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Posted By RCI,
Friday, September 9, 2022
Updated: Tuesday, October 11, 2022
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For the final post of this series, we examine “The Gift Givers,” the third and final group of Halloween shoppers who may be left in the lurch with the anticipated shortage of Halloween candy. Even if Halloween isn’t normally a big holiday for your business, consider how to capture sales by seizing the opportunity to meeting the unique needs of Halloween shoppers. Missed the first two posts? Click the following links to read about Shopper #1: “The Trick-or-Treat Treater” and Shopper #2: “The Party Shopper.” The Gift Giver Like many retail confectioners, this shopper is likely very familiar to you. If you cater to the Gift Giver for other holidays, you already know ways to appeal to this shopper. Just like you would for Christmas and Easter, for example, consider your customers’ needs for ready-to-gift options that play to this specific holiday. This may include pre-wrapped gift boxes, Halloween-themed containers or even the addition of a clever gift tag or Halloween card.
Capitalize on local as your competitive advantage. Shoppers may be able to order unique Halloween gifts from anywhere online with the click of a button. By shopping local, gift givers (even last-minute ones) can get thoughtful gifts immediately from your local retail shop. They don’t have to worry about shipping delays or fees if they buy Halloween gifts from your store. How to Reach TheGift Giver Even the spookiest or frightfully cute Halloween gifts won’t go anywhere if consumers don’t know about them. With recent news from Hershey’s announcing they will not be able to fully meet consumer demand for Halloween candy already capturing media attention, consider appealing to your local media as the sweet fix for Halloween gifts in your community. Submitting a press release to your local media is a great way to create awareness of both your products and your brand, as well as how your business can serve their audience. Lucky for you, your business likely checks a lot of the boxes that media professionals look for in a news-worthy story. Leverage the visual appeal of your products (more specifically for television media) by making photos and videos of your Halloween offerings easily accessible. If emailing a press release, include a direct link to Halloween-related product photos on your website or a social media post instead of including photo attachments. Large attachments could bog down the recipient’s email inbox or could be avoided altogether if you are not already a trusted source. People like “home grown” news more than news from far-reachin communities or regions. Make sure to communicate if your products are made locally by artisans/candy makers/chocolatiers in your community. A well-written press release can offer more return than even some paid advertisements. For tips on writing newsworthy press releases, click the following link to view RCI’s blog post: 5 Mistakes You Could Be Making When Writing a Press Release. When opportunity knocks this Halloween, whether in the form of “Trick or Treat Treaters,” “Party Shoppers” or “Gift Givers,” we hope this series helps your business capture new sales and establish new relationships with consumers that continue to benefit your business long after the holiday. Here’s wishing you a spooky sweet Halloween! Crave more?Click here to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's 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. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020
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Our favorite time of year is just around the corner -- American Chocolate Week! A whole week of chocolatey celebration, Sunday, March 17 through Saturday, March 23! Here’s a few of our favorite ways to celebrate with consumers!
Celebrate American Chocolate Week by creating an interactive experience for customers. This could take the form of a unique tour of your candy kitchen, a class on the origin of chocolate or a hands-on chocolate making class. Any of these options are sure to give your customers a greater understanding and respect for your products. RCI member, Wilmar Chocolates, invites chocolate lovers to work with expert “baristas” to create their own custom chocolate bars.
Secret Choco-Code
Create a new chocolate-themed secret password each day that customers can only find via social media; if they use the secret password while visiting your store, they could get a prize, plus a coupon towards a future purchase--which will encourage them to come back again.
Chocolate to Keep. Chocolate to Share.
If you find that your customers are more often buying chocolate for someone else, remind them to enjoy American Chocolate Week themselves too. Offer shoppers a “Buy One, Get One” deal and encourage them to buy chocolate to keep as well as to share.
Sweet Trivia
Think of the holiday as an opportunity to educate your customers with a fun chocolate trivia question each day in store or on your social media pages. Anyone who posts the correct answer could be put into a drawing for a free pound of chocolates.
Pitch Your Story
Have fun celebrating a holiday so sweet we need a week to celebrate! How will you be celebrating American Chocolate Week? Share in the comments below.
Next week: Check your temper! Learn two fool-proof methods to ensure your chocolate is always in good temper.
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. Plus, review past blog posts for quick and actionable tips to apply to your business. 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.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020
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When it comes to getting media coverage, candy shops have a major advantage. Candy! And who wouldn’t want to see more candy and chocolate on the news?!
If you aren’t getting any bites from your local media, chances are you haven’t submitted a press release lately. If you have taken the time to carefully craft a press release and send it to your local media, with little or no avail, you are not alone. Keep reading for five common mistakes businesses make when writing press releases, plus tips on how to get the media knocking on your door hungry for more!
1.) You didn’t proofread!
Nothing loses credibility faster than spelling errors and poor grammar. Make sure to read and re-read your press release carefully and, then, ask a friend or two to proofread it for spelling and grammatical errors. Invite them to share constructive feedback on how to make your press release more newsworthy.
2.) Too much hype!
If your press release sounds too much like an infomercial, there’s a good chance it will get rejected. The intent of a press release is to help the media deliver news. If you want to pay for advertising, however, the sales department will gladly accept your money and your hype.
