I came across Bettie's Cakes while wandering around downtown Saratoga Springs, NY this summer. While not usually a cupcake kind of girl, I was drawn in by the pastel pinks and blues, and 1950's decor. Right away, I knew this was not your average local cupcakery. Bettie's co-owner & co-founder Lorraine Murphy may look like Gwen Stefani if she were from the 50s, but the owners are definitely smart 21st century entrepreneurs.

They are doing all the right things online that a physical location based business should do -- Twitter, Facebook, and claiming their Google Maps page with photos and info. Surprisingly I see a bunch of negative reviews on the page, but I'm sure their 2,500+ Facebook Fans would disagree with them.

The most awesome thing about Bettie's Cakes? They also sell their cakes in the only mobile double decker bus cafe in the USA! Take that, NYC food trucks. What's smart about the double decker bus and it's little sister single decker bus (aside from being awesome), is that they can reach so many more people. You can't build a huge business with one store in a city with a population of 26,000. Fortunately, Saratoga Springs is a destination city, especially for people of New York State. They can leverage the relationships they built with past visitors online and sell them some cupcakes in their own town.

What can we learn from Bettie's Cakes?

• Get your brick-and-mortar on all the location networks - Get listed on Google Maps, Yelp, Citysearch, Foursquare, etc. If you're business is already listed, claim it so you can have control and make sure the correct info is on your page. People use these platforms to decide where to eat, shop, and play. If you don't have a presence, you're irrelevant.


• Stand out from the crowd - There are a helluva lot of cupcake shops out there. Bettie's Cakes doesn't just bake some cupcakes and call it a day; they work on their business identity and create a unique experience for customers with their retro soda fountain, creative cupcake flavors...and their double decker bus! I'm not over it, the bus is so full of win. (See? It pays off to stand out.)


• Expansion isn't always about opening a new store - I'm not telling every brick-and-mortar to go out and buy a double decker bus, but do consider your options for expansion. If you're not ready for a new physical location or haven't found the right place, what else can you do to expand your business and reach more people? How about delivery, mobile stores, pop up shops, street fairs, partnerships and collaborations with other companies, or corporate packages? There's so much you can do. Don't settle for a mediocre new location.


• Offer products for customers who don't want "the whole thing" - At my first dancewear vending event, I only had two products -- a top and a bottom, and they weren't cheap. I realized I was losing so many opportunities to sell to leads I already brought in that wanted to buy something but just wasn't quite up for "the whole thing". You've been there. You want to get something but you want it a little less in size, price, or calories than what's for sale. Bettie's Cakes offers mini cupcakes in the different flavors. If it didn't, I would not have been a customer and this case study would not exist!

Bettie's Cakes shows that you don't have to be a huge corporation to do good, smart business. What I would like to see from Bettie's Cakes? An "About" page on the website. Fans/customers find it easier to relate to someone or something they know about and has a story. This would help them engage their fans and bring in more loyal followers.

Oh, and did I ever mention their cupcakes are pretty damn delicious too?