are a huge advantage), and you’ll be exposing yourself in the nicest possible way to your potential market.
Brochure
Printed brochures can be good, but only once you’ve established your business. When you’re starting out, it’s much more cost-effective to demonstrate your professionalism in other ways that require a smaller initial outlay. Our research tells us that fewer than 20% of an audience will read your brochure.
Prepare A Video Or CD
Describing your business and the benefits you provide in a video or CD is a great idea, right? No. People won’t watch the video, nor will they look at the CD. You’d think they would, and both these media provide a great way to demonstrate your expertise, but people just don’t look at them. Why not? Because it’s too easy to procrastinate.
Think about it. If someone dropped off a video to your office, would you find time to look at it?
Word Of Mouth/In-Store Marketing
Table tents.
Napkins.
Grand Opening celebration.
Website Marketing Strategy
Market strategy in an Internet retail business depends on recognition of expertise by the consumer.
Further awareness will be heightened by utilizing search engine marketing, banner advertising, and affiliates.
Development Requirements
Development Costs
Web Site Design - Free, it’s part of the package.
Ongoing Costs
Website name registration for .COM - $15 per year.
Site Hosting - $6 per month.
Search Engine Registration - free, www.google.com and www.yahoo.com.
Site Design Changes - Changes in the site, such as photography costs (estimated at $150-$200 per shot), are considered to be part of Marketing and Advertising.
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