Get Promotional Popcorn Ideas to Boost Sales on National Popcorn Day
Marketing Tips for National Popcorn Day (and Beyond!)
If you’re selling popcorn, there’s a special holiday you’ll want to know about. Because popcorn is such a popular snack food, National Popcorn Day (January 19) is a prime opportunity to market your popcorn products. With the right promotions and activities, your customers will be celebrating along with you!
First, Draw In Your Customers
Attracting customers and making them aware of National Popcorn Day is the first step.
Come up with a “hook” or incentive to capture attention and drive traffic and sales. It might be some hot new popcorn flavors, offering a discounted price (BOGO or buy one/get one deals), or holding a contest.
In today’s digital world, having a strong online presence is key. Make sure to use your website, social media, and email to the fullest potential to get the word out. Be visual! Leading up to January 19, post regularly using pictures and videos of your delicious creations on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media accounts. Include hashtags like #NationalPopcornDay and #GourmetPopcorn. Encourage customers to share their photos of your products too. Put a banner or pop-up on your homepage announcing National Popcorn Day. Email an exclusive invitation to your customer list with a special offer if they bring a friend.
Alert your local media in advance to see if they have any interest in covering National Popcorn Day and offer your store as a story location. Invite them to interview you about popcorn (why it’s so popular, why you love to sell it, or interesting and new flavors). Send some popcorn samples to your press outlets to get their attention.
People love coupons. Create a special offer or discount code exclusive to this day only. Place print or online ads with your local newspapers or use paid promotions via social media to reach a wider audience.
Get your staff involved as much as possible. They’ll appreciate knowing about the special offers in advance and may have new ideas to contribute. You’ll also want them to be informed about what the offers include so they can answer questions from your customers. Word of mouth helps too! Place a reminder card or flyer about National Popcorn Day with orders in the weeks prior.
Another way to spread the word about your business is by partnering with local businesses in the area. For example, run a special promotion where customers get free samples or discounts when they show a receipt from another participating business. Some businesses may even be willing to allow you to post flyers/signage or place a product display (and you could do the same for them!).
Once Customers Are In Your Store …
Greet guests by enthusiastically saying, “Happy National Popcorn Day!” Then delight them with visuals and activities!
Engage customers by offering free samples that include a coupon good for January 19. They’ll enjoy the taste-testing, and the coupon will encourage larger purchases.
Hang up signage at the front door and at the register. Make it festive and fun! You may also string together pieces of plain popcorn to create a textural display. Make sure you hang it in the window or give it an otherwise prime viewing place for customers to see.
Have a “guess how many kernels are in the jar” contest with the prize of a gift card or free container of gourmet popcorn. Collect email addresses on the entries so you can add them to your email list.
Consider having National Popcorn Day coloring pages or stickers to keep kids occupied and give parents more time to shop.
Do a Facebook Live video (click here to learn how) to showcase the fun you’re having at the shop in real time. It’s a fun and easy way to get your fan base to join you in person.
After National Popcorn Day…
Your efforts don’t stop on January 20. To keep the sales coming, keep the communication going. Post on social and send an email to your customer list, thanking them for their support of your business on National Popcorn Day. If you held a contest, announce the winner. Use photos, where possible, to grab attention. You may also want to consider promoting upcoming holidays or special occasions like Valentine’s Day.
To keep the excitement going year-round try some of these ideas:
Here’s to a successful National Popcorn Day for you and your store! Trust Gold Medal as your source for all the best in gourmet popcorn equipment and supplies. We know the industry and our concession specialists are here to assist you. To schedule a personal profit consultation to discuss your specific needs, find your nearest Gold Medal distributor or contact us at 800-543-0862 today.