Everyone knows that implementing a great marketing plan is extremely important to the success of their businesses, but believe it or not; many people don’t exactly know what marketing is.
To keep it short and sweet, marketing is basically an overarching term for creating a demand for your product or service. From start to end, there is a touch of marketing in each process of your business. From product development to advertising on social media, it all falls into the world of marketing. Since marketing is such an important component to your brand, it’s crucial to spend enough time, energy, and money into really diving into marketing as a whole. Although marketing is so essential, it does not have to be difficult.
Give our article “6 Coffee Shop Branding Tips” a look for tips on how to brand your coffee shop.
1. Have a Great Logo
Step one, make sure that you have an amazing logo.
It is always important to put your best foot forward and that is no exception for the logo of your business. A cafe logo is the first thing your potential customers associate with your brand, even before tasting your delicious goods. Having an aesthetically pleasing logo can catch the attention of thousands of potential customers. Make sure your logo is simple and easy to remember. Creating a logo does not have to be expensive! If you aren’t artistically gifted, reach out to local small artists in your area or hold a contest online! These low-cost ways are the perfect hack to get the most bang for your buck!. To read more about the importance of a logo and what you can do to create or update yours, consider reading, “10 Things to Think About When Designing a Cafe Logo.”
2. Your Facade
Your grandma might tell you, “don’t judge a book by its cover”, but we all know that first impressions are extremely important. If the front of your business looks run-down, plain, dirty, or just simply unappealing; people will not want to spend their hard-earned cash at your place. Figure out some ways to spice things up, differentiating yourself from the competition. Put up an aesthetically pleasing sign with your logo right out front, design a great window display, paint a mural on the outside walls, or even place a witty portable sign out front with a different saying each day. All of these ideas make for a better first impression with new time customers to get them interested.
Also, be sure to read “Leadership Tips For Cafe Owners” for more help on branding your cafe.
3. Social Media
Social media has taken the world by storm (to say the very least), with millions of people using social networks each and every day. It is important to stay relevant and “hip” with your audience to maximize exposure! If you currently don’t have any form of social media, we definitely think that should change ASAP! Utilizing social networking is great because it is a much more inexpensive way to reach a larger audience than traditional advertising techniques.
Creating a business profile on sites such as Instagram and Facebook is free and easy to use (once you get the hang of things). Keeping people updated throughout social media will build connections with current and future customers, while continuously forming stronger bonds each and every day. Building your brand through social media allows your company to reach an entirely different market that would have otherwise never been possible. Read “5 Tips for Branding a Small Business” for more social media tips to help grow your business.
Speaking of social media, become a part of our exclusive Facebook Group, Food Service Brand Builders— a space dedicated for cafe, restaurant, and food service business owners to share helpful tips and experiences of owning a small business.
4. Encourage Photos
Since you have followed tip number three and created a social media page, it is time to encourage your customers to create their own content using your products! There are many ways to draw attention to your business through photos online, and it’s important you are taking all of the necessary measures to maximize any chance of exposure you can get. One of the best ways to promote your customers to take pictures at your business is to make sure that what you are plating is aesthetically pleasing and looks appetizing. The saying “phone eats first” has been a global phenomenon where users are taking pictures of their food before eating it. Hop on this opportunity and watch as you go viral on social media apps from Instagram to VSCO.
5. Branded Packaging
A great way to have the name of your business sweep the internet is to have great branding on all of your packaging from the coffee sleeves, to-go boxes, to even the wax paper. In the business world, it is so important to differentiate yourself from the competition. The cafe industry is such a high-competition playing field, many cafes can’t keep up. People love a clean fun look, and branded packaging does just that. Make sure you are ahead of the game and provide elegant and classy branded packaging for all of your products. Interested creating a fresh new look for your packing? Check out BrandMyCafe.com to get a better look at what exactly you can purchase to get the ball rolling.
Also, check out “4 Types of Custom Coffee Sleeves” or “5 Tips on Selling Merchandise in a Coffee Shop” for tips on increasing brand recognition at your cafe.
6. Be a Part of Your Community
Whether you’re located in a big city, small town, beach resort, or “in the middle of nowhere” it’s important to engage with the community in which you do business. Whether you call it corporate social responsibility, cause marketing, or even “charity work”, businesses that participate in these give-backs not only are helping out the community but themselves as well. Many experts refer to this type of “giving back” as the ultimate marketing tool.
Giving back to the community gets your name out there in a way that makes your potential customers feel good about giving you their business. Some ways that you can give back to your community include decorating a stand for a block party, giving away free samples during fundraising events, or even sponsoring a local sports team. Helping out the community, while gaining awareness and boosting your reputation? That sounds like the perfect win-win situation for everyone involved!
Marketing is such a powerful tool that can elevate businesses far above their competition. It helps to build and maintain the reputation of a business while solidifying the bonds between your customers and your business.
Thank you for reading with us today! Interested in more helpful tips to improve your coffee shop? Check out a full guide in “8 Things You Should Know Before Opening a Coffee Shop“.
Brand My Cafe helps small & medium-sized businesses, cafes and food service brands grow their identity through custom coffee cups, coffee sleeves & more. Check us out on Instagram and Pinterest for inspirations.