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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Updated: Thursday, September 26, 2024
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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. 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, September 26, 2023
Updated: Thursday, November 9, 2023
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A thoughtful housewarming gift can help commemorate the special occasion and make new homeowners feel more at home. Offering great housewarming gifts could also open up sales opportunities with local real estate agents looking to thank clients. What better way to welcome someone to the neighborhood than with a delicious and thoughtful gift? This
week we’re sharing inspiration for crafting your own special housewarming gifts that make a lasting impression to both the recipient and the gift giver.
Candy House Box This cute wooden box is the perfect container to house a sampling of your signature treats. Similar house-shaped wooden boxes, like this, can be found at your local craft store or online. As another option, RCI supplier member, Nashville Wraps, has a few styles of housewarming basket boxes, like the one pictured below.
Big Hug Care Package This gift is sure to make anyone smile! We especially love the custom tote bag that reads “big Colorado hug,” which could be reimagined for your state or hometown. With the addition of your company name or logo, the reusable bag will remind the recipient of your brand every time it's used. This could also be repurposed as a back-to-school send off for college students—“send them to school with their favorite treats!”
Best in State
Welcome new homeowners to the “neighborhood” with a state-shaped basket filled with your signature treats and perhaps some unique-to-your-state flavors. RCI member Buffett’s Candies sources baskets shaped like their home state of New Mexico from
WeaveCrafters. This Texas-based company makes handmade baskets in the shape of all 50 states and are highly recommended by many members.
They also make a house-shaped basket. Click here for a past RCI blog post with more ideas for creating custom gift baskets for your state.
People are always buying and selling homes. This could be your opportunity to introduce your business to out-of-towners and be part of a special milestone for locals who may have just moved across town. Once you find out which presentation works best for your business, it’s important to get the word out! Post photos of your housewarming gifts on social media, ask around if you have a friend who works in the real estate industry or make a memorable introduction at some nearby real estate offices with a sample housewarming gift in hand.
We hope this inspires you to go put the sweet in "home sweet home" with your housewarming gifts!
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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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Candy Holidays
gifts
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Local
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Updated: Tuesday, October 11, 2022
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Smash eggs have definitely been having a moment the last couple Easter seasons! Don’t let this smashing opportunity pass with the holiday! Read on for ideas to keep this fun trend going all year long! RCI member, Graham’s Chocolates of Geneva, Illinois offers an element of surprise with “Smash Balls” for basically every occasion. What started as a Christmas product, has proved to be popular for customers looking to capture the element of surprise.
Graham’s Chocolates offers Smash Balls for birthdays, baby gender reveals, marriage proposals with “Will you marry me?” revealed inside and more. Celebrating holidays like Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween and New Year’s have also proven to be popular applications for the Smash Ball, revealing treats such as truffles, chocolate-covered sandwich cookies and Jordan almonds. The addition of colored sanding sugar creates an exciting burst of color when the chocolate sphere is smashed. Have smashing success helping your customers celebrate important moments in their lives by adding your own spin on smash balls! 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,
Wednesday, January 26, 2022
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43% of Americans will be adding themselves to their shopping list this holiday season.
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.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, September 7, 2021
Updated: Wednesday, October 13, 2021
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We can all agree grandparents make life sweeter. Help customers celebrate National Grandparents’ Day on Sunday, September 12 with s’mores kits. Click here to download printable Grandparents' Day gift tags. With s’mores season in full swing, many candy retailers already carry s’mores kits which can be quickly converted to a gift for Grandparents’ Day just by adding a themed gift tag. Click here to download RCI’s custom “grandparents make life s’more fun,” gift tag for free—printed six to a page. If you don’t already offer s’mores kits, packaged with graham crackers and marshmallows this is an easy way to help move your solid chocolate bars. Check out this past blog post for ideas on how to take your s’mores to the next level. As always, promote your Grandparents’ Day s’mores kits on your website and social media for shoppers looking for fun and easy gift ideas. Don’t miss an easy opportunity to capture sales this Grandparents’ Day! 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.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, November 3, 2020
Updated: Thursday, January 21, 2021
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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." Make it easy for shoppers to find the perfect gift for everyone on their list with well-thought out gift guides. Photo credit: Macy's 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.Consider categorizing some items by price, since most people have a budget in mind when shopping for gifts. “While many shoppers may gravitate toward lower-priced categories, don’t shy away from a luxury list for those looking to splurge,” suggests Cathie Ericson with Square. Despite trends indicating that many shoppers will be checking their list earlier than ever this year, Coresight Research shows 1 in 10 consumers expect to procrastinate. Since these are likely the shoppers who benefit from gift guides the most, compile a “last-minute gifts” guide of popular, ready-to-gift items that can be purchased in a pinch. Try to keep your gift guides concise, highlighting three to seven items. Too many items can get lost and turn shoppers away before they’re able to make a decision, let alone a purchase. If you have more items that you’d like to highlight, make several smaller gift guides instead of one big list. Get Visual Visuals are a must when it comes to a good gift guide. Period. If you don’t have a photo for every item on your gift guide, breakout your smart phone (or ask a friend or a member of your team who has a smart phone with a good camera to help) and start snapping. For best results, we recommend photographing your products against colors that contrast to make your product pop. 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! 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. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020
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Just as it’s never too early to start reading to children, it’s never too early to teach them to appreciate the art of chocolate making. Giving your customers access to books that teach children about how chocolate and candy is made - in a language they can understand - is just the start to creating the next generation of consumers that know the difference between what’s on your shelf and the shelf at the convenience store down the street.
