These days you’d be hard-pressed to find a store that doesn’t offer some kind of customer loyalty card.  They’re a great way to encourage customer loyalty and repeat visits.  They work even better when they carry some kind of potential for reward!  “Buy 10, get 1 free” gives your customers something to strive for!  Here are some simple and inexpensive steps to having your own set of custom loyalty cards:

• Utilize inexpensive print sites like Vistaprint.com.
  • The site is very easy-to-use and helpful with ideas for design and templates.

• Select “Business Cards” from the list of products.
  • Vista print gives you the choice to choose from their templates, create your own or even have one of their designers create something for you

• Once you’ve decided what you’d like to use, get to creating!
  • You can upload your own photos, work off of their templates and add whatever you’d like.

• Once you’ve created your card, check out!  Vistaprint.com often has sales and deals on products and shipping running every day!

Not only are these cards easy to make but also incredibly easy to utilize.  You can purchase a coffee bean shaped hole-punch or rubber stamps from sites like VisionsEspresso.com. These loyalty cards are a great way to keep your customers coming back and to keep their minds on your shop!  Have fun with them & be creative; the possibilities are endless!

• Bulk coffee card
• Sandwich/lunch card
• Buy 10 drinks/lbs. and get 1 free
• Cards for espresso-based drinks, iced drinks and hot chocolate
• Gift mug or basket cards – buy 5 and get 50% off next order

If increasing your sales sounds good, give me a call (800) 652-5282 or Robert at KMOCoffee.com

5. Find an inexpensive decorative mug & put a tin tie bag full of coffee in it. Wrap it in colored cellophane or tissue paper and tie with a ribbon.

Example available through the Great Canadian Gift Company.

4. For your Tea Lover customers offer a few collections of tea. Whether it is a holiday set or just some green or black teas.

Image from DavidsonTea.com

3. Give your customers the gift of baked goods, music and coffee. With MusicCooks it’s easy to pair these three things together.

Available at MenusandMusic.com

2. Pair any size tin tie bag full of your favorite holiday coffee with a holiday cellophane bag full of chocolate covered espresso beans.

Get them at KMOCoffee.com!

1. Pair your featured holiday coffee like Snowflake Sundae with a delicious treat that can be baked Christmas morning or any time during this festive season.  A prepackaged mason jar from AdirondackCraft.com filled with all the ingredients for a ”To Die For” muffin or scone recipe is a perfect down home country idea.  Another great source for scones, muffins and breads is Sticky Fingers Bakery.

Whatever you choose… don’t forget the jam!

These are great tips for getting gifts for your customers on your shelves. You’re making it a one stop shop for them and an increase in sales for you.

Have a wonderful holiday season!

What’s this Fair-Trade stuff all about?

Talking about Fair-Trade Certified coffees can become very confusing, very quickly. What exactly is Fair-Trade Certified? What about Free Trade or Fairly Traded or even Direct Trade? What’s the difference, if they’re not all the same thing?

• Free Trade is an entirely different animal that you’d be hard-pressed to find any non-politically biased information on. In its most basic form, Free Trade is a trade policy that allows traders to act and trade without interference from the government. This means there are no certifying agencies and middleman regulated tariffs or taxes. There are no checks and balances, no one to watch where monies are going or how it is spent. There’s no standard on who decides or defines what “free trade” is.
• Direct Trade & Fairly Traded are very similar. The principles of Fair-Trade Certified are somewhat represented. Coffee roasters purchase direct from farmers without utilizing middlemen or any outside certification. The roasters create the standards and determine what is fair. However, most of the standards are not across the board and can differ from coffee region to coffee region. There is an overall, albeit flexible, approach to labor and environmental issues. The main concern tends to be for the economic sustainability of all parties involved. The biggest difference is the lack of a 3rd party organization, like TransFair USA. This means that the only people making sure the practices are Direct or Fair are the roasters themselves. The question that remains is whether or not consumers feel able to trust an individual business’ judgment, over an independent 3rd party organization, dedicated to assure criterias are met with an unbiased agenda.
• Fair-Trade Certified coffee is an organized social movement and economic-based approach that aspires to help producers in developing countries promote sustainability by paying close attention to the details in trade and cutting out the middle man.

