5 Easy Ways to Grow Gourmet Popcorn Sales after the Holidays
How to Keep Sales up after the Holiday Season
Don’t get caught in a post-holiday slump! The holiday rush may be over, but there is still plenty of opportunity for growing your gourmet popcorn sales. Explore different ways to keep the momentum going! Here are 5 easy ideas to keep customers coming in and choosing to spend at your shop.
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Cash in on gift card purchases.
If you sell gift cards, now is the perfect time to give customers an extra incentive to make a purchase. Encourage higher transaction amounts for customers spending holiday gift cards. If you typically offer $25 gift cards, for example, create a January deal for a certain percentage off purchases of $30 or more. This will incentivize people to spend more than their gift card amount to get the discount, resulting in additional sales dollars for you. (For an even greater push, tie in your January promotions with National Popcorn Day.)
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Attract health-focused consumers.
With New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and eat healthy, many people will be scaling back the consumption of sweets and snacks. Capitalize on the health benefits of popcorn as a low-calorie snack! Plain white popcorn makes a great option. Advertise your lightest savory flavors, as well as sweet flavors for an alternative to baked goods. You can promote Lemon Pound Cake kettle corn as a 130-calorie-per-serving replacement for cookies and cakes.
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Advertise gift baskets for all occasions.
Just because the holiday season has ended doesn’t mean people are off the hook for gift giving. Birthdays, baby showers, and plenty of other special life events call for presents, and a locally made gift basket can be a nice thoughtful touch, especially early in the year when people might be tired of choosing the right gift after the holidays. (Find gift basket ideas on our blog.) If you want to boost your gift baskets, you may find that this the perfect time to expand your offerings by adding fudge or frosted nuts to your menu. Both are relatively simple to make and can complement your gourmet popcorn products well.
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Partner with local businesses or charities.
Another great way to get your gourmet popcorn business in front of more people is to find ways to team up within your community. For example, create popcorn pairings and cohost a tasting event with a local brewery or winery. (Use our special pairings guides for beer and wine as inspiration for your own creations!) You can also partner with a fundraiser by donating a percentage of your sales to a specific nonprofit organization. Try creating a custom flavor, such as popping pink popcorn to promote Breast Cancer Awareness.
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Connect with influencers.
You should already have your own active social media presence, but how can you reach even more potential customers outside of your immediate network? One answer is to leverage the followers of influencers within your niche. Check out local bloggers, reporters, or publications who review products. Or expand your reach even more by connecting with those who publish for the food industry on a larger scale. (Just make sure your website’s e-commerce capabilities are ready for action!) First, follow them on social media to get to know them better. Engage with their content and form a relationship. Then tailor your pitch about your products, making it personalized and compelling. Keep in mind, some of these opportunities may require payment, while others may only request product samples. The desired end result is a positive review that directs followers to your website and social media, expanding your reach!
Growing sales beyond the holidays will maximize your popcorn shop’s success. And these five ideas are just a starting point! In 8 Popcorn Shop Marketing Ideas that Work, learn about other ways to market your popcorn shop throughout the year like monthly popcorn clubs, wedding popcorn bars, popcorn pricing strategies, and more.
Looking for more info on how to run your gourmet popcorn business throughout the year? Check out Gold Medal’s Concession Insights, where you’ll find advice on packaging, e-commerce, partnering with local businesses, and more.
Keep your business popping all year-round with Gold Medal. For a personalized consultation, please reach out to one of our concession specialists by contacting your nearest Gold Medal dealer or calling 800-543-0862.