Tip #109: Use Nonpareils to Decorate Chocolates

Here’s a quick and easy tip for you! Looking for an easy way to add color to your chocolates and decorate your moulds? Nonpareils are a great option and a little bit goes a long way!

For example, decorate Easter eggs and bunnies using nonpareils to add Spring colors. Or, since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, use a mixture of pink and red nonpareils to decorate chocolate lips and hearts. And later in the year, place a bit of melted chocolate on the eyes of a moulded jack-o-lantern after it is set and and then sprinkle with orange and yellow nonpareils for a spooky Halloween glow.

You can get creative and have fun with this tip at each holiday!

Last week RCI was on a Winter Getaway in Barbados, building connections with fellow candy makers and suppliers. Check out photos on the RCI Facebook page!

Tip #108: Care for Your Community

This week’s tip is to make caring for your community part of your company culture. As a business you have a great opportunity to give back to the community that supports you and to provide opportunities for your staff to give back as well.

Volunteer together as a staff   The options for volunteering as a group are endless - serving a meal at a soup kitchen, preparing a meal for the families at the local Ronald McDonald House or doing yard work for a senior citizen are just a few ideas to get you started.

Make product donations to local charities  Most candy and chocolate stores are asked for product donations on a regular basis. Are you giving? While donating to every single request may not be financially feasible, consider creating a policy for these requests such as a set number per month on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Provide paid volunteer hours for staff  By providing paid hours for your staff to volunteer, you are solidifying that this is an important part of your company culture. Consider providing two hours per month for your employees to give back to your community. Best practice would be to require a form be signed by a supervisor where they are volunteering to ensure accountability.

It has been shown that individuals who volunteer have higher life satisfaction. And satisfied employees often are going to be better workers. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get out and give back!

P.S. Kettle Talk, RCI’s quarterly publication, had a feature story and interview with Kriston Dean of Purdy’s Chocolates in the Jul/Aug/Sep 2012 issue. She discussed how they give back as a company. RCI members may access past issues of Kettle Talk by signing in on the RCI website.

Tip #107: Clean Behind Candy Cases

You’re very diligent to clean fingerprints and smudges on the front of your candy cases but have you given thought to how often you clean the inside of your cases and other fixtures? This week’s tip is to remind you that cleaning behind fixtures is just as important as cleaning the front of cases and fixtures.

As you know, presentation matters when it comes to displaying your beautiful chocolates and candies in the store. You may not think the inside of your cases would get dirty but dust could collect there in addition to smudges from moving product in and out of the case. A pristine case will help increase the perceived value of your products so take the time to ensure it is clean both inside and out.

How often should you clean the inside of your cases? That depends on how often the doors to the cases are opened, when product is moved, etc. Whatever you decide, be sure it is added to the cleaning schedule so employees don’t overlook this important task.

P.S. This tip was from the GMP series featured in the Jan/Feb/Mar 2012 issue of Kettle Talk. RCI members may access the entire series by signing in to the RCI website and viewing Kettle Talk issues from 2012.

Tip #106: Get Your Office Organized

Welcome to 2014! We hope you had a great time bringing in the New Year!

This week’s tip is to get your office organized. You’ve just been through a mad holiday season and orders and receipts were flying left and right. Now that December is behind us and before Valentine’s Day is upon us, it’s time to get your office organized again. We’ve found some great office organizing tips on Pinterest!


Organize the Papers on Your Desk with Labeled Folders

Use Clipboards to Organize Items You Need to Access Easily

Create Moodboards for Upcoming Merchandising/Packaging

Get Those Unruly Cords in Order

One last thing - get a labelmaker. We talked about this fantastic tool in Tip #7 and still think it will change your organizing life.

P.S. If you are heading to the Philly Candy Show this weekend, stop by the RCI booth and meet the staff! Be sure to mention you read the Tip of the Week blog!

Tip #105: Thank Your Staff for Hard Holiday Work

Now that the holiday season has passed, and before you begin forging ahead preparing for Valentine’s Day, this week our tip is to be sure you take time to thank your hard-working staff. Remember that your staff has different personalities. Some may feel appreciated with a verbal thank you; some may appreciate a card while others might enjoy a cup of coffee or other treat. Use a variety of methods to be sure your employees know they are valued and appreciated for the hard work and extra effort they put into making sure your business had a successful holiday season.

