2 Ways to Spread Kindness this Spring

Even in the midst of a global pandemic, people found ways to spread joy and lift up their neighbors through acts of kindness. Even the smallest gestures made a big impact to those affected the most.

In many cases things seem to moving in a positive direction, yet, there are still many industries and individuals experiencing new or continued challenges with staffing and material shortages, burnout and etc.

With the arrival of spring this month and Easter around the corner, consider ways to create opportunities for members of your community to show kindness to others. Here’s some examples of ways RCI members are helping spreading joy through sweetness for you to use as inspiration.

Credit: O’Shea’s Candies

Easter Basket Giveaway for Senior Citizens

For Easter of 2020, O’Shea’s Candies hosted an Easter basket giveaway for senior citizens living in nursing homes. Social media followers were invited to post the name of someone at a nursing home who would enjoy an Easter basket from O’Shea’s. Five winners were chosen at random and baskets of treats were delivered or shipped directly to the winners’ nursing homes across the United States.

You’re never too old for an Easter basket! This sweet contest is a way to give some much-deserved love to the elderly in your community.

Credit: Aigner Chocolates

Flower Power Artwork Exchange

In exchange for hand-drawn artwork by area youth, Aigner Chocolates offered free chocolate lollipops. In 2020, Aigner requested drawings of rainbows to cheer up front-line workers at their local hospital. This year, they tasked local kids and schools to draw colorful flowers for children and staff in the pediatric units at two local hospitals. Resulting in just over 1,500 drawings (more than double their goal), there’s no doubt the campaign made a significant impact to all the participants. Their efforts were so successful, Aigner Chocolates was highlighted on national ABC News. Click here to view the news story.

The success of a campaign like this relies on good word of mouth. Take advantage of all the channels available to your business to help spread the word. This may include social media, e-newsletter, in-store signage, press releases to your local media, etc. If your campaign involves kids, share your initiative with your local schools and ask them to help spread the word. If you team up with a hospital, like Aigner Chocolates did, they too may be able to spread the word.

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.”

-       - Mother Teresa

With so many people in need of a little extra love and care, in addition to those with crucial roles in our community experiencing burnout due to continued challenges caused by the pandemic, consider what role your business can play to lift up your community and make its members feel appreciated and cared for. 

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5 Family-Friendly Ways to Generate Sales for Fall 2020

There’s little doubt this fall season is going to look very different for many families and individuals. Thanks to COVID-19, many of our favorite traditional fall events will be canceled or, if not, done very differently.

Here’s five ideas from RCI members for generating sales by creating memorable experiences for families this fall.

Candy-Making Classes: Two Ways

Hosting virtual candy-making classes is a great way to engage with consumers. RCI member, Yelibelly Chocolates, has developed a series of at-home candy-making classes which can be experienced as a prerecorded video or live Zoom call. Further direction can be shared with customers after purchasing a supply kit containing the needed ingredients and supplies.

Known for their in-person candy-making classes for kids, RCI member, PeterbrookeChocolatier, has been able to continue in-person classes by offering small groups of families and/or close friends to take private classes together after local mandates allowed. This approach limits potential exposure to participants by individuals outside their inner circle and creates a more comfortable environment for local patrons to do something fun outside their homes.

Socially Distant Outdoor Events

Is your annual fall festival cancelled this year? Use your creativity to dream up a socially distant outdoor event to generate foot traffic at your store. RCI member Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum & Candy Emporium plans to host their annual outdoor pumpkin painting party (albeit practicing social distancing) and treat kids dressed in their Halloween costumes with a complimentary goodie bag.

Another idea could include hosting a family movie night in the parking lot by hanging a white sheet on the side of your building and setting up a projector. RCI member, MarshmallowMBA plans to partner with local churches to gain exposure during Trunk-or-Treat events in their community.

DIY Take-Home Kits

Make it easy for shoppers to create special memories for their families. RCI member Stever’s Candies had success over the summer by selling s’mores and ice cream sundae take-home kits, each packed with all the sweet ingredients needed and bundled together for a quick, grab-and-go treat or an easy, yet thoughtful, gift.

