5 Affordable Ways to Market Your Cookie Business (Without Breaking the Bank)

Feeling stuck with orders that come and go?

If you’ve ever had a month where your inbox is full of cookie requests, followed by weeks of silence, you’re not alone. Most cookie bakers I talk to share the same struggle: marketing feels overwhelming and expensive.

Do you really have to spend hundreds on ads, or learn every new social media trend, just to get consistent orders? Thankfully, the answer is no.

With a few simple, budget-friendly strategies, you can show up where your customers are, build trust, and keep those cookie orders flowing. These aren’t theories—they’re practical steps that I’ve seen work for my fiancée Stefanie’s home bakery and for other bakers in our community.

Let’s dig into five affordable ways to market your cookie business without draining your wallet.

But before we do - Join my weekly newsletter for cookie business owners and get my free ebook, Sweet Success: 5 Must-Follow Marketing Strategies for Building a Successful Custom Sugar Cookie Business.

It’s packed with simple, proven steps to help you get more cookie orders without the stress. Sign up here to grab your copy today.

Now back to the post...

1. Claim Your Free Google Business Profile

Imagine someone nearby types “custom sugar cookies near me.” Do you show up—or does your competitor? A Google Business Profile is free, and it’s one of the fastest ways to get found by local buyers.

Stefanie used to rely solely on Instagram DMs. When we set up her Google profile, we uploaded photos of her cookie sets, added her business hours, and linked her ordering form. Within a couple of weeks, new customers were reaching out—people who had never heard of her before. One mom even said, “I found you on Google while searching for birthday cookies!” That one setup brought in repeat customers.

If you’re not on Google, you’re invisible to buyers who are ready to spend money today. Don’t let that happen.

Action Step: Head to google.com/business, claim your profile, and upload at least five photos of your decorated cookies. Add your contact info and order link. That 20 minutes of setup can lead to orders for years.

2. Post Behind-the-Scenes Reels

Instagram and Facebook are pushing Reels right now. That means your short videos get more reach—without spending a penny. People love seeing how cookies are made, and it makes your work feel personal and worth paying for.

You could film yourself sprinkling gold shimmer on a batch of cookies for an order. Nothing fancy—just a quick 15-second clip with your phone propped on the counter. A simple Reel like that can easily reach triple the audience of your usual posts and even bring in new order inquiries the same week.

You don’t need a professional camera or editing skills. Reels work because they feel real. Your potential customers want to see the process and the joy behind your cookies.

Action Step: Start small. Record yourself decorating a cookie, boxing up an order, or even mixing dough. Post one Reel a week, and watch how much more reach you get compared to static posts.

3. Start a Simple Referral Program

Your current customers already love your cookies. With a little incentive, they’ll happily spread the word for you.

Hand out small cards that say, “Bring a friend and get 10% off your next dozen.” Printing a stack costs less than $20, and the new customers you gain can easily pay that back within the first month. That’s a return on investment you really can’t beat.

Instead of pouring money into ads, let your happy customers do the marketing. A referral program turns one order into two—or three.

Action Step: Decide on a simple reward (a discount, a free cookie, or even priority ordering). Create a card in Canva (the free version works fine) or send a digital coupon. Tuck one into every order.

4. Promote Seasonal Sets with Canva Graphics

Customers love holiday cookies, but they often don’t think ahead unless you remind them. Posting early seasonal promos gets you pre-orders and steady income you can plan around.

For Valentine’s Day (or any holiday), create a Canva flyer showcasing your themed cookie sets with a headline like: “Pre-order your Valentine’s cookies now—limited spots available.” Post it on Facebook and Instagram, and you can fill your calendar without spending a dime on ads.

Seasonal sets aren’t just fun; they help you avoid slow weeks and last-minute rush orders. With Canva, you don’t need design skills—templates make it easy to create graphics that look professional.

Action Step: Pick your next holiday (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas). Design a simple flyer in Canva, add your pre-order deadline, and post it to all your platforms. Bonus: upload it to your Google profile, too.

5. Collect Emails with a Simple Freebie

Social media is unpredictable. Algorithms change, accounts get hacked—but your email list belongs to you. Collecting emails means you can directly share menus, specials, and updates with your best customers.

Offer a free “Holiday Cookie Menu” PDF (or another small freebie) in exchange for email addresses. Within a couple of weeks, you could build a list of dozens of subscribers—and when you send out your pre-order announcement, a large portion of those sales can come directly from that list.

Think of your email list as your VIP club. Even if you start with 10 people, those are 10 people more likely to order again and again.

Action Step: Create a freebie your audience would love—like a “Holiday Cookie Menu” or “Cookie Care Tips.” Set up a free Google Form or Mailchimp signup page. Promote it in your posts with a line like: “Want early access to my holiday menu? Drop your email here and I’ll send it to you.”

Your Next Step

Here’s the truth: you don’t need a massive budget or complicated marketing plan. A few small steps—like claiming your Google profile, posting a Reel, or creating a Canva flyer—can add up to big results.

If you take one action from this list today, you’re already ahead of most cookie bakers.

👉 Want more tips like these delivered straight to your inbox?

Join my weekly newsletter for cookie business owners and get my free ebook, Sweet Success: 5 Must-Follow Marketing Strategies for Building a Successful Custom Sugar Cookie Business.

It’s packed with simple, proven steps to help you get more cookie orders without the stress. Sign up here to grab your copy today.