Now that Easter has passed and we look forward to Mother’s Day, we’re sharing a powerful marketing tool from retail experts, Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender of Kizer & Bender. Take time now to make meaningful connections with customers loyal customers now and reap the benefits for years to come.

 

Years from now someone will spend a gazillion dollars to study American life online and wonder who these people were who desperately need to lose weight, perfect their relationships, look younger, make certain body parts larger than life, buy fake designer goods, and grab those PHDs we so richly deserve but have not earned.

 

Sigh.

 

That’s a typical day of email for us. 700 messages: 80% junk that gets deleted ASAP and 20% actual mail.

 

Snail mail isn’t much better. Our mail box is typically brimming with bills, offers from companies we've never heard of, and lots of “You have already been approved” credit card applications. On a good day there’s mail that arrives in a handwritten envelope.

 

Guess what we open first?

 

The telephone isn’t much better. At least ten times a day we answer the phone with a smile only to be greeted by silence and a recorded message that's supposed to encourage us to act immediately. Instead we just hang up the phone.

 

We all have far too much impersonal communication in our lives. Most of us rarely receive handwritten notes or letters so it’s a big deal when we do. Anything handwritten gets opened first – there are studies that back that up. It’s the personal touch that gets our attention.

 

We have shared our Impact 8 technique in our very first Retail Adventures seminar and have continued to share it ever since. Know why? Because it can make you the most visible person in your company or the most talked about store in your community. Impact 8 has elevated some retailers to celebrity status and all in the amount of time it takes to have a cup of coffee each morning.

 

There are two parts to Impact 8. Part I involves a personal telephone call to four customers you spoke to or worked with the day before. This isn’t telemarketing – you are not allowed to talk about business unless the customer brings it up. If you happen to get the customer’s answering machine it’s okay to leave a message – you’ll make their day.

 

Here’s a sample conversation:

 

“Hello Mrs. Customer? This is Your Name at _________________.”

 

After the customer has had a chance to respond, you say:

 

“I enjoyed speaking with you yesterday and I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for your business. I know that you have lots of choices, and I thank you for choosing my store. If there is ever anything, I can do for you, please do not hesitate to call me anytime.”

 

Call four customers per day and watch what happens. But that’s only the first part of Impact 8.

 

To implement Part II, you’re going to need note cards that are blank on the inside. Go for standard greeting card size, not the smaller common “Thank You” card version. You can use fun off the rack cards or create a custom version – it’s up to you. You will also need the names and addresses of four customers you spoke or worked with the day before because these customers are going to get a personal note from you.

 

There are a few rules:

 

1. Each note must be handwritten. Remember, handwritten mail is always the first mail to be opened. It’s easy to try and fake it with a service that imitates real handwriting but trust us, people know the difference.

 

2. You must address the envelope by hand. You’re only doing four a day so this isn't a big deal.

 

3. You must use real stamps. Weird or interesting stamps – The USPS offers lots to choose from, you can check them out here. You might even consider using different denominations to make your envelope really stand out.

 

Your note can say something like this:

 

“Dear Mrs. Customer,

 

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your business. I know that you have a lot of stores to choose from and I appreciate your choosing _________________. I have enclosed my business card, if there is ever anything, I can do for you please do not hesitate to call me anytime!”

 

If you implement Impact 8 just four days a week, you will impact 32 customers per week; 128 customers per month; and 1536 customers per year. And if those customers tell just ten others that’s 15,360 people. The word of mouth advertising and good will you will generate is immeasurable.

 

The cool thing about Impact 8 is that it operates under the radar so it’s rarely noticed by your competition – they’re busy looking at your ads and social media posts. All they will notice is less cars in their parking lot and more cars in yours.

 

Copyright Kizer & Bender | All rights reserved.

Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender are consumer anthropologists, keynote speakers, authors, consultants who have helped thousands of businesses in the retail and service industries since 1990. Gain more expert advice on what retailers can be doing right from Kizer & Bender’s Retail Adventures podcast and weekly webinar.

