Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Allison Davis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Allison, thanks for joining us today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.
My first clients were all family friends and their friends. I got a lot of business through word of mouth. To reach more clients, I created a Facebook page, took free samples to local businesses and left business cards anywhere I could. I also began doing craft fairs where I would sell cupcakes, mini pies, cookies and breads. I would sell out before the event was over most times. I got a lot of new customers through craft fairs.
Allison, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My interest in baking started when I was in high school. Using my grandmothers’ recipes, I began baking our family favorites: pound cake, oatmeal raisin cookies, chess squares, and banana bread. My senior year I reached out to Sullivan University’s culinary school in Louisville, Kentucky. They sent a representative to meet me and my parents, and my path was set.
I started The Rolling Pin in 2012, baking cakes for friends and family. I love taking someone’s idea for a cake and seeing their joy when I deliver the finished product. I also enjoy experimenting with new flavors and recipes. Today I make everything from wedding and party cakes to decorated cookies and holiday desserts.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
When I started there was only Facebook. That was my main platform for a long time. I created an Instagram account when it became available. I would post every cake or dessert I made to show my followers what I could do. Now my accounts are attached so that when I post on Instagram it shows up on Facebook as well. The two things that have helped me get more followers on Instagram are hashtags and reels. It can be time consuming and difficult to create reels, but they always get more likes than posts do. Another great way to gain more followers is through giveaways. I’ve done a few giveaways where a requirement to win is to share my business. It can be something small like a free pie or a dozen chocolate chip cookies (in my case).
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Reviews and word of mouth have really helped my business and my reputation. When customers leave reviews describing how great their cake or cookies tasted and how wonderful it was to work with me, it reflects well on my business. I’ve been very blessed to have such wonderful customers who share about my business and continue to buy their cakes and cookies from me.
Contact Info:
- Website: therollingpintn.com
- Instagram: @therollingpintn
- Other: https://www.theknot.com/marketplace/the-rolling-pin-hendersonville-tn-2006839