Owning a soft serve ice cream machine is one of the most profitable decisions you can make for your restaurant. Not only is soft serve a preferred dessert by consumers across the country, but there are countless advantages of selling soft serve over hard ice cream, which we highlighted in one of our previous articles. In this article, we are going to go over a few things you can do to make your Spaceman soft serve machine even more profitable than it already is, and how to capitalize on this rich and creamy treat.
Presentation
We are living in a digital age, and that means everything is posted online. Did you know that around 69% of millennials take photos of their food before eating it? There’s even a famous quote that goes “Phone eats first”, meaning you must take a photo of your food before you eat it yourself. While some may not understand this new era of eating, social media has entirely changed the way we live, eat, think, and, well, just about everything else. However, this is not a negative shift; it’s actually something that can be take advantage of. Making sure your soft serve’s taste is up to par is one important aspect of selling the swirly delight, but it’s not the only thing that matters. Studies show that around 40% of consumers will order food specifically to take photos of it, and then they won’t even eat it. This statistic shows how truly important it is to make your food picturesque and Instagrammable (A word that was officially added to the Oxford dictionary in 2018).
There are many ways this can be done, so we are going to highlight a few restaurants who we believe are doing an amazing job at making their Spaceman soft serve Instagrammable. Turn Dough is a chimney cake ice cream shop with locations in Hollywood and Venice Beach, California that does an excellent job at this. If you look at their Instagram, you can see how they incorporate unique toppings into their soft serve to create mouth-watering and desirable desserts. Another company who does this successfully is Hampton Chocolate Factory, a new dessert shop located in Tampa, Florida. Their approach is similar in that they are creating unprecedented desserts that one may not be able to finish but will certainly snap a photo of and enjoy as much as possible.
Swap Out the Cake Cone
This sort of goes hand in hand with the presentation of your soft serve, but something as simple as swapping out the average cake cone to something more exciting can be a big driver of sales. Helado Taiyaki is a great example of an ice cream shop who is using Spaceman soft serve machines to create awesome desserts that look nothing like your typical ice cream cone. They serve all their soft serve in fish-shaped cones, which can be seen on their Instagram. Other places sell soft serve in bubble waffle cones, like the ones seen here. You can get as creative as you want – this restaurant in New York City even sells soft serve inside slices of watermelon. It’s important to never limit yourself to one specific thing, and always be willing to try new ideas.
Updating Your Menu
Many people may not realize how important it is to update your company’s menu regularly. In this industry, there are always trends that come in and out of style. It is essential to follow these trends so that customers stay engaged with your business, they don’t get tired of your offerings, and your restaurant does not become outdated. One way that you can keep your menu interesting is by implementing new flavors of soft serve. A fun way to do this could be to create a flavor of the month, something that would have people running to your restaurant to try out a limited edition flavor. Adding limited edition flavors to your menu is a great way to enhance what your company is serving, and it also makes consumers feel special. Limited edition products are deemed more valuable than others since they are exclusive. Not only will limited edition soft serve create buzz around your business, but it will create a sense of immediacy for people to get there before time runs out.
Another fun way to update your menu is by directly asking consumers what they would like to try. Psychology shows that consumers generally like being asked for their opinion and input on certain topics because it makes them feel heard and seen. This can be done by conducting polls and questionnaires on social media, or by asking consumers to submit their ideas online. Studies show that when consumers are involved with decision making, it drives deeper connection between the brand and their target audience. An example of this is when Lay’s held their “Do Us a Flavor” campaign. Consumers were asked to submit their ideas for new potato chip flavors through social media platforms, and the campaign was an enormous hit. Something like this can easily be done on apps such as Instagram, with no extra cost to you or your business.
In conclusion, there are many ways to maximize profits from your Spaceman soft serve machine. By implementing one or more of the strategies we mentioned, we guarantee that you will not only make your desserts more exciting, but you will also increase customer satisfaction and build stronger relationships with your target market.
If you have any creations you’d like to share with us, please tag us on Instagram @spaceman_usa and we’d be glad to repost your product photos!
