When you think about marketing your frozen dessert business, you probably think of using standard advertisements and basic promotions. In fact, there are many unique and innovative ideas that can help increase your customer base, improve your company image, and change how people perceive your business.
Ideas for Marketing Your Frozen Dessert Business
1. Getting Involved in the Community
As a local business, you want to draw attention to your store on a local basis. Getting involved in your community goes beyond brand awareness, it also shows the personal, caring side of your business. Here are some ways you can get involved:
- Sponsor a sports team. Offer to purchase a set of jerseys that will feature your name for a local sports team. Every time the team plays, your store receives free advertising. You can also take the sponsorship one step further by offering a discount to players whenever they come into the store.
- Sponsor community events. If your community does not already hold an annual event, create one yourself on what would otherwise be a slow business day. The event does not need to be elaborate; you can simply use the opportunity to honor a local organization such as the police force, firefighters, or medics.
2. Offering Discounts
Marketing your frozen desserts business should go beyond simply increasing attention to your store; you also need to give your customers an incentive to try out your products. One of the best ways to do this is through discounts and other offers such as the following:
- Know the value of free. Nothing is more attractive to a potential customer than something that is free. Set up a promotion day where you will give away a free product such as a small water ice or ice cream. Even people who had never before entered your store will remember the experience and create strong positive associations with your business.
- Distribute coupons. Ask other local business, public libraries, and schools to place a stack of coupons for your store somewhere within their building.
- Sell gift certificates. These make great gifts and allow you to receive money up-front. Plus, in many cases, when customers come in to exchange their gift certificates, they will purchase at least a little extra.
3. Marketing Your Frozen Dessert Business Online
Using a few online marketing practices will help you spread the word to people who may otherwise never have known about your business. They will also remind loyal customers to keep coming back.
- Create a website. Encourage people to visit your website regularly by listing current offers, discounts, special events, and new items on the menu. You can even create a weekly password only available through your website that offers customers a special discount.
- Use social media. Further expand your visibility by creating social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and any other sites you think may be useful. Use your pages to show off new products and advertise all your latest offerings.
4. Thinking About Your Menu
Give customers a reason to keep coming back to your store with new products constantly appearing on the menu, limited edition items, and changing promotions. Here are a few ideas how you can spice up your menu:
- Create themed signature sundaes. Develop some exciting ideas with names that fit the theme of the store and are based around different types of ice cream.
- Serve minority needs. Whenever possible, offer products in sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and organic. Make sure it is obvious which of your products are available to suit special dietary needs so customers do not even need to ask.
5. Host Special Events
Holding a few special events in store every year will increase your number of customers considerably on particular days. When thinking of ideas, remember the more memorable the event, the more likely it will stick in customers’ minds.
- Hold a specialty product contest. Provide customers with ballots to fill out where they describe and name a sundae or another type of product. Provide the winner with a prize and include their creation on your menu, either permanently or for a limited time.
- Set up a sundae eating contest. Design a huge sundae that, if customers are able to finish within a limited time, they receive for free and post their photo on the wall of fame.
6. More Ideas for Marketing Your Frozen Dessert Business
Here are just a few more tips for marketing your frozen dessert business:
- Create a visual menu. Kids and adults alike will find it much easier to make a choice when they can see the products in attractive digital pictures.
- Provide coloring sheets and crayons. Kids love having something to do while they wait for their order. Better yet, you can display all the artwork on the walls of your store.
