Merchandising confectionery and ways to increase sales. “The fruits of the tree of the gods. Magazine "Master of Sales": How to make the confectionery business successful Confectionery merchandising and ways to increase sales

Find a colleague yourself

Surprisingly, Michelle does not work with recruiting agencies.
At least, this is what the director of the confectionery chain says. The search for people is carried out in the following way: internal employees are given additional motivation as a monetary reward, and they themselves are looking for personnel for the company.
“Our employees already know the specifics of the product and understand what qualities their potential colleague should have,” Ekaterina Kryukova is sure.
In 2008, when the crisis began in the country, people began to spend less and many companies cut production, restaurants closed, then the management of the Michel company came up with the idea of ​​creating cozy pastry shops with beautiful interiors and affordable prices for La Rochelle.
After all, everyone wants to dine in expensive restaurants, but not everyone can afford it. Very little time passed from the idea to the implementation of the project. In a year and a half, eight pastry shops were opened.
The establishments are interesting because they are a successful symbiosis of traditional cafes, pastry shops, coffee shops, restaurants and represent a new fashionable Lunch & Sweets format.
The target audience of the chain is very extensive due to a wide range of prices and assortment, which is updated almost every week: a buffet, a menu from the chef, ready-to-go meals, a special menu for banquets and buffets.

Fresh interior every year

The key to success when opening a confectionery is to guess the place, - Ekaterina Kryukova shares her experience. - Therefore, when an interesting offer for free space comes in, it is important not to miss it. It is no coincidence that two establishments that are approximately the same in terms of price category and level of service, located 30 meters from each other, can have completely different success among buyers. However, often those premises that seem ideal at first glance are completely inappropriate. Features of technical and sanitary requirements are the main difficulty when finding a place for a cafe, pastry shop or restaurant.
To open one confectionery in Nizhny Novgorod, an average of about two million rubles is needed. At the same time, it is necessary to renew the catering enterprise in order not to lose the interest of the guest every year. The easiest way is to change the interior. It is advisable to carry out restyling once a year so that the outlet remains operational, continues to delight customers, does not bother and does not become boring, which, of course, will also "cost a pretty penny." - A project is considered good if it pays for itself in 4–5 years. Although I do not see the optimal technology for calculating payback, economically justified and the only correct one, - says the director of the network.
However, the most important condition for the development of the restaurant business, according to Natalia Sautkina, is not only a constant renewal of the interior, but also the range of products offered, the emergence of new proposals for buyers. And the best source of information in this case will be the consumers themselves, those people who have already come to you.
Communication with visitors, conducting small questionnaires on the topics of product and service quality, taste preferences, and the interior of the establishment allow you to become closer to the consumer. This gives the company management invaluable first-hand information.
Sometimes, in this way, unusual and fresh ideas about expanding the assortment come from the buyer, when one of the visitors shares interesting recipes.
Some innovations are borrowed from other countries. But European confectionery does not always take root in Russia. And therefore, almost every European idea needs to be Russified. For example, in European pastry shops, it is customary to serve domesticated, slightly sloppy cakes. The Russian guest wants everything to be smooth, smooth, beautiful and the same.

Assortment calendar

In order to determine the optimal range of products for a certain day, we scrupulously study the shipments and workings that were made on that day last year, says Anna Mikhailova.
The shipments are reviewed by the company's commercial department and the workings are reviewed by the CEO. According to the data obtained, the coefficients for the increase are set every year: taking into account new customers and the growth of consumer demand for products. This coefficient must be affixed on every holiday. The information received directly depends on how many employees will work per shift and what volumes of products will be produced.
- The main task is to provide the optimal assortment for a certain calendar day, so that it meets the needs of all categories of buyers as much as possible, - explains Irina Bailova. - For example, hot weather must be taken into account when forming production volumes, because the buyer, as a rule, will not have a special desire to purchase sweet products or salads during this period. It is important to analyze the assortment in advance. Already in July, you can talk about the First of September. And you should prepare for each holiday one and a half two months in advance.

