Baking it Down with Sugar Cookie Marketing 🍪

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Okay oops! We forgot the Mailbag portion of the podcast - Greg (yes, there's a podcast) sent us a peanut butter pie! Corrie stole it though and photographed it - so more on that soon (hopefully - I'm still upset by it).

Also - we'll be speaking at CookieCon Orlando! SO COME SEE US! It'll be our first CookieCon, but it'll definitely be better than Dallas (kidding - but it is a little more affordable). It's September 1 - 4th, 2021. You can watch this Instagram Live by Kanani's Cookies that answers any and every question you may have had about this event. If you'd like to reserve your ticket, you can do so on June 2nd on the website (hint - go to Orlando).

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Heyo! It's the Sugar Cookie Marketing Group twins, and we're here to talk about the baking business "r's" - refunds and rush fees. Dun, dun, duuuun.

Here's what we're covering this week:

• Intro - 10 Questions about your Twin
• Marketing Minutes - Ask Your Doctor if Refunds are Right for You
• The Business of Baking - Rush Fees? The Embodiment of Evil? Or?
• Voicemails / Texts / Emails (571) 556-5644)
• Group Stuff - Upcoming Lives and such.
• Twinterests - things I'm into that I think you should know about.
• Sponsor - Eddie the Edible Printer

In The Marketing Minutes, Heather talks about... REFUNDS. Why are we so angsty about refunds? How can we better understand what the refund is for and how to manage it. Are refunds bad? Are clients trying to have their proverbial cake (er... cookie) and eat it too? Hey - run your business how you'd like - but here's another perspective when it comes to refunds.

In The Business of Baking, Corrie wants to talk about rush fees. What are they for? Should you have them? Are people who charge rush fees evil scum of the earth? Again - run your business how you'd like, but consider this perspective when making that decision.

Next, in Voicemails, the Sugar Cookie Bookies book club! Thanks for talking about it, Thembi. They're reading How to Win Friends and Influence People, and Laura does an awesome job of blowing our minds while stepping on our toes (only the toes that need to be stepped on lol). 

• Call / Text: (571) 556-5644
• Email: hello@sugarcookiemarketing[dot]com

Group Stuff. We had an AWESOME live last week with Jes Clapper on pigs and porch pop-ups for rural communities! Next up - Instagram marketing with Kourtney!

• Nailing Commercial Orders with the Eddie Printer
  • https://www.facebook.com/events/2340072719461918
  • May 27th, 2021
  • 8:00PM

Podcast Mail Bag - Totally forgot about this! So sorry!

• 15000 Potomac Town Place, Suite 245, Woodbridge, VA 22191

And lastly - whatever I find interesting (twinteresting):

• Corrie: Corrie got a custom stamp from a small business! https://boutiquestamps.com/
• Heather: Eddie the Edible Printer. Meet my man!

And Sponsors. Eddie the Edible Printer!

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Rooound TWO on podcast 13. Sorry - the mics hit the crapper halfway through filming this, so the Sugar Cookie Marketing Group twins, how to re-record. 

Here's what we're covering this week:

• Intro - 10 Questions about The Group
• Marketing Minutes - What's a Brand Voice?
• The Business of Baking - Customer Experience MATTERS
• Voicemails / Texts / Emails (571) 556-5644)
• Group Stuff - Upcoming Lives and such.
• Mailbag???
• Twinterests - things I'm into that I think you should know about.
• Sponsors

In The Marketing Minutes, we talk about brand voice - what it is and how it helps you to better cultivate your brand and speak to your target. It's invaluable to establish a brand voice and have all your marketing support that. A great example is Wendy's and their online brand voice - it's hilarious, and it's yeet-y.

• Link: Wendy's Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wendys

In The Business of Baking, Corrie introduces us to Kent the stent and her nightmarish experience at her doctor's office (see: dark back alley). Why customer experience matters and how you can optimize your client's experience to beef up your bottom line.

Next, in Voicemails, we cover "will the twins sell the group?" Also - organizing content buckets from your phone, as well as how to get people to read your copy - even if it is a wall of text.

• Call / Text: (571) 556-5644
• Email: hello@sugarcookiemarketing[dot]com

Group Stuff. We had an AWESOME live last week with Jes Clapper on pigs and porch pop-ups for rural communities! Next up - Instagram marketing with Kourtney!

