There is no doubt that in the recent past, two of the most popular DIY candle making businesses have gone under. The highly popular Bezalor and Wicks had their respective opening times reduced from six weeks to just four weeks each. There had been hints from both companies that they may move to longer opening times. However, it looks like that could be a thing of the past, because both Bezalor and Wicks are back with new owners and plans for an aggressive expansion.
It is quite understandable that when a brand new business enters the market, its marketing strategy must include good marketing ideas to keep customers interested and coming back to shop. It also must not neglect the need for effective social distancing measures to stay open. This was the case for both Bezalor and Wicks, so there is no reason why other candle makers should not follow their example. With Bezalor having recently acquired the highly successful Alazard candle company, and Wicks having recently purchased popular store locator concept retailer Emmett’s, there is no doubt that candle business owners will now need to consider all their options, including store location and sales promotion to keep existing customers happy and coming back for more.
Store location is one of the most important social distancing measures for a new candle business. In order to remain open, it is necessary for stores to be located at convenient places where most people are likely to be found. It can be quite difficult to locate and open a store in areas where many people do not consume candles regularly. For instance, if located near busy roads or crowded areas, it may not be possible for you to remain open as comfortably as you otherwise might. In this situation, using floor markers or push sticks can help to keep your candles within walking distance, while still letting customers know that your business is nearby.
One of the other major social distancing measures that you will need to take to remain open is related to marketing and advertising. When selecting where you will open your new store, you will want to consider what types of marketing and advertising are available to you. If you run your business out of your home, there will likely be no readily available billboard or other advertising strategy. However, if you are located in a particular neighborhood, or within walking distance of a popular club, art studio, or other retail outlet, you can utilize newspaper and magazine advertising and flyers posted in your driveway. All of these options have the potential to greatly boost traffic into your store.
You can also make use of other social distancing measures, such as having in-store displays and promotions that encourage people to come into your store. In many cases, when people come into your store and find that they are in need of your product, if you do not have your candle on display, they will simply walk away. If you do not have your candles displayed in the right locations, people are going to walk right by your store’s front door without ever seeing what you have to offer. If you are able to provide in-store promotions and a variety of interesting displays, customers will be more likely to make a purchase than if you are only open at certain times.
Another social distancing measure that you can take is to have certain times throughout the day when you will be offering home delivery. If you are opening a new candle business, one of your main concerns will be making sure that you are able to maintain a consistent level of in-store traffic and that you are able to maintain your candle sales throughout the day. If you are able to offer home delivery throughout your day either as a free option or through a discount or loyalty program, you will be able to attract more customers to your business because they will know that they can get a hot glass of their favorite flavored candle with ease right at home.
You should also be aware of the wickes opening times in your local area. The storefront of a retailer has the best chance to be fully booked during peak hours. That is why you want to be open as much as possible from the time you open the doors until the last candle sale of the night is over. This gives potential customers the chance to see what you have to offer in person and it allows you the opportunity to make final tweaks before your grand opening. You should also keep an eye on the weather conditions during your wickes opening times. If there is inclement weather during your hours of operation, you will be unable to stay open.
It is important that you be open as long as possible. If you are planning an elaborate candle themed fundraiser, you may want to hold a soft opening just to invite curious customers in for a closer look. Your goal is to create excitement about your store and the services that you will be offering while maintaining a reasonable opening time for customers to access your store. If you have a compact format, you can keep opening times to a minimum with a single aisle or row of candles. Your customers will be able to look around your store easily with few of the products on display.