One of the hardest lessons to learn in your cake business is that not everyone is your customer, and how that affects pricing.
And that’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s the key to building a sustainable, profitable business that feels calm and consistent instead of chaotic and reactive.
When you start out, it’s tempting to take every enquiry that comes in. You want to build your reputation, fill your diary and keep baking. But saying yes to everyone often means saying no to yourself — to your time, your profit and your sanity.
Understanding who your cakes are for (and who they’re not) is one of the most important parts of cake pricing. It shapes how you present your business, how you communicate and, ultimately, how confidently you charge for your work.
Why Not Everyone Should Be Your Customer
Every baker attracts different people. Some customers prioritise price, others value creativity, service or convenience. If you try to appeal to all of them at once, you end up sending mixed messages — and mixed messages create confusion.
Someone looking for a £35 cake and someone looking for a £150 cake are both valid customers — just not for the same business. The first wants something simple and affordable. The second wants something bespoke and memorable. Both are fine, but they need different experiences, communication and pricing to feel right.
Knowing who you serve best allows you to focus your energy on the people who already value what you do — not the ones trying to haggle you down.
The Link Between Customers and Cake Pricing
When you understand who your ideal customer is, pricing becomes clearer. Your prices should reflect not only your costs and profit, but also the experience you deliver.
If your cakes are hand-crafted, beautifully boxed and personally delivered, your customer is buying more than sponge and buttercream. They’re buying ease, care and reliability. They’re paying for the reassurance that everything will be perfect.
That’s why cake pricing isn’t just about maths — it’s about perception. The people who appreciate your effort won’t question your prices. The people who constantly compare you to supermarket cakes aren’t your audience.
How to Identify Your Ideal Customer
You don’t need complicated marketing data to work this out. Start with these simple questions:
- Who do I love baking for?
- What do those customers value most — design, reliability, quality, speed or service?
- What type of celebration or situation do they usually order for?
- What feedback do they give that makes me proud?
Look at your best orders — the ones that paid well, went smoothly and left you feeling appreciated. Those customers are your target market.
They’re the ones who:
- Reply politely and quickly
- Don’t quibble about price
- Recommend you to others
- Understand that quality takes time
Once you know who they are, you can tailor everything to speak directly to them.
How to Speak to the Right Customers
Your language, imagery and tone all influence who feels drawn to your business.
- Website and social media: Make sure your photos, colours and captions reflect the kind of business you want to be. If your goal is to attract premium celebration cake orders, your presentation should feel refined and consistent.
- Captions and messaging: Use words that reflect your values — reliability, quality, creativity — and avoid phrases that sound bargain-driven or rushed.
- Customer journey: Make enquiry forms, booking terms and communication professional. A structured process makes the right customers feel secure and shows that your cake business takes itself seriously.
Remember: people decide what your cakes are worth long before they taste them. Your brand, tone and systems do most of the talking.
Letting Go of the Wrong Ones
Turning down enquiries can feel uncomfortable, especially when you’re building your cake business. But saying no to the wrong work makes space for the right work to come in.
If a customer insists your prices are too high, they’re not questioning your worth — they’re simply not your customer. Politely decline or recommend someone who fits their budget. Protecting your time and pricing is part of running a professional business.
The more consistently you uphold your standards, the more you attract people who share them.
Building a Business That Fits You
When you stop chasing every sale, something shifts. You gain time, confidence and clarity. You start enjoying your work again.
When you understand this, you can finally price your cakes based on what they’re worth — not what someone else thinks they should cost.
That’s the goal of every sustainable cake business: to serve the right customers at the right price, with pride and purpose.
So take a look at your recent enquiries. Who are the people who light you up? Who are the ones who drain you? Build your business around the first group — they’re your people.
Because not everyone is your customer. And that’s exactly how it should be.
If this post has made you think differently about who you’re really selling to — and why some people happily pay your prices while others don’t — you’ll love what’s coming next. The Business of Cake: Simplifying the Business of Pricing goes deeper into the psychology behind pricing decisions, exploring how perception, presentation and mindset shape what customers are willing to pay. You’ll learn why people connect with value, how to present your work with confidence and what makes pricing feel effortless instead of awkward.
If you want to understand the behaviour behind the numbers — not just how to price, but why people pay — join the waitlist today. You’ll be the first to know when it launches, and you’ll get early access plus exclusive benefits.
👉 Join the waiting list for Simplifying the Business of Pricing
