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There was a time when the café business used to be a very profitable line of work, and while it still can be a very profitable business to invest into, the competition is quite stiff. There are hardly any sections left in the country where Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts has not opened an outlet and local, small cafés everywhere are trying to make a living as well. So, the key to success in such a competitive environment is to stand out from the competition and that’s exactly what we are going to discuss next.
Add a Theme
You could always try something as extreme as the Red Sea Star in Eliat, Israel, which is basically a café under the sea, but then again, none of us can probably afford it! Make your café more than just a place to get a quick cup of espresso by adding a theme to it. It could be something as simple as adding a few hammocks as optional sitting arrangements or giving your customers the option of playing (and buying) board games while they relax with their friends and family after a busy day. It doesn’t have to be a super complicated or expensive affair, it just has to stand out from the rest of the cafés in your area.
Get a Logo
Do you know what all famous and successful companies have in common? They all have a super popular logo, including Starbucks; the current ruler of the coffee chain domain. Take your time in designing a logo, but once you have come up with something that’s relevant, easy to remember and catchy, stamp it (aesthetically) across everything related to your business.
Branding and Merchandising
Your café might be a tiny, singular establishment in a small town, but that doesn’t mean you should stop caring about branding and merchandising. Given that it is a café business that we are talking about, the primary way of branding it would be to get yourself some custom-made coffee mugs with your café’s logo on it. Deneen Pottery is a reliable source for custom mugs and they have a huge selection of styles and glazes for you to pick from. Use only your custom cups to serve your coffee in and also sell them at your establishment as mementos. You can even get some marketing done through them by giving a few away for free if the customer spends a preset amount of money in your shop. While coffee mugs are the most relevant options for this, they need not be the only ones, so customize everything from the plates to the glasses you use.
There are also a ton of other things that you will need to do in order to stay relevant in this competitive world, which includes social media marketing, getting feedback from your customers and acting on them, maintaining a friendly and helpful environment for your customers, maintaining the quality of the food and beverages served at the place, etc. However, as far as standing apart from the competition is concerned, the three steps mentioned here are the most important ones by far. Good food and quality service is the bare minimum and most cafés worth a dime are already doing that, but in order to stand out, you will need to do something extra.
