Without a doubt, you know that your coffee is the best in town. After all, it’s your signature brand, filled with rich tastes and exquisite aromas as soon as any customer walks in the door. There’s no questioning that your coffee shop is all about high quality service and products. However, there’s one big challenge that remains — how do you get the word out about your amazing coffee? Marketing might instantly come to mind. From digital marketing and paid ads to website design and social media, your head might start spinning at how many different ways there are to craft a marketing strategy. It could even start to get overwhelming when you don’t even know where to begin.
1. Start with SEO
Let’s say that you’ve got a killer website design that’s sure to wow the socks off any viewer. While it may be spectacular, there’s only one problem — it doesn’t rank well on Google. How can anyone find your site if it doesn’t even pop on search results?
When nearly 75% of people never scroll past the first page of search engines, it’s crucial that you figure out a search engine optimization strategy. One of the best ways you can start is by optimizing your Google My Business listing. Be sure to input the most detailed and accurate information possible while incorporating keywords. Add additional elements like photos and business hours while staying engaged with the customer reviews.
2. Take a data-driven approach
To stay competitive in a world where technology is moving at such a rapid pace, you’ve got to stay true to a data-driven approach when doing your marketing analysis. The numbers never lie and can help reveal new information and buyer patterns that you wouldn’t have observed otherwise. They can also add insight into whether your paid ad conversions are working, where your buyers seem to fall along the funnel, and how you can maximize your conversion rates. If the idea of analyzing numbers already seems to give you a headache, then you can take advantage of tools such as Google Analytics, artificial intelligence, and other automation tools to find those patterns for you.
Let’s face it — newspaper ads and text ads simply aren’t as engaging as they were before, when our attention spans were much longer. Today, new short-form video platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube shorts have made video ads the new trend. They’re incredibly good at converting viewers into loyal customers, especially when more than 64% of consumers make a purchase after watching branded social videos. Thankfully, it doesn’t take a huge budget to craft a short 6-10 second video. Grab a high-quality camera, utilize the aesthetics of your coffee drinks, and get to work!
People are often fascinated by baristas and their talent. There are countless videos on social media of baristas carefully making latte art using milk, so there’s no doubt that people have an interest in this particular coffee craft. A good way to build loyalty and integrate your shop into the local community is to host a coffee making class, whether virtual or in-person! By providing the materials and instruction, you can earn revenue by charging your guests for attendance. Plus, it never hurts that you can strike up a genuine conversation with them and potentially gain new repeat customers. Try to plan out a class today and run an ad or two on your social media pages in the future!
5. Build relationships with local businesses
Building a successful business never involves staying alone for too long. You might already know how important it is to be good at networking and building relationships with the entrepreneurs around you. As part of a long-term strategy, it can lead to sustainability, profitability, and of course, mutual friendship and collaborations! Do some research to see if there are any regional or local entrepreneur groups on Facebook that can help you connect with fellow small business owners. Whenever your local city plans a festival or street vendor event, grab a spot of your own and chat it up with the businesses standing alongside you. You never know what a small connection can lead to in the future.
6. Invest in a loyalty program
Have you ever received a punch card where you could receive a free drink or meal after a certain number of purchases? That’s one example of a loyalty program which can help you retain loyal customers and attract new ones. Other examples include a points system and even referral benefits. Not only will your current customers be more engaged, but they’ll also be excited to give you free word of mouth marketing to their friends and family.
7. Start your merchandising line
Another great form of free marketing is to start your own line of merchandise. Think branded reusable cups, stuffed animals, laptop stickers, clothing, and more. They’ll help shape your coffee shop’s identity, give it an iconic household name, and generate you more revenue through sales. A great way to start is to hire a graphic designer that can work with you on the concept of the design and what vibes you want it to embody. Then, you can send the design to an official printer or merch maker and buy in bulk for a discount. Before you know it, you’ll be seeing your merchandise in the hands and on the bodies of customers everywhere you go.
8. Focus on content marketing
Content is king, so one way to gain traction is by starting a blog. Write about all the things that are happening at your shop, your hottest new drink choices (pun intended), and even how to prepare coffee at home.
On that note, it’s important to maintain a consistent flow of posts on your website blog and on your social media channels with the right hashtags, captions, and high-quality photos or media. To make sure you’re keeping up with your output, put together a dedicated content calendar where you can track progress and visualize where to improve.
9. Don’t discount email marketing
Though email marketing might feel like a thing of the past, it’s still highly relevant for reaching your customers and strengthening your brand awareness. With a staggering 66% of emails being opened on mobile devices, it’s never too late to start working on a successful email marketing campaign for your coffee shop.
10. Establish a Clear Brand Identity
At the end of the day, even the best coffee can’t take off without the shop itself establishing a clear brand identity. That’s why at Your Brand Cafe, we take it to heart when helping small coffee shops and restaurants boost their visibility with gorgeous customizable cups, supplies, and much more. We’re conscious about helping your shop get started with the right marketing tactics to stand out from the crowd.
Drew Thomas
Drew Thomas is a graduate of Georgia College & State University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in English Literature. He is an expert in brand marketing and has experience in freelance writing on topics ranging from sports to music reviews. He has also spent time as an editor, having revised website copy and press releases for local businesses. In his free time, Drew enjoys performing music, reading, hiking, and spending time with friends.
