If you’ve found yourself in the business of slinging caffeinated drinks and roasting coffee beans, count your lucky stars — because you’re in one of the fastest-growing, lucrative industries around. In fact, cafe and coffee shops sales have increased fourfold over the past decade alone. And even though shop openings seem to be (finally) leveling out, that doesn’t mean you can rest on your laurels.
Give the fact that most cities house, on average, well over 400 coffee shops, it’s imperative you make yours stick above the proverbial fray. Here are a few ideas on how to make your coffee shop stand out above the competition.
Craft Seasonal Drinks
If you’re slinging the same teas and coffees year-round then there’s little-stopping someone from checking out the competition if they’ve already been through your doors once. So, to keep people curious and your shop relevant to the public, play with the tastes of whatever season you find yourself in. Embrace floral-notes come spring, yuletide spices during the holiday season, pumpkin-spice everything when fall comes a-knockin’, you name it.
For an extra bit of marketing prowess, consider, too, selling “seasonal swag” in the form of mugs, cups, and coffee-shop apparel. Doing this not only helps boost revenues but also acts as a form of “passive marketing”; people wearing and using your goods will put your coffee shop’s name on the radar for many.
Embrace Social Media
Nearly a third of the world’ population is on social media, so, suffice to say, it’s imperative you utilize those SM platforms to your advantage. Being that you’re are in some form of social media, these days. Try keeping an active, lively, engaged presence on your various social media accounts, making sure to stay “on-brand” and respond to queries and comments in a punctual, engaging way.
A word to the wise: Instagram is thought of by many industry experts as the go-to social media for foodies and the gastronomically inclined. If you’re strapped for time and only want to keep up with one social media account, opt to choose Instagram above the others.
Put People First
Most coffee shops — and most business ventures, for that matter — don’t fail because of the products they’re serving. They go down, in fact, because they put their needs above those of their customers.
Also, your caffeinated patrons will be far more likely to become loyal, regular customers if you put them first. Research shows that people hold customer service and experience at the same level as the quality of product and services.
Host Creative Happenings
Why not get the most out of your coffee shop’s space..and regularly host things like galleries, slam poetry competitions, live music, and more?
Doing so will not only help attract new business but will stamp your coffee shop as a destination for the arts and those that love them. Also, think about surveying your fan base on social media to see if there are any acts, installations, slam poets, etc. that they’re keen on seeing — and then try to make that happen.
Make Your Space Standout
Fun fact: We do, in fact, judge a book by its cover — and the same principle applies to things like curb appeal. Make sure your coffee shop stands out above the fray, perhaps showcasing interesting art, architectural design cues, color schemes, you name it. Choose to be different from the compositions, and people will come, solely out of curiosity.
Have Free (and Fast) WiFi
Nowadays, everyone’s on the internet, to some degree. And if you’re a cafe or coffee shop becomes known for having free and blistering fast Wifi, trust us: They, the customers, will come in droves.
But, to avoid people taking advantage of our coffee shop’s free WiFi, think about making it “password-locked.” When someone completes there order, you can either tell them the password to the WiFi network or, to save time, have it printed on customer receipts.
Create a Digital Loyalty Program
Last but certainly not least, choosing to create a digital loyalty program is another phenomenal way to help attract new customers to your coffee shop, all while making it stand out above the rest. And, by opting to create a completely digital one with the help of Loopy Loyalty you’re foregoing physical production costs while saving a few trees in the process. It’s a win-win situation, really.
Feeling inspired to create digital loyalty cards for your business to really make it stand out above the rest? Check out Loopy Loyalty, the world’s first digital stamp card solution for Apple Wallet & Google Pay and schedule a demo today.
