Put
the “COOL” in back-to-school with Instagram-worthy gifts both for students and
their teachers! Here we’ve compiled some of our favorite smart treats pulled
from past blog posts that are sure to earn your candy shop an A+.
 |
| Charlie's Chocolate Factory |
tip #141: apple for the teacher
If
they haven’t done so already, you can bet many parents in your community will
be scouring social media (especially Pinterest) for the perfect gift to
celebrate their students and sweeten up teachers as a new school year approaches.
Charlie’s
Chocolate Factory of Vancouver, British Columbia used a standard apple box
mould and adapted it to feature a clever hole for a gummy worm to pop out.
Chocolate-covered
Oreo Apple Pops are an equally fun idea for a sweet school treat. In this
example, a standard circle mould was used to
create a thicker layer of colored confectionery coating, a pretzel was used to
create the stem as well as modeling chocolate for the leaves. Other tutorials
utilize fresh mint leaves for a more realistic look.
 |
| Dietsch Brothers |
tip #275: GIFTS THAT RULE
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.”
IDEA: HOST A FAVORITE TEACHER CONTEST
With World Teacher’s Day on October 5, make plans now to host a favorite teacher contest in September. It’s a fun avenue to recognize the great teachers in your area and also capture new customers before e the busy holiday season!
With World Teacher’s Day on October 5, make plans now to host a favorite teacher contest in September. It’s a fun avenue to recognize the great teachers in your area and also capture new customers before e the busy holiday season!
First,
create a beautiful gift basket that will go to the winning teacher and have it
on display in your store. For the contest, invite your customers, Facebook
fans, Twitter followers, etc. to nominate their favorite teacher and include
the reason they have nominated him or her. To increase excitement for the
contest, you could also give a box of your chocolates or smaller gift basket to
the nominator of the winning teacher.
Add
excitement to the contest by spreading the word through press releases, radio
spots, school newsletters, etc. Everyone will also want to know who wins so be
sure to get a photo of the winner with his or her nominator and post it on
social media and in your store.
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.
