Secrets Behind a Successful Coffee Shop

Open the coffee shop of your dreams.

Many people fantasize with the idea of leaving their jobs someday to open their own cafe or restaurant. The possibility of creating a unique and independent space that’s both profitable, fun, and full of personality sounds terrific. Having all this while enjoying and sharing with everyone one of the things you love the most (a good cup of coffee) looks like a dream come true.

But owning a business that should be customer-service focused at all times is not as simple and enchanting as it might seem at first. Many challenges and details are often underestimated about coffee shop’s market. That does not mean owning your own cafe can’t be incredibly rewarding and a successful endeavor, but if you’re a beginner and you don’t know what it takes to start in this world, then you should look for as much information as you can.

Some tips are more obvious than others but are overlooked just as often. So stay humble and keep an open mind.

Create an experience worth living!

Think about what you look for when you go to a cafe. It’s definitely more than just drinking coffee. You’re searching for a place where you can relax, spend some quality time with friends, work on your next project or have a business meeting. This means that one of the most important things about opening a coffee shop is creating an inviting atmosphere and an experience worth living.

Make your customers feel good. That goes from having a trendy decoration and an excellent service, to an ergonomic design. Go to your favorite cafes and think of what you love the most about them and what makes you want to stay there aside from their menu. Create your own style and own it: this is the kind of feeling you want to convey to people and that will guarantee you’ll stay open for business.

Coffee is not always everything

Coffee prices are not always as profitable as we wish they were. Maintaining a coffee shop can be expensive, so you need to find new ways of increasing your profits. Selling pre-made food and desserts is an excellent way to do so keeping it simple, without losing too much time. Don’t overextend your menu's variety. People don’t need to have that many options. They just need your advice and recommendations on what they should try and what goes best with their latte.

Put market’s expectations and customer's experience over profit

Many people tend to make the mistake of overthinking about how much money they can make from what they’re selling. With cafes, this balance is especially complicated. You should stick to prices people expect to see and not to the maximum profit you can make from a cup of coffee.

In the long run, it will be much more rewarding to earn your customers’ fidelity thanks to your exceptional service and hospitality than just charge them for what you think they should be paying.

If you’re new in the business, lowering your prices can help. Of course, we know you still need to make money. A good alternative is to put a higher price on a special dessert (or any other type of added value) that only your cafe offers.

Find a place with good traffic

It will be hard to attract new customers to your cafe if they can’t find it. That’s why it’s vital to find the perfect balance between good traffic and reasonable rent. You also need to understand how your typical customers behave.

Do people go to a coffee shop out of impulse? Or do they plan their visits? The answer is: cafes don’t belong in the impulse-purchases category. Most of the time, people will make plans with friends or colleagues before going. That means that you won’t necessarily be more successful if your cafe is located in a zone where people pass by in a hurry every day. Instead, you should pick a location in an accessible place with little competition around you.

Invest in people!

Customer service is one of the hardest areas of this business due to how important it is to understand people’s needs and desires. That’s why you should invest in workers who know good service's value and who meet your customers' expectations.

Don’t leave them alone! If you can’t be present at all times, find a good manager who can. Being in the first line of the battle right along with your employees will be extremely motivating. You’ll know your business like no one else and will understand what you need to keep growing and achieve success.

Serve excellent quality espresso, but remember to stay consistent

If you want to start your own cafe, chances are you want to serve a good quality product. This doesn’t mean that you have to hire as many roasters as you can or offer a huge variety of coffee's types. Coffee owners often forget that what most people want is to eat and drink something delicious.

However, buying good coffee is not enough. If you’re not an experienced barista, maybe you should start considering becoming one. The more you learn, the more you’ll understand what needs to be done to transform a good quality product into a great cup of coffee and an unforgettable experience.  

Once you become successful, remember to keep consistency. Always look for new ways to improve your products and services. That way, you won’t give customers the chance to say “this place used to be great, but not so much anymore…”.

In That Coffee Roasters, we have all the excellent quality products and services you need to make your dream come true and own your cafe. The road to success can be challenging, but the best advice we can give you is: work hard and keep learning. We believe in you!

Follow these tips and remember to have fun with your project!

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That Coffee Roasters

Phone Number: (305) 821-8811

2697 W. 76 Street, Hialeah, Florida 33016

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