 

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Tags:  Customer Service  Loyalty  Marketing 

Customer service today is customer driven and in the world of social media, businesses need to be ready to respond.  Customers can share their frustrations online in real time, reaching a larger audience than just one or two. Learning to respond quickly and appropriately can often help with customer loyalty and retention.

Respond Quickly – It’s important to respond quickly on social media. It is hard to always respond to everything, but be sure to respond to at least 90% of disgruntled feedback.

Acknowledge Mistakes – Customers know that not everyone is perfect, which is why it is important if you know you were at fault to own up to that mistake. Doing so will likely gain the respect of this customer.

Communicate Offline – We have all seen disgruntled customers and business owners in a digital war of words and watched in dismay. If you are dealing with a very negative situation, take the conversation offline through a private message.

Get Personal – Customers often complain because they want you to respond and help resolve their issue. A personalized response from you or one of your team members will make a big difference in how they react to the response.

Go the Extra Mile – Don’t just resolve the issue with the customer, but take steps to go the extra mile. Give them a free item or offer something above what they are requesting.

Follow Up – Finally, follow up with the customer and make sure they are happy with your resolution.

 

You have great products and a great business; don’t let one customer complaint take over your social media presence. Take the time to put a plan in place to effectively respond when a complaint occurs and not only resolve the issue, but also retain a customer for life. 

Tags:  Customer Service  Owning a Business 

We've curated the most-read tips from 2016, to pinpoint topics that are most important to candy makers. 

From troubleshooting tips to sky-high merchandising inspiration, plus a customer service must-read, the following posts deliver quick and easily executed tips to simply the lives of confectioners, like you!

 

#5: Stop Sea Salt Caramels from Sweating

Suffer from sweaty sea salt caramels? Take tips from fellow candy makers and RCI members on how to avoid this common problem.

 

#4: Take Merchandising to New Heights

Get step-by-step instructions for creating this eye-catching truffle tree.

RCI MEMBER BONUS: Click here to login to RCI’s member site and snag three variations of ganache recipes on page 9 of RCI’s Kettle Talk magazine.

 

#3: Coat Marshmallows in Dextrose 

Nobody likes hard, dried-out marshmallows! Keep your ‘mallows soft and pillowy all year long with this popular tip of the week.

 

#2: Remind Employees of the Value of Customer Service 

An oldie, but a goodie, this throwback from 2012 covers four customer service basics that are too important not to review with your team on a regular basis.

 #1: Say “Buh-Bye” to Chocolate Bloom

Bloom is easily identified as one of the most common problems facing candy makers. No surprise, this post tops the list with common causes of chocolate bloom, as well as simple solutions.

Stay connected with RCI through Facebook for more tips and inspiration dedicated to the retail candy maker. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Tags:  bloom  Candy Hacks  Candy Making  Caramel  Chocolate  Chocolate Production  Customer Service  Employee Management  Idea Sharing  Marshmallow  Merchandising  Problem Candy  Recipe  temper  Truffles  Tutorial 

Email marketing can be an effective and budget-friendly marketing tool. But how do you grow your list with qualified leads to maximize your reach? We’ve compiled five easy ways to grow your list below.  

 

1.     Guestbook in Store – Take advantage of holiday sales traffic in your store by inviting customers to sign up to receive your emails to find out about future sales and promotions. When creating a sign up sheet, remember the more information you request, the less likely they will complete the sign-up so only ask for the necessary info.

2.     Events and Meetings – Since you’re a chamber member  (if not, see post here about why you should be), you’ll be attending networking events and meetings. As you receive business cards from your new contacts, ask them if it would be okay to add them to your email list so they can see when their favorite chocolates are on sale.
Take your list-building efforts to the next level by co-hosting an event with another local business (think coffee shops, boutiques, etc.) to reach a new audience of potential customers.

3.     Email Signatures – Create a customized email signature for everyone in your company to use. A simple sign-up for coupons button with a link to the sign-up page can produce a great response.