Employees to grow

Confectionery products are stored for only three days, the fourth day is reserved. Such short product lifetimes make the industry very specific in terms of speed of operation and decision making, and few people are able to work at this pace.
“The optimal period for the company to understand whether an employee, even a sales representative, will be able to cope with such a pace and whether his further training makes sense, according to our experience, is three months,” says Ekaterina Kryukova.
- It is this period of time that the probation period in the company lasts - for it the new recruit needs to ideally find out the range.
The company relies on "nurturing" its employees, placing people who know the products in key positions. The management believes that an employee who grows “from within” is most often able to assess not only his area of ​​work, but also the activities of the enterprise as a whole. And when moving horizontally, a person can bring interesting ideas to the work of another department.
- To achieve success in a career, one of the first qualities is an entrepreneurial spirit, an entrepreneurial spirit. A top manager must be able to count money, know their price, invest soul, knowledge and experience in the business. Business without a soul is just technology. The qualities accompanying the sense of entrepreneurship are the accumulated experience, the ability to work with customers, the team, a good knowledge of human psychology, says Irina Bailova.

Working on numbers

The personnel policy of the company should be aimed at the development of people working not only in management, trade, but also in production. As practice shows, it is much more difficult to find a qualified pastry chef than a white collar. The interest of manufacturers is maintained when the company produces many new products that have no analogues on the market. In this case, the person is given the opportunity to “create”.
As a result, he sees a new product, receives positive feedback from management, buyers. And the visible end result is one of the strongest incentives and motives for a person.
The second equally important incentive is training and development. Therefore, the company needs to constantly conduct trainings for its employees.
- There is also a system of motivation and demotivation in production. The main motivation in production concerns professional growth. We hired more literate, professional, ready-made people from among our confectioners and cooks for the position of production managers, ”says Irina Bailova. - The HR department constantly studies the trends of changes in wages for each profession, be it a cook, pastry chef, decorator or baker, in order to understand the level of salary. In addition to the basic salary, there is a bonus fund.
A similar motivation system exists in the sales department.
- The sales department works only for numbers. Motivation and demotivation for its employees depends on the indicator of the month, - says Anna Mikhailova. - Each month the department has its own sales figures. They are associated with the peculiarities of weather conditions, with the specifics of the product, with the number of promotions carried out, with the number of players and many other factors. Incentive programs in the sales department are carried out monthly. Demotivating promotions can also take place monthly, but they always refer to a specific employee. The reasons for demotivation are listed in a special document and are known to all employees. Most often, this is a failure to meet certain economic indicators. Our sales team has not changed for two years. They grow within the team: from assistants to sales representatives and supervisors.

Keep track of every spoonful of rice

In five years, we will publish a book based on those service notes in which people explain the reason for their theft. Not a handful of flour can be passed by our executive director. It has been possible to establish such tight control over the past two years. Before that, there were a lot of problems, - says Ekaterina Kryukova. - Previously, they stole wherever possible, it happened that the products were exported.
Theft is a very common problem for the vast majority of manufacturing companies. At Michel's production, the situation is saved by a well-built control system and a well-chosen team - people in the control group of the production manager. If the manager steals, then he immediately quits. If a subordinate, penalties are applied.
- As soon as the case of theft becomes known, an emergency meeting is called. An electronic message is sent to all structural divisions: "Emergency, theft at the enterprise", - Irina Bailova reveals the mechanism of response. - At the general meeting, the name of the "thief" is not announced. He stands among his colleagues and understands that this is precisely about him.
Some entrepreneurs believe that you can turn a blind eye to what they think are trifles: a stolen loaf of sausage, a can of canned food. But it all starts small, and then grows to incredible proportions. Therefore, you should not even close your eyes to a spoonful of peas or rice. If everyone tastes a spoonful of rice, it will add up to a decent amount. At meetings, I warn our employees that they should try the biscuit, but do it on a commission and enter it in the marriage log. During the tasting procedure, the production manager or technologist must be present. In addition, production managers see how employees work in their places.
- The marriage log is checked once every two weeks, namely: what is tried, how it is tasted, how long this or that position has not been tried, - says Irina Bailova in more detail. - Confectioners should try a cream, semi-finished product. But why try marmalade or walnuts? It's useless. The workshops are equipped with video surveillance cameras. And the operator of the control service writes service letters on a daily basis: which employee went where, what he took out, what he took, where he put what, washed his hands or not.
If the pastry chef smokes and then does not wash his hands, he will be immediately fined. And after a fine, people become disciplined because they understand that they are constantly being watched. There is a saying: "What is controlled is carried out." And I always repeat this phrase to my production managers at every meeting. And we control almost every process. We have no major thefts now. I say this with confidence. A fairly serious control group was selected that checks literally everything.
- In a small restaurant, the owner or director may forgive minor flaws. He understands that if employees take a little more, it will immediately become very noticeable, - adds Ekaterina Kryukova. - And we have a different scale - a factory for the production of confectionery and culinary products. If small theft is allowed, it will result in such a scale that it will be necessary to hang a padlock on the entire production. And therefore, the control system is built in such a way that people understand: all products and things are the property of the company.
With such a thorough control, the company's experience with security agencies did not justify itself. Our own control service is more efficient and reliable. It is important not to make a mistake with the head of the service, he must not only be honest and decent, but also have good intuition. The leader of this service should have such rare qualities as intuition, decency and accuracy in everything.

