Hi Velvet CupCake,
A couple of thoughts I have baking just for you:
Financial: May I assume the financing you need is for operations - getting a location and setting up a bakery? Let me offer you a money saving suggestion: Find a local church (your church?) with a large kitchen and ask if you can rent the kitchen in the early morning hours - it is unlikely to be in use then. The church may be happy to have the extra revenue. Now you have large production capacity without the investment in a facility. Plus, the church might become a client. Ideally, find one with a kitchen and school on the same location. Market to parents to have cupcakes on their kid's birthday.
This off-site baking strategy is directed more at developing a commercial and online clientile (companies) than a retail customer operation. Once you have sweet revenues from an expanded commercial business and a lower overhead, you could then explore the retail bakery location. This manages your risk, builds some cash reverses, and builds some core business infrastructure for marketing, accounting, and even employment.
Marketing: With the money you saved on facilities invest in marketing your business. Develop simple flyers to go with your samples. Provide yummy up close photos and people smiling eating them. Create the experience. Also, invest in a database or contact manager of some sort. Use MS Outlook if you are on a PC or Entourage on a Mac. Your customer database is gold so develop it early.
If you are giving away cup cakes, then make sure you give and get the name of the person at the company who plans the company parties or is the boss's secretary. Do just drop off the cup cakes, leave your card, and run. Do this: give the receptionist a cup cake. Tell her that you want to speak with the person who plans their parties about using your cupcakes for birthday parties and dessert for special events. Meet this person, give her a cupcake, and make a relationship. Ask when their next company celebration or catered event is. Add person to your database, flag them to followup in two or three weeks or when they tell you. Stay in touch.
Calling Card: Regarding what to say on the calling card... at a minimum, your contact information: business name, web site (if you have one), email, and phone. In terms of sales copy.. it is hard to tell not really knowing your business, but guessing... Stimulate their thinking by having catch situations when they might call you. VelvetKupCake is perfect for:
Company birthday parties
Client entertainment
Customer appreciation baskets
Add: We offer free deliver for a $XX order! We can even decorate them with your company colors!
My sales copy above is only meant to prime your thinking, not replace it. Do what is appropriate for your business.
Blessing back at you.
Be On-Purpose!
Kevin
PS - I do offer a free 30-minute business advisory consult. See my profile here for more information.