Need proof that it works? Check out this great infographic that illustrates the value of appreciating and thanking your employees:

Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

Happy New Year!!

Tip #104: Take a Break and Enjoy Your Family & Friends

From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another. The warmth and joy of Christmas brings us closer to each other.    - Emily Matthews

Today is Christmas Eve!

While we know you are likely still working hard to get your customers home with their favorite sweet treats for their families, today’s tip is to enjoy Christmas with your own loved ones. When you walk out the door of your office or store today, take a deep breath and leave everything else behind you to deal with on December 26 (or whenever you return to work). Focus on being 100% present to enjoy this special season with the ones you love most.

Merry Christmas, sweet friends!

Tip #103: Remind Employees of the Value of Customer Service

You may have more customers in your store this month than a typical month. Therefore, it’s imperative they have a great experience so that they return. That’s why this week’s tip is to remind your employees of the importance and value of great customer service. Below are a few items from a 2012 blog tip about customer service  to consider reviewing with your employees:

• Don’t just greet customers – greet them with a smile.
• Thank customers for their business and invite them to come back again.
• Be proactive – go to the customer in the store to offer assistance.
• Ask customers who call the store if they may be placed on hold rather than assuming and saying “Hold, please.”

By providing exceptional customer service, you just may turn that customer who walked in by chance into a new regular who visits your store for treats throughout the year.

Tip #102: Get Customers to Celebrate National Chocolate Covered Anything Day

Did you know this Monday, December 16 is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day? This week’s tip is to get your customers’ creativity involved in celebrating this fun candy holiday.

• Social Media - Ask customers fun questions on Facebook and Twitter such as, “If you could cover anything in chocolate, what would it be?”
• In Store – Have a suggestion box in your store. Customers can suggest items for you to cover in chocolate. Then, on December 16 sell some of the items in your store as unique holiday gifts. You might get a new best seller suggested! (Note, be sure to include a disclaimer that any used suggestions won’t be credited to the person who provided the idea.)
• Website– If you’re able to easily implement sales on your website, have a one-day special on some or one of your best selling chocolate covered items. Be sure to use social media and email to let your customers know they should visit your website to celebrate this candy holiday on December 16!

Please share with us in the comments some of the fun or funky items you end up covering in chocolate to celebrate this fun holiday!

Tip #101: Keep the Chocolate Curtain on Enrober Close to Centers

Out of respect for confectioners’ busy holiday schedules, December’s blog tips will be quick tips.

Have you had issues with air pockets showing up on your enrobed confections?  This week’s tip is to be sure the chocolate curtain on your enrober is as close as possible to the centers or confections being enrobed to avoid air pockets. If the curtain is too far above your centers, then there is more of an opportunity for air pockets to form.

This tip was shared at our 2013 Chocolate Boot Camp education course. Learn more about this hands-on course for confectioners at retailconfectioners.org/bootcamp.

Tip #100: Review the Past 99 Tips

  

Celebrating 100 Tips!

We’re celebrating 100 tips on the RCI Tip of the Week blog this week!

Celebrate with us by using this tip to look back over the past 99 tips. Use the blog archive at right or the search function to find tips by topic (label). From merchandising to candy holidays to marketing and employee management, we have covered a lot of ground since our first tip on January 4, 2012.

We hope you have enjoyed our tips and learned as much as we have along the way. Please take a moment to share the RCI Tip of the Week blog with someone you know; link to www.retailconfectionersinternational.blogspot.com and let others in the confectionery industry know about this FREE resource provided by Retail Confectioners International. We look forward to continuing to provide you with fun, quick and useful tips to help simplify the lives of confectioners!

Tip #98: Optimize Your Marketing Emails Using Images

You’re busy sending out emails to your customer list but are you thinking about how the emails will be viewed depending on elements such as email service providers and screen size? This week’s tip is to take time to optimize your marketing emails for the images you are using.

First of all, be sure you are including images in your email campaigns, especially since you create such beautiful confections! And don’t forget to be sure they are great photos – it will make a world of difference!
See this recent blog tip about why you should invest in having high quality photos of your products.

Next, be sure your images are optimized for web. For example, check to be sure it has the right file size, type and format to avoid your receiver getting upload errors. Your email marketing service provider should provide the guidelines they recommend. For example, no larger than 350KB and no wider than 800 pixels wide is what is recommended by Constant Contact. Anything larger than that and they will likely automatically shrink the image for you which may result in loss of quality.

