In a recent online discussion, a coffee shop owner requested help from the online coffee population at-large to help with what he believed to be a problem with the advertising methods used by their business, mainly radio advertisements, for an established single location coffee retailer in the south.
Here’s an excerpt of my comments:
From my experience, unless targeted to a specific purpose, radio is not typically the best use of advertising funds for a coffee business; both expensive and (obviously) lacks the other senses that can be manipulated in direct marketing, sampling and other creative promotions. I prefer for clients to avoid advertising completely in favor of a more creative and targeted public relations campaign - this is practically free and has a much better response from the public due to its “real” nature.
Before you do that, though, you may want to be certain that your product is outstanding and that other areas of your business are functioning smoothly. Many coffee shops believe that their revenue problem is marketing related “if we can only get more people in the door, all of our problems will be solved”. The truth, I find upon further examination is that it is far more likely (maybe 90% of the time) that there are other significant business shortcomings (#1 product quality #2 operational mismanagement #3 brand image) that if addressed independently will be far more effective than some huge and hugely expensive marketing effort to bring customers through the front door.
Styrofoam cups and some other cues from your website (menu / shots of the interior) tend to indicate that there are other things you could be doing that are a better use of your advertising funds before inviting the masses. In the absence of tasting your product and reviewing your financials and procedures, here’s a quick freebie tip that may help: find the distinction of your brand and make it a part of everything that you do.
Don’t misundertand my sentiment, I can see that you really care about your business and that a lot of your time has gone into planning and looking for opportunities to cater a number of different market segments.
My question for you is: WHO are your customers and WHAT are you to them? Is there a clear brand image that the “[name] Coffee” logo projects in their mind? What 3 words does your ideal customer use to describe you in 10 seconds or less? You cannot be all things to all people - the image that you project on the website is that you 1) sell gift baskets in a 2) clean but quaint living room 3) with a speedy drive through and 4) on a big ol’ deck 5) in 64 flavors and all under the Starbucks-inspired color scheme saying “We serve only the best!” in a stryfoam cup. Getting my point? Pick one - do it well - and make it a part of everything you do, from your communication materials, press releases, menu design and the way that you greet your customers. What that one thing is? Others can help, but only you can decide.
…so, in case you didn’t catch my point: be sure that you’re treating the cause of your problems and not merely one of its symptoms. You can spend a great deal of money “pushing” business in the door for a single visit when it may be far less expensive and far more effective to fix the root problems that keep customers from coming back.
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