Wicked Bakery uses Google AdWords to get customers through the door and to sell baked goods online.
After years at a desk job, Slade Grove was ready for a change. "I'd always loved cooking and baking," he says, "so in 2000 I turned my hobby into a career." Slade opened his retail business in 2006, dubbing it the Wicked Bakery after some friends pronounced his treats "wicked good."
Slade uses Google AdWords to promote his wholesale line and retail site. "I've found it's best to create specific campaigns for specific products," he explains. "Since we ship our products and have a local storefront, the location targeting options are extremely useful. Depending on the campaign, I target either the U.S. or the area within a 150-mile radius of the store." Slade estimates that 95 percent of people outside Phoenix who call the bakery found the company through an AdWords ad or the organic listings on Google.com.
When he left the corporate world, Slade expected a slower pace of life – but not anymore. "We have new products and plans to franchise," he says. "As we grow, AdWords will continue to be wicked helpful."
[close]