STORY: Promoted: 5 ways to market your bakery business for free

Marketing is vital for independent bakeries, but are you getting all you can out of your efforts? If you’re short on budget, time or resources, or you just need some pointers on what to do next, here are five free marketing ideas you can implement today that won’t cost you a penny.

1. Get your business online with a Google My Business account

If someone were to search ‘bakeries in Birmingham’, it is your Google My Business account that would make your business appear in those results. Your Google My Business profile encourages customers to make contact with your business, so keeping it up to date with your opening hours, pictures and contact details is a great place to start. 

You can also ask your customers to leave you a review on Google, which helps to showcase that people love your bakery. 

2. Use social media to promote your business

There is no escaping the fact that social media plays a big part in everyday life, regardless of whether you have a social media account. A lot of businesses have found success and seen an increase in sales using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and even TikTok. 

It’s important to remember you don’t need to be on all social media channels; find out where your audience is, or if you’re not sure where to start, just experiment with the one you engage with the most and try to have some fun with it.

 

3. Engage with your local community to boost awareness

There are many ways you can market your bakery locally, but when was the last time you took a walk around your local area and spoke to people about your business? You might have a good idea about who your customers are as they visit your establishment to buy your loaves, rolls and sweet treats, but what about all the people who walk past every day and never enter? Why not invite them in?

You can also find local social media groups and join in the conversation, or why not sponsor a local sports team, raise money for charity, or do something unusual to promote your business?

 

4. Tell your local newspaper about your business achievements 

Whether your bakery is celebrating a major milestone or you’re supporting your local community with one of the ideas above, why not tell your local paper? Local papers are always looking for news stories and content both for their printed editions and their websites. Try and find a unique angle for your story that makes your business interesting to journalists.

 

5. Keep in touch with your customers through email

Newsletters and emails are another great way to let your customers know what’s going on with your bakery. There are many helpful free tools online, making it easy to create exciting emails to help promote your business, keep in touch with customers and gain Google reviews or feedback. Make sure that when you are collecting email addresses, you ask for permission to comply with GDPR (data protection regulations). 

There are many ways to promote your bakery and with a little bit of time and effort you don’t even need to spend any money. If you are looking for even more ways to tell people about your business, then our newest downloadable guide is for you. To download your free copy of our digital marketing guide, head on over to theretailmutual.com/downloads.

Stronger Business for a Stronger Future

If you want a stronger business for a stronger future, choose The Retail Mutual as your Business Cover provider. Since its inception in 1999, The Retail Mutual has grown to provide cover to over 100 different trade types including bakeries, cafés and tea rooms. Why not see what we can do for your business by getting a free no-obligation quote from us? Call our team on 0333 3446 078 or visit theretailmutual.com/bakery for more information on our cover options.