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**MyCoffeePro** · 05-20-2010, 10:54 PM

I also created and put this question in the group: Coffee Marketing Tips
What's been your best coffee marketing idea?

Loyalty programs continue to be one of the best marketing tools used in the coffee industry.

You're totally missing a great marketing opportunity though if you don't print up a brief customer information form on the back of your drink cards (buy 10 get 1 free) and enter the information into a CRM database.

Don't be shy! Share your ideas

SusanMart · 06-01-2010, 11:53 AM

Well, I think if it's about commerce- I had an idea of setting my own coffee machines.
I think this would make some good money
I know- this is idea is not very unique, but if you think that you can OWN these machines it becomes very unique

jkbennett · 06-08-2010, 05:46 PM

Our best marketing idea is neon so far. You can read about that below.

Also, I would love to hear your ideas about our marketing opportunity for our coffee shop. We are really trying to attract the morning commuter and I would love to hear what might work.

Every day the street parallel to the side of the coffee shop is filled with moving traffic. We have put up a banner offering free coffee but it has been ineffective (it is a bit hard to see as we are parallel to the street). We have drawn signs on windows but the drivers are, of course, looking forward. I would love to hear ways to better grab their attention and entice their desire for a good cup of coffee to help them get their day started or their commute more pleasurable.

So far, our best idea seems to be neon signs. The Coffee Cup Neon faces the oncoming traffic (from our corner) and that shows to the evening commuter. You can find them on net easily and they are not expensive. It works best when dark of course and it was a big help in the evenings in winter with shorter days. Hope that helps.

That neon doesn't seem help us with the morning commuter coming by the side that is parallel to the street and it is harder to see the windows and signage. Plus, the city is a bit funny about what kind of signs you can put up. We know the morning commuter is our growth but we have not yet been able to get enough attention to get them to just try our very nice shop and products.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Jeff

Austin · 06-08-2010, 08:07 PM

Where are you located?

jkbennett · 06-09-2010, 04:21 PM

Thanks,

Jeff

Austin · 06-10-2010, 02:39 PM

Do they allow street sales? Like if you set a cart on the corner and offered cups of coffee for a buck just to get your name and flavor out there would that work? Here in Texas the homeless sell cold water bottles on hot days, but I would much rather some one sold me coffee while waiting in traffic.

**MyCoffeePro** · 06-10-2010, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkbennett

Our best marketing idea is neon so far ...

... Any ideas?

Thanks,

Jeff

Hey Jeff, is there a light at your corner that has the morning traffic?

When I helped to open a Caribou Coffee in Atlanta, we were at a busy corner, but not getting traffic from it ... but there was a stop light a block away. We printed up some flyers that had a map showing our location and a coupon for a free coffee. We then staffed 2 extra people for a whole week ... one stayed at the stop light to hand out flyers to the stopped commuters while the other person would hand out "shots" of coffee in paper demitasse cups (we also sampled out our day old pastries as long as they were still fresh). This was years ago so I don't fully recall the increase in sales, but I know it was between 15 to 20 percent and gave us a great set of new regulars.

We did the exact same thing the next week with flyers and samples, but this time we had 6 extra employees go out up to 10 blocks into neighborhoods hitting apartment complexes and putting flyers on cars.

Of course this worked for us at Caribou because we had multiple locations and we were able to "borrow" employees from other stores.

I don't know if you have this in your area but here in San Diego we have sign-twirlers that dance and spin with a sign that points to your store. You gotta find kids that really get into it though and dance around and act a fool because that's what makes people look at them.

jkbennett · 06-11-2010, 05:59 PM

I really appreciate the input. I like all the ideas but the stoplight idea is a new twist and fits the situation well. As there is a stoplight up the street, this might really work well. Drivers can look around at what's going on and right now, they are focused on the road driving by the shop.

I think good marketing ideas for this kind of small business are about simple, affordable and easy to try solutions. Really appreciate it.

One thing that a realtor mentioned for a sidewalk sign is to always put balloons on strings on it. Surely that did catch the eye of passerby better. I want to try a sign spinner too. Seems obvious but I see signs everyday lacking from the eye catching balloons.

Anyone have any ideas on the best window ads? As I said, neon has been best so far here.

Thanks again,

havasu · 06-11-2010, 09:49 PM

I know nothing about marketing, but being retired from law enforcement, I know quite a bit on municipal codes. If there is an easement, which belongs to your city, street signs placed on this would be illegal. Also, blocking free movement on city sidewalks by way of bypod or folding signs could also be illegal.

We also had some businesses which used traffic signal looking lights and strobe lights, and I would give them a $50 ticket and demand that they correct the violation immediately, or would be subject to a $500 fine. In my city, the glass frontage window could only be painted to a maximum of 25%, in an attempt to thward robberies and to make the street view clean and professional looking. I also know of several cities in Southern California which prohibit neon signs completely, under a term which is called "visual pollution."

I understand many businesses are hurting with this economy, and since I'm retired, I'm not here to "throw down the law", because it doesn't matter to me. I only write this because I would highly recommend contacting your code enforcement bureau to make sure all is legal, and you don't have to pay some big fines.

**MyCoffeePro** · 06-12-2010, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkbennett

... One thing that a realtor mentioned ...

Hey Jeff,

Since you mentioned the realtor ... another marketing campaign that I created at my last employer worked REALLY well. We had some of the area businesses offer 50 gift baskets filled with products and/or coupons/offers (we slowly built up to 500 eventually) and gave out to realtors that specialized in our area and they gave the baskets out to all new residents that they helped move into our area as a house-warming present.

Realtors loved it, Businesses loved it, and the New Residents loved it because it helped them get familiarized with their new neighborhood.

I'm a huge proponent of joint ventures with fellow (non-competing) businesses.

If you or your joint venture partners need marketing materials created for this idea, I would appreciate being considered for the design work. My main marketing website is Aim It Media and there are lots of other smart marketing ideas on my blog there.