  This means that:

  • The farmers are being paid fairly for their work
  • The living and working conditions are safer
  • The producers have direct access to international markets, thereby cutting out the middle man and extra costs
  • And there is an independent organization that is making sure these guidelines are met.

Fair-Trade Certified also has a very specific vision for the health and well-being of the farmers. Certification, which is received from independent 3rd party organizations, makes sure that working conditions are safe, that child labor is not happening and that money is being put back into these impoverished coffee producing communities to stimulate growth out of poverty.

Coffee Farmers Picking Cherries from Trees

In addition to the social responsibility, there’s also the health aspect. With the world searching for ways to lead a healthy and long life, the organic market keeps growing and growing. Currently, according to TransFair USA, 60% of Fair-Trade Certified certified coffees in the U.S. are also certified organic.

100% of Kaffe Magnum Opus’s Fair-Trade Certified coffees are certified Organic.

Stay tuned for Vol. II — Am I made for Fair-Trade Certified?

If they say not to judge a book by its cover, then why do publishing houses go to great lengths to create such dynamic and alluring ones with captivating titles?

Because it sells books!

Yes, I know that what is on the inside is what really counts, but the storefront, the logo, and the business name are the first and most instrumental building blocks you have in constructing that initial relationship with a potential customer.

What does your storefront say about you?

If your business does not look inviting from the outside, or does not clearly define what kind of store you are, your potential customers will just walk on by. What does your storefront say about you? If you are a coffeehouse, would someone know it by driving or walking by? How about a gourmet store or café?

Try this 10 minute test and see if your message is having an impact.
Stand across the street from your store or shop, and randomly stop passers-by and ask if they can tell you what that business is across the street. What do they say?

Most of the time, you have about 3 to 5 seconds to attract someone’s attention as they drive by. If they are walking by and have a longer period of time to inspect your storefront, is the message any clearer? Does your identity stand out from all the others clamoring for that customer’s patronage?

Some ideas to help make your storefront work for you:

• Think about the type of impression you want to make about your business. Is it a quiet place to relax? An up-beat and energetic grocery? An olde-style bakery? What objects or colors come to mind when you think of those things? How can you use those objects and colors to re-enforce that message inside or outside your business?
• When in doubt – less is more! Don’t clutter the windows up with menus, posters or banners – you should be able to see inside your shop.
• Don’t tint the windows too dark – it will look like the business is closed.
• Avoid polarizing messaging such as political, religious or sexist signage. Coffeehouses especially should be viewed as a social Mecca – open to everyone.
• Make your logo large enough to see from the other side of the street. You should use a general rule of thumb of 5-inch high lettering for every 100 feet you want your sign to be seen by.
  

  However, you should avoid having your entire message scream at the viewer in all the same font size. Your logo should be the most important. Supplemental signs and lettering should be much smaller in size as a very general rule. Think one word for every second of attention you will have – and don’t expect to get more than 3-6 seconds.

• If you have an awning, use it to tell what you are or what you do. Keep it fast and simple.
• Make use of the sides of the building to gain additional attraction time. This could be an un-tapped billboard opportunity – but check with your landlord first!
• If possible, set up a quaint outdoor dining area – café tables and colorful umbrellas, brightly planted flower boxes or barrels, or unique flags from coffee producing countries to attract notice.
• Sweep or hose down the front sidewalk and gutter area daily.
• Pump music outside! It will add an aire of excitement and curiosity to passers-by. Make sure it’s relevant to the atmosphere you are trying to convey, and not disruptive to your neighbors.

Photo examples of effective storefronts:

This clean storefront uses fun colors and classy accents  of wood trim to give it a casual but  high-class feel. Note the brass tea pot hanging sign, and the business name.

Another nice and tidy storefront using an awning to frame their doorfront and describe the business. A unique sidewalk sign greets passers-by as well. This is a chocolate shop as well as a museum.

