Eight Creative Ways To Sell Ice Cream

Eight Creative Ways To Sell Ice Cream

by

The ice cream industry’s competition is heating up despite having frosty goods.  With big names like Dippin’ Dots selling ice cream in unique ways, one needs to think of creative ways to sell ice cream. Check out my cool suggestions below.

Eight creative ways to sell ice cream:

  1. Offer Endless Toppings
  2. Whip Up New Flavors 
  3. Get Gimmicky
  4. Create a Pop-up Tasting Bar
  5. Offer Deep-Fried Ice Cream 
  6. Serve Ice Cream for Pets
  7. Create a Sundae Bar 
  8. Make it Instagram-Worthy 

Keep reading and learn the different creative ways to sell ice cream and some tips to help you stay cool as the competition heats up. 

Offer Endless Toppings

Offering countless toppings is the best way to carry out creativity in selling your ice cream. With a variety of toppings to choose from, you can give customers the freedom to design their ice cream and create the ultimate mix. 

For your reference, here are some of the most unique ice cream toppings:

Whip Up New Flavors 

Being innovative with ice cream flavors is one creative way to sell ice cream. Cold Dog, an Oscar Mayer hot dog-flavored popsicle, is an excellent example of this. The flavor appears to be the oddest of the bunch, but is certainly unique and eye-catching. 

The more flavors you create, the more delighted your consumers will be. Take  Baskin-Robbins as an example. Their “31 Flavors” branding, which is literally a menu of 31 flavors, helped in satisfying their customers’ cravings and separating their brand from the competitors.

Get Gimmicky

Ice cream is an ideal product for creating hype and people enjoy products that make noise, especially on social media. You can call it bandwagon since it helps spread the word about your popular treats. 

Here are some ice cream shop gimmicks:

  • Hosting an ice cream-making contest. 
  • Starting a referral program. 
  • Posting regularly on social media, especially on Instagram. 
  • Giving out freebies.
  • Adding some decor like a standee or a giant ice cream sign. 

Six Tips To Make Your Ice Cream Packaging Amazing

Create a Pop-up Tasting Bar

Pop-up events are fun and exciting, and they promise great bargains for a short time. That is why they elicit such powerful reactions from customers.

Pop-up events are an excellent way for ice cream businesses to broaden their market reach and raise brand awareness. For your reference, here are some tips to start a pop-up bar for your ice cream products:

  • Have a Clear Goal – A clear and well-defined objective is the most critical component in pop-up success. Your pop-up goal for your ice cream business is to increase brand awareness, get new customers, and conduct market research. 
  • Make the Pop-up Easy to Reach – Pop-ups must reach their target demographic.  So, before deciding on a location, you have to evaluate your target market’s habits. For example, if your target market consists mainly of students, you can set up a pop-up bar near schools or eateries. 
  • Brainstorm Partnerships – Consider forming a pop-up partnership with other businesses that are not direct competitors. For ice cream, you can collaborate with local eateries to set up a pop-up bar in front of their location.
  • Consider the Logistics – First, examine local regulations, such as permits, and ensure that all of your documentation is in place well ahead of time. Then, consider event-specific requirements such as electricity, decorations, and payment methods.

Great Places To Advertise Your Ice Cream Business

Offer Deep-Fried Ice Cream 

Another creative way to sell ice cream is by including fried ice cream on your menu. Yes, they exist. They’re attention-grabbing treats created from a frozen hard scoop of ice cream, coated in batter, then immediately deep-fried. 

To give you an idea, here are some of the best fried ice cream recipes:

Serve Ice Cream for Pets

Another creative way to sell ice cream is by being pet-friendly. This will help you attract “hoomans” looking to treat their four-legged friends with a scoop of ice cream. That’s why big names in the ice cream industry like Ben&Jerry’s are starting to offer ice cream treats for pets as the pet food industry grows. 

Here are some of the best ice cream treats for dogs:

Create a Sundae Bar 

Since your customers have different tastes, it is ideal to set up a sundae bar in your ice cream shop. Not only does it invite creativity and fun but it also provides an opportunity for your customers to come up with their own ice cream masterpieces.

There are no tight rules in creating a sundae bar. You just need to provide various ice cream flavors and toppings. For your ice cream flavors, you can include your shop’s best sellers as well as slow-moving flavors and for your toppings, the most fun ones like sprinkles, pretzels, and various fruits. 

Six Fun Reasons To Work In An Ice Cream Shop

Make it Instagram-Worthy 

According to statistics, 83% of customers use Instagram to find new services or goods. Furthermore, 80% of consumers say they utilize Instagram to make final buying choices. So, in this day and age, making your products Instagrammable is one creative way to advertise and sell your products.

You can make your ice cream picture-worthy by increasing their aesthetic appeal. For example, you can use eye-catching toppings like sprinkles and pretzels. To take things a step further, you can make your ice cream packaging more appealing by utilizing an Instagram-friendly design.

Seven Top Reasons To Choose Ice Cream As Your Product

Conclusion 

All in all, these are the 8 creative ways to sell ice cream:

  1. Offer Endless Toppings – More toppings give customers the option to personalize their ice cream and create the optimal blend.
  2. Whip Up New Flavors – Be creative with the flavors. The more varieties you develop, the happier your customers will be.
  3. Get Gimmicky – You can start ice cream store gimmicks such as hosting an ice cream-making competition or launching a referral program.
  4. Create a Pop-up Tasting Bar – Pop-up events are a great method for ice cream businesses to expand their market reach and increase brand awareness.
  5. Offer Deep-Fried Ice Cream – Include attention-grabbing fried ice cream on your menu. 
  6. Serve Ice Cream for Pets – This will help you attract “hoomans” who want to treat their four-legged buddies with an ice cream cone.
  7. Create a Sundae Bar – It encourages exploration and fun. It also gives your customers the ability to construct their own ice cream creations.
  8. Make it Instagram-Worthy – Utilize eye-catching toppings like sprinkles and pretzels, and use an Instagram-friendly design to make your ice cream packaging more attractive.

Five Best Places To Sell Ice Cream

Frequently Asked Questions

How can you make ice cream more attractive?

To improve the attractiveness of your ice cream, make it sweeter, which adds to the flavor factor, and add at least 10% butterfat, which contributes to texture. 

What ice cream flavors go well together?

The ice cream flavors that go well together are 1) Buttered Popcorn, 2) Chocolate and Coconut, 3) Chocolate and Vanilla, 4) Salted Nutella, 5) Coffee and Oreo, 6) Peanut Butter and Jelly, 7) Lemon Sorbet and Cheesecake, and 8) The Coke Float. 

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.