Promotional Ideas

[CoffeeQban]

O.K. I'm looking for creative and relatively inexpensive ways to create a buzz and increase traffic.

Here's a chance for some of the more experienced and savvy among you to show off your skills.

Please share some (actual) promotions you've done. Please include the good the bad and the ugly. What worked what didn't, would you do it again or what would you do different.

Remember, I'm looking for real stuff people have done not ideas in a book or website.

Thanks,

Dave

 

[John P]

There is no such thing as "quick money" so get that out of your head immediately. Think long term, think growth, think about niche positioning, think about looking at how to save money by being more efficient. Think about raising quality and raising prices accordingly.

Any effective marketing is a long term process. Its about establishing your identity, building on that identity and continuously repeating that identity to the customer/public through both internal and external marketing.
Internal marketing consists of store ambiance (layout, colors, music, etc.), product offerings, product quality, customer service, type of cups used, knowledge of coffee/tea/espresso, etc., interior signage, and more.

External marketing includes print ads, logo, exterior signage, and any additional PR such as working with local charities, using local dairy products, etc.

That being said:
From my personal experience:
Concentrate on your espresso and or coffee (and please no drip, unless it's by the cup (aka Melitta filter)). Immediately establish yourself as the best in your area by the quality of your cup. This must actually be better, not just wishful thinking. [Source better beans, use better brewing methods, make every cup important]

Ask yourself, "How can I make it better?" (updosing, downdosing, different temperature, different extraction time, etc.) Practice. Experiment. Repeat.
Become the local expert, be nationally recognized by your peers and prove it by the result in the cup.

Be patient. Continue to learn new techniques, tweak old ones, and/or become more consistent with what you're doing. People will go out of their way (drive, fly, plan road trip, move to your area... just to have your coffee and/or espresso. We regularly have people go out of their way to come here, and we've still managed to operate below the radar. WOM does wonders, but you have to deliver every time, and sometimes that means pi$$ing some people off.... (No soy cappa, no lungo shots, no cream or sugar in the press to order coffee....) but it will endear you to countless of others. Your integrity is reflected by the compromises you are willing to make, a compromise in quality is a compromise in integrity and it will show. Ask yourself, "Do I want to create a lasting legacy? or Do I want to be just another coffee shop?"

Sales are relative to your location, size, staff, business saavy (running a tight ship), and in the end the 'Bottom Line'.

By doing the above we've increased sales 350% since 2005, and are approaching our third year anniversary. We're relatively small, but we've been profitable since month 3, and have been able to triple payments on both our start-up loans this past year. Focus on the coffee and the sales will come, doing several charity events a year is also a good idea to build a relationship with the community, to create 'goodwill', and to get people who care about a similar cause, charity, ideal, to come and have your wonderful beverages.

Don't focus on the money. Focus on the coffee and how to improve quality and improve efficiency in ALL areas of your operation.

My cent.

 

[CoffeeQban]

Now that you answered "How to Brand"

Paul,

Thanks for your reply.

However, I didn't ask about how to make "quick money" My question was about promotional ideas to get the word out. We're brand new and people need to find out about us. Once they do we are confident they'll return because we are focused on all those things you mentioned.

Promotinal ideas please...Not how to establish a brand, although that is also important.

Thanks.

 

[John P]

Qban,

these are questions you should have had answers to months before you opened. I gave you a great promotional idea. Focus on your coffee.

For starters, How about studying the market, understanding marketing, knowing what is good and what is bad marketing? Understanding that without a brand, an identity, there can be no promotion, no real long term sales building. Read, do some research, put the time in. It's YOUR business, it should matter to you to learn these things on your own.

enough poking you with a stick.

Without an identity no one will come to your store, why should they? Who are you?What are you? What is your market position? What do you stand for? These things matter immensely in order to promote yourself and generate sales. Most generation of sales by independents is through Word of Mouth, so you need to do things that will keep people talking and you need to hook them with the first cup or even the first sip.

These are all things we have done that have worked. I think you have to develop an entire package or plan of attack that works particular to your business. But if it's any ONE thing that ties everything together, it's putting the quality of the coffee first that has reaped rewards.