Saving in Japanese

In the process of optimization, Anna Mikhailova recommends using the Japanese system "Kaizen" (from the Japanese words KAI - "change" and ZEN - "good", "for the better"). Kaizen is a constant striving to improve everything we do, embodied in specific forms, methods and technologies. This method is used by prominent companies: Toyota, Nissan, Canon, Honda, Komatsu, Matsushita and others. According to statistics, companies that use this system increase the profitability and competitiveness of their business, without large investments. The system allows you to raise labor productivity by 50-100% or more.
- Within the framework of this system, we are improving the workplace so that the employee has to make as few unnecessary movements as possible in the process. When creating a workplace, we arrange and install it in such a way that the employee's efficiency increases, so that all the necessary equipment and tools lie next to him, - says the commercial director. The Kaizen system is one of the most effective ways to optimize and combat costs.
But there should be many such ways in a company, and it is necessary to constantly fight against costs. So, by reducing costs, you can find funds to increase the salaries of employees during a crisis.
“During the crisis period, each member of the team got involved in the fight against costs: it got to the point that it monitored how much cleaning agent needed to be poured into the beaker and how many towels or rags should be cut off to clean the floor,” says Anna Mikhailova.
Another way to optimize is outsourcing. At Michelle, a whole staff of merchandisers are outsourced. This allows you to change special tasks on a monthly basis, to have a larger staff. Convenient: the thoughts and ideas of the company are embodied by someone else's hands. A good outsourcing organization is very easy to work with. The company also uses outsourcing in the sales department. And from experience, the company manages to benefit from such cooperation about 30 percent - this is savings on taxes, salaries, vacations, and so on.

New items on the conveyor

In any industry there is a "chase for a leader", a company that brings something new to the market, always does something first. Other players often try to repeat its success, for example, by copying the company's products. Therefore, when releasing one novelty on the market, on the same day you need to start thinking about another, since the life of an innovation is only two or three months. Competitors will quickly make an analogue.
“Michelle's plans include expanding geography: opening regions and entering new networks,” says Anna Mikhailova.
Any potential region is studied for three months. The search is underway for data on population density, on the number of players present, on the competitive environment, on prices, on the assortment. Information is collected, which is consolidated into a kind of huge table, which allows us to conclude: is it worth going to this region. And for this you need to understand whether there is a need for a product. If it exists, then the already working system can be copied to one or another region, because the paying capacity of the population of the same Yaroslavl does not differ at all from Nizhny Novgorod. After the decision to open a branch is made, the selection of personnel begins, who permanently lives and works there. After all, it is impossible to control the region from a distance. There should be either a regional office or branch systems. The decision to develop "new horizons" is very serious for any company, since it is more profitable not to enter the market at all than to enter by mistake.

Towards the ideal

Production needs constant development: the launch of additional areas, the automation of technological processes, the improvement of the technological line. Continuous improvement is integral to the success of an organization. It is necessary to strive to unify products.
According to Natalia Sautkina, today Russian confectionery enterprises mainly use manual labor. However, automation of production is necessary for the products to be standard, each cake is similar to the previous one, because manual labor often makes mistakes. Improvement, automation of technological processes will reduce the cost of manual labor, mobilize and thereby increase production. This is the only way to achieve design and quality control, says Natalia.
It is also important to constantly seek and develop new opportunities for the company. And if the company is engaged in production and it works successfully - it's time to think about your own stores, cafes, restaurants. New formats open up new horizons for the company.

reference

Michelle Is the largest confectionery company in the Nizhny Novgorod region in terms of sales, founded in 2000. The company is the patentee of three trade marks: Michel - confectionery production of cakes and pastries, Svoya Kuhnya - everything related to culinary arts, and La Rochelle - a brand of the confectionery chain. The company employs over 550 employees, of which 380 are employed in production.

