In this episode, Cheryl breaks down the six key numbers every cake maker should be reviewing each month to understand how their business is really performing.

Many cake makers run their business on instinct, with a general sense of whether things feel busy or quiet, but without the actual data to back it up. Without tracking the right numbers, it is impossible to make informed decisions, spot problems early, or plan with any confidence.

Cheryl explains the six monthly figures that give you a clear picture of your business at any given time, and how to use them to move from guesswork to genuine clarity.

The six numbers covered in this episode are:

- How many enquiries you received that month
- Where those enquiries came from
- Your enquiry to booking conversion rate
- Your average order value
- Your revenue against your monthly income goal
- How many bookings you have confirmed in your diary going forward

This episode builds on Episode 2, where Cheryl introduced income goals and understanding what you need to earn, and Episode 3, which covered conversion rates and how many enquiries are needed to reach your booking targets.

Resources mentioned in this episode include Tier & Co Cake Management Software, which tracks enquiries, bookings, and conversion data in one place, removing the need to piece information together from spreadsheets and notes. A 14-day free trial is available via the link below.

https://tierandcocakemanagement.co.uk

A cake business management system designed specifically for cake makers to organise enquiries, orders, recipes and pricing.

Social media links;

Instagram: Here

https://www.instagram.com/cherylbottomleycakeacademy

Facebook: Here

https://www.facebook.com/cherylbottomleycakeacademy/

In the previous episode (episode 3), we explored enquiry to cake booking conversion rates and how understanding your numbers helps you predict how many enquiries you need to reach your booking goals.

In this episode, Cheryl breaks down what happens between the cake enquiry and the booking.

Many cake makers lose potential bookings not because of their skills or visibility, but because they don't have a structured enquiry management process.

This episode explains the cake enquiry journey and how small improvements in communication and follow up can significantly increase booking rates.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why enquiries represent genuine interest from customers
• The most common points where cake makers lose bookings
• Why following up is professional rather than pushy
• How improving your enquiry process can increase your conversion rate

Cheryl also explains why tracking enquiries is essential for understanding how your cake business is performing.

If you currently manage enquiries across Instagram DMs, emails, WhatsApp messages, or handwritten notes, you may find enquiries slipping through the cracks.

This is exactly why Cheryl created Tier & Co Cake Management Software, a system designed specifically for cake makers to organise enquiries, track booking status, and manage their cake business with more structure.

You can explore Tier & Co Cake Management Software here:

https://tierandcocakemanagement.co.uk

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In this episode, Cheryl explains one of the most important numbers in a cake business: The enquiry to booking conversion rate.

Many cake makers focus heavily on trying to generate more enquiries without understanding how many enquiries they actually need to achieve their booking goals.

By understanding conversion rates, cake makers can work backwards from their income goals and calculate how many enquiries are required to reach their target number of bookings.

Cheryl explains how to:

• Understand what an enquiry to cake booking conversion rate is

• Calculate how many cake enquiries are needed to achieve a specific number of bookings

• Track enquiries and bookings to identify real business performance

• Use simple spreadsheets or systems to record enquiry data

• Understand how marketing activities such as social media, websites, wedding fairs and supplier relationships influence enquiry volume

• Link marketing activity directly to booking goals

• Understanding conversion rates allows cake makers to move away from guessing and start running their business using clear, measurable numbers.

Resources mentioned in this episode include Tier & Co Cake Management Software, which allows cake makers to organise enquiries, orders and bookings in one place while tracking key business metrics.

Resources mentioned in this episode;

Tier & Co Cake Management Software - https://tierandcocakemanagement.co.uk

Which allows cake makers to organise enquiries, orders and bookings in one place while tracking key business metrics.

Follow on social media;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherylbottomleycakeacademy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cherylbottomleycakeacademy/