• Instagram Marketing with Kourtney of Bakery Tee Co
  • https://www.facebook.com/events/283972396541147/
  • May 20th, 2021
  • 7:00PM

Podcast Mail Bag - Corrie wanted to introduce a mailbag where you can send in whatever and we'll talk about it on the podcast. Send us a postcard! Address is:

• 15000 Potomac Town Place, Suite 245, Woodbridge, VA 22191

And lastly - whatever I find interesting (twinteresting):

• Corrie: Squeezed Juice Cleanse 
• Heather: I'm into smart home automation. I like the Kasa plugs on Amazon!

And Sponsors. Darn it - skipped it again.

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It's the Sugar Cookie Marketing Group twins, and I'm mixing things up a bit. Here are 10 things you never knew about HEATHER, that you probably didn't wanna know anyway, but now you know.

Here's what we're covering this week:

• Intro (10 questions with Twin 1)
• Marketing Minutes - Dishing out on Content Buckets.
• The Business of Baking - Know Your Worth
• Voicemails / Texts / Emails (571) 556-5644)
• Group Stuff - Upcoming Lives and such.
• Twinterests - things I'm into that I think you should know about.
• Sponsors

In The Marketing Minutes, Heather wanted to cover what content buckets are and how to implement them to get social media working for you a little more easily. Content buckets allow you to get ahead of your marketing rather than always feeling behind.

In The Business of Baking, Corrie breaks down a client experience she had this week where the price was an issue until it wasn't. She also gives us a script about how to address this and some pro-tips on how to turn that no into that ever-coveted yes.

Next, in Voicemails, we talk about Instagram insights - the good, the bad, and the ugly. Best practices when it comes to naming your company, and moving users from a group back to a page.

• Call / Text: (571) 556-5644
• Email: hello@sugarcookiemarketing[dot]com

Finally - Group stuff. We had an AWESOME live last week with Jennifer Groh on newsletters - how to make them and grow them. It was an hour of really awesome money generating content. Highly recommend. I also did a quick live on Popls. 

• Porch Pop-ups for Rural Communities and Small Towns by Jes Clapper
  • https://www.facebook.com/events/1187638538344369/
  • May 13th, 2021
  • 7:00PM
• Instagram Marketing with Kourtney of Bakery Tee Co
  • https://www.facebook.com/events/283972396541147/
  • May 20th, 2021
  • 7:00PM

And lastly - whatever I find interesting (twinteresting - come on people, that's a perfect pun).

• Corrie: Yeti cups.
• Heather: Recap on using the Sony A7C as a webcam for that Popl demonstration live. Highly recommend. 

And Sponsors. Look like we forgot to cover it. My bad.

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It's the Sugar Cookie Marketing Group twins, and I'm mixing things up a bit. Here are 10 things you never knew about Corrie, that you probably didn't wanna know anyway, but now you know.

Here's what we're covering this week:

• Intro (10 questions with Corrie)
• Marketing Minutes - Moisturizer and Marketing
• The Business of Baking - Reviiiieeews
• Voicemails / Texts / Emails (571) 556-5644)
• Group Stuff - Upcoming Lives and such.
• Twinterests - things I'm into that I think you should know about.
• Sponsors

In The Marketing Minutes, Corrie talks about moisturizer and marketing - no, that wasn't a typo, and yes, Corrie has the feet of newborns. Marketing takes TIME, much like skincare. You don't put on a mask overnight and expect a miracle by morning (I mean, I do, but I've always been left wildly disappointed). 

In The Business of Baking, we cover reviews. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the "you shouldn't take it personally." How to handle bad reviews when you DEFINITELY will get them. Remember - the truly most effective way to combat bad reviews is to get more good reviews. So ask for them.

Next, in Voicemails, scheduling stories - also, what should you post? If we don't take custom orders, how do we make money with cookies? Are we broke? How to join a mom group if you're not a mom (but are a snake mom)?

• Call / Text: (571) 556-5644
• Email: hello@sugarcookiemarketing[dot]com

Finally - Group stuff. We had an AWESOME live last week ME. And no one watched, but I did reveal the secret to happiness, the coordinates of the fountain of youth, and the stock picks from my boyfriend, William Gates. SO - you missed out. But Courtney's kid didn't.

