One of the major stumbling blocks many people have is how and where do I sell my baked goods. For home bakers cottage food laws have opened up doors paving the way for people to make money baking at home. It is a huge breakthrough for people who have dreamed of being able to make money from home doing something they love.
Cheers have gone up throughout the country as almost all of the individual 
states have passed cottage food laws. But, and there always seems to be a “but” that lurks in the shadows, for many, although they are now legally able to sell their baked goods from home, have hit a wall at how to get the word out that they are open for business. There is good news , it is not as hard as it used to be to let people know you are ready and willing to make delicious baked goods for them. You are now a click away from a sale if you set it up correctly.
Meet Megan
Megan Smith is an entrepreneur who has opened a bakery under the cottage food laws in her state. She loves to bake, and grew up learning how to make delicious baked goods from scratch. When the expansion of the laws made it feasible, she quit her retail job and got to work launching her new business, the “French Creek Cakery”
Like all business owners, she immediately had to figure out how to let potential customers know that she was open for business. Since cottage food bakers don’t have a storefront, one of the most effective methods is to market your business online.
Megan put up a Facebook page for her business and one of the first things posted was her menu. 
She posts an item on Facebook and people can call or message her on Facebook with their orders.
“I usually ask for a three-day notice for an order, but if I have everything I need here, then I just can make it sooner,” Smith said. “They just place the order with me, and then I get back to them with the pick-up time and date, and they can just come pick it up.”
But there is more…
Megan has gone a step further and come up with some brilliant ideas. Each month she offers a DIY kit for the item of the month. In it she includes all the shelf staple ingredients along with special instructions on how to bake it yourself. That way the customer has the satisfaction of making it themself and the pleasure of filling their home with delicious smells.
Here are some examples of her special monthly offerings.
“June was a Hot Fudge Cake kit, July was soft pretzels, August is movie theater-themed kit with edible cookie dough bites and popcorn,” Smith said. “I include all the dry shelf-stable ingredients, pre-measured so they are ready to go, and instructions to prepare or bake the item. Customers typically only need common kitchen staples such as oil, butter, or milk to complete them, although I try to limit how many extras they need.”
She sweetens the deal by offering a give away at the beginning of the month for one lucky customer when she announces the kit. By doing that, she has customers eagerly checking her Facebook page often to see what the next kit will be! My hat is off to Megan, I hope that she continues to grow her successful business. I also hope that she inspires some other home bakers to follow her lead. What are you waiting for, go BAKE SOME MONEY.
