Do you participate in outdoor promotions or events?

A: We do several outdoor grilling events to highlight our distinct products. Three examples are Coleman Natural Beef Ribeye Steak Sandwiches, Organic Scottish Salmon, and store-made bratwurst and sausages. The profit margin after all the work, frankly, is not that great. But the good will, buzz around the stores, and great product exposure makes it worth the effort.
Calvin Mayne
Dorothy Lane Market
Dayton, OH

A: We do a lot of outdoor promotions. We will be sampling chili at a chili contest that is hosted by a local radio station. We have done sampling at and have donated food for golf tournaments. And we are always busy putting together gift baskets and gift certificates for school and church auctions.
Greg Razor
The Glass Onion Gourmet Market at Regency Park
Cary, NC

A: We do not do any outdoor promotions or sampling; I really do not believe in it. I find that very rarely will people go out of their way to buy something after they have sampled it away from the store. It does not really promote sales or a visit to the store. I do a lot of signage inside and try to make items sound as interesting as possible. I educate people that way and they trust my opinion.
Catherine Cremaldi
Cremaldi’s Inc.
Cambridge, MA

A: If the main street that we are on organizes a sidewalk sale, we almost always participate. Indoors, we do our own newsletter and put on weekend cooking classes in the spring and fall. We invite local chefs and cookbook authors in to host the classes.
Terri Reed
Cooks Nook
McPherson, KS

A: In the spring, we participate in the Deborah Hospital Designer Show House. We provide a variety of housewares, kitchen appliances and specialty food products, such as olive oils and vinegars, which are showcased in the kitchen of a giant mansion for an open house. It is a great way to show off our products and get noticed. We also participate in outdoor restaurant festivals where we supply pasta and also provide food for antique car shows in the area.
Kathryn Phelps
Pasquarosa Italian & International Specialty Goods, Inc.
Haddonfield, NJ

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