Tip #77: Partner with Local Businesses

This week’s tip will help you increase sales of your candies outside of the retail store.  By partnering with local businesses, you could increase sales and spread the word about your quality products.

Find which retailers in your area are running promotions via the paper, radio or social media and approach them to offer your products as their promotion. For example, if a customer makes a purchase, instead of just a coupon, the customer receives a two or four-piece box of your candies along with it. While customers appreciate coupons, remind the local retailer that the customer will also remember that they went the extra mile by providing quality chocolates. You both win!

Another great local partner could be car dealers. Put together a “Thank You” sample gift to show car dealers what they can purchase from you to give to new car owners. Let them know they may customize a gift basket with their corporate promotional items such as pens, coffee mugs, etc.

If you have ideas for other local partnership for candy businesses, please share them in the comments below!

Members of Retail Confectioners International: This tip is part of a past Kettle Talk article titled How to Increase Your Candy Sales (January/February/March 2011 issue).  Access digital versions of this issue and other past issues of Kettle Talk by signing in to the RCI website as a member. Then, navigate to Publications under the Member Resources tab and click on Kettle Talk.

Tip #76: Use the Right Chocolate for Inclusions

We have another very quick tip for you this week. It’s all about making sure your chocolate is perfectly tempered for the best results.

Using inclusions in your chocolates? From nuts to coconut to dried fruits, the possibilities are endless for items to include or mix into chocolate and create unique flavors and presentations. However, did you know that you should use slightly under tempered chocolate when using inclusions? Because inclusions are room temperature they could easily, and quickly, over temper your chocolate when adding them to perfectly tempered chocolate.

What does this mean for your chocolate inclusion creations? Chocolate that is not in temper effects the final product in terms of bloom, texture and even the glossiness of the chocolate. Therefore, take this week’s tip to heart and pay close attention to the temper of your chocolate when using inclusions.

This tip was provided at our 2013 Chocolate Boot Camp education course. Find information on additional courses and events hosted by Retail Confectioners International on our website.

Tip #74: 4 Free Tools for Managing Projects Online

As a candy store manager and/or business owner, you have a number of projects on your plate at one time. Therefore, this week’s tip provides some of our favorite tools to manage projects online. One of the benefits of using online tools is that you can access the information from nearly anywhere and team collaboration is amplified. Plus, the online tools below have accompanying smart phone apps, making access even easier.

1. Trello – Trello is a simple and visually pleasing way to organize projects. Add images, checklists, due dates, attachments and more to keep your projects organized. You can have multiple boards, or projects, and organize tasks, or cards, within the boards in whatever fashion you choose. Additionally, assign collaborators to tasks to easily track who is responsible for different pieces of the project.

2. Freedcamp –  Freedcamp provides project templates to help you get started as well as a group wall to communicate with all users within your projects.  The system also makes it easy to choose what your employees and clients can see with a fully customizable user permission system. Freedcamp includes a great dashboard providing an overview of projects, important tasks and recent activity.

3. Teambox  – Teambox has thought of nearly everything when it comes to project management. Keeping track of conversations, workloads, files and notes and documentation are just some of the features. Users may also view a Gantt diagram of a project’s status, share calendars and connect projects via email.  Teambox is free for up to five users and utilizes a “pay as you grow” structure for more than five users.

4. Evernote – Evernote is essentially an idea board for managing projects.  It’s great for visually focused projects. For example, if you’re looking to redo your packaging soon, you may begin collecting photos, links, documents and notes about what you want your new packaging to look like and accomplish.  Note that Evernote is great for you to organize projects and ideas, but to collaborate with others, you’ll want to use Evernote Business which is fee-based.

Now, pick one that works for you and have fun project planning and organizing for your company!

If you have additional project management tools you’ve used successfully, please leave us a comment below – we’d love to hear what they are and why they work well for you.

Tip #73: Get Creative for National Macaroon Day

National Macaroon Day is May 31 and this week’s tip is to get creative and have fun with this confectionery holiday. We’ve gathered a number of pictures and links below to help get the creative juices flowing. If you do something fun and unique with macaroons in your candy store, be sure to share it in the comments below!

