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Tag Archives: Advertising

Spring Time is Fair Time in Florida

10 Jan

cotton candy girl at fairCome on down!  Get your popcorn, kettle corn, caramel corn, corn dogs, cotton candy, candy apple, nachos or whatever your guilty pleasure is when Fair time comes around!  There is nothing like spring time in Florida.  The weather makes for a great day to spend at a fair and when it comes to Fairs, there are plenty to choose from in the Sunshine State.  The visitors to this state can keep plenty busy choosing where to go and which concession stands they are going to choose.

The two largest events attended during this season are the Florida State Fair, which is always held in February and The Strawberry Festival which is always late February to early March.  Both of these events pull many vendors, concession stands and visitors.  Between the entertainment, the rides and the food trailers there is never a lack of something to do or something to eat!

Along with those big fairs are several other events that pull people in.  There is the Kumquat Festival, Pioneer Days, Fly Wheelers (4 weekends a year), the Manatee Fair and Pasco Fairs.  All of these fairs are spaced out nicely so that snowbirds always have something to do and visitors can usually hit one or two on a visit as well.  It is a great way to welcome in the spring weather…rides, food, entertainment and fun.

Steve Loew – Tampa Branch Manager
http://www.goldmedaltampa.com

 
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Posted by on January 10, 2013 in Uncategorized

 

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Add Some Spirit to Your Sales with Colored Popcorn

06 Dec

Remember the thrill of eating brightly colored treats as a kid? Whether it was a blueberry-colored shaved ice at the fair or a bubblegum-pink cupcake at a birthday party, there was just something exciting and special about getting to enjoy a colorful snack. While today, we know that food coloring is responsible for those fun colors, we still associate colorful foods with special occasions and fantastic flavors.

Food coloring is a safe way to make food fun. As a popcorn concessionaire, you should definitely consider offering colored popcorn for holidays or special occasions. Think red or pink popcorn for Valentine’s Day, green popcorn for St. Patrick’s Day, or mixed colors to represent team colors at a high school, college or national sports team game.

With the right products, colored popcorn is super easy to make. One way to make colored popcorn is to simply use Color-Popcorn salt instead of regular salt. This will provide a fun color to the popcorn without changing the flavor. You can also produce a wide variety of popcorn colors and flavors using Corn Treats Mixes.

Sometimes, you may wish to use the above Gold Medal Products popcorn colorings to provide color only. For example, you might want to use plain-flavored Color Popcorn salt or Corn Treats Color-Only to make an orange-and-green Miami Dolphins popcorn mix or some orange-and-black Cincinnati Bengals popcorn. Alternatively, you can add flavored Corn Treat Mixes to create popcorn that is both colored and flavored, such as red raspberry popcorn or green apple popcorn.

Besides plain and sweet flavors, colored popcorn can also be savory. Some ideas for savory colored popcorn include spicy-red and white cheddar popcorn to cheer on the Cincinnati Reds, or orange nacho cheese popcorn served in black bags for Halloween. Use Gold Medal Popcorn Co.’s Savory Shake Mixes, Alarm Blazen additive, and Cheddar Pure Gold mix to make savory and colorful popcorn.

Some approaching events that you might think about making colored popcorn mixes for include upcoming college football championship games and the 2013 Super Bowl! Local sports games and holiday fairs and festivals are also great opportunities to serve colored popcorn.

Whatever the occasion, use colored popcorn to help customers get into a festive spirit, and they’ll reward you by brightening your sales!

 
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Posted by on December 6, 2012 in Advertising

 

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Make 40% of Your Yearly Sales in Just a Few Weeks

11 Oct

The weather may be cooling, but now is the time to cash in on hot holiday sales. Dropping temperatures remind consumers the holidays will soon be here, and the yearly quest for the “person who has everything” is quickly descending. Families will typically spend more in November and December than in the previous 10 months combined.

According to The National Retail Federation, 2011 holiday sales reached $471.5 billion in America. The group also reported that many small and mid-sized businesses do 20%-40% of their annual sales in the final two months of the year. Holiday sales are forecasted to increase another 4.1% this year.

Now is the time to capitalize on the spending and increase repeat business sales!

Give Something Memorable

Personal concession equipment for the home is the answer. Small poppers, Sno-Kone® machines, or cotton candy equipment are the gifts that keep giving. They’re not only the ideal presents to get customers into your store or display room; they also introduce you to buyers from a variety of markets. Shoppers will come to you for their supplies and keep you in mind for their churches, schools, party rentals, and so much more.