Prepared by: Marina Sipatova

In preparing the store for the holidays, an increase in sales of confectionery products is given a special place. It is safe to say that chocolates and sets are one of the most emotionally colored goods: they are closely associated with the experiences and significant events in the lives of consumers, with the holiday atmosphere. Unlike a piece confectionery - a classic product in the checkout area - and flour confectionery, selling more expensive chocolate requires sellers to create a mood. In the long term, this has a positive effect on the attitude of shoppers towards the store.

WAYS TO INCREASE SALES
confectionery before the holidays

Pirates, warriors and business women.

Task 1. Increase sales through
expanding the assortment and competent display

It is obvious that the number of planned visits to pastry shops and purchases in pastry departments before the holidays is increasing significantly. But it is worth remembering that in the pre-holiday bustle, customers have much less time to make an informed choice, so the first task of the store is to force them to make a purchase right here and for this purpose it is worthy to present an assortment of gift sets and create comfortable conditions for their choice. Despite the constant improvement of the range of products offered by manufacturers, as well as their packaging, it would be a mistake to assume that the confectionery department will be attractive in itself, without competent calculation and application of methods to increase sales. The desire of the merchant to display a large number of pastry sets in a limited area often leads to the fact that the boxes are turned upside down, and the packages are partially closed. The face of the product is not always visible on the chocolate bars in the confectionery showcase. Especially if special equipment is not used, the packaging is covered with price tags that are comparable in size to the product itself. At the same time, a negligent seller can easily slap a price tag on Alenka's face or the nose of Kramskoy's "Unknown". Expensive chocolate gifts and small figurines can get completely lost in the window without creating a "visual frame" for them. The placement of cheap piece goods next to them on the principle of “one size in one place” can have a negative effect on their sales. Then the buyer will have the impression, as in the story of the famous satirist: "And these, well, so small - but three!".

Task 2. Increase sales through
expanding the circle of gift buyers.

It should also be remembered that when planning gifts, the customer does not always consider chocolate as a permanent application. The holiday budget is often limited, and alcohol, cosmetics and perfumery and other typical presents become “competitors” of chocolate sets and luxury chocolate as independent gifts.

Increase sales through the presentation of chocolate for men.

Sweets for men and boys are a promising topic, and today its potential has not been fully realized. It first appeared in the chocolate bars and bars segment, and supermen, spiders, horror stories and skeletons were called in to create a candy look for real guys. Chocolate boutiques responded with chocolates for serious men: bitter and super-bitter, with 98 percent cocoa beans. The Aztecs believed that a product made from the fruit of the tree of the gods (according to legend, the cocoa tree was brought to earth by the deity Quetzal-Coatl) arouses masculinity. According to the testimony of the great conquistador Hernan Cortes, at the court of the Aztec emperor Montezuma, two types of liquid chocolate were consumed: sweet with cream and hot with pepper. Cortez wrote that "one cup of this valuable drink is able to keep a person completely awake during the hike from sunrise to sunset." The style of sea romance can also be associated with chocolate - ships delivering cocoa beans to the royal courts of Europe have often been the object of pirates' attention. This style can be used both in creating brands and in laying out a scattering of chocolate medals, like coins from a treasure chest. During the Patriotic War, large confectionery factories produced chocolate specifically for pilots, paratroopers, scouts and sailors who needed energy to survive in conditions of physical, intellectual and emotional stress. The victorious military theme (for example, the Red October stamps "Guards Glory", "Glory", "Peter the Great") and the theme of real men ("Heroic", "Presidential") are now present in the design of chocolate. And before the holidays, it makes sense to single out and group such brands and pay attention to the bitter varieties, so that women, choosing sweets for children, guests and themselves, make another purchase - as a gift to a man.

Increase sales by presenting chocolate to office workers.

Another promising group of buyers and recipients of sweet gifts are office workers, bosses, and work colleagues. In business districts, to attract attention, you can group sets of sweets with heraldic symbols, imperial and Moscow themes in the design of the packaging on one rack. After all, it is not convenient for everyone to give a box that depicts a bouquet of flowers or a frivolous dancer. The packs grouped by theme contribute in their own right to the pre-holiday setting of the hall. Producers and traders can benefit from a topic that has not yet been worked out in chocolate - office gifts and mid-price gags. Perhaps in the future, a chocolate laptop, briefcase or mobile phone will compete with more traditional figurines.