Here’s some recommended books to add to your shelves.
Candy Making for Kids is a creative and fun book full of easy-to-follow candy recipes for kids. From traditional favorites such as toffee and fudge to whimsical creations such as candy caterpillars and candy play-dough, kids of all ages will absolutely love these delicious and cute treats. Perfect for children’s parties, holiday parties, packaging up for friends, or simply enjoying at home, these recipe ideas are sure to become a family favorite!
When George and the man with the yellow hat stop to shop at a chocolate factory store, George becomes curious about how chocolates are made. Though he begins to follow the factory tour, George is soon off on his own to investigate.
How does a cocoa bean turn into tasty chocolate? Follow each step in the food production cycle—from planting cocoa trees to eating a sweet treat.
Bean to bar... to book! Join a charming little girl named Coco as she goes on a magical journey to discover how chocolate is made. Guided by the gentle, loving hand of her favorite chocolate maker, Coco learns the sweet secrets to confection perfection.
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.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020
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"Something to eat and something to keep." A mantra repeated while prepping gift packages at Reid Candy and Nut Shop in Cambridge, Ontario. Known as a one-stop gift shop for birthdays and holidays, Reid's customers have come to expect a variety of value-added gifts wrapped with a bow and ready to give.
“We love putting together gift packages for our customers,” said Carrie Peart of Reid Candy and Nut Shop. “We sell lots of giftware, but the twist is it's always tied or packaged together with our chocolate or nuts. We package our products this way because it allows our customers to purchase gifts that give them something to eat and something to keep.” Repeat visits from customers shopping Reid’s assortment of gifts indicates this clever tactic is working. “We hope the giftware item will trigger the memory of the chocolate treats that came with it.”
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Photos: Reid Candy and Nut Shop |
See for yourself how adding value to your products can help grow sales, attract new customers and put your brand top of mind for holidays and birthdays. Here’s a list of a few of Reid’s favorite gift items to incorporate into your gift packages.
- Mugs
- Plates/dishes
- Votive holders
- Trinket boxes
- Garden ornaments
- Books
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. Review past blog posts for quick and actionable tips to apply to your business. 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.
Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020
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Find out which free graphic design tool we used to create this week's header.
Click hereto download this graphic and share it on your own social media pages. |
We can all agree teachers deserve a holiday! Remind your customers to celebrate World Teacher Day’s on Friday, October 5, 2018 by thanking the educators in their life with sweet treats that are sure to earn your candy shop an A+.
Take notes from RCI member, Dietsch Brothers, who creates custom tags and labels throughout the year to help theme their products as a way to encourage sales. Transform a basic chocolate bar into a thoughtful teacher gift by creating a custom wrapper that looks like a ruler and reads, “thanks for making this year rule!” Or add tags to your boxed chocolates and moulded chocolates that say “To the sweetest teacher.”
Don’t have an in-house graphic designer? Free graphic design websites like Canva or Crello make it easy for everyone to use, by offering free templates made by professionals that you can customize as needed. In fact, the header graphic above was created using Canva. These tools can also be utilized to create a coordinated look for in-store signage and even social media graphics to tell your followers about your sweet treats for teachers.
These custom graphics will not only take your merchandising to the next level, they can be easily updated and reused as the school year comes to an end and, then again, for back-to-school next year!
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. Review past blog posts for quick and actionable tips to apply to your business. 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.
Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.
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gifts
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