It might be challenging to run a home-based ice cream business. You’ll have to deal with a lack of manpower, downtime, and spilling ice cream all over the place. Worry not, I’ve compiled a list of pointers to help you sell ice cream from home!
Five tips for selling ice cream from home are:
- Secure All the Necessary Licenses and Permits
- Research How to Make More Money
- Establish an Online Presence
- Expand by Using Creative Advertising Ideas
- Put More Effort Into Your Packaging
Not only can these tips help make selling ice cream easier but they can also help your home-based ice cream business thrive, especially in terms of advertising.
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Secure All the Necessary Licenses and Permits
In business, you should constantly keep licenses and permits in mind. This is because you cannot operate a business if it is not legal, then the business will be forced to close. So, you must ensure that you have all the necessary licenses and permits for your home-based ice cream business.
Here are some examples of typical permits and licenses required for a home-based ice cream business:
- General Business License – Most states do not require a general business license. That being said, you may still need a specific type of business license from your state or county.
- Health and Safety Permits – This is typically not necessary unless you serve dine-in ice cream or store flammable materials in your home. In any case, it’s still a good idea to check with your local and state agencies to determine whether any of these permits are required.
- Food Handler’s Permit – To keep clients safe and healthy, selling ice cream from your home requires a comprehensive food safety training and the required certifications. Therefore, you need to check with your local health safety agency or the state’s department of health to learn how to get a food handler’s permit.
Research How to Make More Money
This is especially important if you don’t serve dine-in ice cream in your home. That’s because you’ll be competing with bigger ice cream businesses with higher foot traffic. Since your business is relatively limited and less visible, you’ll need to work extra hard to increase brand awareness and sales.
Finding out how to generate more money includes researching your competition, ice cream trends, pricing, and marketing strategies. These can make your home-based ice cream business run more smoothly.
Eight Creative Ways To Sell Ice Cream
Establish an Online Presence
Another thing to remember is to build an online presence. In this day and age, social media marketing has considerably helped businesses succeed. It can help you raise brand recognition and build a positive image for your brand.
This is especially crucial for a home-based ice cream business. Because it has limited foot traffic and other resources, you’ll need to find another way to make your business more visible and accessible which is on online platforms.
For reference, here are the steps to establishing an internet presence for your home-based ice cream business:
- Create an Official Page or Site – The first step is to create an official page or website for your home-based ice cream business. This can be done by utilizing major social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok, as well as the top website builder WordPress.
- Post Shareable Content – After building a site or page, you have to provide content that your consumers can share. You should generate compelling content that promotes your brand. For example, you can make short-form videos about how you create ice cream at home.
- Post Regularly – To effectively create a social media following, you should publish routinely. As an example, you can make a social media calendar. This is a lifesaver and helps in organizing, especially for a home-based firm with limited personnel and time.
Expand by Using Creative Advertising Ideas
When it comes to promoting your home-based ice cream business, don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Because of limited space and resources, you need to be more imaginative in your advertising to grow your business.
Here are some clever advertising ideas to expand your business:
- Referral Programs
- Facebook Live
- Contests and Giveaways
- Funny Explainer Videos
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Put More Effort Into Your Packaging
One of the perks of running an ice cream business from home is that you can be more creative with your packaging. There are a lot of DIY ideas for packaging materials and designs that you can use for your products.
Aside from safeguarding your products, the packaging is also vital for marketing. It’s the first thing customers see when they buy your goods and can make your ice cream stand out. So, you must ensure that your packaging is designed in a way that will easily attract buyers.
To give you an idea, you can check Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams’ gift packaging. Their minimalist packaging design is super effective in displaying their brand because they use the right typeface and colors. Another excellent example is Halo Top’s ice cream packaging which establishes the health benefits of its goods by including the calorie content of each pint on its packaging.
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Conclusion
All in all, here are 5 tips for selling ice cream from home:
- Secure All the Necessary Licenses and Permits – Remember to obtain all of the appropriate permissions and licenses so that your home-based ice cream business can run smoothly.
- Research on How to Make More Money – Since you have limited space and resources compared to bigger ice cream businesses, you need to put in extra work and explore other ways to generate more money.
- Establish an Online Presence – To improve brand awareness, you must establish an online presence using social media platforms and website builders.
- Expand Using Creative Advertising Ideas – To effectively expand your business, you must think outside the box and use unique advertising ideas.
- Put More Effort Into Your Packaging – Do your best to make your packaging more appealing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
To make high-quality ice cream at home, follow these steps: 1) Choose the best ingredients, 2) Forget the fats and calories, 3) Add flavorings, 4) Add mix-ins prudently, and 5) Keep it creamy.
To attract your customers, follow these marketing tips: 1), Start distributing ice cream to your neighbors, 2) Create your own flavors and toppings, 3) Upsell by including more items, 4) Offer regular promotions and special deals, 5) Set up a referral program, and 6) Use social media.
To learn more on how to start your own ice cream/gelato business check out my startup documents here
This blog post is provided for informational purposes only. The information contained is not intended to constitute legal advice or to substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified attorney.
Hi! I am Shawn and I am a happy individual who happens to be an entrepreneur. I have owned several types of businesses in my life from a coffee shop to an import and export business to an online review business plus a few more and now I create online ice cream/gelato business resources for those interested in starting new ventures. It’s demanding work but I love it. I do it for those passionate about their business and their goals. That’s why when I meet a ice cream/gelato business owner, I see myself. I know how hard the struggle is to retain clients, find good employees and keep the business growing all while trying to stay competitive.
That’s why I created Ice Cream Business Boss: I want to help ice cream and gelato business owners like you build a thriving business that brings you endless joy and supports your ideal lifestyle.