Archive for October, 2008

A Unique Marketing Spin for a Coffee Shop

October 15th, 2008 davidguide

Three business partners contacted me about creating a marketing plan for a coffee shop that they were opening in Greenwich Village in New York City. They had already leased a 3000 sq. foot space, which is very large for a coffee shop. They had not worked out what type of food or coffee they would serve. The location was too large for it to survive as just a coffee shop something extra would have to be added.

I met with the three partners where I discussed my concerns about there new business venture. I convinced them to follow a plan that I created that would solve the extra space problem for them. Since they had already signed the lease on the location that was to large to succeed as just a coffee shop I created a plan for the coffee shop to be used as a place for community service groups, discussion groups, art and theatre groups, and special interest groups.

I arranged for the coffee shop to operate a two-prong strategy. In the morning it will offer coffee, cappuccino, and breakfast muffins and an assortment of pastries to the people in the morning, 65% who are professional. After 9:30 A.M. the coffee house will strive to become a meeting place for various community groups, organizations, associations, and a place for college students to meet after classes.The coffee shop will have a part time program director who will work with the various groups to help facilitate community meetings and set up interesting forums and discussion groups, and to provide other entertainment for the college students. (more…)

Posted in Uncategorized Tags: Comments Off

The Importance of Hiring the Best Help for Your Coffee Shop

October 15th, 2008 davidguide

One of the tools you are going to need to operate your
coffee shop are good employees. You don’t want to just hire
the first people that walk through the door. Hiring friends
and family can create issues outside of the business so many
people choose to steer clear of that as well. It is very
important that you hire the best employees that will be
friendly, offer quality service to customers, show up when
they should, and be open to new ideas.

Your customers will suffer if you don’t have enough
employees or if they aren’t doing their job correctly. Most
customers have a specific level of expectations when they
enter a place of business. If they don’t think their needs
have been met, they are going to think really hard before
they come back in. Even if you offer the best tasting coffee
in town, it often isn’t going to be enough to make up for
poor service.

If you can find qualified employees that have worked in a
coffee shop before that is a nice advantage. However, don’t
be so fast to pass on those that haven’t done so. They may
have plenty of wonderful skills you can incorporate for your
business. You need employees that are responsible, have
great communication skills, and they are friendly. You can
teach them everything else they need to know to do a good
job for your business. (more…)

Posted in Uncategorized Tags: , , Comments Off

Sit Down Coffee Shops Are Here To Stay

October 15th, 2008 davidguide

You may be surprised to learn that not all customers are waiting for the next Starbucks to pop up. Instead they are longing for the sit down coffee shops of the past. These types of establishments are known for offering the best tasting coffee and the best service in the industry. If you look at some corner businesses you will get lucky and discover there are still a few of them remaining.

Of course this type of sit down coffee shop isn’t going to offer you 100 different flavors for your coffee or latte. Instead they are going to offer you basic coffee but that has been made with the finest ingredients. This is a concept that sits better with customers than one might think. Coffee has been loved by people for decades, even before all of the other options were introduced.

Some of them don’t serve cooked meals, but rather deli style of sandwiches. They can also be a part of a nice bakery. Sweets always seem to go very well with coffee no matter what time of day it is. You may need to try out a couple of these different coffee shops to determine which environment you feel the most comfortable in.

These days it seems like most coffee shops can be very busy and people aren’t feeling personally recognized. Instead of being stuck in a long line you can come in, sit down, and enjoy whatever you want. No one is going to be rushing out the door while you try to drink your coffee and read the newspaper. (more…)

Posted in Uncategorized Tags: Comments Off

Knowing What Coffee To Choose For Your Coffee Shop

October 14th, 2008 davidguide

The type of coffee to serve in your business depends on what you want your coffee shop to represent. Some owners want to keep it very simple and only offer premium of the basic regular and decaffeinated forms. Others want to offer a full range of premium options to choose from. Knowing what your options are can help you decide what is best for your business.

These days, many people also enjoy the ability to choose from organic blends of coffee. They are often a light roast type of coffee that doesn’t result in a person getting jittery after they drink it. They also want to help promote a safer environment and this is just another way they do so. This type of coffee offers a very good taste so they don’t have to sacrifice their morning drink in order to feel their best all day long.

Some types of coffee are light in color while others look almost black. This color is going to affect how strong the taste of the coffee is. Some people like their coffee very weak so they need a lighter on. Others want the dark looking espresso that will really give you a jolt of caffeine to start the day. Mocha java is another one that is dark but it also have a very wonderful taste to it. (more…)

Posted in Uncategorized Tags: Comments Off

Attracting Customers To Your Coffee Shop

October 14th, 2008 davidguide

Coffee shops are offered in many sizes and designs, but all of them have some great features. Or at least they should have them if they want to keep a steady stream of customers coming in. The hours of service are very important because people want to enjoy their coffee when it works for them.

The most popular time for it though is in the morning before people go to work. If you aren’t opening the doors of your coffee shop around 5 am you are likely missing out on many potential customers. Think about the people that work around the coffee shop. For example if there are factories there may be people working late at night that want to access coffee during their shift as well.

