Running a café or coffee shop can be an extremely fulfilling endeavor. It’s also a reasonably competitive industry, so you must always think one step ahead. That is to say, what can you do to position your café so that you optimize brand awareness and draw customers in? You have to be thinking about how to improve your café constantly. In this article, we go over some strategies for doing exactly that, improving your café or coffee shop.
Think beyond the brick and mortar
Of course, a café is all about the establishment, the venue. You’ve probably spent a great deal of time and effort setting up your coffee shop precisely as you want it so that it will be welcoming and hospitable to patrons. But you’re not just relegated to the inside of your café. Significantly since the pandemic, more and more restaurants and businesses have been expanding outward. You can set up an outside stall or outdoor seating area for your customers. This will not only make your establishment more attractive but also expand the capacity that you do have for seating.
Institute a rewards program
Especially for those customers who are loyal customers, setting up a rewards program where they are given free items after so many visits or upon referrals can be a huge draw. After all, it’s about getting people to return and buy more products. Rewards programs among coffee shops and cafés are incredibly popular, and the good thing is they’re easy to set up. In terms of improving your café, a referral and/or rewards program is one strategy that is bound to get results.
Have premade packages for sale
Again, somewhat inspired by the pandemic, more and more restaurants, and cafés have gone to premade packages as part of their offerings. You would essentially assemble some of your bestselling and portable products and offer these at a lower cost, given that they are bundled. You could also look into potentially doing a subscription with these premade packages. This also is a strategy for enhancing your overall brand awareness. The packages are optimal for including critical branding materials.
Invest more in your marketing
When it comes to how to improve your café, marketing is going to be key, without question. People can’t buy from you if they can’t find you. How do they find you? You have to have a robust marketing and advertising strategy in place to enhance your visibility and, ultimately, your reach. Investing in marketing might mean spending more on social media strategies, upping your digital marketing game, and even potentially hiring a marketing manager to handle more of the heavy lifting in this capacity. Whatever avenue you choose, you want to allocate a decent portion of your budget to advertising and marketing your coffee shop or café.
Ensure quality control
Getting the people to come to your establishment is one thing; getting them to return is quite another. How do you do this… You offer excellent food and beverages. Quality control is everything. Focusing on quantity over quality will only get you in trouble as the food and the drinks will inevitably suffer. Pay attention to the details, and make sure your menu items are where they need to be. And overall, ensure that your customers are satisfied when they leave your place of business.
Gather feedback from customers
The best way to know how you’re doing is to simply ask. You can start a conversation with customers in your coffee shop or café and find out about their experiences. You can also engage in social listening. This is when you take to your social media accounts and different review sites to see what people are saying about your restaurant or café. Take this feedback to heart, don’t simply dismiss it. The customers will be your best barometer for how well you’re actually doing and for what you may need to improve upon.
First Union Lending is Here for You
We offer a variety of loan products geared towards small businesses. We’ve worked with numerous cafés and coffee shops, getting them the cash they need precisely when they need it. Unlike conventional banks, we don’t leave you hanging for weeks or even months to get the money. Your decision generally comes the same day you apply, and the cash is in your account within two business days. Yes, we really do work that quickly. With short-term loans, merchant cash advances, and equipment financing, among other loan types, we have a solution for you. Call today and let’s get started.