Consider a few more techniques for increasing sales.
confectionery before the holidays:

• INCREASE IN SALES (more often used in the range of 10 rubles per kilogram). Most housewives love to put a vase with different varieties of sweets on the festive table, even low-income customers are tempted to decorate a pile of soy bars with a couple of Golden Souffles. An interesting detail: sweets in a wrapper with a "bushy tail" are often chosen for the table, because there seem to be more of them on the table. At the same price level, the labor costs of the seller at the counter, the time for service are reduced, which is important in the pre-holiday period, when there are queues of hurrying and wanting attention of buyers. The number of impulse purchases among the buyers themselves is increasing - a bag of sweets is already on the scales, and I really want to add both of them! In price equalization, you can use a well-known brand as a sales engine. It is worth noting that this technique requires a preliminary study of buyers in order to choose the right varieties for the price range. For buyers of different groups, price barriers may be different, while the general boundaries due to the perception of numbers are 100, 200 rubles per kilogram.
• INCREASE IN SALES is facilitated by the packaging of chocolates in self-service stores. Candy packaged in a plastic tray at a price of, for example, 38 rubles (a price comparable to the cost of a waffle cake) looks attractive. Some buyers are frightened off by the price of 150-200 rubles per kilogram, and a smaller amount translates the purchase of chocolates into an impulse one. Another part of consumers believes that when buying packaged sweets, they do not overpay for gift wrapping, extra paper and air in it (“Such a large box, but there are only ten inside!”). In stores where most of the buyers are middle and below average incomes, it is possible to display packaging (special bags, boxes) in a conspicuous place so that customers can assemble a gift from bulk and piece sweets themselves - according to their taste and at their own expense.
• SALES INCREASE is facilitated by the availability of materials for artistic gift wrapping in the department and the provision of this service in the store.
  In general, paper bows, ribbons and roses decorating counters and racks have a positive effect on candy sales, but in Russian stores this decor is used less often and weaker than, for example, in American confectionery stores for the middle class. Individual caramel flowers are very rare in our country, although there are caramel baskets - for example, they are produced by Krasny Oktyabr. A single caramel flower would make a nice gift.
• THE INCREASE IN SALES is facilitated by the joint display of alcohol and confectionery sets, using the means of decorative composition, advertising display. A bottle of champagne next to a box of chocolates, several sets under the poster "Congratulate your loved ones!" - all this serves as a reminder, a hint to the buyer and also increases the number of impulse purchases (see Fig. 1). Non-standard solutions can be successful, for example, chocolate bottles and real small bottles located next to each other. Celebration items may already be packed in a flower basket in the store and offered as a set.

• INCREASE IN SALES by grouping and highlighting well-known Soviet confectionery brands. Firstly, it is compliance with the principle “the best products - the best resources”, because the reputation of large manufacturers is behind the old brands. There is another aspect as well. In the course of our research on various food products, it was revealed that among consumers over 30 years of age, the number of those experiencing nostalgia for Soviet times is increasing. At the same time, old brands are associated with wonderful years of childhood and adolescence, and the same varieties are bought to create a festive mood. It is not for nothing that the theme of nostalgia, the time “when there was little of everything, but everything seemed very tasty”, is now used by manufacturers. Some buyers are trying to take revenge in consumption: "Previously, only in orders were given, but now I spawn with spoons in the New Year, and all kinds of" Bears "with" Squirrels "- kilograms!"
• INCREASE IN SALES is facilitated by optimization of the display of gift sets of sweets. The sets on the shelves can be grouped according to the principle of color combinations and contrast of the packaging, the theme of packaging design, as is done, for example, in the Red October brand stores. To facilitate the selection of budget-conscious buyers, you can arrange kits according to box size and price. It is not recommended to place packages of similar color nearby, and it is always necessary to check whether there are any effects of reflected light when looking from the hall. Obviously, the number of small sets of sweets in the checkout area before the holidays can be increased. The allocated area of ​​the display can be limited by bright stripes of sets arranged vertically in several units on the rack (see Fig. 2).