10 Tips to Increase Holiday Spending

  1. Get Started Now—One of the biggest mistakes is to wait to market, schedule employees, or order stock. Plan now for success.
  2. Theme or Localize Your Holiday Promotions—Stand out from the competition. This is especially key if you are a small or medium-size business. You need to tell your customers why you are unique, who you are, and why people should buy local.
  3. Reach Out to Community Groups—This is the time of year for business, school, community, and religious groups to host family or corporate functions. Get your name out by donating equipment or food, sponsoring an event, or speaking at a function.
  4. Gifts for Every Budget—Entice customers with a range of prices from teaser deals and packages. Promote the price range or “prices starting at…” in your marketing.
  5. Create an Event—Host Power Hours, Secret Santa Days, or Black Friday sales.
  6. Have it in Stock—People are more likely to buy-up and add onto their order when it’s convenient. Keep a selection of the top-sellers on hand to ensure fast delivery and same-day pickup. Also, be sure to re-organize your displays to encourage impulse buys.
  7. Consider Back-End Sales—Are there any items you could take a slight loss on in exchange for the chance to hook the customer? Think of how the large retailers slash costs on big-ticket items. People know there will only be a limited quantity and come early to snag the deal, which encourages other purchases. This is especially ideal for anything you may want to move out of inventory.
  8. Direct and E-mail Marketing—The holidays are the best time to reach out to lapsed customers or those who expressed interest, but haven’t bought yet.
  9. Send Out Coupons—Create the call to action with limited-time-only deals.
  10. Stagger Your Deals—Don’t give it all away at once. Plan specials to get customers back during the holiday months and into the future.

Bonus: Don’t Stop with the Holidays—People are planning parties even during the cool months. Create Super Bowl deals, specials for holidays like Boxing Day, Valentine’s Day sweetheart deals, and so much more!

 
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Posted by on October 11, 2012 in Uncategorized

 

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How to Prep for Your First Gig

19 Sep

The first time for anything can be a little scary, especially when it comes to running your own business. But have no fear, running a concession stand is possible and you are the one to make it happen.

Since you’ve already thought about getting into the business of concessions, it’s time to focus your thinking on certain items of the shop.

Start by getting some ideas for brochures, so you can eventually create your own. Look at brochures that you know sell items, and see how they list products.

Know that a successful shop makes money in three ways: 1. From over the counter sales, 2. Shipping sales, and 3. Wholesale or packaged goods. Start thinking of good locations where your shop can accomplish all three of these ideas.

Visit at least two successful concession stands, so you can start thinking about ideas for product presentation, interior décor, display, and even uniforms for your employees. Only use what you see for ideas, it is important that you create your own, unique brand.

Next, do some investigating. Make sure this is what you want to do before you invest your money in the business.

Decide what you’re going to sell at your shop. Create a good balance of sweet and salty, and remember to keep it simple, especially in the beginning. In fact, your best bet is to limit the menu items, but vary the sizes they come in. Or, perhaps you offer popcorn, but sell different flavors. You also want to sell items that are easy to prepare.

Create a business plan based on your location and the products you plan to sell. A business plan will help you determine the costs for the first year, how to promote yourself and the products, and how much you need to make to succeed.

By following these tips, you’ll be on the right track in the concessions business before you sell your first bag of popcorn!

 
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Posted by on September 19, 2012 in Advertising, avoid burnout, Business, Concession Industry, Fun Foods, make money, New Business, popcorn, self-employment, Small Businesses, Starting Your Own Business

 

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12 Simple Ways Marketers Can Humanize Their Brand

30 Aug

 

Simple Ways to Humize Your Brand

Many people say: “Yeah, using social media sounds like a good plan but I am a big corporation.  How do I do that?  Hubspot is a marketing company that helps companies grow and nuture leads and lead generating materials and they have come up with these 12 simple ways to humanize your brand.  Take a look and tell us in the comments section below if they missed any.Read More…

 
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Posted by on August 30, 2012 in Advertising, brand champions, Business, Common Business Mistakes, customer retention, customer service, increased sales

 

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How To Keep Your Customers Hungry

26 Jul

I had McDonald’s today.  I love McDonald’s.  I always have, and likely always will.  But every time I leave McDonald’s I feel hungrier than when I arrived.  I’ve heard it’s actually done on purpose.  That it’s a combination of the salt and fat in their foods that actually stimulates your hunger, so that you will buy more food.  I don’t know if that’s true or just an urban legend.  (I smell — or is it taste? — a Mythbusters episode.)

But it got me thinking — how do you keep customers hungry?  This is an important question that all businesses must answer.  It’s also personal because I run a successful freelance consulting business as well as a successful start-up photography business (with my wife).  And in both cases I’m forced to keep thinking about customers.  While there are lots of ways to run a business, I think (good) businesses do three things to keep customers hungry…

Read the rest of the article here.

 
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Posted by on July 26, 2012 in Uncategorized

 

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Where to Set Up your Food Cart: The Possibilities are Endless

17 Apr

One of the many benefits of owning a concession trailer business is the ability to set up shop where you want and when you want. If you have your own food cart — or multiple food carts — and it is your desire to cater to a particular customer base, venue or event, you have the freedom to do so.

Many concession trailer owners are content with their “comfort zones.” A consistent rotation at certain sports fields or summer festivals can be advantageous in several ways. Such a system allows concessionaires to develop a fairly good sense of what to expect regarding profit potential and how much product to stock. They also become knowledgeable about the types of food and snacks those customers tend to gravitate toward.