A press release should deliver the facts and explain why your news is relevant in an objective manner. As an overall rule, avoid subjective claims, like “the best,” and other cringe-worthy marketing jargon.
3.) Me, myself and I included
A press release written in first or second person (e.g., I, we, you) is a big no-no! Not only does this make the content seem subjective, it creates a lot more work for journalists to make corrections, making it less likely to get published. Always write press releases in third person (e.g., he, she, it, they). Within a quote is the only place it is acceptable to use first or second person.
4.) What now?
If it is unclear what the reader should do after reading your press release, your press release has unfortunately missed the mark. A successful press release will have one clear call to action. When writing your next press release, be mindful of what you want to accomplish and make that objective clear.
5.) Not too long, not too short.
If your press release is too long, chances are you’ve lost your focus and you’ll lose your reader too. However, if your press release is too short, you could be cutting out vital details.
As a good rule of thumb, try to limit press releases to one page. But before going overboard with the backspace, make sure you’ve addressed the 5 Ws and 1 H (who, what, when, where, why and how).
A well-written press release can offer more return than any paid advertisement. Avoiding these common mistakes will help you write a press release your local media won’t want to pass up.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020
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| Photo credit: Cristopher Rodriguez (left), Patrick Doheny (right), Flickr |
This year, Sweetest Day will take place October 21, the third Saturday in October. While the holiday is more significant for candy makers in the Great Lakes region (Buffalo, Cleveland and Detroit being the biggest Sweetest Day cities), the holiday is gaining in popularity throughout the country every year. Some RCI members even report sales from Sweetest Day exceeding Mothers Day.
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Al Herz, RCI Board President 1929-1930, poses with the Little
Rascals as they treat orphans in his local community with boxes
of chocolates and entertainment on Sweetest Day in 1928. |
The history dates back to 1922 when Herbert Birch Kingston, a candy maker from Cleveland, decided to give candy and small gifts to the city’s orphans and shut-ins, all who are often forgotten and neglected. With the help of friends and neighbors, he distributed these small remembrances on a Saturday in October. For years to follow, other Clevelanders began to participate in the tradition, which came to be known as "Sweetest Day.”
In time, the idea of spreading cheer to the underprivileged broadened to include everyone from family and significant others to coworkers and acquaintances with a kind act or a small remembrance. With a little help from movie stars in the 1930s, the idea quickly spread to other cities all over the country.
Sweetest Day is not based on any single group’s religious sentiment or on a family relationship. It is a reminder that a thoughtful word or deed enriches life and gives it meaning.
For many people, remembering takes the form of gift-giving. For this reason, Sweetest Day offers an unique opportunity to offer all kinds of gift items. Falling midway between Father's Day in June and Christmas in December, Sweetest Day provides an occasion for the opening of fall merchandising programs and the promotion of various products, not the least of which is candy and boxed chocolate.
Other Ideas to Promote Sweetest Day
- Remind your customer of Sweetest Day through social media, email and in-store signage.
- Send press releases about Sweetest Day to your local media and let them know of ways your business can help customers celebrate.
- Be prepared to explain Sweetest Day and to make suggestions regarding appropriate gifts, keeping in mind that the possibilities are limitless.
- Create a prominent display of merchandise for Sweetest Day.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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Many business owners view the beginning of a new year as a time to relax after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, but for candy makers it’s just the halfway mark when it comes to holiday prep. A couple major candy holidays are on the horizon, which makes it a great time to share new and exciting happenings with the local media. You can expect the media is seeking newsworthy stories, why not let your business be the headliner?
Even if it takes you a couple hours, a well-written press release can offer more return on investment than any paid advertising. But before you begin typing, here's some tips to ensure you’re giving reporters what they're looking for.
#1 Get Personal
Consider ways to weave in a human-interest story (e.g., a customer-success story or recognition for a long-time employee). Both reporters and their readers like stories about real people. If you can offer this, your press release is as good as gold.
#2 Just the Facts
If you want to be taken seriously by the media, your writing should deliver the facts and explain why your news is relevant in an objective manner. As an overall rule, avoid subjective claims or marketing jargon such as “the best,” “revolutionary,” “magical.”
#3 Insert Quote Here
Back up the information with a good quote or two that further supports why the information is relevant from key players involved – this could be a company executive or even a customer excited about the news you’re sharing.
When requesting a quote, have an idea of what you want them to say and offer guidance to ensure the quote supports your story. Within a quote is the only place it is acceptable to use first person. Otherwise, leave “me” out of it!
#4 Wrap it Up
Reporters are busy and often on a tight deadline, so keep it short. It is best to limit yourself to one page. If you’re considering a second page, it’s possible you’ve lost your focus. Every line of your press release should be supporting your hook. If it’s not, let it go.
#5 Proofread!
Don’t underestimate the value of letting others proofread your writing. Nothing loses credibility faster than incorrect spelling and bad grammar.
If your high school English teacher isn’t available to proof your writing, a quick Google search will lead you to online proofreading tools like Ginger (gingersoftware.com). Ginger is a free proofing app that checks your grammar, features a built-in dictionary, translator and more – which can be streamlined through Microsoft Office, Google Chrome (i.e., Facebook and Twitter) and even your mobile devices.
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