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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Pictures speak a thousand words, right? Then, why is it that we visit hundreds of retail candy maker websites each year that either have no photos of their products, or they have low-quality, un-appetizing photos? By not having beautiful photos for your customers (and potential customers) to view, you may be missing out on countless sales opportunities. Yet, provide appetizing photos on your website, and those who land there won’t be able to say no to the sweet temptation.
Do remember that more often than not, your smart phone or home digital camera is not going to provide the correct lighting, resolution and quality you need for your marketing materials. You need a professional. We understand that professional photography is not exactly cheap. That’s why this post is titled 5 Reasons to Invest in Product Photos. A professional photographer understands aspects such as lighting, space, etc.
If you’re thinking, “Where will I use these photos besides my website?” we’ve got you covered. Here are five great uses for excellent product photos:
- Website – online store, homepage, background
- Print Marketing Collateral – brochures, business cards, catalogues
- Facebook (social media) - cover image, photo albums, posts
- Store Décor – enlarged and framed pictures, photo canvases (possibilities are limitless!)
- Industry Publications – illustrations for articles (They will give your company credit thus building your brand.)
So, grab some of your best-looking product and find a photographer. If you use them wisely, we believe you’ll see a great return on investment in no time.
P.S. Have you made plans yet to join RCI and fellow confectioners in Cincinnati this June? The RCI Annual Convention & Industry Expo is the place for industry collaboration and idea-sharing. Meet your suppliers face-to-face at the free Industry Expo and then receive education and gather ideas at the convention. Find all the details at retailconfectioners.org/annual. Hurry - early-bird registration ends May 24!
Tags:
Marketing
Merchandising
Owning a Business
Photos
Social Media
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Now that Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter are behind you, this week’s tip is to take a moment to do a recap for each holiday. By stopping to review items such as inventory, sales numbers, marketing and more, you can forecast more accurately for the following year’s holidays.
Questions to ask during your post-holiday recap may include:
- What was the day of the week and/or date of the holiday?
- Did the weather impact sales (positively or negatively)?
- What sales or special offers did you have? What was the response to each?
- Did you have too much or too little inventory of any particular items (products or otherwise)?
- Was staffing adequate for each day and time leading up to the holiday?
Be sure to include your staff in the process. Oftentimes, they see and hear things from customers that could be enlightening for your holiday planning.
RCI Members: Access a post-holiday recap template created just for RCI members by signing in to the RCI website as a member. Then, click on Planning Tools under the Member Resources tab.
Tags:
Holidays
Marketing
Organizing
Owning a Business
Productivity
Seasonal
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Next Monday April 1 is April Fool’s Day. That means you have six more days to plan a creative way to celebrate this fun holiday in your store and create a marketing buzz at the same time. Why not play a few April Fool’s Day jokes on your customers, or help them play one on their friends and family. One of many ideas may be to create a “zero calorie chocolate box” promotion that will just be available on April Fool’s Day. Then, the box could be empty (zero calories, of course!) but contain a coupon for your store along with information about the health benefits of chocolate. You could promote via social media leading up the day that you’re going to have a big product reveal.
Get inspired by reading what some large companies such as Google and Burger King have done over the years to create a buzz around April Fool’s Day:
As you plan your fun prank, be careful not to confuse or frustrate your customers but to make it enjoyable for everyone involved and something they’d want to share with others (which spreads the word about your store). Be sure to leave us a comment below to share your fun ideas and let us know how they work out!
Tags:
Holidays
Marketing
Merchandising
Owning a Business
Seasonal
Social Media
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Have you hired a new employee recently? How did your other employees react – are they proactive to be a part of the training process? Do you allow them to be a part of it? This week’s tip is to take advantage of the knowledge and experience of your current employees by assigning each new employee a designated trainer or mentor.
Mentorship programs will give your more experienced employees the opportunity to sharpen additional skills such as communication and supervising. Additionally, it helps new employees to build relationships with their new colleagues. There are a variety of ways to build training and mentoring programs for new employees. We’ve gathered a few articles and blog posts to help you create a successful mentoring program to onboard your new employees:
Do you have additional tips for creating a peer mentor training program? Please leave us a comment below!
Tags:
Employee Management
Owning a Business
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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1-800-FLOWERS knew exactly what they were doing when they created their phone number. They created something memorable that connected directly to the products and services they provide: flower delivery.
So, do you know what your phone number spells? We’ve found a cool tool online that will tell you and also may help you create a phone number your customers will have a hard time forgetting.
- Enter your full phone number and see what words and phrases it spells. You’ll see a variety of possible combinations and words. See if any of these could work to your advantage to make your phone number easy to remember.
- Enter the start of a phone number and see what words start with those digits. If you’re just starting out or looking to create a new memorable phone number, you can see what possible combinations you have to work with. If you know that your phone number has to include a certain set of numbers (i.e. area code), see what words start with those digits to get your creativity rolling.
- Enter some letters and see (and even dial) the corresponding number. So you want to create a memorable phone number and you’ve narrowed the key words for your business down to a select few. On phonespell.org you can enter the word or words you want to include and find out what number combinations those create. You can even dial it to see if someone already has that phone number combination.
By creating a memorable phone number, your customers (both current and potential) will always know who to call when they need a chocolate and candy fix!
If you create or already have a memorable phone number, we want to hear about it – leave us a comment below!
