We all know a beautiful bow can be the perfect finishing touch to any gift. Crafting enough bows to keep up with needs during a busy holiday season can seem like a daunting task. We recommend getting a head start on making your holiday bows during the slower summer months.  

Some candy makers make hundreds and even thousands of bows for the Christmas season alone, so tackling this task ahead of time is essential. But what do you do with your inventory of bows in the meantime? Storing them in boxes and totes can take up valuable space, while resulting in smashed bows that take more time to fix.

As a solution to this problem, Dietsch Brothers of Findlay, Ohio uses 16-gauge steel wire, to create round wire frames to serve as “bow wreaths” and strips of wire to form what we call “bow garland.”

Photos courtesy of Dietsch Bros.

A single bow wreath can hold 40-60 wire-ribbon bows, which Dietsch Brothers hangs in between aisles and at the end of shelving units in back rooms that are unoccupied during the summer. For the wire-ribbon bows, they keep an extra roll of ribbon to make the ribbon tails. Once it’s all assembled, they cut the tails and add finishing touches to make each ribbon perfect.

The bow garland is utilized for more delicate bows made of sheer ribbon. Their team can string 90-100 sheer-ribbon bows across the wire “garland,” which hangs from the drop ceiling. Each garland is labeled based on what product the ribbon is intended for. For as little as $5, you can purchase 100-feet of steel wire at a local home improvement store.

Carving out small chunks of time to craft beautiful holiday bows throughout the summer helps save Dietsch Brothers precious time and this innovative way of storing bows not only saves space it also means time isn’t wasted with re-shaping bows during the heart of the bustling holiday season.

Want more ideas like this? Attend RCI’s 2024 Annual Convention & Industry Expo to meet industry suppliers and candy makers! Register now to join us in Buffalo, New York June 17-21, 2024! Save with early-bird rates available through April 26, 2024.

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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.

According to the 2021 holiday shopping trend report by Sitecore, gift giving for the upcoming holiday season will experience a significant shift toward shoppers self-gifting as a form of therapy after another stress-filled pandemic year.

Here's some ideas of gifts for customers to treat themselves (from left to right): Rheo Thompson Candies offers a collection of customers' favorite sweet and salty snacks; treat yourself to new holiday decor, filled to the brim with chocolates from Marie's Candies; the gift of solid chocolate ornaments from Enstrom Candies help customers count down the days to Christmas with a sweet and decadent treat each day.

When executing your marketing and merchandising plans this holiday, consider ways to appeal to consumers looking to treat themselves. Just as you might feature a thoughtful selection of “gifts for Dad,” curate a collection of customer favorites labeled as “gifts for me” or “treat yourself.” Include options ranging in prices for the cost conscious to those wanting to lavish themselves in luxury. Promote self-gifting ideas on social media, your website and with in-store signage.

Additionally, consider pampering your loyal customers, who may be thinking of everyone but themselves leading up to the holidays by hosting a “treat yourself” giveaway.

Crave more?C lick 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 .

Holiday gift guides are a visual and trendy way to promote your popular holiday items both online and in your retail store. According to a recent survey by Dynata for Redpoint Global, “nearly two-thirds of the 1,000 adult shoppers surveyed (62%), planned to do all their holiday shopping online.” While Deloitte predicts “e-commerce holiday retail sales to grow between 25% to 35% from November through January.”

Don’t wait to promote your holiday items either. Analysts believe holiday shopping will begin well before Black Friday. A study by Coresight Research revealed, “three in 10 consumers say they expect to start their holiday shopping earlier than usual this year."

Pick a specific category.

A visually appealing gift guide will not only help put your gift items in front of consumers, it will also help them check recipients off their shopping list with suggested gift ideas. Need ideas for your hard-to-buy-for dad? Check. What about stocking stuffers or the perfect gift for the person on your list who has everything? Check and check.

When it comes to creating your gift guide, imagine who your customers will be buying for, targeting specific customer segments beyond “women,” “men” and “kids.” Consider categorizing lists by interests, like a sweet and nutty trail mix for outdoor enthusiasts or a chocolate and wine pairing for the wine aficionado.

Another easy idea would be to categorize items by ingredient, flavor or texture. Compile your peanut butter meltaway, peanut brittle, chocolate-covered peanuts and peanut butter fudge onto a guide labeled “Gifts for Peanut Butter Lovers.” Or do you have a collection of mint-chocolate flavored products? What about a guide for those who are “All About the Crunch,” complete with caramel corn, toffee, brittle and chocolate-covered pretzels?

Find the perfect gift for the outdoor enthusiast, thanks to this gift guide by BusbeeStyle. We especially like the simple grid design. The numbers and labels make it easy for customers to identify and purchase products with links for each item included in the description.

Theo Chocolate has curated a flavor-inspired collection of gift ideas that looks both beautiful and delicious. Categories include the perfect gift ideas for lovers all things spicy, minty, salty, fruity and then some. Click here to view the full guide.

This gift guide from Always Order Dessert is for those well-meaning shoppers looking to snag a last-minute gift that doesn’t feel like an afterthought. This bright and bold header makes it super clear to the reader that the items on this gift guide are the perfect solution for the last-minute shopper.

Photo credit: J.Crew, The Montana Standard

Decide if you’d like to layout your products as part of a more “lifestyle” look or if you plan to remove the background of your product photos and lay them out using design software (keep reading for tips on how to do this—for free—with zero design experience). If you plan to remove the background, photograph product on a solid, white sheet of paper or cardstock for milk or dark chocolate. Try a darker, solid color for the background when photographing white chocolate.

Sweet tip: Canva.com is a free graphic design platform that is easy to use even if you have zero design experience. With free and paid subscriptions, Canva’s a super-easy “background remover” tool removes the background of an image in one click. By removing the background, you can easily achieve a professional look by dragging and dropping your gift items and their descriptions within the guide layout. Click here to watch Canva’s two-minute tutorial.

Partner with Local Businesses

High Note Gifts of Nashville features some of their favorite local gifts in this easy-to-follow gift guide.

Invite some of your favorite local businesses to be featured in your gift guide. According to a study by Google, 66% of shoppers plan to shop more at local small businesses in 2020. Coffee shops, wineries and boutiques are examples of local businesses to partner with this holiday season. Offer to include one of their signature items on your guide and ask them to share your gift guide on their own social media pages. Tagging their business in your social media posts will offer your partners greater brand exposure and encourage them to return the favor.

Seal the Deal

Before tying your gift guide(s) with a bow, make sure it is clear how to purchase the items listed. This may include a web address and phone number or a direct link to your website or Facebook Shop.

For shoppers seeking unique, local gifts to share this holiday season, a fun holiday gift guide is sure to pique their interest. We think you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to create a professional-looking guide highlighting your products. Cheers to a sweet holiday season ahead!

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Photos: Reid Candy and Nut Shop

• Mugs
• Plates/dishes
• Votive holders
• Trinket boxes
• Garden ornaments
• Books