Five Ways to Boost the Profits from Your Bake Sale

It seems like bake sales have been around forever. People love desserts, and having a bake sale is a great way to add some extra cash to your organization and its events. Some organizations hold bake sales on their own while others use them as a way to increase profit during other fundraising events.

No matter which type of bake sale you're having, there is always a way that you can increase the profits you make from the sale of your items. The following are five ways to boost profits from your bake sale.

1. Advertise.
The only way you're going to make money off your bake sale is if people know it exists. Create flyers or posters and spread them out across town. Have the MC of the event make plenty of announcements to tell people where to find you. It's also a good idea to invest in push carts, place a few items on the cart and have volunteers travel up and down the table aisles. People may be more willing to make a purchase if the items are sitting right there in front of them. If you don't spread the word that a bake sale is going on, you won't see much business.

2. Choose the right location.
If your bake sale is tucked away in the farthest corner of the room, you're not going to get many visitors. The location of your bake sale is extremely important in order to generate the most profits. Make sure you place your tables in high traffic areas. Place them near the entrance where everyone will walk by at least once. Or place tables near the drinks so that people who get a beverage may stop and pick up some cookies or cakes. Even sitting near the bathroom will give you more foot traffic than an unused corner. If you set yourself up where people will be, you'll have more people making purchases.

3. Make a good presentation.
If the baked goods aren't presented well, you'll have a hard time making a sale. Make sure the tables have a simple, one-color tablecloth. Organize your goods into categories, such as cakes, cookies, muffins, breads, etc. It is also a good idea to make name tags for every item so that people can know the names of the items they wish to purchase. If you have a great presentation, your baked goods will be more attractive to your customers, making them more willing to make a purchase.

4. Offer something unique at your bake sale.
Some people aren't willing to make the trip to purchase homemade goods from other people, but if you offer more incentives, you'll get more traffic. For example, ask a local baker to make a presentation about baked goods. You could also have them whip some tasty dessert up for your guests or offer them another type of incentive, such as discounts or gift cards to their bakery. If you give your potential customers a reason to come to your bake sale, you will end up with more traffic. Consider making upgraded versions of classics such as a premium banana nut bread recipe or a trendy baking style such a cake pops or cupcakes.

5. Know your audience.
If the customers at your bake sale tend to be small children, sell your items individually. But if your consumer base is made up of moms or dads, try selling items by the dozen or even selling cakes and pies whole instead of by the slice. You can charge more for whole items, which could help increase your profits and make sure that you're not left with a large quantity of leftovers.

If you are having a bake sale, use these tips to help you increase profit. Advertise the sale, choose the best location, make a good presentation, use incentives and know your audience, and you will quickly see a rise in your profits.