Tags:
Customer Service
Marketing
Owning a Business
Technology
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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What do your email subscribers receive when they sign up? Is it a standard non-customized message saying “Thanks for signing up? This week’s tip is to take the time to customize a welcome message to remind them why they signed up for your emails in the first place.
After someone signs up for your emails, most email marketing programs have a standard welcome message that can be customized. Take a moment to thank them for signing up, inviting them to connect with you on social media (Facebook, etc.) and including an email coupon. By including a coupon, you’re reminding them that being a subscriber to your email list has value. Have the instructions say to print the email as the coupon and that it expires 30 days from the date it was emailed. By including an expiration date, they will be motivated to return to your store.
RCI Members: Still need to start your email marketing campaign? As a member, you receive a discount for Constant Contact email marketing. For details, visit the RCI website click on Member Programs under the Member Resources tab when signed in as a member.
Tags:
Customer Service
Marketing
Owning a Business
Social Media
Technology
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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No electricity. It can happen to anyone, right? Whether it’s 100 degrees outside and the AC units get overheated, or it’s 10 degrees outside and you lose power due to a snow or ice storm, no power can be detrimental for chocolate and candy makers. So this week’s tip is to invest in a generator for your business so you have access to back-up power.
Generators are gas or diesel-powered devices, which provide temporary electrical power. Whether it means keeping your store cool so chocolates don’t melt or keeping the tempering machine running so your employees can keep making product to fill shelves at Christmas-time, having a back-up generator is sure to save you a potential headache.
So, how do you choose a generator for your business?
- The type of generator you want depends on the purpose. Portable generators are good for providing relatively small amounts of electricity for remote use or back-up systems. Learn some of the basics of generators at FindGenerators.net.
- Take your existing power availability into account for larger models of generators (tip: check your electricity bill to get an idea of the power you use). Consider things like power output, maintenance and fuel costs when deciding which generator is best for your business.
- View a video and in-depth buying guide covering generator types, features, and wattage requirements at Consumer Reports.
- Find generator usage tips here, and then check out safety and related generator information at Red Cross, including buying the right model for your utility restrictions, proper maintenance and refueling tips.
Now, if you lose power, you (and your chocolates) won’t be left out in the cold (or heat)!
If you have tips or experience with buying generators for your business, share them with fellow readers in the comments below.
Tags:
GMP's
Owning a Business
Productivity
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Happy New Year!!
We all know how important it is to rest, yet so few of us actually take the time to do it. So, this week’s tip is to take the day off from work, or at least a day this week, to rest and get rejuvenated for the coming year.
Whether resting for you means enjoying a day at the spa, spending a day at home watching movies with loved ones, or engaging in retail therapy (aka shopping), take some time to relax and prepare yourself for all that 2013 has to offer.
As Leonardo Da Vinci said, “Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer.”
Tags:
Owning a Business
Productivity
Seasonal
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Posted By RCI,
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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A couple weeks ago we reminded you of the importance of setting goals for the coming year. Today, we’re reminding you to take time to celebrate and remember 2012.
Was 2012 a standout year for you and your business? Take time to celebrate with your employees and your family! Take a step back from running the business to thank your staff by taking them out to lunch or have a family fun night out. Get others involved and have staff name their favorite part of 2012 or a personal celebration from the year.
It’s also important to take time to acknowledge and remember any difficulties or challenges from 2012. Acknowledging what you've learned from those difficulties along the way and giving your staff the opportunity to acknowledge those challenges ensures they weren't in vain.
Now go make your celebration plans!
What are we celebrating here at Retail Confectioners International? An entire year of tips! That’s right, this week marks Tip #52, the final tip for the year 2012! Stay tuned for another great year of tips for retail chocolate and candy makers in 2013!
Tags:
Owning a Business
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Most candy makers would probably agree it’s easier to keep a super-clean facility when the bows and boxes aren’t flying during the holiday season. But how is your staff doing with keeping the cleaning schedule when there seems to be no extra time in the day?
One way to stay on top of this is to test the cleanliness of your facility on a regular basis. We don’t mean a visual test where you look to see if the area appears clean but an actual scientific test for allergens, sanitation, etc.
You can buy sample test kits and do an on-site test of a variety of areas in your production zone. During one of our recent Kettle Talk panel forums, a member recommended buying sample test kits from Neogen. Using their food allergen tests you can do on-site tests to detect the target allergen ( see list of allergens here) in ingredients, liquids, clean-in-place rinses, finished foods, and on environmental surfaces. They also have sanitation tests to detect the amount of food residue and other organic matter, such as bacteria, yeast and mold, that may remain after cleaning.
Please note this is just one company that was recommended from one member to another at our event and others are likely available to you by searching online. If you also want to send swabs off to a lab to be thoroughly tested, Silliker Labs, who presented at the 2012 RCI Spring Regional event, also provides food testing and sanitation information for confectioners and food facilities.
Do you have other tips for maintaining a clean food facility in the midst of your busiest production schedules? Please share with our blog community in the comments below!
RCI Members: Access additional materials on Good Manufacturing Practices on the member side of the RCI website. Our new website being revealed in January will have a page dedicated to just this topic.
Tags:
Candy Making
Cleaning
GMP's
Holidays
Owning a Business
Quality Control
Seasonal
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