How to Start an Ice Cream Shop or Smoothie Business
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Did you ever notice that people going to ice cream shops are usually happy or celebrating some event? It
doesn't sound a like a bad place to work!
Whether customers want to treat themselves to a dessert - or they want a healthy alternative of frozen
yogurt or a vitamin-packed smoothie - these eateries are growing in popularity.
In this business, it is essential to operate in a high-traffic location. Many shops do well close to
schools, playgrounds or other restaurants. Some businesses have gone mobile - bringing their treats to the
eaters - by way of a truck or van. This can be a smart way to find customers who are working in office
buildings, or cater special events.
Smoothie/Ice Cream/Yogurt Shop Quick-Start Plan
Licenses and Permits:
Requirements for licenses and permits vary by state. Your food preparation space will need to pass an
inspection by the Department of Health as well. When approved, you will be able to receive your license.
Retail Space & Smoothie/Ice Cream Shop Design:
Commercial real estate agents can help you locate vacancies within you budget. Check the city's zoning restrictions, if necessary. Generally, you want
to be near businesses already attracting shoppers and that complement what you are selling. When looking for
possible locations, notice traffic patterns, construction projects, where your competitors are located and also
parking situations.
After you secure a retail space, you want to create a design and layout that works for your particular
eatery. You can create the interior design layout of your smoothie business, juice bar or ice cream shop using
restaurant floor plan
software that you can download. The Ice Cream Shop Start-Up Guide also
includes sample floor plans.
Selling from a Vehicle:
The smaller the vehicle, the lower the cost. Look ar small used trucks or vans if you are working in a tight
budget. Do your city's regulations state vending trucks be stored in a special facility? Do you know where your
vehicle can be parked - legally? Each locale is different, and you can get the answers to these questions at
your local city office.
(See also: Ice Cream Truck
Business).
Smoothie/ Yogurt/Juice Bar/Ice Cream Shop Start-Up
Guide:
 How to decide what type of shop to open, put
together a business plan, where to find financing and other necessary information on licenses, insurance,
etc.
- Designing your shop, where to get equipment and supplies, find wholesale suppliers, set prices and
accept payments from customers.
- Ways to cheaply attract new customers, get repeat business, handle difficult customers and hire a great
staff.
- Plus sample forms and checklists (including floor plans, supply checklist, lease
agreement and more) and lots of free resources that will save you time and money.
Ice Cream/Smoothie Shop Quick-Start Plan
Business Plans:
Since ice cream parlors, smoothie shops and juice bars vary by size, location, type, staff and items sold,
start-up costs vary. Find out how much it will cost to start a business using a start up costs worksheet.
Ice Cream Shop & Smoothie Business Resources:
Find Customers for Your Smoothie Shop
 Take the guesswork out of finding customers by
picking up the best marketing guide I've found. You'll find out free and extremely low cost ways to
attract new clients to your business with very little effort - saving you tons of money
Marketing Expert David Frey shows you how to implement these strategies right away, for immediate profit.
The Ultimate Small Business
Marketing Resource
Order business cards. Often overlooked, business cards can be a very efficient and low cost
advertising method. See how you can design your own professional business cards online >> Free Business Cards. See also: 30-50% off Postcards, Brochures and
more. Design your own marketing materials online using professional templates. Designs provided, printing done
for you. See also: design your own logo.
Get Free Publicity - Besides advertising in your local yellow pages and placing
ads in newspapers and neighborhood mailers, you can save money by sending a press release or "letter" to
your local paper announcing the grand opening of your new business.
If you can offer a special discount or hold an event and tie it in with your grand opening, publications
will find this more newsworthy and are more likely to publish news about your ice cream or smoothie business.
Your press release can be short and simple, and you can find press release samples you can follow on this page:
How to Write a Simple Press Release
 Print Brochures
Showing Your Services and Expertise
Don't just tell people about your smoothie shop - show them! Pictures are worth a thousand words, and brochures
can present a professional company image - while selling your services to potential clients at the same
time.
You want to use quality materials and photos if you can, but company brochures don't have to be expensive.
You can use programs online to design your own brochures, and have
them automatically printed for you at a discounted price.
Offer coupons in neighborhood mailers or local newspapers to attract new customers to try
out your service. You can use mailing services or design your own coupons using online coupon creators.
Set up a simple website for under $50/year to
advertise your smoothie shop. Help people find you in the search engines: get listed in 20 search engines for free or in
300 search engines for $4.
Local Search
is becoming more and more popular. People are many times using online search instead of the traditional yellow
pages to find local businesses. Local Search sources that are affordable and receive substantial traffic
include: Google Local, Yelp, Super Pages and Insider Pages.
See also: $50 Online Advertising
Credit
Give Out Promotional Items. ThisPromoWorks has lots of cool items that you can customize
with your logo - hand them out to prospective customers, and they'll think you're cool too! This is an easy way
to invite a client to do business with you.
Gimmicks like magnets, small calendars and pens are a inexpensive marketing tools - and useful to people who
receive them. You can find many of these "ads" around someone's house or office months - even years after
they've received them. Your business gets recognition again and again. Design Your Own Promotional
Items.
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