With the surge in gourmet home cooking on the back of a flood of reality TV shows covering baking to chaffing skills to complete dining experiences, newsagents are well placed to engage with the local foodie community.
Select a recipe from one of your popular food magazines run a competition for customers for judging on a day you set aside for an in-store event. They all have to bake the same dish you choose.
You could go further have choose a starter, a main and a dessert. But that could be challenging in heating so starting the idea with a cake, slice, biscuits or something similar which can be delivered and served cold could be more practical.
Find an independent judge with experience in food judging. Set aside some space where you also promote your food titles. Get the local paper in for a photo. Have fun. Remember to let the publisher of the magazine you choose know. Take lots of photos for your business Facebook page.
If you worry about space and too many entries maybe limit the size first time around. Or, plan to go big and hire a local hall or get council approval to do something on the footpath in front of your newsagency. I think it’s important for an event like this to be in or near your business. The commercial connection, however subtle, is important.