Walk through the sequence
what Sarah experiences, step by step.
Click through each step below to see exactly what happens after Sarah hits submit. What she sees, what the baker sees, and why each piece of the system is doing what it is doing.
Before the sequence
The form Sarah fills out.
Before any automation runs, the form has to do its job. A well-designed intake form is the foundation of the whole system. It asks the right questions so the baker has everything she needs to price the order without going back and forth.
The inspiration photo upload is deliberate. Garden-style florals means something different to every baker. A photo removes the ambiguity before it becomes a problem.
Why this matters
Most custom order businesses use a generic contact form. The customer writes a vague message, the baker asks five follow-up questions, the customer takes two days to reply, and by then the date might be gone. A specific intake form front-loads that conversation so everyone starts on the same page.
About you
Your order
Design inspiration
Step 1 of 5
Sarah gets a confirmation. Instantly.
It is Friday evening. Sarah hits submit and goes to bed. This email is already in her inbox. Nobody at The Cake Co. touched their phone.
The email plays her order details back to her so she can see everything was captured correctly. If something is wrong she can reply right then.
Why this matters
The silence after a form submission is where most custom order businesses lose people. Not because they are not interested. Because the customer has no idea if it went through. This email closes that gap before doubt has a chance to set in.
We got your order — here’s what you shared with us.
Hi Sarah,
Your custom order request came through and we have everything we need to get started on a quote for you.
We review all custom orders within one business day and will follow up with pricing and availability. If anything looks off or you have questions, just reply here.
— The Cake Co.
Step 2 of 5
The baker reviews the order before quoting.
Saturday morning, the baker opens her notification email. It has Sarah’s full order details and a link to a short internal checklist. She clicks through, reviews the order, and answers a few quick questions before building the quote.
This step exists because pricing a custom cake takes a human eye. The checklist makes sure nothing gets missed before the quote goes out.
Why this matters
Most bakers price from memory and send a number without checking their calendar, confirming the delivery range, or clarifying the design. This checklist takes two minutes and prevents the kind of mistakes that are awkward to fix after a deposit is paid.
Before you quote, confirm:
Step 3 of 5
The quote lands in Sarah’s inbox.
The baker has reviewed the order and is ready to quote. Zapier creates a pre-filled Gmail draft with Sarah’s details, the line items, and a Square deposit link already populated. The baker reviews it, adjusts the pricing, and hits send.
This is not a fully automated email. Custom cake pricing needs a human. The draft does the heavy lifting so the baker is not writing the same structure from scratch every time.
Why this matters
The quote email does two things at once. It keeps Sarah warm and engaged after a night of waiting, and it gives her everything she needs to pay the deposit without a single follow-up. One email, no back and forth.
Your quote is ready — reserve your date.
Hi Sarah,
We’ve reviewed your order and we’d love to make this cake for you. Here’s your quote and a deposit link to hold August 9.
Balance of $155.00 is due at delivery. Cash, e-transfer, or card. This quote expires in 5 days.
August 9 is still available but we can only hold dates with a deposit. Questions before paying? Just reply here.
— The Cake Co.
Step 4 of 5
Sarah pays. The baker sends a personal note.
Sarah clicks the Square link and pays the deposit. Square handles the payment receipt automatically. That is Square’s job.
This email is something different. It is the baker’s chance to confirm the order details, make sure nothing has changed since the inquiry, and open the door for any last questions before she starts baking. Zapier creates the draft. The baker personalises and sends.
Why this matters
Square already told Sarah her payment went through. This email is not a receipt. It is a moment of genuine contact before the real work begins. It recaps the order so both sides are aligned, and it gives Sarah a natural opportunity to raise anything she might have been sitting on since the quote.
You’re confirmed — a few things before we get started.
Hi Sarah,
Your deposit came through and August 9 is locked in. Before we get too far into planning, we just want to make sure we have everything right.
If anything looks off or you have questions about the design direction, just reply here. We want to make sure we’re on the same page before we start.
— The Cake Co.
Step 5 of 5
48 hours before delivery, Sarah hears from them again.
This one fires on its own. MailerLite sends it automatically based on the delivery date captured in the original form. The baker does not have to remember.
Sarah knows the delivery window, what she owes, and how to pay. No last-minute texts, no confusion, no chasing.
Why this matters
The day of a custom delivery has a lot of moving parts. A reminder two days out means Sarah is ready, the balance gets collected without awkwardness, and the baker can focus on the cake instead of the logistics. The customer feels looked after. Nothing falls through the cracks.
That is the full sequence. A few automated emails, a couple of human touchpoints, and a baker who can spend her Saturday morning actually baking. Want to build something like this for your business? Let’s talk.
Your cake is almost ready. A few things before Saturday.
Hi Sarah,
We’re putting the finishing touches on your birthday cake and it’s coming together beautifully. A couple of things before we deliver:
Please make sure someone is home during the delivery window. We’ll send a quick message when we’re on our way.
Can’t wait for you to see it. See you Saturday.
— The Cake Co.