It's hip
to starting a coffee shop business of your
own. If you have discussed the idea with friends and family, some may try to
discourage you from opening one. They will say that there are too many coffee
shops already and there will be too much competition. Well, fact is, many
coffee shops do open every few months and many also close shop after several
months. You can prevent this from happening by marketing your coffee business
well.
Don't let
these people discourage you from starting your own business. If everyone
thought like them, there wouldn't be any independently owned coffee houses
around. You can start a coffee shop in 6 simple steps. Here are basic tips to
get you on track and finally show those people they were wrong. You should have
your own business if you wish and no one should tell you that you can't compete
with the competition.
1. Make a
summary of your company vision, goals, plans, growth potential and profit
projections. Write these in a business plan. A business plan is also necessary
if and when you need to take out a loan at a bank for more cash to start a
business. Your investors or your banker will want to see a comprehensive plan
on how you will start a coffee shop, let it grow and make it profitable.
2. Think
of ideal locations for your coffee house. Think of locations with a lot of
traffic by foot or car. Shopping malls and entertainment strips are good
choices, so are communities with colleges or tourists spots. Another good
location would be your local business district. Narrow down your possible
locations to 3 and then check zoning laws and building regulations before
signing a lease or buying the property.
3. Look
for coffee bean dealers, equipment manufacturers, tableware, and uniforms for
employees. You also have to look for comfortable couches, chairs and decor
pieces to make your coffee place comfortable and inviting. Hang some wall art
of pictures depicting coffee themes and place cute lampshades with dim lights.
Provide free Wi-Fi for customers and buy reading materials for your shop.
4. When
you starting
your own coffee shop, it will also be a good idea to size up your
competition. See what makes other shops popular and try to do better for your
own. It will most probably be because of good marketing, fast service and great
tasting coffee and food. Take a course at a barista school or culinary school.
Market your business aggressively and offer attractive promos to customers.
5. Plan a
launching event and announce it on print in your local paper. If you will be
open shop near a university, place an ad in their school bulletin. Invite
important people like media reporters, radio station DJs, and influential
people in your community. These are the people who will be spreading the word
about a new hip coffee place in town.
6. Adjust
everything you do to your market. If you will start a coffee shop near a
university, think of a cool name for your shop and use hip decor. If you will
open in an upscale neighbourhood, try to make your interiors a bit more elegant
and serve good food. If you will open your shop in a business district, make
sure your staff will provide speedy service. Start with these basic tips and do
more research on how to market your coffee business effectively to attract more
clients.
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