273. Baking it Down - Content Cookies for Beginner Bakers

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In this week's Baking it Down Podcast - Episode 273 - Content Cookies for the Beginner Baker, we acknowledge there's an issue between when a baker gets started selling and the amount of content they have... or, well, don't have.

A lot of the content that bakers post comes from the orders they take, and they get orders from the content they post. So when you're new to selling, you've got a bit of the 'chicken or the egg' going on - how can you make content if you don't have orders?

There are a few strategic approaches that won't have you burning through (baking up?) your margins when money is at the tightest point for any startup - at the beginning.

One single cookie set order of a dozen cookies featuring 4 different designs can get you a lot more content than that one photo you posted. Use the zoom and crop features! Corrie will turn a "jungle birthday" into a single cookie for National Lion's Day (hey - did you know Monday was National Lion's Day?).

Stage it multiple ways and take pictures of each design. Have a "pyramid" setup and then do an isolation setup on a white backdrop. The more you make your cookies work for you in the beginning, the less you'll have to stress when it comes to "what should I post today?"

Most popular trends on TikTok and Instagram don't require being an expert decorator as much as they require you figuring out what's trending and posting before the trend dies down. TikTok even has its own trend tracker. 

August's "I never told you this, but" trend could easily be done with your business partner or spouse - throw on an apron and make it bakery-themed, and there's a lot of potential there.

No one has better (butter?) behind-the-scenes content than a new baker with actual time to make decent B-roll featuring behind-the-scenes of starting a bakery. From finding a cake pop cart (all the rage these days) to figuring out a new type of floral piping strategy to setting up at your first farmer's market - it almost works in favor of the new baker. 

Behind the scenes should be one content bucket you're constantly pinging with videos. Vertical video format will be your quick-win way to cut the line in front of more established bakers.

Regardless, the new baker needs to get time in the proverbial saddle (er... apron), so practice, practice, practice. But instead of having to fire up the oven for cookies you'll pitch anyway, check out "notta cookies" - the original concept came from the creators of CookieCon, and it's literally a plastic practice cookie - that way you're only losing on the ingredients cost of royal icing while still being able to tackle new techniques. Heck - make the "notta cookie" practice into videos - hey, did we mention make more videos?

Listen to the strategies behind our last time - turning practice into give-a-w-a-y-s to increase brand awareness, grow reviews, and get real-life taste testers so you're "wasted ingredients cost" actually hits your marketing budget.  

👂 Snag this podcast on any major podcast player (Spotify, Apple Music, Audible, Amazon Music, or watch it on YouTube) by searching for Baking it Down Podcast - Episode 273 - Content Cookies for the Beginner Baker.