• How to Create, Build, and Grow a Cookie Business Newsletter with Jennifer Groh
  • https://www.facebook.com/events/235316108353661/
  • May 6th, 2021
  • 7:00PM
• Porch Pop-ups for Rural Communities and Small Towns by Jes Clapper
  • https://www.facebook.com/events/1187638538344369/
  • May 13th, 2021
  • 7:00PM
• Instagram Marketing with Kourtney of Bakery Tee Co
  • https://www.facebook.com/events/283972396541147/
  • May 20th, 2021
  • 7:00PM

And lastly - whatever I find interesting (twinteresting - come on people, that's a perfect pun).

• Corrie: Baby feet.
• Heather: Using a DSLR as a web cam for digital classes (and Zoom meetings). More on that later.

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Hey, Hi, Hello, and Heyo from the Sugar Cookie Marketing Group. In the "SCM" group, we cover everything marketing-related as it pertains to baking and selling because marketing is a universal language we can apply to anything - and here we're applying it to COOKIES.

Here's what we're covering this week:

• Intro
• Marketing Minutes - Follow Trains - All Aboard or Last Stop.
• The Business of Baking - Astroturfing Posts (breakdown)
• Voicemails / Texts / Emails (571) 556-5644)
• Group Stuff - Upcoming Lives and such.
• Twinterests - things I'm into that I think you should know about.

In The Marketing Minutes, Corrie puts the railroad crossing signs down on Follow Trains. Follow trains make sense, but do they make strategic sense? Is sacrificing reach for a vanity metric like Followers worth it? If you've already been involved in the follow train fambam, can you fix it? Listen - it's your business, your way. We're just making sure you have the facts you need to be the conductor of your own marketing (running out of train puns).

In The Business of Baking, Corrie tells us how she sold 60 orders in 1 hours that fit her schedule and respected her boundaries. How she turned no's into yes's and she'll give us the very copy she used to do it all.

Next, in Voicemails, is selling on your personal page tacky? What's our favorite soda and the beginning to Corrie's autobiography (apparently). 

• Call / Text: (571) 556-5644
• Email: hello@sugarcookiemarketing[dot]com

Finally - Group stuff. We had an AWESOME live last week with Gina Burke on pre-sales and we have some cool lives coming up. Also - we'll be starting the 3x3x3 challenge in May again!

• How to Create, Build, and Grow a Cookie Business Newsletter with Jennifer Groh
  • https://www.facebook.com/events/235316108353661/
  • May 6th, 2021
  • 7:00PM
• Porch Pop-ups for Rural Communities and Small Towns by Jes Clapper
  • https://www.facebook.com/events/1187638538344369/
  • May 13th, 2021
  • 7:00PM
• Instagram Marketing with Kourtney of Bakery Tee Co
  • https://www.facebook.com/events/283972396541147/
  • May 20th, 2021
  • 7:00PM

And lastly - whatever I find interesting (twinteresting - come on people, that's a perfect pun).

• Corrie: Swamp humidity be darned.
• Heather: Popls (https://popl.co/collections/popls)

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Hey, it's "Head" and "Corkle" from Sugar Cookie Marketing Group. In the "SCM" group, we cover everything marketing-related as it pertains to baking - mostly cookies, but we love our bread, mac n cheese cake people more on that in the group lol).

Here's what we're covering this week:

• Intro
• Marketing Minutes - Popcorn Pricing
• The Business of Baking - 5 Tips to Protect Mental Health
• Voicemails / Texts / Emails (571) 556-5644)
• Group Stuff - Upcoming Lives and such.
• Twinterests - things I'm into that I think you should know about.

In The Marketing Minutes, we want to describe (terribly) popcorn pricing - what it is and why it's an amazing psychological strategy that makes everyone feel like a winner. I love popcorn AND I love popcorn pricing.

In The Business of Baking, Corrie gives us five tips to protect our mental health - because, if you're not happy, you're not in business much longer. We gotta make our businesses sustainable and the way we do that is through guarding our brains and cortisol levels.

Next, in Voicemails, a question on websites and a text asking about training one's own competition - is this business self-sabotage?!

• Call / Text: (571) 556-5644
• Email: hello@sugarcookiemarketing[dot]com

Finally - Group stuff. We had an AWESOME live last week with Gina Burke on pre-sales and we have some cool lives coming up. Also - we'll be starting the 3x3x3 challenge in May again!

