Great new coffee trends that are adding margin and customers to traditional coffee shops
Keeping a great customer base and increasing business is a constant challenge for coffee shop owners. While consistently providing great coffee and a great atmosphere is a start, certain trends are taking hold to help traditional coffee shops take things to a whole new level. While these changes may not work for each location, changing a few things has the potential to create positive changes.
Quality Beans and Coffee
If a coffee shop isn`t already using quality beans and producing quality coffee, now is the time to get started. As the number of people that visit local coffee shops continues to increase, customers are starting to become more knowledgeable about the beans, how they are grown and the type of tastes that they can produce. Companies can no longer get away with producing run of the mill coffees or food items.
Unique Products or Unique Environment
Aside from the regular items listed on the menu, coffee shops are starting to explore their options when it comes to unique and different products like those found at
Unemployed Philosophers Guild. Something needs to set one location apart from another. If several shops are all producing quality coffee but one has a selection of pastries that can`t be found anywhere nearby, there is a good chance that they will see an increase in business and customer retention. Even if the atmosphere is a little different than the average location, people will want to come in and see if making a change to a new coffee shop is worth it.
Alcoholic Beverages
Coffee shops aren`t just selling coffee anymore. Some are applying for a liquor license and moving towards alcoholic beverages in the evenings. Coffee is more of a morning ritual and many shops were seeing a large drop off in the number of customers in the later afternoon and evening. By opening up the menu and offering different types of beverages, a more diverse group of individuals can come in and enjoy the shop. Beer drinkers and coffee drinkers can both get what they are looking for in one place.
Take Home Items
Its great to see customers getting a coffee and heading out the door, but some shops are looking to increase the amount of money each customers spends with items that can be purchased to go. Coffee beans that can be used at home, drink mixes that give customers the coffee shop feel at home and even light snacks are all easy to purchase and take on the go. Inventory can be ordered once owners get a feel for how much interest there is in each product.
Customer Loyalty Programs
While it is great to bring in new customers, getting the same people to come back over and over again is often the foundation for any coffee shop. Customer loyalty programs are increasing in popularity as they offer an incentive for them to continue to frequent the same location time and time again. Some shops are starting to employ a punch card that offers a free drink to a customer on his or her sixth or seventh visit. Others are looking to reward customers for buying multiple drinks in one order. Each shop has the ability to make its own decision on how to run the loyalty program but in the end, that one free coffee may keep someone coming back over and over again.
For coffee shops interested in making a change and offering something different to customers, it makes sense to take some time and research all the options. Those looking to provide a full menu for breakfast and lunch or just the occasional homemade snacks should look at places like
CS Catering and to see how much the necessary equipment would cost and how much food would need to be sold to break even and start to make a real profit. Others may want to test out a customer loyalty program and see if it makes a real difference in customer retention.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
The Customer is always Right
Coffee House Marketing Tips
Should I Use a Local Roaster
Local Promotions Can Have a Big Effect on Business
Success or Failure Might Depend on Your Staff
Posted on: 2013-09-20 12:00 AM 