Detailed Design: Animal Print

Source: Uploaded by user via Nicola on Pinterest

Fun Colors: Light & Feminine

Source: Uploaded by user via Sarah-Jane on Pinterest

Don't Forget the Classic: Coconut Macaroon

Source: jamescandy.com via James' Candy on Pinterest

Unique Pairing: Cupcakes & Macaroons

Source: austinweddingblog.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Great Presentation: Make a Cake

Source: google.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Tip #72: Use Stainless Steel Crowbar to Break Chocolate

We have a quick Good Manufacturing Practices tip for you this week. When you receive pallets of chocolate or the 10-pound bars of chocolate from your chocolate supplier, you need to break them into smaller pieces to melt down and create your store’s confections. How do you go about doing that? 

Many candy makers will break the chocolate into smaller pieces by smashing it with a hammer. However, if you are using a wood handled hammer, you risk the wood chipping off in the process and small shreds of wood landing in your chocolate. Additionally, if you are using a rubber handled hammer, it likely has small crevices in it that can easily hold chocolate and create bacteria as time goes on.

Therefore, this week’s tip is to use a stainless steel or titanium crowbar to break your chocolate into pieces for melting. It is still a good idea to clean the crowbar on a regular basis, but with no other element such as wood and rubber on the bar, it will be much easier to ensure it is completely clean and sterilized and ready for safe use with food.

P.S. This tip was shared during our recent Chocolate Boot Camp.  View photos of this RCI education course on our Facebook page!

Tip #71: Offer Military Discounts in Honor of Armed Forces Day

Armed Forces Day is a holiday for U.S. citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country. This year it will be celebrated on Saturday, May 18.  In honor of this holiday, this week’s tip is to provide a military discount or great special just for military members and their families on this special holiday or even the week leading up to it. From half off, buy one get one, or even a special free gift, the possibilities are endless.

We’ve provided this tip early in May so you have plenty of time to plan and promote the specials and discounts you create. Be sure you spread the word via social media, word of mouth, fliers and even send a press release to area media.

Another idea to show appreciation to the U.S. military on this day (or any day!) is to visit your area veterans’ center with a special delivery of chocolates and candies from your store. Take a moment to thank the veterans present and let them know how much you appreciate their services.

Are you located outside of the U.S.? You can still utilize this tip! Find out if your government has dedicated a day to honor the military in your country and join in with a discount or special in appreciation for their service. If your country doesn’t have a specific day, why not select a day and start one in your candy store? 

Tip #70: Educate Your Employees on Chocolate

Do you realize your front-line staff is asked a variety of questions by your customers? From how your confections are made to where the chocolate comes from, customers these days are more inquisitive than ever about how the products they consumer are made. Therefore, this week’s tip is to take time to train and educate your employees on how chocolate and your particular confections are made.

Below find a few ideas to help you begin creating a training program:

• Let employees get to know you, the owner, as well as the head candy makers (of course, oftentimes that is one and the same). If you have small company, consider a quarterly lunch with the newest employees to introduce them to how you came into the business and why you are passionate about it. Then, they will be able to tell your customers how and why the owner is passionate about quality confections which will help build trust and value for your company.
• Put together a list of required reading and do monthly or quarterly quizzes. The restaurant industry does this for servers – trainees have to take a test on the menu before they are allowed to be on the floor taking orders. You can create a variety of quizzes, from how your company’s confections are made to where and how cocoa is grown. Of course, you can make it fun with prizes, rewards, etc. for the top scoring employees.
• Utilize thestoryofchocolate.com. This website has great information and videos for your employees to discover the origins of cocoa and gain an appreciation for the farmers that grow the beans. Rather than expecting employees to visit this site on their own time, consider providing time at the beginning or end of the day that they can use a company computer to view specific videos, articles, etc. to make it a formal part of your training program.

As you educate your employees regarding how confections are made, they will be able to provide valuable information to your customers as they are perusing your store.

RCI Members: Peter Higgins of Purdy's Chocolates presented on the program they use to train their employees to be chocolate experts last fall at our Canadian Chocolate Tour. Access the session handout by signing in to the RCI website as a member. Then, click on Past Education under the Events & Education tab.

Tip #69: Mark Cook Temperatures on the Thermometer

This week’s tip is quick and easy, and it’s going to make your candy making life easier! 

You likely already have a book near your kettles that says precisely which temperature each of your candies should reach and for how long. We suggest taking it one step further and marking the desired temp for your most common candies right on the thermometer. This takes guesswork and estimations out of the picture and ensures your staff is aiming at the right temperature for each candy.