• How to Nail Mother’s Day Presales with Gina Marie Burke - Thursday, April 15th @ 8:00PM
• Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Teaching Sugar Decorating Classes with Corrie Miracle - April 22nd @ 10:30AM
• How to Create, Build, and Grow a Cookie Business Newsletter with Jennifer Groh - Thursday, May 6th, @ 7:00PM
• Porch Pop-ups for Rural Communities and Small Towns by Jes Clapper on May 13, 2021

And lastly - whatever I find interesting (twinteresting - come on people, that's a perfect pun).

• Corrie: Zesty Zesters
• Heather: Asana Templates

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Heyo - the alleged "twins" from Sugar Cookie Marketing Group. In the "SCM" group, we cover everything marketing-related as it pertains to baking - mostly cookies, but we love our bread, mac, and cheesecake peoples.

Here's what we're covering this week:

• Intro
• Marketing Minutes - Dynamic  Pricing
• The Business of Baking - The "Wal-Mart Effect"
• Voicemails / Texts / Emails (571) 556-5644)
• Group Stuff - Upcoming Lives and such.
• Twinterests - things I'm into that I think you should know about.

In The Marketing Minutes, Corrie wanted to talk about this unique little thing we have up here in Northern Virginia called the Express Lanes. These lanes use dynamic pricing to control flow and somehow Corrie ties this into baking. But trust me - it kinda makes sense once you hear it.

• Read more about our commuting financial nightmare: https://www.tollroadsinvirginia.com/Facility/ExpressLanes95/

In The Business of Baking, Heather covers the Wal-Mart effect and how you can't sustain low prices unless you're a billion-dollar corporation - which, if you are, we'll need you to do a Facebook Group live. Thanks.

• The Wal-Mart Effect: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/294987/the-wal-mart-effect-by-charles-fishman/ 

Next, in Voicemails, I read a text from the Yukon, we got an adorable "thank you" from Sabrina, and we cover content buckets. 

• Call / Text: (571) 556-5644
• Email: hello@sugarcookiemarketing[dot]com

Finally - Group stuff. We had an awesome live with Sara Hughes last week covering everything Farmer's Markets, and we have three upcoming lives next month (and working on a few more - you know who you are) also linked below.

• How to Nail Mother’s Day Presales with Gina Marie Burke - Thursday, April 15th @ 8:00PM
• Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Teaching Sugar Decorating Classes with Corrie Miracle - April 22nd @ 10:30AM
• How to Create, Build, and Grow a Cookie Business Newsletter with Jennifer Groh - Thursday, May 6th, @ 7:00PM
• Porch Pop-ups for Rural Communities and Small Towns by Jes Clapper on May 13, 2021
• Coming Soon: Instagram Marketing with Kourtney of Bakery Tee Co

And lastly - whatever I find interesting (twinteresting - come on people, that's a perfect pun).

• Daylio: https://daylio.net/
• Corrie never gave me the link to the mix for the icing. Take that up with her.

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Hey! YES WE HAVE A PODCAST - and it's featuring info we talk about in Sugar Cookie Marketing Group. In the SCM group, we cover everything marketing-related as it pertains to baking - and mostly baking sugar cookies, but we allow the "mac folks" to grace us with their presence.

First off - follow us on the Toks (yes - I said that)

Here's what we're covering this week:

• Intro
• Marketing Minutes - Anchor Pricing
• The Business of Baking - Hate that we Love that we Hate Clients
• Voicemails / Texts / Emails (571) 556-5644)
• Group Stuff - Upcoming Lives and such.
• Twinterests - things I'm into that I think you should know about.

In The Marketing Minutes, Heather covers what price anchoring is, and why it matters because you're probably experiencing it on a daily basis. "Price anchoring refers to the practice of establishing a price point which customers can refer to when making decisions. Every time you see a discount with “Was $100 Is Now $75”, the $100 is the price anchor for the $75 sales price."

In The Business of Baking, Corrie talks about the love and hate relationship we have with customers - but we need to remember - these clients are 1) our livelihood and 2) probably not cookie experts; so when dealing with client communication, we need to keep that in mind. BE KIND. Without these folks, we can't pay the mortgage, so even when we have to tell them no, we need to do it by telling them yes. Not everyone is our ideal client, but everyone is human and compassion should abound.  

Next, in Voicemails, I read a bunch of texts. 

