5 Tips to Save Time on Client Interactions
Interacting with clients can be one of the most time consuming aspects of running a baking business.
Of course, we LOVE our customers, but the interaction process can be very repetitive and SLOW.
Let’s discuss ways to:
1. save tons of time on client interactions
2. be more efficient when order taking
3. attract the clients you want
4. kindly repel the clients you DO NOT want
Already part of the Bakery Business School group? Go right to the video directly HERE.
Top 5 Tips to Save Time on Client Interactions
INFORMATION POSTED
It’s YOUR JOB to give your clients important information right when they arrive at your social account or website.
Not only does this build trust, it also sets you up as a professional AND saves you time.
You will no longer be wasting time answering simple questions, and your clients know what to expect, right away.
Your information (we will go over what to post below) can be in a pinned post on your Facebook Business Page, or on the homepage of your website.
You may also consider adding it to your FB or IG bio (if space allows) or over your banner image on FB.
Your offers/products need to be CLEAR in your informational area, not just “I sell sweets”.
Let the customers know the top items you sell (keep it to 3-6 categories). You may be able to post a menu as an image or a pinned post, to help further clarify what you do. Or you could create a Google Doc and link it on the pinned post, or share a link to your website menu.
This will help target people who want to order from you, so you get more qualified clients messaging you directly.
2. SET AN ORDER MINIMUM
Choosing an ordering minimum will create a boundary for you and your customers, allowing them to understand better how you produce your products, and what a realistic order amount looks like.
Your business may or may not be set up to be offering single items, like one cupcake. Make sure your customers know ahead of time how you sell your products.
Choose from an order minimum based on:
dollar amount (I have a $100 minimum, but yours could be higher or lower than that, it’s mostly important that it simply exists).
number amount (I only sell cupcakes and cookies in sets of 2 dozen or more, etc).
These minimums will help you to easily deter people who weren’t planning on spending much money, and to target those who are ready and willing to fill your order calendar.
You may think by forcing a minimum, you will lessen your orders, BUT when I first implemented this, I received WAY more inquiries because it raised the perceived VALUE of my product.
I was also then only talking to qualified clients, as they weeded themselves out based on the minimum requirements.
3. SET AN ORDERING TIME FRAME
Creating a time frame in which you accept orders will not only make your life SO much easier to manage, it will also allow you to provide the best service to your customers who have already paid for service.
Your customers will soon become accustomed to working within your time frame, if this is a new boundary for you. They may find the time frame hard to accept at first, but let them know that it allows you to be the best baker you can be, and not rush anyone’s orders.
The time frame information should be placed front and center, just like the rest of your business information.
I prefer a 2 weeks in advance ordering time frame.
If a customer sees this, and it’s past the ordering time frame, they may still contact you BUT not have the expectation that you should be able to fulfill their order inquiry.
Psychologically speaking, when you remove an expectation (like last minute order taking), by stating a time frame, customers are less likely to be upset when you end up not being able to help them, due to time constraints.
Of course, if you decide to take a last minute order, please do so!
But do it on YOUR terms.
4. PUBLISH A “BOOKED”CALENDAR
Clients are often going to need to know when you are available, and when you are already booked.
I use Canva to create calendars for this purpose. You can use the free version or paid version for this type of project. I like Canva because you can easily edit your previous images, which you will need to do as people book your calendar.
You will want to post the calendar as a pinned post on your page, as your banner image, on the first page of your website or as a recurring post that gets updated and reshared each week or so.
Posting a booked calendar will help you in a number of ways:
it will show your clients ahead of time what your off days, closed days or other plans are
you will gain more orders as you book, creating a cascade and “scarcity” effect
you will be transparent with clients on availability, and raise your trust factor
this forces you to stay on top of your projected monthly schedule and plan ahead
5. STREAMLINE FB MESSENGER FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Your auto response message on FB is basically your welcome sign!
Take a moment to set it up, make it sweet and use it to your advantage.
You want auto response to be ON for your business page so customers feel seen. Customers need to be responded to ASAP, even if it’s an auto message. This helps your algorithm on FB, ratings on your page and overall trust factor.
You will go into your FB Settings for your biz page, click on More, click on Messaging, turn Instant Reply ON and customize your Instant Reply message.
The following is what I suggest should be in your auto message, to save you the MOST time possible on client consultation:
day/time order is needed
delivery location or pick up (provide address)
type of event
item(s) they are interested in
serving amount needed
Already part of the Bakery Business School group? Go right to the video directly HERE.
Note from Melissa:
Want to make your ordering process even easier?
You need to save as much time as possible in your business, so you can focus on the fun stuff, like baking and designing.
Professional paperwork helps ALL businesses be more efficient.
Bare minimum, you need:
a GREAT order form
a GREAT contract
Both of these items should be easy to use, and have appropriate spaces and areas for info collection, and all essential disclaimers.
I have uploaded my preferred versions of the professional paperwork bakeries need, and placed them right in my Shop, on the website.
Browse paperwork and begin using them ASAP. Available as individual pieces or bundles!