• INCREASE IN SALES is facilitated by the use of posters with information about the composition and properties of the sweets in the set. "Chocolate in the context" is actively implemented through advertising of "Rittersport" and POS-materials of "Korkunov" and "Derzhava". It is known that the majority of buyers have more confidence in the packaging, which depicts the product itself, because the seller is not always able to provide reliable information. Vendors of the confectionery departments say that when customers see a bottle of champagne on the packaging, they often joke: "Is it attached?" No one comes up with the idea of ​​a champagne filling, but if a bottle of cognac or liqueur is depicted, then many buyers already expect that there is an alcoholic filling inside. We repeat once again that the buyer is in a hurry before the holidays, and he has a thousand different problems in his head. Visual information can help avoid frustration and reduce the burden on salespeople.
• THE INCREASE IN SALES is facilitated by the use of dummies of gift chocolate figures. Figured chocolate in plastic packaging is difficult to display with dignity. The light melts the chocolate, and the polyethylene shines, and these reflections destroy the integrity of the volume of the figure. Skillfully crafted dummies can stand anywhere and draw attention to luxury products. Painted plaster sculptures can also be used to decorate the showcase. Thus, figures made of various materials and figured chocolate in the Konfael boutique in Moscow are among the most significant and memorable details of the interior and showcases.

Holidays and weekdays.

Shops and confectionery departments always carry an element of festivity, so their design should create an overall warm impression, evoke pleasant emotions among visitors. It is desirable to use natural materials or their skillful imitation in interior decoration and equipment. Colonial elements may be present - various shades of mahogany, bronze or brass details, large glazed surfaces, mirrors - as, for example, in the design of the Petrossian boutique / cafe in New York. The designers of the Mozart boutique in Toronto have used a palette of colors in the interior based on the range of the product itself - shades of chocolate from white to brown, against a mauve background. “Candy Cauldron” is inspired by Disney's Snow White, combining natural materials with murals and sculptures to create an unforgettable atmosphere.

In the display of sweets and slabs of chocolate, decorative compositions (columns, spirals, screws, pyramids) on the counter still impress the customer. Let us recall the Eiffel Tower of chocolates, described by Bulgakov in the novel The Master and Margarita, shamelessly destroyed by the cat Behemoth. For many other products, such techniques are no longer used or look old-fashioned. But chocolate compositions set the consumer up for holiday consumption, and this can have a positive effect on sales growth in other groups. Means of the composition can also be used in filling transparent containers with bulk goods (see Fig. 3). Laying out bulk sweets, marshmallows, marmalade, etc. in plastic bags instead of containers gives the impression of untidiness.

The combination of confectionery products with such products as tea and coffee, flour confectionery - also with milk is successful, because when a person sees a large number of sweets, a thought about drinks arises in his subconscious mind (see Fig. 5). Psychologists believe that only people with disabilities can eat a lot of sweets without tea or other liquid. Coffee and tea aromas are good for sales. An example is the Red October branded stores on Shabolovka and Tverskaya in Moscow. Hot chocolate is gradually becoming popular, and it has good prospects in our climate (by the way, cognac can be added to hot chocolate in the classic recipe). To emphasize the character of this drink, its density, significance, the choice of dishes plays an important role: thick-walled porcelain cups are preferred over plastic cups and light cups. Those who have visited both Sever cafes in St. Petersburg on Nevsky Prospect could feel this difference.

If confectionery is adjacent to groceries, it is better to "approach" it with canned fruit, jams, etc. Despite the fact that diabetics are some of the most loyal customers, it is recommended to place diabetic products in less prominent places so as not to embarrass other customers (imagine that in the wine and vodka department in the center of the window there will be hangover remedies!). If diabetic products are located in a common confectionery display case, it is more efficient to provide information about ingredients (xylitol, isomalt) in large size or use special symbols that diabetics understand and will always be found. Confirmation of security is also necessary, but it can be written more finely.

In specialized confectionery stores and departments, it is sometimes difficult to lay out sweets and caramel by weight on a glazed counter, as well as on shelves. Layout by type and by price can be applied: the product is divided into groups with a certain price range per kilogram, then they look at how many types can fit in one row. Examples of display for counters and shelves are shown in Figure 6. There are cases when the view of goods in the corner of a confectionery showcase located near the cashier is limited. This must be checked by looking from the audience. Then placing interesting impulse and significant profitable goods there is unjustified.

Have you opened a pastry shop, but the buyers haven’t come? This means that the advertising campaign is poorly or incorrectly developed. But this can be fixed.

