Open Morning at Lily Pad Bakery

On Monday, I decided it might be a good idea to have an Open Morning for Lily Pad Bakery on Friday to try to get some more orders for Christmas.  I sent out a Facebook invite on Monday morning and then set to work, doing my orders for the week (7 gingerbread houses and a Frozen cake) as well as getting samples ready for the morning.

It was a little stressful getting everything ready on time, but I got there.  I got up at 6am to give myself enough time to set the kitchen up for the 9am start.  I had samples for all of my Christmas Fayre, hot fruit punch to drink in the slow cooker and a chocolate cherry cake and gingerbread biscuits on offer for a small donation to Children in Need.

Christmas Table

Other table with wedding cakes and tasting cakes

I was lucky in that I had 3 waves of people turn up - meaning it wasn't crazy.  As soon as one wave left, another arrived.  In all 15 people turned up.  Everyone ordered something which was great, including one who ordered over £60 of goods - she really made my day which brought me almost £300 of orders.

We also met a lady in the village whose son currently lives in Japan!

Note for next year: do a 'alternative flavour cake' for a small donation to charity.  This will mean people will sample something different to vanilla / regular sponge and might encourage them to order more exciting flavours of cake in the future.

Don't bother with gingerbread biscuits - just personalised people and a couple of others but nothing more.

Advertise more widely next year, to try to attract people who don't know me, and don't do it on Children in Need day as there was an event at school for Nursery and Reception meaning many people didn't make it.

Maybe do it on a Saturday morning as well???