It may be cold outside, but people are still craving ice cream and frozen yogurt. In fact, ninety percent people in the United States regularly have a sweet, frozen treat. If you are the owner of a frozen yogurt or ice cream business then you absolutely know that you have to keep the customers happy in the winter just as much as you do in the summer. In order to do that you have to stand out from the crowd. Below are three ways that you can build your brand, entice your customers, and stay ahead of the competition:
Custom Ice Cream Cups – What are the two items that your customers have to use every single time they come into your store to eat ice cream or frozen yogurt? Typically it is the cup their treat goes into and the spoon to eat it with. You should also consider how many people leave your shop and walk around with the cup and spoon that you provide. By having custom ice cream cups you can be getting free advertising with all of the customers who leave your store, but you can also add a little flair to keep customers interested. When was the last time that your custom ice cream cups made a customer want to snap a picture and post to the internet?
Special Spoons – Another way to add flair to your store’s image is to go one step further from having custom ice cream cups and have custom spoons made as well! There are so many options to choose from: biodegradable spoons, color changing spoons, compostable spoons, silly shaped spoons – you name it and it is probably out there!
Branding With A Punch – Four years ago, at the beginning of 2014, there were an estimated 2,582 frozen yogurt stores in America. If you own one of these stores then you have to find ways to stand out among the crowd. How about social media? Does your store have a good Facebook or Instagram presence? If not, sign up right away and start building your branding. Find a hashtag that works for your store, gain followers, do giveaways, and build customer loyalty all from a free online platform!
Studies show that the average American will eat ice cream nearly 30 times this year; how many of those times will be in your store? There is no doubt that you have competition, but by paying attention to the small details like custom ice cream cups, special spoons, and your branding, you can stand out among the crowd and be a customer favorite. You have plenty of time to gear up for your summer season, but don’t wait too long. It takes time to build up customer loyalty on social media and get people excited about how your business is different from the rest.