SAY WHAT?  Yes… this headline could be about YOU!

“Local coffeehouse owner turns 75¢ investment into $1,000.00 worth of new business!”

The newspaper business may not be great for the newspaper companies or its advertisers, but for smart business owners, the local paper holds a wealth of potential new customers.  For a yearly investment of $273.75 (that’s 75 cents for 365 editions) you can have up-to-date local leads and prospects delivered to your door in the form of the daily newspaper.  Everyday each freshly- printed edition provides the opportunity to reach out to a score of people and companies that more than likely are unaware of or who have passed by your business time and time again.

By setting aside time daily to peruse each page you will be able to develop a sizable listing of potential new customers to invite to  your business.  Creating a simple marketing campaign directed to these potential new customers will be well worth the time and effort spent the moment they come through your door.

You could quickly increase your traffic by acknowledging and inviting the individuals, couples or groups that have:

• Announced an engagement
• Celebrated an anniversary
• Had a new baby
• Recently purchased a new home
• Received a promotion
• Started a new business
• Excelled with a personal or group achievement
• Displayed a random act of kindness
• Won an election
• Had a positive and heart-warming story write-up

Creating a standard letter or invitation for each occassion or event will allow you to get your information into the mail on a daily basis.  Using a basic Excel spreadsheet will make tracking the invitations and measuring the effectiveness of this campaign relatively quick and easy.

The opportunity to increase traffic volume greatly depends on the number of individuals, couples, or groups that you have uncovered in the paper and invited to come visit your business.  The invitation can be small and personal in nature or can be taken to a much larger extreme.  A FREE breakfast, lunch, drink or dessert is just a few of the simple things that can be offered to honor, celebrate or congratulate them.  Take the time to personally introduce yourself and your staff and express appreciation for them stopping by.  Take this experience to the next level by creating the opportunity to snap a picture of the visit.  Make sure to post it on your website and on your in-house community board for all to see.  Remember to note who, what, when and why next to the picture.

Contact the local paper to make them aware of the event, occasion or celebration and you might just get some FREE press!  An example of this would be “Local Little League Champs Celebrate Victory with FREE Ice Cream from Joe’s Coffee & Cones”.   Not only will the kids love the praise for their accomplishment along with the ice cream, but be sure the parents, grandparents, friends, family and surrounding community will appreciate the fun and spirit the celebration brings to all.  In return for this small gesture of appreciation, your business will have the chance to gain a potential new stream of traffic and revenue and you and your staff will develop a true feeling of connection with the community.  All this from a 75 cents investment…

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 http://www.twitter.com/KMOcoffee or to contact me directly at robert@KmoCoffee.com

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

Remember the adage “when a door closes, another one opens”? Bars and restaurants around the country are in fact taking the adage to heart and opening their own doors to the newest pop culture trend: Pink Slip Parties.

“A Pink Slip Party is a social phenomenon that gathers together hundreds of professional workers and sympathizers to honor the passing of the many companies that have shut their doors or have down-sized throughout this market meltdown.”  It also creates a chance to co-mingle with one another, share thoughts, ideas, and support. 

Bars and restaurants have found ways to capitalize on these parties by hosting them in their venues. Independent coffeehouses, which have been bastions of socialization for centuries should take heed of such gatherings. 

This presents a wonderful opportunity for coffee houses to fill in slow hours, days or evening by hosting similar events and taking the lead at again becoming a gathering ground for society.  

Understanding that the darkness of the night always makes way for the light of a new dawn, coffeehouses and cafes are in a unique position to host “Networking Parties”, resume building seminars, life coaching sessions, and an assortment of other meaningful ways to become a hub in many people’s lives. 

When incomes are limited, purchasing a $1.50 cup of coffee certainly makes more sense than a $7.00 martini and the coffee won’t leave you feeling worse the next morning.

Simple things can go along way and will be greatly appreciated:

• Carry all the local and regional newspapers forindividuals to peruse through for job listings.
• Make sure you have Wi-Fi for customers to use their laptop computers and then promote that it is FREE.
• Set up an area with computers for customers to use to review job postings online.
• Maybe you have employers who are customers that are looking to hire… set up a mini job fair.
• Create a job posting board or resume board
• Set up a special day where customers can get chair massages… Who doesn’t feel better after a massage?

 As the plan comes together, the next step is to promote your location as “THE PLACE” to go.  Leave no stone unturned, get the word out to all available sources  

• Get newspaper coverage – an event like this should gain FREE coverage
• Word of Mouth
• Post it on the coffeehouse website
• Send out e-mail notification through a service like Constant Contact.
• Promote it in town flyers, town forums or free local weekly papers
• Let the Chamber of Commerce know about it
• Contact head-hunters, recruiters and Human Resource Directors in your area
• Update local Career Centers or colleges
• Try out a new website called Meet-up.com to post your event

Will all the above require one to roll-up their shirt sleeves and do some hardwork and incur some expense… Sure! 

But creating an atmosphere of caring, helpfulness, community participation and hope along with getting more people in your door… to coin the phrase “Priceless.”

For more helpful ideas at increasing business for your coffeehouse or cafe visit www.improveyourprofits.com and for the nation’s largest selection of fresh-roasted specialty coffee check out www.KMOcoffee.com.  Please feel free to contact me directly at robert@KMOcoffee.com or 800.652-5282.