Some people might wish summertime to be an all-year round weather so that they can enjoy their favorite desserts in the heat of the sun. However, for most of the country, the temperatures have started to dip, and people may not crave a chilly dessert as much as they did in the heat of summer.
Even though this might seem like a negative occurrence, this doesn’t necessarily mean doom for the business. There are still plenty of shops in the cold weather climate that stays open all year round and still succeed. Their secret? They implement smart and creative strategies to keep their customers coming in.
Here are some of the ways you can do to prepare your ice cream shop for the winter season:
- Take it to-go
During this time, people are more likely to want to eat ice cream at home in the fall and winter months. If you are not offering this setup right now, then this is the perfect time to start. You can do that by offering a few of your most popular flavors and seeing how that goes before you expand your offerings. Some ice cream shops pre-package homemade treats like ice cream sandwiches or drumstick-style cones since they are easy to purchase on-site and take home to enjoy later.
- Cozy and warm
It is important to make your shop as warm and cozy as you can when it’s chilly out. You may consider changing up the décor and pattern it with the current season. Add some area rugs, pillows, and warm colors like orange, gold, and red. If you have enough budget, you can alter the lighting by using warm-colored bulbs and bringing the brightness down to make it feel inviting.
- Seasonal Sensations
Getting creative with the flavors and offering them seasonally is a good idea for menu expansion. Think about the tastes and textures people enjoy during the colder seasons and work on flavors and treats that incorporate them. You might be surprised by what you can discover with your experiments.
- Diversify
One of the best ways to bring in more customers is to diversify the menu. If you are currently offering ice cream, you may need to add some other options like hot coffee, hot cocoa, warm apple cider, and pie. You can also add an espresso machine. Parents can enjoy a latte while their kids eat their favorite ice cream. Make sure to advertise new items online and offline so that people will be aware of your new menu options.
- Super Specials
This will help you by offering customers financial incentives to come in when the temperature drops. You can also offer daily specials or fun weather-related deals to convince people to stop by your store and spend some time. You may issue a loyalty card so that customers will go back to your store and purchase something. You can also implement happy hour and give bigger discounts during the said timeframe. This will definitely increase the sale of your shop.
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