|
Battling to find your way around low or no budgets ? Coffee Marketing expert Hugh Gilmartin hands over some no-nonsense ideas that should help keep your coffee sales flying high.
Referrals
About one in 20 of your customers will freely refer or recommend you, without prompting. The question is, do you know who they are? Always try to discover how new customers have found you. This information will help you to find out your marketing is working. It will also tell you if someone has recommended you. If you can find that someone, ensure that you thank them and certainly stand them their next visit.
Alliances
Form alliances with other businesses. You can then refer customers to each other and embark on co-operative marketing programmes.
Education
Whenever and wherever you can – educate prospects and costumers. Tell them, in detail, why your coffee is so good. Tell them where you get it from and if possible trace it back as far as you can ultimately to the farm. You may be surprised at how grateful they are for clear, thoughtful, well presented information. Educate staff who interact with the customers. Nothing is as off putting to potential customers as staring ignorance in the face. This must have happened to you. Continually educate yourself about coffee and marketing best practice. Look around and see how others effectively market themselves and their coffee.
Use Email
Email is a great way to keep in touch with prospects and costumers. Try using bulk email handling software which allows you to insert your contacts’ first and last names in separate fields. This means you can start each email with someone’s first name – a nice personal touch. Every month email something interesting or useful to a list of contacts. Do this well and they probably won’t mind if you also send them special offers, say once a month. Run a coffee club.
Follow up a sale
Once someone has bought coffee from you the first time, thank them for their business. Ensure they were pleased with their drink. Then ask them if they’re happy to return, and keep communicating with them. Remember, it costs five times as much to sell to a stranger as it does to an existing costumer.
PR
There’s nothing quite like getting your name in the media, is there? Start thinking about the stories, information and news that readers, viewers and listeners will be interested in. You can then start sending out press releases, making good contacts with journalists and organising interviews. Offer all journalists free coffee to start. Pitch an offer to the local broadcaster or newspaper.
Network
Take every opportunity to network. You need to develop a brief ‘pitch’, which describes and positions your business – The 30 second ‘elevator pitch’. Ensure that you have plenty of business cards. Develop your listening skills. Find out you can help the people you meet. Don’t oversell yourself. Always follow each new contact.
Word of mouth
You will find that more and more people out there will start talking positively about your coffee bar if:
1. You are delivering great tasting coffee every time.
2. You are clear about your story.
3. You have educated your team and your customers
4. You communicate with customers after each sale.
Good Luck!!
| 
