This series on sugar is being interrupted to share tips for increasing summer chocolate sales. The warmer months of the year in North America tend to cause a drop in sales, except if you’re in an area with many tourists. Here are some things you can do to increase summer sales and maintain a healthy bottom line.
Create a theme for a collection. Introduce new flavors in summer. If done right, it can drive traffic to your store. I have created summer collections using what I found at my local farmer’s markets – one flavor per week for the entire summer. These flavors are great with chocolate, and berries are in season. Summer cocktails, such as mojitos, pina Coladas, and daquiris, inspire a series of chocolates I have created. The world is your oyster! Summer brings some time for play. But maximize it by sharing it with customers and making it summer-themed. Remember to share your pictures on social media.
Ice your beverages. A freezer and blender are excellent investments if you sell coffee, tea, or chocolate. Even if you don’t have a blender, making your drink colder is possible by using ice and a martini maker. This will save you money and increase sales.
Ice cream is a must-have for any chocolate shop. Could you find a local maker and bring it in? When I began selling local artisan ice cream, my summer sales increased by 35%. These sales increased, even more when I started offering sundaes with homemade sauces, including caramel, local fruits, and chocolate sauce. This is a high-end product, but the labor costs are low. It is easy to pay back the freezer investment quickly!
The Chocolate Masters Hangout on Google+ contains valuable information about making ice cream or gelato. This video features Jeff Dickey, Zocalisa Chocolates & Gelato, and Richard Tangolowy, Dancing Lion Chocolate.
Hold contests. Use your social media channels to ask customers to name bonbons, pick flavors, and guess mystery photos from your kitchen. They will win if they think correctly when they go into the store. You can give away a small prize, such as a bonbon or a drink. Although it might be a small amount to give away one or two bonbons, those people will be thrilled. They will also bring their friends and spend more money there than you did on products. You can be creative with your summertime audience and have them return for treats and gifts all winter.
Open a shop pop-up. A temporary stall or kiosk in a high-traffic area. It’s essential to research the feasibility of this type of stall or kiosk. However, it can be a great way to increase summer sales and establish relationships with customers who will return to you in the winter/spring holidays.
