The Great British Bake Off has become one of the UK’s most iconic TV shows of the decade. Over 14m people tuned in to watch Candice Brown triumph in last year’s final; and despite a channel hop and a presenter reshuffle, hopes are already high for beginning of the new series. But can we take inspiration from their success story? Here are 4 business lessons we can learn from the Great British Bake Off:
- We all get a soggy bottom sometimes
Failure is an intrinsic part of success. There’s no avoiding it; the people who really succeed learn from their mistakes and move forward. If your business suffers from a setback, gain an understanding of why it happened and how to overcome it. You’ll be much better prepared for next time.
- Practice makes perfect
One of the things that sets the Great British Bake Off apart from other competitive cooking shows is the allowance for the bakers to practice their recipes at home first. Any blossoming entrepreneur should take note of this; there are always opportunities to hone your skills. Never turn a blind eye to learning resources and courses – it’s all about equipping yourself for the future.
- We eat with our eyes
Much like a perfectly golden cherry bakewell, your business needs to look the part if it’s to win any awards. Your product or service may be the best of its kind, but if it isn’t marketed properly, it’s destined to fail. How you promote your brand is how your customers see and experience your business – so keeping your branding consistent across the board is vital to making yourself sellable.
- Slap those baps down
You need to be motivated if you want your business to succeed – and so does your workforce. Listen to their opinions and suggestions, arrange team building events and foster their career development with additional training. It all helps them to be able to ‘slap those baps down’ with gusto, and give the best possible service to your customers and clients.
- Patience is key
In baking, you need to wait a lot. Yeast needs to rise, crusts need to chill. Patience is as important to marketing as it is to business; to encourage your customers to buy big, you have to gain their trust first. Start small, and nurture them up to the big one; slowly creating a relationship and delivering every time will ensure you gain loyal clients and customers who are willing to learn more about what you have to offer.
- We can go on without Mary Berry
Whether Noel Fielding will come to fill the shoes of Mary Berry remains to be seen. But as a business owner, there will be occasions when you lose employees that play a key role in your business. What’s important is to make sure you can keep functioning without them. Spread responsibility out where possible – as long as others in your workforce are ready to pick up the work until you find your new Mary, you’ll come out stronger.
The Great British Bake Off provides us with not just a baking contest but an insight into why winners are winners. Determination, tenacity, creativity and a desire to succeed: without these key ingredients, your business will never take the cake.
Do you want your business to rise like a perfect Victoria sponge? Why not call us on 01462 262020 or email us at hello@focus7int.com