A strong community presence is critical to sustainable success in the ice cream industry. Engaging with local events, sponsoring initiatives, or collaborating with nearby businesses enhances brand visibility and fosters positive associations within the community.
Ice cream shops that initiate connections beyond mere transactions and form genuine customer relationships help cultivate trust and loyalty. By fostering a memorable customer experience, your company can transform casual visitors into loyal fans who share their experiences online and encourage others to indulge. Today, we’ll cover some ice cream marketing ideas for your local shop.
Promote Online
Social media is an important part of your marketing strategy, attracting potential customers to your appealing frozen products. Creating social content that shows off the personality of your employees and brand will resonate with your customers. Try offering a behind-the-scenes look at how you make your ice cream or build a menu favorite. Develop “day-in-the-life” content that shows a small business owner’s various hats throughout the day or post a photo of customers enjoying a sweet treat in your shop. Finally, don’t be afraid to support other local businesses. If the boutique next to your shop is running a sale, help them get the word out! You’ll find that when you support your community, they’ll also support you!
Create a Secret Menu
Offering new menu options is a fun way to keep your customers returning. However, changing printed menus can be time-consuming and costly. A digital menu is quick and simple to update on a whim.
Create a secret menu page with a list of creative ice cream combinations. Invite your customers to scan a QR code to access the menu link, adding intrigue. Level up your secret menu items by hosting a contest. Your customers can contribute their favorite recipes for others to vote on.
Offer Seasonal Flavors
Pumpkin, pecan, eggnog, and strawberry rhubarb are wonderful ice cream flavors but are often most appealing as the seasons shift. Seasonal flavors offer your customers a new option for a limited time, creating a new reason to stop in for a fun treat.
Elevate In-Store Experience
Incorporating interactive elements throughout the store is a fun way to entertain your younger customers. Checkerboards, coloring pages, and puzzles will distract kids enough for the adults to finish their dessert, too! Elevate the entertainment by celebrating beautifully completed coloring pages by hanging them on your wall and giving them a coupon for a future visit.
Interactive content isn’t limited to the kids. Create an online game or quiz that’s accessible via a QR code displayed in your shop. Help your patrons linger in the shop by offering content such as first-date questions, trivia quizzes, and polls.
Build Brand Loyalty Through Community Involvement
The best way to keep your ice cream shop top of mind is to stay involved in your community. Banners at the ballpark and media guide ads are quick ways to elevate your brand. However, you can go even further by creating wooden nickel coupons.
Sponsor a Little League Team
In addition to having your shop name on the uniforms, have the coach hand out custom round tokens offering free ice cream to the kids after an exciting win. You’ll become a team favorite in no time!
Donate to Honor Groups
Spread love and say thanks by donating wooden coin tokens to local schools and participating in yearly events such as Teacher Appreciation Week. You can also swing by your local police and fire stations with a few pints of ice cream and wooden nickels.
When local churches, farmers markets, and the chamber of commerce contact you, say yes to providing coupons for gift bags. You’ll quickly discover your generosity earns you brand loyalty in your community.
Promote To College Students
Do you live in or near a college town? Ensure freshman welcome bags have stacks of coupons to give out and invite students to check out your shop. This brick-and-mortar marketing method will help you reach out to affinity groups and ensure your sports teams know you support their hard work. Offer exclusive after-hours events, and you’ll quickly win the hearts of new ice cream lovers moving to town.
Why Use Custom Wooden Nickles?
Wooden nickels are customizable and reasonably priced. Add your ice cream business logo, message, or event details distinctively and memorably. At Toasted Maple, our tokens engage customers and enhance your brand recognition with eco-friendly, reusable, and cost-effective coupons that won’t get lost in the wash. Get your free mockup now!