• Call / Text: (571) 556-5644
• Email: hello@sugarcookiemarketing[dot]com

We are all going to Twinsberg, Ohio for Twin Day. LoL.

Mel asks, "Hey ladies! I'm having a blast listening & learning from you all! ❤️ Just now finished episode 6 & have an email list question... I've been using a texting service for my direct sales gig & hello... I'm paying for it anyway, might as well use it for cookie peeps also! I spaced on using it for Easter presales, but did send out a mass text for my pop-up. By mass, I mean the 30 (🤣🤣🤣) cookie customer phone numbers I have. 😬🤦🏻‍♀️ I'm also able to schedule reminder texts for pickup dates, which is amazing. This is basically the same as email marketing, right? I can schedule the texts, personalize them, add links & graphics. Any reason not to use a texting service this way? Thank you so much for the group & your wealth of knowledge! You're both hilarious, I choose no favorite. 😘" 

Finally - Group stuff. We had an awesome live with Sara Hughes last week covering everything Farmer's Markets, and we have three upcoming lives next month (and working on a few more - you know who you are) also linked below.

• How to Nail Mother’s Day Presales with Gina Marie Burke - Thursday, April 15th @ 8:00PM
• Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Teaching Sugar Decorating Classes with Corrie Miracle - April 22nd @ 10:30AM
• How to Create, Build, and Grow a Cookie Business Newsletter with Jennifer Groh - Thursday, May 6th, @ 7:00PM

And lastly - whatever I find interesting (twinteresting - come on people, that's a perfect pun).

• LastPass: https://www.lastpass.com/

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Hey! It's back to BOTH twins from the Sugar Cookie Marketing Group here to teach you about marketing, talk about business, and cover things going on in the group. In the SCM group, we cover everything marketing-related as it pertains to baking - and mostly baking sugar cookies, but we allow the "mac folks" to grace us with their presence. 

Here's what we're covering this week:

• Intro
• Marketing Minutes - Pricing and why it differs.
• The Business of Baking - Business burnout.
• Voicemails / Texts / Emails (571) 556-5644)
• Group Stuff - Upcoming Lives and such.
• Twinterests - things I'm into that I think you should know about.

In The Marketing Minutes, Corrie talks about why the question "what would you price these at?" is so dangerous. My costs do not equal your costs, and if your costs exceed mine, you will be undercharging and losing on each sale.  Plus - when to charge more, what happens when you charge more, and how to deal with the inevitability of losing clients when you up those prices to cover your costs, labor, and profit.

• BakeCalc.com - https://www.bakecalc.com/ 

In The Business of Baking, Heather covers business burnout and what it takes to stay motivated when those late nights and long hours over the oven get you questioning if this is even worth it. She references a TedTalk with Mel Robbins (note - may have some rough language, so perhaps not ideal to play over the speakers of your minivan), but it's linked below.

“A difficult time can be more readily endured if we retain the conviction that our existence holds a purpose - a cause to pursue, a person to love, a goal to achieve.” - John Maxwell

• Mel Robbins - https://www.ted.com/talks/mel_robbins_how_to_stop_screwing_yourself_over?language=en

Next, in Voicemails, I read a bunch of texts. 

• Call / Text: (571) 556-5644
• Email: hello@sugarcookiemarketing[dot]com

We take Jennifer Groh's win voicemail where she tells us she sold out on Easter Orders using mostly her email marketing - which is awesome - more on that later. And we get an interesting question on "what should I do if I've gotten better? Should I reach out to old customers? Or should I forget them?" Lastly, we referencing some confusion with GMB listings (if you missed this acronym - listen to last week's podcast episode 5.

Finally - Group stuff. We had an awesome live with Sara Hughes last week covering everything Farmer's Markets, and we have three upcoming lives next month (and working on a few more - you know who you are) also linked below.

• How to Nail Mother’s Day Presales with Gina Marie Burke - Thursday, April 15th @ 8:00PM
• Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Teaching Sugar Decorating Classes with Corrie Miracle - April 22nd @ 10:30AM
• How to Create, Build, and Grow a Cookie Business Newsletter with Jennifer Groh - Thursday, May 6th, @ 7:00PM

And lastly - whatever I find interesting (twinteresting - come on people, that's a perfect pun). Corrie is trying this new thing called "drinking water" and Heather is lovin' YNAB after a year with this budgeting app.

• YNAB https://www.youneedabudget.com/