You Wouldn’t Drive on a Flat Tire Would You?
It sounds ridiculous but this past weekend I was eye witness to the sparks, smoke and the sounds of metal and rubber to asphalt as a poor soul was grinding his rim down trying to make it home or to the local service station. In retrospect this will turn out to be a bad idea and quite a costly one.
This same situation applies to the retail environment. If you won’t drive around on a flat tire then why would you keep under-performing or non-performing coffees on your shelves? They are flat tires on what should be your well-oiled retail machine.
Consumers love to see, smell and taste new and exciting coffees, so keep your shelves full of ones that are either great or solid sellers and ones that are relevant to the current or upcoming holiday and season. Utilize dynamic and eye-catching point-of-sale materials to promote, keep them neatly aligned, and clearly priced. KMO now offers a stunning line-up of airpot/bin tags, 8 ½ x 11 shelf talkers and posters from 12 x 18 to 16 x 20. 
Brew up a sample of the day or week and sample, sample, sample! Put a large jar of this special coffee right at the cash register and encourage “Power Hits” to excite the nose. Have ready-to-go ¼, ½ and 1 lb. bags of coffee at a special price to stimulate interest and sales of the coffee. Impulse sales rule!
There is always a group of coffees that seem to pass the test of time and become consistent best sellers. These coffees are one’s your customers cannot live without and are one’s that you become known for in your marketplace. Jamaican Me Crazy flavored coffee is one of these coffees, it has been a consistent Best Seller for well over 15 years here at KMO. With over 300+ flavors we have a Best Seller just waiting for you.
Certainly be aware of what your customers are asking for, if you’re not always on location then place a tablet at the register and instruct your staff to jot down any requests or suggestions about certain coffees.
Trends are another way to seize an opportunity to become known for carrying a particular coffee or category of coffees. Fair-Trade Organic was once considered a passing faze, that was 10 years ago or longer. This category of specialty coffee continues to be one of the fastest growing areas within our industry and customers are becoming vocal in their desire to drink and purchase these coffees. 
It is never a good idea to try and extend the life of a holiday coffee beyond that holiday. Put it on sale quickly after the holiday and if it doesn’t sell take it off the shelf. You should also be brewing this coffee so you can increase your profits both from bulk and brewed sales. You can also give the holiday coffee a new name, for example New Year’s Eve Blend can become Winter Magic until you are through with the coffee. Seasonal coffees are much more forgiving since there is more time to promote the coffee and gain resells during the course of the season.
Driving around on a flat tire doesn’t make sense, will ruin your car, your wallet and your day. When you have a flat, stop, fix it and get going again towards your destination… SUCCESS!
For more information visit http://www.KmoCoffee.com/ and for more ideas visit http://www.improveyourprofits.com/ , for up-to-date information on Kaffe Magnum Opus visit www.twitter.com/KmoCoffee.com or to contact me directly at robert@KmoCoffee.com
Tags: Coffee Sales, Marketing for Small Business, Retail Success, Specialty Coffee Roaster, Upselling