Ice cream on wheels is an ideal business since it’s perfect for reaching more consumers. However, solid sales are not guaranteed because of the tough competition. This is the very reason why you need to know how to advertise your ice cream truck.
To advertise your ice cream truck, you need to have a variety of ice cream offerings, plan a predictable route, print out some flyers, reach out to your local community, and use social media.
These are easy to do and might help improve the popularity and profitability of your ice cream on wheels business.
Have a Variety of Ice Cream Offerings
Offering as many ice cream flavors as possible is an easy way to promote your ice cream business. You can, for example, put as many ice cream novelties as you like on your menu. This can get your consumers more thrilled to try a new variety every time your ice cream truck comes by.
Since it’s ice cream, you don’t have to worry about causing your customers’ choice overload. In fact, lack of choice has the most detrimental influence on customer behavior and satisfaction. So, it’s best to make sure you offer enough flavor options for your consumers.
Here are other ice cream varieties you can offer on your ice cream truck:
- Soft Serve
- Ice Cream Sandwich
- Prepackaged Cone
- Ice Cream Bar
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Plan a Predictable Route
Another strategy to advertise your ice cream truck is to create a consistent route. You must ensure that your typical path can be easily predicted by customers. This way, your loyal or new clients won’t have to work too much to keep track of your ice cream truck.
This is also an effective way to utilize word-of-mouth marketing. For example, your regular customers can spread the word about where your ice cream truck stops. Just make sure to check with your local and state to know the legalities of parking in certain areas.
Some of the best ice cream truck spots are:
- Nearby Schools
- Local Parks
- Music and Sports Venues
Print Out Some Flyers
Printing and distributing ice cream flyers is another excellent approach to promote your business, especially if your route has a varying timetable. This is because you can utilize flyers to inform your consumers about where your truck will be on various days.
You can also use these promotional materials to let your customers know about the icy goodies they can expect from your truck. For example, if you have a special menu for a given day, you can include it on your flyers so that customers know when they can expect their favorites. You can also utilize these to spread the news about your promos or discounts.
Flyers can also be used to reach out to potential clients if you provide catering services. You only need to include your contact information as well as details about your catering service. For instance, you can indicate if your ice cream truck is up for rent or available to serve at birthday and wedding parties.
Reach Out to Your Local Community
Reaching out to your community is an excellent approach to gaining more loyal customers and developing a favorable image for your ice cream truck. Being an engaged member of your community helps others regard your brand as always present and trustworthy. It also helps strengthen your knowledge in your field while putting you in front of prospective customers and referrals.
As an example, you can contact local schools, non-profit groups, and sports teams. This will help you in developing a favorable brand for your ice cream on wheels business. You can fund local sports teams and offer your ice cream during their events. It will help spread the word about your business and give the impression that you are reliable and concerned about your community.
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Use Social Media
In this day and age, social media marketing is the most effective and efficient approach to advertising a brand. This is because the majority or 75% of consumers use social media for researching products. Since ice cream trucks are always on the road, they can utilize social media to notify customers when and where their operations will be.
For your ice cream truck, you could consider creating an online community for your customers. Make it a place where they can express their enthusiasm for your products. Also, you can post shareable content to generate buzz as this is an excellent technique to build a solid relationship with your loyal consumers.
Additionally, since short-form video content is the most popular social media format for marketing, it’s perfect to make more of it, particularly on TikTok and Instagram. You can make amusing short videos like “The Daily Life of an Ice Cream Truck Operator.”
Conclusion
Overall, here are some ways to advertise your ice cream truck:
- Have a Variety of Ice Cream Offerings – Customers will be more thrilled about your ice cream truck if you do not limit your selections.
- Plan a Predictable Route – This can help customers locate your ice cream truck easily. It can also help in utilizing word-of-mouth marketing.
- Print Out Some Flyers – Printing and distributing flyers allows you to inform your customers about where your truck will be on different days, the available ice cream offerings, and to connect with potential customers.
- Reach Out to Your Local Community – Interacting with your community helps to attract more loyal customers and build a positive image for your ice cream truck.
- Use Social Media – This is the most effective and efficient method of advertising a brand and raising business recognition.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The cost of an ice cream truck varies. An old ice cream truck costs between $10,000 and $20,000, while a new one costs around $60,000. On the other hand, renting an ice cream truck can cost between $1,500 and $2,000 per month.
These are the 10 ice cream classics that can make you come running: 1) The Choco Taco, 2) King Cone, 3) Oreo Ice Cream Sandwich, 4) Crunch Bar, 5) Strawberry Shortcake Bar, 6) Screwball, 7) Firecracker, 8) Snow Cone, 9) Push-Ups, and 10) Fla-Vor-Ice Freeze Pops.
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.