Ideas for Marketing Coffee
Since tastes can vary wildly, coffee is one of those foods that inspires fierce brand loyalty. It can be hard to sway customers away from the competition, even if you're selling the superior product for less. It's important to target marketing at customers who will make a permanent switch for their daily cup, as opposed to people who drink infrequently and show no brand loyalty.
Free Samples
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Send an employee to stand outside the store with a tray of small samples. Offer classic flavors, along with anything special that you think will knock the socks off potential customers. The best time of day for this technique is early morning when many potential customers are thinking of their first cup of coffee of the day.
Coffee Cart
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Take your coffee to the masses at local fairs and other events. A coffee cart or truck, if you have a large selection of food available as well, is an easy way to do this. By making coffee onsite, you're ensuring freshness. Plus, the smell of brewing coffee will carry from the cart, drawing even more customers. Check local laws before investing in a cart.
Sponsorship and Social Networking
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Bring in traffic during the workday by sponsoring local groups. For example, target parenting groups or writer's groups, since they tend to frequent coffee shops during the day. If filling chairs during the day isn't a problem, and your coffee shop needs to boost the number of in-and-out sales, run promotions for mobile service users. For example, offer a link to a Web coupon via a social networking site such as Twitter or Facebook.
Improve Your Brand Image
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Discounts and sales often draw only people who don't drink coffee regularly. To increase business, focus on people who need that coffee every day. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, raising the price of coffee can help. By selling your coffee at a lower rate than national chains, you may inadvertently be sending the message that your coffee is inferior. Increasing the price may increase the perceived value of your coffee.
References
Writer Bio
Darlene Peer has been writing, editing and proofreading for more than 10 years. Peer has written for magazines and contributed to a number of books. She has worked in various fields, from marketing to business analysis. Peer received her Bachelor of Arts in English from York University.