4.     Website Sign-up – Include a sign-up box on your website to invite visitors to subscribe to your company sales and updates.

5.     Sales Calls – Do you have sales representatives making visits on your company’s behalf? Be sure they are inviting the contacts they make to join your email list to stay in touch and receive the most up-to-date company information.  You could even print some business card size promotions to hand out that share how to sign up.

Use your email marketing list to reward loyal patrons by sending them a coupon during the month of their birthday or host drawings to giveaway free or deeply discounted goodies. Don't forget to communicate these perks to entice more sign ups. And no false advertising. If you advertise coupons and giveaways, make sure you follow through.

 

Do you have other ideas that you use to gather email addresses for your list? Share them in the comments below.
 

Stay connected with RCI through Facebook for more tips and inspiration dedicated to the retail candy maker. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Tags:  Customer Service  email marketing  Events  Marketing  Social Media 

 

Hosting a promotional event is a great way to develop new customers and increase traffic from existing customers. RCI member, Randy Good of Good’s Candy Shop, instructed attendees at RCI’s Merchandising Essentials course on how to execute a successful promotional experience. Here you will find five tips for building your business through effective promotional events.

 

 

 

Abbott's Candiesdemonstrates hand tempering for tour guests.

#1: Design an Event Around What You Do Best

 

For candy makers, this is the perfect opportunity to illustrate the care and attention that goes into your confections through candy-making demonstrations. Open your production facility for tours and allow guests to watch and sample your products.

 

We recommend complying with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), by requiring guests entering your production space to wear hair/beard nets and closed-toe shoes, to remove jewelry and abide by any other regulations made by Federal and State government. With clear communication of your guidelines, your guests will understand and appreciate the steps you’ve taken to ensure for the quality of your products and for their individual safety – plus, who doesn’t love taking a selfie in a hairnet?!

#2: Create a “Sticky” Event Name

When creating a name for your event, think of names that will “stick” or stand out in peoples’ minds. A memorable event name will help with the promotion of your event by capturing the attention of possible attendees, as well as the local media. If you host the event on an annual basis, this will also increase the chances of attendees to remember the previous events and the great time they had!

Goodstockis just one of many eventsGood's Candy Shophosts to draw traffic to their retail store.

Staff atGood's Candy Shoptake pride in representing their brand.

 #3: Represent Your Brand at its Best

 

Before you welcome new visitors into your business, keep in mind you only have one chance to make a first impression. Make sure all aspects of your business represent what your brand is or hopes to be. Not only should your store sparkle from front to back (even the area behind the counter that “no one” sees), your staff’s appearance should also reflect your brand. If your associates have a uniform or dress code, before an event is a good time to evaluate whether or not they need new aprons, name tags, branded apparel, etc. and to remind all staff of any guidelines pertaining to their attire. If you don’t have a dress code, consider creating an event t-shirt for your staff to wear – this will not only create a more cohesive look for your team, but help customers better identify staff if they have questions.

#4: Train Your Staff to Give

 

 

Successful events are about giving to the community. Train your staff on how to give information, courtesy, smiles and samples. Providing basic talking points or key phrases can help staff feel confident and better prepared to offer exception customer service to guests.

Samples are served with a smile atRebecca-Ruth Candies.

Donaldson's Finer Chocolatesisprepared to handle a crowd.

#5: Plan the Logistical Flow of Guests

 

 

Creating a plan for the flow of traffic through your facility can make a significant impact on the guest experience. Determine a plan to gently guide guests within your space by assigning specific staff to various touch points. Starting (most importantly) with a welcome greeting at the entrance, plan for three to four touch points (or more depending on the size of your store). At each touch point, station staff to offer product samples and even the chance to win a prize for signing up to receive promotional emails or joining your birthday club.  By planning ahead, you can prevent potential bottle necks and ensure your guests get the most out of their experience.

Stay connected with RCI through Facebook for more tips and inspiration dedicated to the retail candy maker. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Tags:  branding  Customer Appreciation  Customer Service  Events  Marketing  Owning a Business