Would you find this advert endearing and effective or a bit cringeworthy and too personal?

[bakingbaker]

What would you think if you saw a baker advertise his products on FB or Instagram by talking about their struggles, how they stay out in the cold until they've sold everything, dropped out their high paying career, how they pull constant all nighters or how they still managed to deliver your box out of A and E after a car crash.

Would you think it is a good strategy or would you think it's a bit too much?

More specifically what would you think of a post like this? Would you post it or leave it?

"I deliver my cakes by hand. 10 on my arms, 10 on my shoulders, 10 on my back. My philosophy is that if we avoid getting tired, we cannot appreciate a night's rest. If we keep taking it easy, we cannot truly appreciate a glass of water or a hot meal. These are the little joys which make life worth living for me. I do not want it easy!"

or, a bit more personal:

"This business was meant to be co-run by two people - my ex-partner and I. I spent 2 years building up our bakery to the point that I was ready to share the journey with someone. So I rebranded for a fresh start for us this year. But they and I had different visions. I wanted to continue improving my baking, keep prices the same and pay myself the minimum salary while reinvesting most of the revenue back into my business. My partner prioritised delegating the workload to staff, increasing profits and cashing out. This isn't wrong in and of itself but my heart disagreed. It didn't make sense to harvest the first fruits when I could wait and harvest the whole rainforest. There is so much growth still left.

I've faced some tough choices on my journey. With the time commitments, I had to choose between my friends or my small business. Next it was my job or my small business. After that my academics or my small business. But this one really stopped me in my tracks: my partner or my small business. Do I love my business enough that I'd give up a future with someone? The double workload combined with the breakup left me empty. I needed to channel the negative energy into something positive.

This journey has taught me that nothing will happen unless you make it happen."

Thank you for your opinion

I didn’t bother reading the whole message. I’d just get the cakes if they were good and reasonably priced and didn’t look like they’d been made in someone’s garage.

Total turn off. I’d be buying elsewhere. It’s fine to have a short bio but not some long winded, preachy, self absorbed nonsense. No one cares, they haven’t gone to the bakery for a Ted Talk.

Oh dear

I'd avoid like the plague

@bakingbaker
Is this your business?? really don't do this.

If you’re struggling with marketing yourself try creating a variety of posts on rotation. Watch TikTok videos, and look at Instagram for inspiration, then create short 30 second videos and short text and image posts based on following.

1- Behind the scenes (show where you create stuff, in person deliveries, how you package your products

2- Product being made e.g.

• 30 seconds of difference ingredients being mixed possibly with ASMR sound effects
• time lapse of things rising in oven
• brownie mix being poured into pans

3- What you stand for and against e.g. wholesome ingredients vs ultra processed shop bought

4- Show product e.g. brownies arranged in a plate with aesthetic that appeals to your target audience picnic, party, with a coffee relaxing etc

5- Seasonal offers e.g. pumpkin spice brownies for autumn, orange spice for Christmas, heart shaped for valentines (or if you don’t do flavours - consider changing packaging to theme it)

6- share Customer comments “so delicious”

7- Answering customer questions e.g Yes we do use local eggs / x type of flour and this is why

and then very occasionally you can add a post about your lifestyle- e.g. early mornings show the sunrise but excited to get up early and bake.

I wouldn't care. I would want to see pictures of nice cakes, clear prices & delivery times & recent positive reviews.

Both would put me off massively. If you’re a charity, I want to hear about your struggles etc. If you’re a business I’d much rather hear about sustainability and how good your products are.

I don’t want to feel guilted into buying your products because you worked hard. I want good quality, good value, and good customer service.

That would put me right off buying anything, and I bloody love cake. I'd be straight to Gregg's instead sorry.

I would go somewhere else to buy cakes. I'm not interested in your struggles (we all have them), your work ethic or your cliches.

I'd be away to Greggs. I'm only in it for a sausage roll, not a life story.

Wat OTT.

I just want to know if they are homemade and how much they cost.

Emotional incontinence.

Save it for when you're on GBBO. They love all that bollox.

I’d avoid like the plague. Couldn’t care less about a stranger’s journey, I just want my bread!

I see this a lot,I just presume people have been on a SM course and this comes under 'customer engagement.'

In the words of McFly ‘It’s all about you’. I don’t care how hard you work, we all do. I don’t want to hear about your ex. I just want cake. Pretty cake. Cake and tea.

I needed to channel the negative energy into something positive.

As per pps, definitely too much about you. But in particular, this line 👆🏼 makes me think that your baked goods have been filled with your ‘negative energy’. Makes them sound nasty.

What makes you think this would make your products more appealing to customers? It reads like you think people owe you their custom for making dubious life choices. I would read it and think 'just get a job then'. Sorry but not appealing at all. You're not a charity and hard work isn't part of the appeal of brownies. Taste and quality etc are.

I would assume the cakes tasted bitter and doughy, since that is what the spiel is.

May sound harsh, but I'm more interested in gluten free, vegan, low sugar options, and any special offers.

I would assume the cakes tasted bitter and doughy, since that is what the spiel is.

😂😂

To be fair. I think it’s too much, even for them.

I'd like to know if you bake every morning and tell me they are free of unnecessary nasties, and how delicious they taste?

The reality show back story to gain sympathy doesn't work for me. You shouldn't need it if your product is good.

Sorry both are ridiculous - I don't want to hear that you carry 100 loaves on your head to make you appreciate stuff - no idea how that works anyway, or about your "journey"

I just want to buy some bread.

Depends.
Are these the only kind of posts they do? (A)
Or are they trickled in-between proper sales posts? (B)

If A, I'd be right put off.
If B, I'd probably let it go if their cakes are truly awesome and affordable. Many marketing coaches insist on personal posts now and again and, if you don't know what you're doing, you can go a bit too personal.

😂 me too