Let’s get it honest – people love their cup of coffee and the kick they get out of it. And who can blame them – with so many varieties, flavors, and different types to choose from, this small dose of caffeine-laden productivity offers someone for everyone. According to recent research, people around the world drink more than 2.5 billion cups of coffee a day.
So, if you wanted to start your small coffee shop, the market is definitely out there.
On the other hand, as we can see from Starbucks and other similar brands, the people are not coming only for coffee. They also look for a unique experience, interesting brands, and fun, engaging business models. Let us take a look then if we can help you crack these business-related issues and help you start your café gig.
Pen down the business plan
Essentially, every successful business starts with good business plans – cafes are really no different. This document also gives you an opportunity to start solving some of the challenges like your target market, competitor analysis, revenue projections, milestones and goals, and other critical topics without actually putting your money on the table. The more thorough you are, the fewer things you will leave to chance once you take off. Also, this is an opportunity to make a final decision on some of the popular business models:
· Coffee kiosk
· Coffeehouse
· Internet Café
· Café bistro
· Coffee roaster
· Mobile coffee cart
Find a killer location
Seriously, the location can make or break your coffee shop business no matter how thoroughly you have covered the previous step. So, make sure the premises you rent meet the following requirements:
· The store is located in a busy area and accessible via different means of transport
· The location is visible and sees constant and abundant foot traffic
· The environment fits your branding vision
Furthermore, if we take a look at Australia as an example of a trendy country we will see the growing presence of services like coffee subscription and roasted coffee delivery. If your company is going to utilize these services, the premises need to be able to support seamless logistics and company car fleet.
Find a middle ground between familiar and unique
As we have briefly mentioned in the introduction coffee shops live and die on the experience they are able to offer to their visitors. You need to offer something fun, engaging, stylish, laid back, and pleasant. If we, once again, go to Australia for an example, we will, for instance, see the enduring popularity of bentwood chairs in Melbourne and other metropolitan areas. No wonder, since these pieces are very traditional pick and cozy, but still leave enough room for playing with other styles and design elements. In the same vein, your coffee shop should strike that sweet middle ground between familiar and unique.
Start defining your brand
Of course, to do that, you will first need to conduct thorough market research that will give you an idea about who are your ideal target clients. Try to assess what they seek, what they need, and how you can solve some of their problems. For instance, if your coffee shop will be located in the vicinity of a University your guests will probably need some room to socialize, plug in their devices, and maybe even a quiet corner to repeat the lessons. This knowledge, in turn, will help you give your brand a more clearly defined voice and start working on the unique traits that will set you apart from the competitors.
Nail down the menu
Figuring down the menu will be one of the most responsible tasks you will need to handle before the launch. And even though this chore may sound mundane, the menu composition and pricing will have an influence on all facets of your company ranging from budgeting, and marketing to space requirement and physical location. So, start by getting in touch with local vendors and looking at how your competitors handled this problem. If you have a problem finding a functional financial model, consider expanding the menu with traditional moneymakers like wine, snacks, food, and beer and refocus your branding efforts.
Choose the right employees
Last but not least, we would like to remind you that employees make the backbone of any hospitality company and your café business is really no different. Also, the people who you hire prior to launch will one day hopefully take more responsible roles. That is why, aside from meeting the requirements like focus, motivation, and meticulousness, your future staff should genuinely enjoy coffee, know the industry, understand the concept of your coffee shop, and simply enjoy the company of like-minded people. Your visitors will be able to tell the people who are there just for the gig and they won’t like it.
These were some of the most important steps you will need to take to get your café business on a good start. Of course, you will also need to open a bank account, apply for necessary permits, and so on, but these tasks are not really related to the core of your future company. The people who like to visit the coffee shops come for the experience and service just as much as for the hot beverage itself. That is why your primary task should be to offer your clients that unique experience.
The tips we gave you will definitely point you in the right direction.
