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🎢 Prep 4 Q4 - How to prepare for our busy season.

In this week's Baking it Down Podcast - Episode 173 - Prep 4 Q4, we're preppin' for Q4 - the baker's "Super (mixing) Bowl." 🏈 Right now, you should be feeling the tides of a lullish summer slowly begin to change as we creep into back-to-school territory.

🌬️ Add in the cooler weather blowing in (hey, we can hope, right?) and that signals the official kick-off for baking mayhem that will last until the week after New Year's (until Valentine's Day).

BUT - 😴 we still have a few weeks of down-ish time (are bakers ever truly on vacation though??) to prep for Q4, because - if you remember last year, 😫 you ain't gonna have no time to do this when you're elbow deep in red and green royal icing.

🎢 Twin2 likens this part of the year to a roller coaster that's reached the peak of the initial drop... that point where you feel like the coaster has stopped at the highest point. It feels slow, but what's next is utter calendar chaos, hands in the air, screaming at the top of your lil' lungs. And here's what we think you could spend the next few weeks on so you're all prepped up for Game Day.

🎢 1. Instagram

Let's start with Instagram - even if it's not a big lead generator for you, keeping it up-to-date can help signal to your audience you're rearin' and ready to take holiday orders. It's easy to forget about the bio info, but that's an important jump point for people starting their ordering process with you. Here's what we'd focus on:

• ✅ Update your auto-responder
• ✅ Refresh the pinned posts (You can have 3) - How to Order | Lead Time  | Offerings
• ✅ Update your bio - Location | Now Booking For [Month]
• ✅ Audit your bio links (see: Linktree)
• ✅ Use emojis and line breaks

🎢  2. Facebook

Similar to Instagram, but different - Facebook needs some cleaning up too. I prefer to update it on a desktop computer since the Meta Business Suite app doesn't always give you all the editing options. There's an about section and the more important "Intro" section - this intro section has had an extended character limit and can now feature hyperlinks - ya know, for your ordering form. Also updated those pinned posts so they reflect a 2024 timestamp (bonus if it's not January 1, 2024... ahem, Corrie).

• ✅ Audit About section - check for old information
• ✅ Retype up Intro bio + add a link
• ✅ Refresh pinned posts (repost for 2024 timestamp)
• ✅ Check that your button still works
• ✅ Update links + add social profile links if you haven't
• ✅ Respond to all reviews - include a picture of their order!
• ✅ Add upcoming events to the Events tab for easy tagging
• ✅ Clean up your personal profile (I don't wanna see you arguing politics)

🎢 Website | Forms

Many clients discover us on social media but find themselves on our websites or forms to place an order. Clean up that web shop by archiving old products or products from past holidays. 

Make the product options the ones you know you can knock out of the park quickly (mid-December is not the time to attempt to make your first cake pop). Adding an availability banner (or calendar) can signal that you're ready to bake for the holidays and increase conversions. Adding holiday-themed pictures is another signal that you're ✨the✨ holiday baker of their dreams.

• ✅ Add an availability banner (Now Booking for [Month]
• ✅ Delete / archive old products or past holiday-themed products
• ✅ Add a "Schedule" page for events like classes / vendor markets
• ✅ Update pictures to feature upcoming holiday-themed items

🎢 Google Business Profile Listing

If you'