As you know, one or two degrees can make a huge difference when it comes to candy making. So, use today’s tip to do everything you can to keep the quality of your candies consistent.

Using a digital thermometer? Consider hanging a chart nearby for your candy makers to quickly reference and ensure accuracy.

Tip #68: Celebrate National Jelly Bean Day

Each month there are so many great candy-themed holidays to celebrate. One very fun day is coming up next week, April 22 – National Jelly Bean Day! This week’s tip is to have fun and celebrate!

Four fun ways to celebrate National Jelly Bean Day:

·       Post jelly bean trivia on Facebook and Twitter. Even better, make it a contest and whoever walks into your store with the answer gets free jelly beans (set a standard weight that is free).

·       Post colorful pictures of jelly beans on Pinterest and Instagram, reminding your followers they can buy them at your store (remember to make the pictures high quality!) (will link to last week’s post about pics)

·       Deliver ‘thank you’ packages of jelly beans to local heroes – fire, police and ambulance departments. Be sure they know it’s from you and that they are appreciated!

·       Recently RCI member Jelly Belly Candy Company revealed a candy calculator on their website. It helps you figure out how much candy you need for favors, parties or candy buffets. Check it out here. And then share with your wedding and party planning customers and remind them to come to you to fill their candy buffet!

Do you have more fun ways to celebrate National Jelly Bean Day? Share them in the comments below!

National Jelly Bean Day is one of many fun holidays noted on the annual RCI wall calendar provided to our members. If you’re not an RCI member, learn more about the many benefits of joining today.

P.S. We’re having a blast this week at our Historic Pennsylvania Chocolate Tour - check out photos on the RCI Facebook page!!

Tip #67: 5 Reasons to Invest in Product Photos

Pictures speak a thousand words, right? Then, why is it that we visit hundreds of retail candy maker websites each year that either have no photos of their products, or they have low-quality, un-appetizing photos?  By not having beautiful photos for your customers (and potential customers) to view, you may be missing out on countless sales opportunities. Yet, provide appetizing photos on your website, and those who land there won’t be able to say no to the sweet temptation.

Do remember that more often than not, your smart phone or home digital camera is not going to provide the correct lighting, resolution and quality you need for your marketing materials. You need a professional. We understand that professional photography is not exactly cheap. That’s why this post is titled 5 Reasons to Invest in Product Photos. A professional photographer understands aspects such as lighting, space, etc.

If you’re thinking, “Where will I use these photos besides my website?” we’ve got you covered. Here are five great uses for excellent product photos:

1. Website – online store, homepage, background
2. Print Marketing Collateral – brochures, business cards, catalogues
3. Facebook (social media) -  cover image, photo albums, posts
4. Store Décor – enlarged and framed pictures, photo canvases (possibilities are limitless!)
5. Industry Publications – illustrations for articles (They will give your company credit thus building your brand.)

So, grab some of your best-looking product and find a photographer. If you use them wisely, we believe you’ll see a great return on investment in no time.

P.S. Have you made plans yet to join RCI and fellow confectioners in Cincinnati this June? The RCI Annual Convention & Industry Expo is the place for industry collaboration and idea-sharing. Meet your suppliers face-to-face at the free Industry Expo and then receive education and gather ideas at the convention. Find all the details at retailconfectioners.org/annual. Hurry - early-bird registration ends May 24!

Tip #66: Complete a Post-holiday Recap

Now that Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter are behind you, this week’s tip is to take a moment to do a recap for each holiday. By stopping to review items such as inventory, sales numbers, marketing and more, you can forecast more accurately for the following year’s holidays.

Questions to ask during your post-holiday recap may include:

• What was the day of the week and/or date of the holiday?
• Did the weather impact sales (positively or negatively)?
• What sales or special offers did you have? What was the response to each?
• Did you have too much or too little inventory of any particular items (products or otherwise)?
• Was staffing adequate for each day and time leading up to the holiday?

Be sure to include your staff in the process. Oftentimes, they see and hear things from customers that could be enlightening for your holiday planning.

RCI Members: Access a post-holiday recap template created just for RCI members by signing in to the RCI website as a member. Then, click on Planning Tools under the Member Resources tab.

