Howdy! If you just created your Hotplate account, you might be thinking - what do I do next?
Good news: we’ve gathered all the answers here for you.
We’ve worked with thousands of food entrepreneurs to help start, manage, and grow their businesses. Whether you have one customer or thousands, we're here to help.
After you create your account,
Customize your storefront
Get set up for payouts
Set up your first drop
Share your storefront
These will be in a checklist when you land in your portal after you complete the sign up form. Let’s dive a little deeper into each item below!
Customize your storefront
When you sign up for Hotplate, you get your own storefront! The link is hotplate.com/ followed by the business name you signed up with. Copy it through the link button at the top of your Settings page. If you need to change the name of your storefront, here's how.
Go to your Storefront Settings to add your colors, logo, and ‘about me’. There are 3 things we see across successful storefronts:
A clear logo in the top left corner (with a transparent background)
A high-quality photo of delicious food as the banner image
A short “About Me” that explains what you sell and who you are. You can also include your drop schedule here.
This is your chance to convey your brand and your vibe so that customers aren’t just ordering through Hotplate…they’re ordering from you. Your storefront is where customers see your drops and decide if they want to subscribe.
Get set up for payouts
Head to your Settings tab. Our payment partner, Stripe, will collect your tax info. Start by selecting whether or not you have an EIN, then confirm your business or personal details.
Link your bank account and you’re ready to cash out your earnings 💸
Find step by step instructions with screenshots here:
Set up your first drop
You’re ready to set up your first drop.
Go to your Drops and click Create. You set when orders open and close, when and where customers can pickup, and what’s for sale. Hotplate takes care of the rest.
We recommend that you set orders to open 3-5 days out. This gives you time to share your storefront and get subscribers before your drop goes live.
Share your storefront
Share with your followers, friends, and customers!
Get subscribers before your drop goes live. Your subscribers get a text right before orders open with the link to your drop. No subscribers means no one hears about your drop. More subscribers = more orders.
Here are the first 3 ways to share your storefront and get subscribers:
Link your storefront in your Instagram and social bios
Post! Let followers know you’re taking orders through Hotplate. Announce when your first drop goes live and invite customers to subscribe so they don’t miss it.
Text or message your SMS signup link to anyone you communicate 1:1 with.
These are the basics, but there are MANY more ways to grow your subscriber list.
For even more templates and best practices, checkout out all of our best tips, templates, and examples here: