Coffee shop marketing should be a constant in your business. Besides your inviting location, highly visible signage and killer espresso, how do you attract customers to your coffeehouse? Drink specials or coupons? Co-marketing with other businesses? Live music? All of these approaches have their merits and potential upticks in sales.
Here are a few more coffee shop marketing methods that are pretty easy, and even inexpensive:
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Get to know your customers.
People love being recognized. It’s probably the single most welcoming, flattering thing you can do for them. Remember their regular coffee drink order—or even better, their name— and they’ll come back for more. But be sincere, too. You’ll seem phony if you’re overly eager. -
Should you offer product specials? Maybe.
But generally the most loyal customers buy at full price and tell others about their favorite coffee spot. They’re not coming in because you have a sandwich board outside that says, “16 oz. latte for the 12 oz. price.”
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Do good by combining business with pleasure.
Organize a fundraiser or other event for a local nonprofit that you care about. Invite other local businesses and the community to participate. Donate coffee for the event. Or on a semi-regular basis, donate a portion of sales to a charity. Also, include the names of organizations you support in your literature and on your website. People want to patronize businesses that are invested in their communities, and in doing the right thing. -
Win back unhappy customers.
It costs a lot less to retain a disgruntled or inactive customer than to acquire a new one. For a customer who suffered a bad experience, offer a sincere apology, acknowledge their disappointment and ask if there's anything you can do. A freebie thrown in certainly can't hurt (and should be offered the minute someone expresses frustration). Being kind to customers is the smartest low-cost marketing you can do.
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