Running a successful bakery operation requires much more than simply placing your baked goods on baskets, shelves, and wooden racks. A bakery operator must entice customers into their store through the use of creative and eye-catching displays, get them to spend more with the right cross-merchandising, and provide the right products and level of service to keep them coming back again and again. This article will help bakery operators engage all five of their customers’ senses, resulting in more customers, more impulse sales, and more repeat business.
1. Do your research
The best way to serve your customers is to know what they want. You need to communicate. Talk to your customers, take a survey, take an online survey, create a message board on your website or Facebook or Twitter account, or other social media tools. Ask them what they think of your products, what else they would like you to offer, what you could be doing better, whether or not your staff is providing the best service. It is also important to research your competition to always be one step ahead of them. Selling the right mix of products will ensure that all of your customers are happy and coming back for more.
2. Create an eye-catching display at the front of the store
The window of a bakery is the most important key to attract customers to the store. The window should present a truly eye-catching display that can be seen from afar and from all angles. If necessary, hire a professional exhibitor or window dresser to create something magnificent. Showcase your best-selling products and the most visually appealing items. Consider using artificial foods instead of real items to prevent mold or stale items, or if your store window is too hot or too cold. Also consider using items typically used for baking, such as large sacks of flour, pints, sheaves of wheat, and other accessories, as these will help convey the idea that your bakery makes everything from scratch.
3. Don’t forget the interior
Inside the bakery, use only the freshest ingredients and food on your displays. Display bakery items like bagels, baguettes, cookies, and dessert bars using unique plates, platters, and rattan baskets set at different heights and depths. This can be achieved by using accessories such as wooden boxes, metal cans, two, three or four tier plates or risers. Use fresh fruit, fresh and dried flowers, plus ears of wheat and corn to add to your displays. Tilt the shelves of your wood display cases so customers have a better view of breads, pastries, and other items. Make your products visible from all angles and make sure your screens are changed at least every 10 days.
4. Add bright colors
One of the most important factors in marketing baked goods is the use of color. Since most breads and pastries tend to be the same shades of beige and brown, more color needs to be infused. This can be achieved by interspersing their colorful cakes and cookies, as well as selling other items such as sweets and confectionery. Bowls of fresh fruits and vegetables can also add more vibrancy to your operation.
5. Keep Them Stocked
There’s nothing more depressing than walking into a bakery with a few items in the display case and a solitary bun or two lying in a bin. Make sure your bakery is fully stocked at all times, and as you start selling products, consider combining existing products into one or two baskets so the baskets always look full. Make sure you have all your best sellers and customer favorites in stock at all times.
6. Have fun with cross-merchandising
Cross-marketing is a marketing method that helps build momentum and additional sales. Whether your bakery is a one-off operation or located in a grocery store, there is much that can be done to market and sell your bakery items with other relevant products. Display specialty breads marketed with the ingredients that were used to make the bread. Display fresh herbs near your herb breads. Sell cans of soup next to sourdough breads, candles and cake lifters next to cakes, bottles of olive oil and vinegar next to your focaccia, or smoked salmon and cream cheese next to bagels. Coffee is also a great cross-market item for baked goods. The possibilities are endless and the end result is increased sales.
7. Use samples and aroma marketing
A bakery has a great advantage over other businesses in that the smell of freshly baked bread or freshly baked cookies is so powerful that it can instantly attract unsuspecting customers. Put a fan in your kitchen to bring aromas from your kitchen into your store, keep your front doors open so aromas reach the streets, or pump aroma through your exhaust so aromas can be smelled from miles away. .
Give out free samples of your products so customers have a chance to try your delicious products. It’s a great way to sell excess products or showcase new products to your customers.