Read on to find out how to increase your confectionery sales, attract more guests, and make your business profitable.

Advertising for a pastry shop: where to start?

Remember the desserts from the Soviet times. Thick tough cakes, butter cream and a nondescript look are no longer of interest to anyone, but only evokes unpleasant memories. Diversify your assortment with unusual jewelry, bright, original, “delicious” in appearance.

To expand your audience, introduce confectionery for diabetics into the assortment. Offer custom-made cakes for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries.

How to promote a candy store on opening day

Don't start an ad campaign long before opening. Otherwise, even those who are interested will have time to forget about the event. It is enough to distribute leaflets or place advertisements in the nearest residential buildings, office and shopping centers a day or two before opening. Be sure to include special discounts and opening gifts in your advertisements.

Get noticed!

Remember outdoor advertising. Install a conspicuous, bright sign. It must be well lit, because the hottest time for sales is the evening when locals return from work. Put a pavement sign on the street, it will help passers-by to pay attention to the new establishment.

Costs Today - Profits Tomorrow

Advertising for a confectionery store in the first days of operation should be aimed at building a base of regular visitors and launching word of mouth. Make your discovery a holiday. Don't be afraid of costs. If you manage to attract the attention of buyers, the expenses will quickly pay off and be profitable. Use promotions, bonuses, discount cards. Offer a small discount on your first week of operation. Give free cookies to cakes, coffee to cakes.

Organize a tasting to let visitors know your products are really tasty. Even if they don't buy anything on the first day, they'll come back and tell their friends about the new pastry shop.

How to promote the pastry department

For a candy store in a shopping center, the methods described above work. The only difference is that it is easier to attract buyers to the opening. They are already in the trading floor, and therefore will not mind seeing what interesting things are being offered to them. It is enough to involve promoters and write about discounts on the pavement sign.

Another method of promotion is cooperation with other firms. Invite neighboring departments to hold a joint action. For example, a small discount from your partner will be a gift for a large purchase, and vice versa. This will expand your customer base.

How to increase sales in a candy store

Don't forget about promotions, discounts and other bonuses for visitors. They will help you attract new customers and keep the attention of the regular ones. Tasting products according to a new recipe, discount cards, and certificates will help you earn loyalty among visitors and make your confectionery stand out from competitors. Plus, regular evening discounts can help you cut back on stockpiles.

Update your assortment. Analyze which products are in low demand. Replace it with a new product. National holidays are the time for sweets. Make themed desserts. For New Year and Christmas, decorate them with Christmas trees and snowflakes, on March 8 - flowers, on Valentine's Day - offer candies in the form of hearts, use red and pink in the design. Fantasy is one of the main traits of a successful pastry chef.

How to set up an advertising campaign for a pastry shop:

• Display posters in elevators and other ad areas in nearby residential, shopping and entertainment and business centers.
• Use the internet. Be sure to mark your internet maps. This is how many people find the right store or cafe. Create social media pages.
• Participate in professional competitions, exhibitions and festivals. There you will find a new audience for custom-made products.
• Place an advertisement on your car.

Regular customers: where to get them

If you're opening a new bakery, don't expect your desserts to be sorted out overnight. Even an expensive active ad campaign does not guarantee profit.

Any business is based on regular visitors. They do not appear instantly, the base is developed over the years.

The only way to start a business and get regular customers right away is to buy a ready-made pastry shop. By purchasing an operating institution, you get not only equipment, a profitable place. More importantly, you become the owner of a business that customers already know.

But even after buying a ready-made business, it is necessary to revise the methods of advertising the establishment, to assess their effectiveness. Consider how to increase sales of confectionery.

Remember the main thing: people come to the pastry shop for joy. A pleasant interior, a smile, delicious high-quality products and a competent pricing policy - ensure all this and customers will come back again and again.

As a rule, the number of planned visits to specialized stores or purchases in the confectionery departments before the holidays increases significantly. However, even on ordinary weekdays, visitors do not disregard sweets, because they contain a significant proportion of sugar, have energy value in combination with a pleasant taste, aroma and beautiful appearance. Confectionery products are divided into the following types:

• chocolate and sweets;
• dragee, iris and halva;
• fruit and berry products (marshmallow, marmalade, preserves, candied fruits, etc.);
• caramel (candies and caramel);
• flour (cookies, waffles, gingerbread, muffins, cakes, pastries, etc.).

