Congratulations on your new business! Cake decorating is a fun business, and I have listed several marketing ideas that you can consider for your business:

1. Start by creating better cakes, if not the best, compared to other local bakeries and your competitors in your area. Your cakes should be tastier, yummier and better designed than your local bakery. Having the best cakes in town is a terrific marketing arsenal for your business, as it will incite more people to talk about your products and recommend your cakes to others.

2. Advertise your business. You can advertise in your local Valpak or other money-saving coupons vehicles offering discounts to buyers. You may want to advertise more aggressively during important seasons of the year, such as the wedding season and graduation in May and June.

3. Seek out partner distributors in your area. Expand your marketplace by finding partners who will sell your cake products for you. Approach local coffee shops, and local bookstores operating coffee shops, and check if they would be willing to offer your cakes to their patrons. Don’t be afraid to talk to them; the worst they can say is “No.”

4. Network with local wedding planners and ensure that you provide their wedding cake requirements (or at least you are one of the vendors they will recommend to their clients). Weddings can provide a steady stream of business for you.

5. In the same vein as above, network with event and party planners to ensure that you will be included in their list of vendors. You want your cake to be in every party – from birthdays to corporate festivities -- in your locality.

6. Make your business more visible in the community by sponsoring local events or church activities, or offering free sample products. Be present in fundraising activities (schools have this, non profits, etc) offering your products for free. Exposure in the community can help create buzz for your business, and word of mouth can go along way in helping get the word out about your business.

7. Send out press releases about your new business, making sure that you specify what makes your business special and different from the rest. The more newsworthy your release (e.g. did you create a very unique cake), the greater your chances of getting picked up by the editors.

8. Tap the Web. Create a website that showcases your products, then promote it or advertise in local online directories. Think of your website as your online brochure where customers and potential clients can see your expertise in cake decorating and new varieties you offer.

9. Send out direct mail including postcards. There are several targeted markets that you can tap in your area. One of them are newborn announcements where friends and relatives can celebrate the occasion with a cake. Parents with graduating children can also be an important market for whom you could send out postcards suggesting to reserve their graduation cakes now.

The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, not of PowerHomeBiz.com. Users should not treat the Guide's response as legal, accounting, or professional advice as all answers are intended to be general in nature. Such advice can only be properly given by qualified professionals who are fully aware of a user's specific geographical areas or circumstances, such as an attorney or accountant.