“Branching Out” Has its Rewards

Despite the advantages of keeping a food trailer in familiar territory, some food stand owners may eventually find themselves in a bit of a rut. While some owners are comfortable with consistency and are fine with sticking to what works for them, others eventually begin to feel they might be limiting themselves and missing out on some lucrative opportunities.

Especially for those who make their living operating one or more concession stands, it is advisable to occasionally break out and “test the waters” by researching new locations. Those who “think outside the box” will often land vending locations few other concession trailer owners have occupied. Getting there first and possibly obtaining exclusive rights in a particular area can be as good as gold for the concessionaire.

Large street sales, fishing lakes, trade shows, craft shows, construction sites and corporate outings are just some of the many possibilities vendors can investigate. It might require some ground work, such as making calls to municipalities or scanning local ads to become aware of the availability of viable venues. Depending on the environment, it may also call for the purchase of new and different equipment such as a snow cone maker, pretzel maker or funnel cake equipment. But the ultimate payoff could be very well worth the effort and short-term expenditures.

 
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Posted by on April 17, 2012 in Uncategorized

 

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Guaranteed Sales from Likes? There Isn’t an App for That Yet.

05 Apr

Social media exploded with a bang and a whimper for some businesses. Many small and mid-size companies are still struggling to create not only their online brands, but also track the ROI of valuable hours and resources spent on it. There are also countless platforms that all boast the biggest returns for time spent, which mucks the waters when it comes to determining where to put efforts.

Now that the rush to be the first out of the gate has died down some, industry experts are taking a step back to see how businesses are ranking the experience and how they are utilizing social media outlets.

Social Media Examiner did a 2012 Social Media Marketing Industry Report titled, “How Marketers Are Using Social Media to Grow Their Businesses.” The report tracked that 94% of respondents use social media in their marketing mix. Yet, only 40% of the survey respondents noted increased sales and 58% said they can track leads generated by the social media efforts.

Does this mean we are wasting time, or simply that it’s not easy to track direct sales conversions from an online presence? Only time will be able to answer that question, as the majority of social media marketers seem to be missing hard data and a universally accepted game plan.

However, it doesn’t mean that small to mid-size businesses should stop their efforts. Instead, it reaffirms that owners need to take their own step back and evaluate the value for the business. Just like any other marketing tool, it’s best not to put all your eggs in the social media basket. Keep mixing up your advertising and marketing to ensure you reach the greatest amount of customers and boost sales. In the end, you’ll figure out what works best—at least until the next “big thing” hits and we’re back to square one. Oh, technology, you wily thing.

 
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Posted by on April 5, 2012 in Uncategorized

 

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5 phrases customers hate the most

27 Mar

Never let these phrases pass the lips of your customer service team.

Almost nothing leads to a customer service meltdown more quickly than the use of one particularly offensive phrase. You know it. Heck, we all know it. I don’t really even need to write it. However, just in case you’ve been hiding-out in a California commune or were raised in upper Albania, here it is:

‘That’s our policy.’

I’d wager that even as you read those words, you flashed-back to a past personal experience in which someone spoke them as if they were a magic wand that would miraculously make you go away. But, of course, you didn’t go away. You just became more frustrated, and more convinced that particular company had little interest in your eventual satisfaction.

Read the full text of the article here:  5 phrases customers hate the most

 
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Posted by on March 27, 2012 in Uncategorized

 

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Why it Pays to the Eat the Competition for Breakfast

21 Mar

Every March, millions of Americans gather around TVs, frantically check scores every 5 minutes, and bet their pride and wagers against friends and complete strangers. And so it goes around the globe for the World Cup, the Olympics, the Super Bowl, and countless other sports championships. It’s the healthy dose of adrenaline, conquest, and pride that spurs us on and boils our blood.

A little bit of healthy competition can also do wonders to spur for your business. Efficiency experts agree it can increase productivity and motivation. Managers use competition to set and achieve hard, measurable targets that help with logistics, reaching higher profits, and budgeting. And entrepreneurs compete with themselves to survive the first year crunch and grow their businesses.

Competition can also drive traffic to your location or help with your marketing. For example, Gold Medal is located in Cincinnati, OH, home to numerous friendly rivalries between local colleges and universities, high school football teams, Gold Star vs. Skyline Chilis, and even the sides of town. And in this town, pride is serious and big money business.

Businesses splash their names on T-shirts, cups, posters, and advertisements promoting games. Concession stands and vendors offer tasty fun foods in school or team colors of every shade and will sell out before half time. It’s about knowing your customers and, in this case, how proud fans take their loyalty seriously and spend the extra cash to showcase their devotion and competitive streaks.

Successful businesses take competition seriously and know they need to be the ones others think of first to get the sale. That’s why it pays to be the early bird and forget the worm. Eat the competition for breakfast.

 
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Posted by on March 21, 2012 in Uncategorized

 

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