1. Make sure you've connected with all the local papers. Find a hook or a catch that makes YOUR business unique and use that to get an interview.
2. Constantly promote any new additions, products, etc. in a 'Comings and Goings' section of weekly or monthly free magazine.
3. Have a clean, professional ad in multiple magazines that people will see weekly.
4. Do continuing charity work a few times a year for (Insert local charity here)
5. Write press releases from time to time to highlight the charity work, and connect it with a new product, coffee, etc.
6. Educate every customer by allowing them to see, hear and taste how things are done right. (Grind to order, texturing of milk, proper dosing and tamping, only selling whole bean, etc.)
And always remember
6. Focus on the coffee

My BIG Mistake? 3 months of radio advertising. Too much cost for too little return. If I was selling furniture, computers or cars it would have been a great idea. Lesson learned.

You have to want 'it' enough to find the tough answers for yourself. If it matters to you, you will. Be patient. 8)

 

[moonmonkey]

Barter.

What's worked really well for us is trading services. I trade with the local newspaper and not just in coffee. We print our coffee sleeves with our info on one side and a local business on the other. We advertise for the paper and in turn they advertise for us.

Another idea is to take coffee and pastries to your favorite DJs while they are on air. If you have a good product it will do the rest. I also trade a local radio station for on air advertising in return for supplying their office with coffee.

These are just a few bartering ideas. And, not only does it give you exposure to other local businesses but the word of mouth from them is priceless.

Hope that helps.

 

[saliviyajonathan1]

Hi guys,
One of my friend is running a business and he wants to make it popular by increasing traffic to his business. He consulted with his advise and he suggest him some tips that how he can increase traffic to business. First of all mouth popularity is important as it is fast and easy way to achieve popularity. He also started to give discount on some popular products.

 

[Rodsboots]

There is no such thing as "quick money" so get that out of your head immediately. Think long term, think growth, think about niche positioning, think about looking at how to save money by being more efficient. Think about raising quality and raising prices accordingly.

Any effective marketing is a long term process. Its about establishing your identity, building on that identity and continuously repeating that identity to the customer/public through both internal and external marketing.
Internal marketing consists of store ambiance (layout, colors, music, etc.), product offerings, product quality, customer service, type of cups used, knowledge of coffee/tea/espresso, etc., interior signage, and more.

External marketing includes print ads, logo, exterior signage, and any additional PR such as working with local charities, using local dairy products, etc.

That being said:
From my personal experience:
Concentrate on your espresso and or coffee (and please no drip, unless it's by the cup (aka Melitta filter)). Immediately establish yourself as the best in your area by the quality of your cup. This must actually be better, not just wishful thinking. [Source better beans, use better brewing methods, make every cup important]

Ask yourself, "How can I make it better?" (updosing, downdosing, different temperature, different extraction time, etc.) Practice. Experiment. Repeat.
Become the local expert, be nationally recognized by your peers and prove it by the result in the cup.

Be patient. Continue to learn new techniques, tweak old ones, and/or become more consistent with what you're doing. People will go out of their way (drive, fly, plan road trip, move to your area... just to have your coffee and/or espresso. We regularly have people go out of their way to come here, and we've still managed to operate below the radar. WOM does wonders, but you have to deliver every time, and sometimes that means pi$$ing some people off.... (No soy cappa, no lungo shots, no cream or sugar in the press to order coffee....) but it will endear you to countless of others. Your integrity is reflected by the compromises you are willing to make, a compromise in quality is a compromise in integrity and it will show. Ask yourself, "Do I want to create a lasting legacy? or Do I want to be just another coffee shop?"

Sales are relative to your location, size, staff, business saavy (running a tight ship), and in the end the 'Bottom Line'.

By doing the above we've increased sales 350% since 2005, and are approaching our third year anniversary. We're relatively small, but we've been profitable since month 3, and have been able to triple payments on both our start-up loans this past year. Focus on the coffee and the sales will come, doing several charity events a year is also a good idea to build a relationship with the community, to create 'goodwill', and to get people who care about a similar cause, charity, ideal, to come and have your wonderful beverages.

Don't focus on the money. Focus on the coffee and how to improve quality and improve efficiency in ALL areas of your operation.

My cent.

Outstanding Advise, I see too many coffee places worry about the biz rather than understanding that a poor product is the reason why!
Good Beans + Good Roaster+ Good Brew Technique = Amazing product.
Practice Practice Practice.
I have family and friends come over and try my food/drinks regularly, I trust them and they can be totally honest with their opinons.