Coffee shops are certainly one of the most profitable passion projects in the business world today. With Americans alone, consuming hundreds of millions of coffee cups a day, it’s clear the coffee market can be a thriving venture for any entrepreneur or coffee lover. However, in the recent years, the competition against corporate coffee stores and new coffee shop owners becomes tighter.
If you are an owner of a small coffee shop, you might be feeling the pressure in keeping your place visible and desirable for customers. To guide in increasing the foot traffic in your coffee shop, here are a number of exciting promotion strategies that you can do.
1. Maintain an attractive storefront
The storefront is obviously the first thing that people see when they pass by your coffee shop. If you want to get their attention, you’ll need to create an inviting storefront. Firstly, it’s crucial that your storefront is neat and clean 365 days a year. Among the challenging months for retail stores is winter, which typically requires owners to get a snow removal service to clear out the front. The snow might make your store look like a winter wonderland, but it’s definitely a hassle for both your team and the customers to get in and out of the coffee shop.
Moreover, make sure the signage of your coffee shop is clearly visible, well-designed, and easy to read. It’s one of the keys to convincing customers to enter your shop. Or, you can also make an effort to work on your front landscape and add some splash of greenery and colors.
2. Be creative with the drinks
If you’re located in a highly urbanized area, there are probably tons of other coffee shops out there. If your coffee shop is offering the same drinks as the others, you might find it hard to make people come back. For this reason, it’s important that offer something new, refreshing. To attract those avid milk adders, give your iced coffee a nitro twist, giving it a creamier texture and smoother mouthfeel.
If you want to offer something more refreshing and lighter, why not offer a lavender latte instead of the usual iced coffee? Other unique drinks you can add to your menu include Vietnamese iced coffee, cold brew, and espresso tonic.
3. Offer fun contests and giveaways
Another exciting way to appeal to more coffee lovers is to host contests and giveaways. For instance, on the National Coffee Day, you can host a social media contest where participants will have to share your stories to get an entry and a chance to win a subscription. This can help you boost brand awareness as you can get more people to actually promote your shop with their families and friends. Plus, it’s an excellent way for you to increase customers in your coffee shop while growing your online visibility as well.
4. Organize a coffee-making class
If you’re truly passionate about making good coffee and want to engage with other coffee lovers too, hosting a coffee-making class would be amazing. You don’t have to share your coffee-making secrets. Sharing some unique blending tricks or preparation tips will do. You can host it at your own coffee shop or do it at a public place and invite locals to participate. If hosting an actual in-person class is much of a hassle, having an online coffee-making class is ideal. You can then offer some coffee and pastry bundles and one-time discounts at the end of the class.
5. Put on that big Wi-Fi sign
The reality is that your coffee shop needs more than just a sign spinner to attract more customers. People these days are typically looking for places with amenities such as free Wi-Fi. And if you’re still not offering one at your coffee shop, then you are losing tons of customers every day. While coffee shops are usually used as hangout places for groups of friends, customers who come alone might get bored sitting there without anything to do.
With Wi-Fi access, you can make connecting with their friends easier and make sitting alone less awkward. Let people know you offer this amenity by putting on a Wi-Fi sign at the shop!
There is truly something special about a coffee shop business. You get to be your own boss, uplift the local community, as well as unleash your creativity and pursue your passion while earning a living. Make your coffee shop a talk of the town and develop your passion for good coffee by following these promotion tips.