Additionally, remember that many email programs automatically block images until the receiver chooses to download them. Therefore, it is not recommended that every call to action be included in an image. Instead, utilize both images and text to tell your customers to “Order Online Now” or whatever it is you would like them to do in response to your email.

You are now ready to send effective email marketing messages using photos. If you have additional tips for email marketing, please leave them in the comments below!

RCI Members:  Are you taking advantage of the Constant Contact Email Marketing discount you receive as an RCI member? Just sign in to the RCI website and click on Member Programs under Member Resources for details.

Tip #97: Stay Informed and Get Involved in Legislature

In honor of today’s Election Day in the United States, this week’s tip is to stay informed and get involved in legislature as it relates to and affects your business. Whether it is from a local, state or national level, it is up to you as a business owner to speak out on behalf of the interests of your business.

State and Local

Your state and local chambers of commerce will have a variety resources and information for you on legislature that affects businesses in your local and state area. For most chambers, you may visit their website for information on current legislature. Be sure to also visit with the staff and volunteers of the chamber about how you can get involved to make your voice heard.

National

Govtrack.us is a website that helps you to research pending federal legislation in the U.S. that might impact your life or business. Quickly view information by doing a search on relevant topics or specific bills moving through Congress.  You may also sign up to receive email updates to track activities for the bills or topics that matter most to your business.  Another important part of staying informed is to know who is representing you in Congress. Visit www.house.gov or www.senate.gov to find the most up-to-date contact and voting information on your members of Congress.

For our Canadian friends, www.parl.gc.ca provides a wealth of information on Senators and Members of Congress in Canada as well as current bills before Parliament.

As Thomas Jefferson said, “Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.”

Tip #96: Require Consistency from Your Suppliers

Your customers expect that each time you make a product that it will look and taste the same way as when they purchased it the last time. Your product is just as good as the ingredients you use to make it. Therefore, this week’s tip is to require your suppliers to be consistent with their own products.

Many times we hear from small businesses that they don’t feel they have the ‘clout’ to demand anything from their suppliers because of their size. However, we always remind those businesses that their own livelihood and success is dependent on the quality of their raw materials. Therefore, as a paying customer they have just as much right as any other business to require a consistent product from their suppliers.

As part of requiring consistency of your suppliers, be sure to regularly test each supplier shipment for consistency in characteristics such as taste, size and odor. Remember, if your raw materials and suppliers are dependable, you increase the chances of your finished product being consistent as well. And a consistently delicious product will keep your customers coming back for more!

This tip was inspired by an article in our Good Manufacturing Practices series found in all four 2012 issues of Kettle Talk. RCI members may access past issues of Kettle Talk by signing in as a member on the RCI website. 

Tip #95: Back Up Your Company Files Off-Site

This week’s tip is to take the time to implement a system to back up your company files in more than one location. For example, many companies think that having their files on a server in their facility is secure enough. However, if your office is destroyed by a fire or natural disaster, you will have lost all of that important information. Instead, be sure your files are securely backed up in another location so you can quickly access them in case of emergency.

A number of options are available for backing up your company files. From remote data backup services to storing files on the numerous cloud services available, you will need to find what works best for your company. You may find that it is a combination or hybrid of more than one of the options in order to best meet your information security and data storage needs. Regardless of what you choose, no company should take the risk of having no off-site back up of their files. 

Tip #94: Use Bracelets to Decorate a 2-Piece Box for Seasonal Gift

As we mentioned last month, at each of our events, we take attendees on behind-the-scenes visit of area candy stores and suppliers. It’s one of the most anticipated parts of the event week as it’s a great time for attendees to find ideas to take back to their own stores. And it’s where we found this week’s tip!

This week the tip is very simple and also very versatile. It is to use jewelry such as bracelets to accent a small two- or four-piece box of chocolates. You can get very inexpensive seasonal or fun plastic bracelets that wrap perfectly around a small box to make it a fun gift and a great seasonal display. And, since the bracelet wraps around the box rather than attaching to it with glue, when the season has passed you can easily remove the bracelet and replace with a new one without damaging the box.

Do you have quick and versatile ideas for using small boxes? Please share them in the comments below!

This week’s tip was taken from ‘Creative Uses for Small Boxes’ in our January/February/March 2013 Kettle Talk. RCI members may access past issues of Kettle Talk by signing in as a member on the RCI website.