A great selection of products is important for a coffee shop. If this isn’t in place people are going to get their drinks from some place else. They aren’t going to come back and pay their money for something that they don’t like the taste of. Keep them excited about your products. The prices you charge are important as well because consumers will be looking for value that is comparable with the quality of the coffee they buy.

Of course they can’t wait all day for that delicious tasting coffee either. It needs to be hot, fresh, and readily available. (more…)

Posted in Uncategorized Tags: Comments Off

The Delicious Organic Coffee Bean

October 14th, 2008 davidguide

With the millions of coffee drinkers worldwide there is a rise in demand for not only organic coffee but also for organic flavored coffee Many coffee growers have discovered alternative and safe ways to improve the growing process. They now use organic fertilizer and other earth friendly ideas to enhance and protect their plants.

An organic coffee bean means that only 100% natural flavorings (fruit & nut extracts) are used to produce flavored organic coffees. Certified organic coffees must be grown, harvested, and processed without chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Farms that grow the certified organic coffee bean are tested for chemicals by an independent certification agency for three consecutive years.

Natural and organic are not interchangeable. Other truthful claims, such as free-range, hormone-free, and natural, can still appear on food labels. However, don’t confuse these terms with ” organic ” Only food labeled “organic” has been certified as meeting USDA organic standards. (more…)

Posted in Uncategorized Tags: , Comments Off

Understanding The Basics On Gourmet Coffee

October 13th, 2008 davidguide

Have you done your homework with gourmet coffee? If not then you need to get a move on it. There is very little chance your coffee shop is going to do well if you don’t know much about what it is that you sell. People aren’t going to pay for coffee that is low quality and if that means they have to go some place else to get what they want they are going to do so.

You definitely want to use coffee beans that offer the two most frequently drank types of gourmet coffee. The Arabica coffee beans is pure in itself as it is never mixed with any other types of coffee beans. They are grown in locations all over the world so you won’t have to worry about paying to more for them due to the cost of importing.

Arabica coffee beans have a tan color to them and they offer a very smooth taste. They also smell very delicious and that can result in people coming in off the street to try out the gourmet coffee you offer. Robusta coffee beans are much darker in color and they have a stronger flavor. For the serious coffee drinker this is the way to go. (more…)

Posted in Uncategorized Tags: Comments Off

Keep Business Operations and Logistics Simple, Streamlined and Agile

October 13th, 2008 davidguide

Most of the entrepreneurs we interview in our consulting business have a very unrealistic conception of what excites and disappoints investors. The dream of many inexperienced inventors seeking to fund their opportunity is to build a substantial infrastructure. Their business plan identifies the need for factory space, equipment, staff, and many other fixed costs.

Investors want to see a plan that maximizes return on investment. High fixed costs are the enemy of a great profit margin. When business turns down, and it always does at some point, fixed cost assets become liabilities and must be continually fed, even as income declines.

Always present decision-makers with the most streamlined operations plan possible. Do not confuse grandiose staffing and equipment wants with actual needs. In today’s business climate, almost every possible service can be rented, leased, farmed out or performed by contract manufacture. A 25,000 square foot factory that is not running at 100% capacity is an under-performing fixed cost asset, especially if a private label manufacturer will provide the service at a competitive price. The cost to rent, power, insure maintain and staff the facility is ongoing and will be a drain on the bottom-line. (more…)

Posted in Uncategorized Tags: Comments Off

Food Service Equipment

October 13th, 2008 davidguide

So you’ve spent a fortune on food service equipment and the event hasn’t even begun yet? Well, we have some great news for you – you can save a whole stack of money by using online web-based event management services and sending free party invitations online. Take a look at our money-saving tips for the rest of your event and make sure it really is a smashing success.

Corporate Event Management

When involved in corporate event management there are a few things you are going to need to consider:

* Catering and food service equipment
* Invitations or marketing
* Delegating tasks
* Managing your budget
* Effectively running the event and encouraging interaction between guests, or guests and speakers.

Events Listed helps with most of these elements. You have already arranged your food service equipment and this probably means you have decided on your catering requirements and menu.The next step then is to begin your marketing and sending out invitations which we will discuss a bit later. (more…)

Posted in Uncategorized Tags: Comments Off

7 Top Tips For Running a Happy Coffee Shop

October 12th, 2008 davidguide

As a successful businessman with many years experience of running a shop fitting company and setting up and running coffee shops, Don Clarke learnt many valuable lessons in how to get the best from his staff.

Don quickly realized something that was contradictory to accepted beliefs: the customer does not come first – your staff should come first! If your employees are happy, then they will give excellent service to your customers, and your customers will be happy. So, it is worth taking note of the following points:

* Teach your staff how to handle difficult situations. If you observe them handling a difficult situation badly, do not criticize. Tell them “I don’t know how I would have dealt with that problem – I’ll need to think about it” (more…)

Posted in Uncategorized Tags: Comments Off
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »
Powered by WordPress | Designed by: video games | Thanks to Wachdienst, Trucks and SUV