How To Market Your Ice Cream Store In The Fall

How to market your ice cream store in fall!

Seasonal Flavors

You need to roll-out an array of seasonal flavors and items that fit the time and your market. Especially if you make your own ice cream or have flavor options for your soft serve equipment

What Flavors Can You Make?

Pumpkin Ice Cream

Sweet potato ice cream with toasted marshmallows

Butternut squash with caramel sauce

Cinnamon or cannoli ice cream

Maple pecan ice cream

Brown sugar ice cream with candied pecans

Caramel apple pie

Create sundaes, smoothies and shakes that incorporate these flavors into your lineup

Get involved with schools and sports teams

School and sport seasons all start in autumn and they usually involve opening events and promotions for the students, teams or school clubs.

Some Ways To Get Involved

Be a sponsor for the fall season
Bring product/coupons to their opening night
SchoolsOffer product and support for back to school nights
Get involved with PTA (Parent Teacher Association) from the start of the school season – could also help you later in the year

Develop a novelty and take home products for your customers

Gift baskets built around coupons, products, etc
Pints of your fall specialty flavors – sell pints only at a higher price point – make it special
Ice cream pies, cakes for Halloween, thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.
Even if you are not open for business, you can still produce take home products all winter long. Just offer a brochure or social media post and means to order (phone, email, etc)

Customer count is usually down in the fall

This is a chance to up-sell your products to your customers.

Push your higher ticket items and fall lineup
Push your novelty, cake, pie program
Use social media, pinterest, instagram to promote these items
Adjust staffing and hours to maximize profits – should have shorter hours in fall and staff accordingly for the slower months