Tip #65: Have Fun with April Fool’s Day

Next Monday April 1 is April Fool’s Day. That means you have six more days to plan a creative way to celebrate this fun holiday in your store and create a marketing buzz at the same time.  Why not play a few April Fool’s Day jokes on your customers, or help them play one on their friends and family. One of many ideas may be to create a “zero calorie chocolate box” promotion that will just be available on April Fool’s Day. Then, the box could be empty (zero calories, of course!) but contain a coupon for your store along with information about the health benefits of chocolate. You could promote via social media leading up the day that you’re going to have a big product reveal.

Get inspired by reading what some large companies such as Google and Burger King have done over the years to create a buzz around April Fool’s Day:

• From Google Voice for Pets (record audio directly from your dog or cat’s vocal cords) to the Jargon-Bot for Google Apps (translates business jargon into coherent English), Google has had lots of fun with this day.
• Among this list of business pranks, Burger King made left-handed Whoppers while YouTube turned its videos upside down.
• In 2011, the Chick-Fil-A cows quit and migrated to the beach while Richard Branson bought Pluto and made it a planet again.
• This roundup of the best pranks of 2012 includes a mood color-changing car, Kodak kitten printer and Skype for String.

As you plan your fun prank, be careful not to confuse or frustrate your customers but to make it enjoyable for everyone involved and something they’d want to share with others (which spreads the word about your store). Be sure to leave us a comment below to share your fun ideas and let us know how they work out!

April Fool’s Day is one of many fun holidays noted on the annual RCI wall calendar provided to our members. If you’re not an RCI member, learn more about the many benefits of joining today.

Tip #64: Create Postcard or Business Card-size Advertisement for Store Promos

Looking for an inexpensive way to promote a special event or sale? Consider creating a postcard or a business card-size advertisement to help promote it. You can even print it high gloss to really make your product images stand out. What will you do with these cards to help spread the word?

1.       Insert them in your retail shopping bags to alert customers of upcoming sales.

2.       Share them with fellow businesses in your area to display near their registers.

3.       Carry them in your car/purse/pocket just like you do your ‘normal’ business cards.

Here are some great websites to get started for low-cost printing:

• gotprint.com
• vistaprint.com
• overnightprints.com

For each of the websites above, you’ll want to have print-ready files from your designer prepared to upload. Be sure to incorporate your brand colors and feel plus beautiful pictures of your products. Also, include your store contact information, website and social media handles (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).  Now, time to come up with a special promotion so you can get started!

P.S. Happy National Chocolate Caramel Day!!

Tip #63: Assign a Designated Trainer (Mentor) for New Employees

Have you hired a new employee recently? How did your other employees react – are they proactive to be a part of the training process? Do you allow them to be a part of it? This week’s tip is to take advantage of the knowledge and experience of your current employees by assigning each new employee a designated trainer or mentor.

Mentorship programs will give your more experienced employees the opportunity to sharpen additional skills such as communication and supervising. Additionally, it helps new employees to build relationships with their new colleagues. There are a variety of ways to build training and mentoring programs for new employees. We’ve gathered a few articles and blog posts to help you create a successful mentoring program to onboard your new employees:

• Toolkit for Establishing a Mentoring Program (from the Society for Human Resource Management)
• Tips to Develop an Employee Mentor Program
• Developing an Effective Mentoring Program
• What Benefit Does a Company Get with Mentoring Programs?
• Sample Peer Mentor Job Description and Duties

Do you have additional tips for creating a peer mentor training program? Please leave us a comment below!

Tip #62: Personalized Chocolate Eggs for Easter

Are you looking for a new product to debut this Spring and Easter season? Extremely popular Easter items for many of our members are personalized Easter eggs. Parents and grandparents love to put their kids and grandkids names on the eggs, making it an annual tradition for many. You can buy egg moulds in a variety of sizes. Bonus: Buy hollow moulds and give your customers the chance to fill their eggs with even more treats from your store!

For the best adherence when personalizing items, use chocolate on chocolate and compound coating on compound coating. Sometimes when using a compound coating on chocolate the message will not adhere and it will fall off so be extra aware and cautious.  Make a small decorating bag out of parchment paper to do your writing and try to do as many as possible at one time.

Have fun decorating chocolate Easter eggs!

This is one of many tips that are shared between fellow RCI members on the RCI List Serve. Learn more about the RCI List Serve and how you can join the conversation.