What you bake
Cake Business Poster: Size, Cost, and Where to Post
A clear plan for a cake business poster that gets seen and brings in orders.
On this page
What to remember
- Say what you bake and how to order in five seconds.
- Use one clear photo and your business name.
- Post it where your customers already go.
- Check that every poster has a way to reach you.
- Track which spot brings orders.
You do not need a fancy design to sell more cake. A good cake business poster works like a silent salesperson at the school gate, the church board, or the coffee shop window. It should say what you make, what it costs, and how to reach you before someone walks away. Print one this week and test it in a single spot before you spend more.
What should a cake business poster say?
Lead with the cake, not the story. People glance at a poster for only a moment. Your headline should name the treat, such as Custom Birthday Cakes or Cookie Boxes for Pickup. Under that, add your business name and one contact method. A phone number or a simple web address works better than a long paragraph. If you take custom orders, say so plainly. Order by Friday for Saturday pickup gives people a reason to act now. Keep the words short and the font large enough to read from a few feet away. Use a photo of a real cake you baked, not a stock image that looks nothing like your work. You can find more ideas in this cake business advertisement guide.
How big should a cake business poster be?
Most indoor spots work well with an 11 by 17 inch poster. It is big enough to read across a room but small enough to fit a standard frame. Outdoor spots like a fence or a market tent need something weatherproof. A 2 by 3 foot sign with a laminate cover holds up better in rain and sun. If you are posting inside a shop, ask the owner what size fits their board before you print. Printing the wrong size wastes money and time. Match the size to the spot, not to your favorite design. A poster that is too small gets ignored, and one that is too big gets taken down or covered by other flyers.
Where should you post a cake business poster?
Put your poster where people already buy food or wait with time to spare. Coffee shops, church bulletin boards, school pickup lines, and community centers are good spots. Ask permission first. Ask the owner what is allowed on their walls. Leave a small stack of cards or flyers next to the poster when the owner allows it. A poster with no way to take your information home is a missed order. Rotate your posters every few weeks so regulars notice them again. For a wider reach, pair your poster with a simple cake business website that has your full menu and order form. Always follow the rules of the place where you post, and replace any poster that gets torn or faded.
What does a cake business poster cost?
A basic black and white poster costs little to print at a local shop. Color prints cost more, and laminated or weatherproof versions cost the most. Your real cost is the time you spend designing, printing, and posting it. Count the poster as part of your marketing overhead, not as a supply for one cake. If you spend $30 on posters and they bring in three orders, each order carries $10 of poster cost. That is easy to cover when the order itself has a healthy margin. You can see how the numbers work in this cake business guide. Reprinting a damaged poster is another cost, so choose durable paper for outdoor spots and keep a digital file so you can reprint fast.
For example, say a poster brings in one custom cake order a week. You charge $120. Ingredients cost $25. Labor is 2.5 hours at $20 an hour, so $50. Your overhead is the $20 Brevl plan plus $10 for the poster, or $30 for the month. Across four orders, overhead is $7.50 per cake. Your margin after ingredients, labor, and overhead is $37.50. If the poster brings in only one order a month, overhead jumps to $30 per cake and your margin falls to $15.
How do you know if your poster is working?
Give each poster its own phone number, email alias, or discount code. When someone orders, ask where they saw you. If a poster brings in nothing after a month, move it or change the photo. A poster that sits in the same spot for a year becomes wallpaper. Track the orders that come from each location so you know where to print next. This is the same habit you need for cake business management: watch the numbers, then adjust. Small changes like a brighter photo or a clearer price can double the orders from the same spot, so test one change at a time.
What mistakes make a poster useless?
The biggest mistake is printing before you check the rules. Check your state cottage food rules first. A poster that promises delivery or wholesale sales can cross a line if your rules do not allow it. Another mistake is using a tiny font or a dark photo that hides the cake. A third is leaving off your business name, which makes you impossible to find later. Finally, do not post a price you cannot keep. If your cost rises, your poster price should rise too. You can check the basics in this cake business requirements guide. A poster with no call to action is just wall art, and a poster with a bad phone number is worse than none.
Pick the spot
Choose a place where your customers already go, like a coffee shop or school board.
Ask permission
Talk to the owner or manager before you hang anything.
Design the poster
Use one clear photo, your business name, and one way to order.
Print the right size
Match the size to the spot, indoor or outdoor.
Add a tracker
Use a unique code or ask customers where they saw you.
Check results
After 30 days, keep the posters that bring orders and replace the rest.
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For more on the craft side of running your bake shop, from naming your business to pricing your first order, visit the craft topic hub.
Common questions
What should a cake business poster include?
Your best cake photo, your business name, and one way to order. Add a short headline like Custom Birthday Cakes so people know what you sell. Keep the text large and simple. A poster should be readable from a few feet away in under five seconds. Avoid long stories or tiny fonts that make people work to understand you.
Where can I post a cake business poster?
Coffee shops, church boards, school pickup lines, and community centers are good spots. Always ask the owner or manager before you hang anything. Ask what is allowed on their walls. Leave a small stack of cards next to the poster when the owner allows it. Rotate your posters every few weeks so regulars notice them again.
How much should I spend on a cake business poster?
A basic black and white poster costs little at a local print shop. Color and lamination raise the price. Count the poster as marketing overhead, not as a supply for one cake. If you spend $30 on posters and they bring in three orders, each order carries $10 of poster cost. That is easy to cover with a healthy margin.
Can I post a cake business poster anywhere?
No. Ask permission first. Check your state cottage food rules before you print, and ask the owner if flyers are allowed. A poster that promises delivery or wholesale sales can cross a line if your rules do not allow it. When in doubt, keep the claim simple: what you bake and how to order.
How do I know if my poster is working?
Give each poster its own phone number, email alias, or discount code. When someone orders, ask where they saw you. If a poster brings in nothing after a month, move it or change the photo. Track orders by location so you know where to print next. A poster that sits for a year becomes wallpaper.