Smart Cookie Newsletter - Issue #2

Smart Cookie Newsletter - Issue #2

Why Summer Planning Secures Your Festive Season Success

While your customers are dreaming of poolside activities, successful bakery owners are thinking of the profit side. Anyone who's been through the holiday season in the bakery industry can tell you there's just no time during the holidays to plan.

The math is basic.  Every week you delay planning, you lose potential revenue. July planning means August staff training, September systems testing, and October marketing launch—creating a profit machine that runs smoothly when holiday chaos hits. And savvy operators start teasing back-to-school, Halloween, and Festive Pre-orders by the end of Summer, not 3 weeks before the holiday.

The Hidden Costs of Late Planning

September starters face brutal realities:

• Premium staffing costs: Hiring desperate seasonal workers at inflated wages

• Ingredient price spikes: Supply chains strained by industry-wide demand

• Equipment failures: No time for maintenance means December breakdowns

• Customer disappointment: Rushed orders lead to quality issues and reputation damage

Smart bakeries avoid these pitfalls entirely through strategic summer preparation. Here's a checklist to inspire you and your team to take immediate action. Use this template as a starting point and customize it to meet your bakery's specific needs.

Festive Season Success Checklist

IMMEDIATE ACTION (July):

☐ Post job listings for seasonal staff

☐ Schedule equipment maintenance and calibration

☐ Lock in pricing with key ingredient suppliers

 ☐ Design holiday packaging and marketing materials

☐ Create pre-order systems and deposit structures

AUGUST PRIORITIES:

☐ Interview and hire seasonal team members

☐ Begin staff training on holiday specialties

☐ Test and perfect new holiday recipes

☐ Launch early-bird marketing campaigns

☐ Secure additional storage and display equipment

SEPTEMBER SETUP:

 ☐ Finalize holiday menu and pricing

 ☐ Train staff on order management systems

☐ Begin accepting pre-orders with deposits

☐ Coordinate with corporate clients for bulk orders

☐ Establish daily production schedules

OCTOBER OPTIMIZATION:

☐ Full-scale marketing campaign launch

☐ Staff scheduling for peak season

☐ Inventory management systems activation

☐ Customer communication protocols

☐ Final equipment and recipe testing

The Bottom Line

December's profits aren't made in December—they're made in July. While your competition scrambles, you'll be executing a proven plan that maximizes revenue while minimizing stress.

Bakeries that start planning now will likely dominate the fourth quarter. The question isn't whether the holiday rush will arrive but whether you'll be ready to capitalize on it.

Your progress starts today. Select three items from the checklist above and complete them by the end of this week. Your December bank statement will thank you.

Ready to transform your holiday season from chaos to cash? Start planning now—your most profitable quarter depends on it.

Keep rising,

Jimmy MacMillan

Principal Chef, Consultant, Successful Bakery

Also, if you found this helpful, forward it to another bakery owner who could benefit from it. Growing together makes us all stronger.