You can also find honey in the sweets department.

Competent merchandising of confectionery products is very important, since this group of products actively participates in the formation of the store's profit, as well as in creating its reputation and image. A wide range of products can not only attract the attention of customers, but also make a significant contribution to the performance of the outlet.

For the purpose of storing confectionery, racks or equipment that maintain the required temperature are used. Manufacturers / suppliers often provide branded display cases for displaying chocolate. The combination of a weighted pastry chef with tea and coffee, and cakes and rolls with milk or bread is successful.

Basic principles of sweet goods merchandising:

• It must be remembered that variants of the same type should be presented in blocks (3-4 packages each) - under such conditions, buyers have the opportunity to see them.
• In the case of a varied assortment, all items are placed separately: chocolate, sweets, crackers, biscuits, etc. Experts advise using a vertical layout.
• If a horizontal layout is preferred, it is desirable that there are popular goods at eye level, expensive ones - above eye level; large boxes and cans - on the upper shelves, packed in bags - on the lower shelves.
• Caramel and cheap candies should be placed at the bottom, high-end candies at the top, mid-price candies at eye level.
• To increase sales, it is recommended to place shelves with gift boxes next to elite alcohol.
• It is advisable to install racks on which gingerbread and sweet crackers are presented in the direction of buyers' movement among equipment with other confectionery products.
• Chocolate bars and other impulse goods should be placed in the checkout area; racks with chocolate bars can also be duplicated in checkout areas.
• It is necessary to clearly predict the likely fluctuations in demand in the days before the holidays, which will have a positive effect on the popularity of the company and its revenues.
• Active use of advertising materials, dummies of chocolate figures, posters with information, etc. will ensure the promotion of new products and promotional products.

The agency of merchandising "Premier Analytica" takes very seriously the issue of selling confectionery, because it is a product in demand among the general population. In addition, we will be able to prepare the store for the pre-holiday turmoil, giving these emotionally colored products a worthy place.

Competent positioning of goods on the showcase is one of the tools to increase sales. For any business - a large store or a small outlet, it is important to seize the opportunity to increase profits through the efficient use of shelves and display windows.

How to properly lay out candy

Candy is a popular product bought for everyday use, for the holidays, as a gift. But these are small products, so you should choose shelves at chest and eye level for displaying them. Thus, it is possible to ensure that the visitor can see the wrapper, name, manufacturer, without bending over.

Most often, sweets are sold by weight. Many buyers prefer pre-hung products, packaged in transparent bags. Therefore, it is important to offer an alternative! For example, you can buy caramel in bulk in St. Petersburg in corrugated trays - convenient packaging for sale by weight. At the same time, on other shelves, for example, above the main display, you can place already hung sweets of 300-500 gr. with an indication of the cost.

For a gift, customers often choose sweets in boxes and beautiful packaging. Some manufacturers supply sweets in colorful flow-packs - such products will also be in demand and should be in stock in the display case.

How to combine different products correctly

Usually sweets are next to only sweets, and biscuits with cookies. Combinations of different products can be used to boost sales, which is often an effective sales boost. For example, biscuits can be combined with candies, lollipops and waffles. You can duplicate the assortment in a combination of different products on one shelf. However, this will require additional space.

The most effective is the selection of the product of one manufacturer in the overall composition. For example, an entire rack or several shelves are allocated for one brand. Let's say you bought sweets, mini-rolls and chocolate, waffles in Ufa of the famous brand “Laycy Queen”. Having laid out different types of products on one shelf, you can teach the buyer to choose this particular manufacturer.

Having tasted and appreciated the Laycy Queen sweets, the buyer, most likely, will also decide to buy other products of this brand. Thanks to the close proximity on the candy shelf, he learns that the manufacturer also produces waffles, biscuits, etc.

The bigger, the better

The most cost-effective way to buy sweets is in accordance with the needs of the store. To increase sales, you need to create the appearance on the storefront that there is a lot of goods. To do this, it is not necessary to purchase each type of product in tens of kilograms, because there is a risk that it will not be sold before the expiration date. You can, for example, put empty packages or boxes with other goods under the corrugated trays.

By using simple layout rules, you can significantly increase your sales. Alternatively, you can contact an experienced merchandiser who will lay out the goods in accordance with the rules of efficient trading.