

Get to know your “neighbors” in nearby businesses. We recommend joining your local Chamber of Commerce, entrepreneur groups, or small business groups. Not only will it help you spread the word about your business, but it will also grant you access to small business resources like great contractors, local events, or skilled employees.

Whether you’re opening your coffee shop in a small town or large city, get to know your community. It might feel like all marketing is digital now, but there is no substitution for good, old fashioned networking.
#Coffee buzz advertising free
Business owners can also manage a free listing on Yelp, or boost their presence through paid ads and page upgrades.

It’s free to claim your Google My Business account, and it will vastly increase your online visibility. Google My Business and Yelp are two important platforms to claim. Beyond your social media platforms and website, there are other strategic places coffee shops can market themselves online. If someone is looking for great coffee nearby, you know right where they’ll go: Google. To be successful with influencer marketing, you’ve got to have a product and a brand people are excited to share. Just like your loyal customers, they are much more likely to promote brands they genuinely love. The most important thing to know about this strategy is that influencers are people. You can do this by inviting them to an event, sending them merchandise, or simply giving them all-star treatment whenever they come. Give influencers a reason to visit your coffee shop and share how much they love it. For a coffee shop, influencers could come in all forms: food bloggers, local leaders, news anchors, even a well-known student athlete. Influencers are people in your industry, geography, or niche demographic with large online followings. Now that your social media platforms are established, grow your reach through influencer marketing. It keeps the Facebook page fresh and followers engaged. Coffee on the Red alternates between high quality coffee photos and videos, customer features, memes, events, and casual, funny videos of the staff and founders. Engagement helps to build community and connection among your followers. They send commenters funny memes, answer direct questions, and tag customers they know. Coffee on the Red responds directly to nearly every comment they receive. What voice captures your brand? Sophisticated? Health-focused? Family-friendly? Make sure your posts help showcase who you are. Coffee on the Red’s posts are goofy and fun. Develop a voice consistent to your brand.Coffee on the Red knows who their ideal customers are, and determined Facebook was the best place to reach them. You don’t need to have a huge presence on every social media platform to be successful. Coffee on the Red posts on Facebook every day, sometimes multiple times a day. We can learn from Coffee on the Red’s social media success. They grew their following by posting funny employee videos, delicious drink photos, memes, and even “sock updates” from one of the baristas. Just months later, the Coffee on the Red Facebook page has nearly 7,000 followers (and counting). They had to create an identity, reach new clients, and share constant updates at a time when many people were staying home. Coffee on the Red opened in the middle of the pandemic. One of our former students, Nelson Lewis from Coffee on the Red, credits social media for helping build his loyal following. Share a behind the scenes look at your employees and culture.Entertain and engage customers with videos, tutorials, humor, and photos.Share pictures of your coffee shop and menu items.Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and others are great places for coffee shops to: Social media is one of the most effective places coffee shops can meet their audiences. Connect to Your Customers on Social Media It can make a huge difference in your coffee shop marketing success. Your brand is one of your most valuable assets. Of course, a branding agency will cost more up front than a graphic designer friend or a logo website. They’ll help you effectively communicate your brand values and positioning visually to potential customers. They will utilize a brand strategist, a creative director, and multiple designers to build branding materials. (A bad logo could be the difference that causes a potential customer to drive right by.) Share your concept and business plan with the agency. With a concept in place, you’re ready to start thinking about the name, personality, and visual brand identity.īecause good branding is key to marketing success, we recommend investing in a real branding agency to help you build the foundations. Then, create a coffee shop concept (and brand) that intersects with your own passions. Before a cohesive brand can exist, you must understand the demographics, psychographics, values, and interests of your ideal customer.
