Ten Ways to Increase Concession Stand Sales
This article was originally published on youthletic.om and you can read the original here.
Concession stand sales are one of best ways for youth sports programs to raise funding. However, many parents practice poor customer service and merchandising techniques. They employ the same system they’ve been using for years, simply because it’s been used for years. A little planning and sales strategy can increase concession sales and reduce the financial burden placed on parents.
1. Recruit sales professionals
People in sales enjoy selling things. That’s because they are good at it. Prior to the start of the season send out an email inviting parents with sales or hospitality experience to volunteer for the concession stand. Stress the importance of concession sales as an important component of fundraising.
2. Train concession workers
Train a core group of concession workers. They will act as supervisors throughout the season. Make sure they are familiar with the menu and all prices. Stress the importance of good customer service. Be sure to keep track of items that sellout or those that are hard to sell and adjust purchasing and inventory accordingly.
3. Visual merchandising
Instead of haphazardly throwing food out on a table or hiding everything behind the counter, try some visual merchandising. Arrange candy so that it’s appealing. Use large clear jars to display some items. Place cupcakes on tiers. Think about how enticing candy looks in checkout aisles at the grocery store. Make sure display areas are clean and neat.
4. Get out in the crowd
If you’ve ever attended a major sporting event, you’ve seen people selling food in the stands. Use a cart on wheels or just fill a large shallow box with a variety of treats and water bottles to solicit sales from those in the crowd. This is especially good for large gatherings such as district swim meets with multiple teams.
5. Upsell
Would you like to supersize that? Restaurants and retailers upsell all the time. You can do that with concession sales. Would you like a candy bar with that? If someone merely orders a burger, encourage combo-priced items, such as a burger, chips and drink for $1.00 less than they would be a la carte.
6. Create a coffee bar
Borrow or purchase an espresso drink machine. Brands like Tassimo, Nespesso and Delonghi, make fool-proof portable systems that can make authentic lattes and cappuccinos. Charge prices just short of Starbucks. This is especially good for sports that take place early in the morning. Be sure to use shelf-ready milk to avoid contamination issues.
7. Increase healthy options
A test case published in the Journal of Public Health concluded that adding healthy options to the menu increases concession sales. The healthy offerings had no impact on student satisfaction. However, it increased satisfaction among adults.
8. Keep it simple
According to an article published by Recreation Management, offering menu items that are difficult to prepare can have negative impact on customer service and profitability. Also, too large of a menu could create inventory issues and overwhelm customers. When it comes to candy and potato chips, stick with a few recognizable name brands.
9. Promote
Get the PA announcer involved in promoting concession sales. Place signage everywhere, including the restrooms. Instead of handwritten posters, create professional looking signs that can be used every week. Free clip-art of fast-food images are available online. Stick with the tried and true colors of red, orange and yellow, which are associated with hunger. There’s a reason those colors are used by nearly every fast food chain.
10. Run specials
As the game draws to a close, discount items. The more perishable, the bigger the discount should be. For example, fruit could be marked half price. Make sure the PA announcer reminds people of the closeout sale. Continue to sell post-game. Many of the athletes are hungry and some may want something to eat on the road.