Themed Virtual Tastings

Hosting a virtual chocolate tasting may be just the ticket for safely connecting with chocolate lovers near and far. Incorporating themes will make the experience more memorable and potentially lead to customers ordering multiple tastings. RCI member, Blommer Chocolate Company, suggests themes that hypothetically whisk participants away to a virtual vacation destination or even highlight your home base. Check out this video from Blommer Chocolate's Rose Potts for more inspiration on creating a successful virtual chocolate tasting.

For a more local vibe, source local fall produce to highlight as part of your virtual tasting. We think this recipe for apple cider caramels from King Arthur Baking Company would be the perfect addition to a fall harvest themed tasting.

Virtual Factory Tour

Pique the curiosities of children and parents alike by sharing virtual tours of your candy kitchen. After closing their factory to tours, RCI member SnowflakeChocolates has posted a virtual tour of their facility on social media as well as behind-the-scenes videos of how they make chocolate-covered Oreos and maple fudge. After seeing all the yummy confections in the making, invite followers to get it fresh by placing orders online or in-store. 

After a popular children’s YouTube sensation toured their facility, RCI member Boehm’sCandies created an Eat-Along Kit including the confections featured in the tour. If you’re looking to take your virtual tour to the next level, feature your signature confections in the video tour and sell them as a bundle for consumers to purchase and enjoy while they watch your virtual tour.

Businesses that thrive this fall will be the ones that are intentional about creating a safe and comfortable environment for consumers and their families to not only enjoy their products, but create memorable experiences their patrons won’t soon forget. Here's wishing you a sweet and successful fall season!

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.

Tip #282: Collaborate to Get More Customers

So, it’s November. That means Christmas is right around the corner, and so is another holiday that may or may not be on your radar. Small Business Saturday is scheduled for November 24 this year. Unlike Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which are largely dominated by big box stores, this is a day to celebrate small business and encourage holiday shoppers to visit the brick and mortar businesses that serve their local community.

One of the greatest strengths of the Small Business Saturday movement is the way it brings communities together. Not only does it help small businesses attract consumers in their local communities, but it sparks opportunities for those businesses to work together toward that common goal. This week’s tip serves up actionable strategies for collaborating with fellow businesses in your community.

Cross-Promote Special Offers and Events

When a favorite local business or a neighboring business is promoting a sale or special event, offer to help promote it. This could be in the form of a shout out on social media, placing their sales flyer in your customers’ bags or promoting their special offer or event at the bottom of your eblast as part of a “what’s happening in our community” section. Sure, you could do it purely out of the goodness in your heart, but chances are the right partner is going to return the favor.

Not only will this practice create great relationships with fellow small businesses (not to mention, champions for your business), but it will also give your brand awareness legs…long, lanky monster legs. By expanding your reach through partnering businesses, you will have the capability to reach consumers you may not have ever had the chance to reach on your own.

Team Up on Traditional Advertising

For many small businesses, advertising through traditional channels like print, radio and tv may seem wildly out of reach, but have you ever considered splitting the cost between like-minded businesses in your community? As an example, a group of retailers from the small Canadian town of Almonte, near Ottawa, shared the common goal of attracting more consumers to their small town. By teaming up they were able to stretch their resources and purchase an ad in a regional magazine, valued at $1,000, for only $80 a month. “We don’t necessarily get our own ad, but it’s for Almonte,” said Emily Arbour, the owner of Cheerfully Made Goods. “If the town’s busy, then we all benefit.” Read more about their story, featured on Shopify.com.

Although Small Business Saturday may be a great way to get the ball rolling, don’t let your collaborations end after November 24. Use the event as an opportunity to experiment with different partners and find out what works well for all parties involved. If you find a partnership that works, begin to brainstorm ways to collaborate throughout the year.

Bonus: Who Should I Collaborate With?

If you’re asking yourself “what other businesses should I be collaborating with?” Read Reach Local’s blog post for some ideas on where to look for the right match for your business. Also, if you haven’t done so already, apply to be a Small Business Saturday “Neighborhood Champion” and get connected with other local champions participating in the movement. Click here for more information about how to get involved.

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.