No one said managing a coffee shop is an easy task. You can find a coffee shop on every corner of every town. Your place should be one of a kind offering the coffee experience which could not be created anywhere else.
How to succeed and how to run the business, which will thrive on daily challenges is the topic of this article.
Set up a Business Plan
A coffee shop business plan is an extremely important aspect of your coffee shop management. A business plan for your coffee shop describes your goals and how you plan to achieve them. One of the main aspects of your business plan will include your overall budget (the method of financing and revenues and expenses for a certain period of time), marketing strategies, as well as operational activities.
The moment you set everything on paper, you will have a clearer picture of your business and potential drawbacks you can anticipate.
The Location
When you set your budget, you can focus on finding the right location. Looking for the spot you will be pleased with may take you several months, which you should include in your business plan. You do not need to limit yourself to districts with high rent only. As long as your future coffee shop is accessible and have an adequate parking spot, you can be sure caffeine lovers will drop by there.
The Interior Design
The interior design should be one of the marketing tools since this is what makes your coffee shop unique and different from other coffee shops in the district. However, you should also pay attention that the place is functional, so that the main people in the coffee shop, bartenders and waiter, can work easily. For this purpose, you can use online tools, such as Autodesk Homestyler.
Find inspiration in these 36 coffee shops.
Do not Exclude the Garden
If the location permits, having an airy garden as a part of your coffee shop is another way to stand out from the crowd. Make sure you add as much greenery as possible. Do not forget that you will need umbrellas, especially in the summer. As awnings may be suitable for the front of the shop, umbrellas in the garden are a better solution. They allow you to create the private space around each table.
As marketing strategies from your business plan are interwoven with your overall design, do not forget about the possibility of having branded umbrellas. Do not skip on the opportunity to market your business in every way possible.
Make the Right Menu
The focus of your menu should be placed on coffee. So make sure you have the best coffee in the neighbourhood. This is the best advertisement you can make. In order to increase the revenue, you do not need to shy away from other foods and drinks.
Whatever you include in the menu, keep it fresh and exciting. Make a specialty item every week to inspire customers to come back.
Manage Your Employees
A good manager carefully assigns roles to each and every employee. A busser clears the tables and serves the coffee. Wait stuff and/or server should turn the tables if the busser is too busy to do it her/himself. The role of a host/hostess is to answer the phone, make reservations and seat the customers. Only by setting out rules in advance and by acting professionally can you and your employees work as a team.
Appreciate Your Customers
You will succeed because of your customers. Show signs of gratitude every day. Loyalty cards can help you as well as promoting multiple sales. Make a partnership with other business and give your customers a gift once in a while. Make your customers come back.
Finally, create the atmosphere of warmth, familiarity and congeniality and you will certainly triumph.