A simple but effective window treatment. Clean, and does not block visibility inside, but still conveys the message of the shop. (Taken in French-Canadian Quebec) Look closely at the “clothesline” – it’s toast! Very clever pairing of objects to add uniqueness to the business.

What a cool coffee shop sign!

Another very cool coffee sign. Unique and dynamic! The 3-d Sign really stands out from the rest.

Examples of less effective storefronts:

This storefront suffers from too many signs screaming at their customers. Remember you only have less than 5 seconds to get their attention – one or two clear messages is better than throwing several out there in the hopes that one will maybe stick. Also, you can’t see into the store at all, save for the tinted door. It feels very uninviting.

What does this store say to you about Beauty? What colors or objects convey the feeling of being beautified or pampered?

It’s a great idea for a restaurant to show a sample of their menu from the street – however, avoid covering up all of your windows with signs like these. Stick to one or two menus at or by the door, or on a nice free-standing display you can set out on the sidewalk.

Another store that falls victim to covering up their windows with an abundance of signs and a huge banner. Keep it clean and simple!

Your Logo – What does It Say About You?

It is said that a picture says 1,000 words, then so does an appropriate and properly designed logo.

What does your logo and company name say about your business?

A catchy and unique name that clearly and quickly tells someone the type of business you are operating will help pique their interest enough to open the door and walk in.

All too often business think of this part of their identity absolutely last – when it’s the very likely the first thing your customer may see about you. While a great product and excellent service is just as important, you should seriously consider professional treatment of this face of your business as well.

Consider hiring a design consultant to take a look at your logo and identity to get a valuable outsider’s perspective and feedback on your local target audience. There are many different kinds of graphic designers out there – one for every size budget and need. Ask around – what local businesses do you feel are doing it right? Go right up and ask them who created their logo for them. You may be surprised at just how accessible a professionally designed logo can be!

• Remember that you only have 1-2 seconds to make that impression with your logo. Can a viewer get a feeling for what you are about in that time?
• Keep it as concise and simple as possible. Less really is more when it comes to a logo!

They’re In! Now what?

Getting your clientele to step inside the door is only half the battle. It’s keeping them in and engaged that makes the interest turn into a sale.

Stay tuned for next week when we tackle this subject.

Have a tip or idea that has helped you? Any questions about what you can do to your store to increase visibility? Leave a comment or feedback.

Conducted by Knowledgenetworks,  the study showed the following:

• In-store sampling drives additional repeat purchase
• In-store sampling drives sales for existing products and line extensions
• In-store sampling delivers new buyers – to the sampled items and to the brand franchise
• In –store sampling impacts sales long after the day of the event, making it incredibly cost effective

To read the complete study: Groundbreaking Study Redefines In-Store Sampling Impact and Usage

Ideas that can be used specifically for specialty coffee retailers:

• Focus on creating a coffee of the week, month holiday or season.  An example would be celebrating the upcoming autumn season by featuring Pumpkin Spice for September, Cranberry Nut Cream in October and Vermont Maple Nut Crunch in November.
• Make sure to have related products at or near your sampling area.  If you are featuring Pumpkin Spice flavored coffee, promote a pumpkin spice flavored latte, pumpkin infused cheesecake, pumpkin cream cheese rolls, pumpkin nut muffins… you get the idea!
• Make the effort to use a slower time of the day or week to invite customers in to a seasonal or holiday sampling.  This is a great time to show off any new and exciting gift items you will be carrying for the upcoming time period.  Make sure to display at least three different size gift baskets that customers can order from you as well as any cookies or dessert trays that will be available.
• Get your whole staff involved with creating the buzz and helping out during the sampling.  Big smiles, pleasant greetings and lots of product knowledge will go a long way to stimulating sales now and in the future.
• Set up a designated area for different products and make sure you are ready to take early holiday orders.  Customers are thrilled to begin crossing people of their shopping lists.  Offer a generous discount for orders placed the day of the sampling event.
• Remember there is always a National Fun Food Holiday, changing of the season, Hallmark special occasion or nationally observed holiday to celebrate so you will never run out of ideas.