Running a business is complicated because you need to do the marketing part well. No matter how good and perfect your services are if it is not marketed well it cannot give you the return you are expecting.

For big Miracles in Your Coffee House Business, marketing is not tough. The worst survivors are small businesses. With a little amount of investment, they need to take care of each and everything and that too perfectly.

Open a coffee shop business is a dream of many. It is a business that is directly associated with the passion of people and gives a sense of satisfaction too. But, all that glitters is not gold.

If you want to open a coffee shop then it should be a great success after you spend a lot of time and money on it. And, most importantly you need to market the business well.

For the small investors like you, I am here with the marketing hacks that are underrated but they are actually valuable when you want to open a coffee shop business.

Here are the tips that are going to change your way of doing business and in the end would leave you with good results.

Have Clear Signage

This may sound obvious but it’s crucial. Whether you have a massive cafe on a busy street or a hole in the wall in a bylane – you’ve got to have clear signage.

Spend some dollars on a professionally designed logo so people can remember and relate with your brand name. Make sure it’s clear and easy to read from a distance.

Research Online

Don’t underestimate online marketing in any way. ­­­Once you’ve set up your cafe, this is possibly the first thing to do online.

It’s very common for cafe-goers to search for places nearby and it’s important for your cafe to show up in the top results.

So how do you make that happen? You’ll need to ensure your cafe is listed in as many online food directories as possible.

Start off with Google My Business and Yelp, and submit as many details as possible including your opening hours, phone number and directions on Google Search and Maps. Do you know what is best? You need not spend anything for listing your business.

Make Profile on Review Sites

Reviews are useful and you should not ignore them either as a customer or an owner. Showing up on search results is only one part of the marketing plan.

The other half is effectively managing your profile so your customers leave positive reviews for others to see. personalize your profile – add pictures and share what’s special about your cafe.

Try and respond to each review – even if it is a negative one. Be open to feedback and engage with people who care enough to say something about your cafe.

Build A Website

I know you’re a cafe owner, not a web designer. But you’ve got to have a website for your cafe. It adds credibility and a website is a good platform to share more information about yourself and your cafe.

For example, you can mention your specialties and list out your menu to make it easier for potential customers.

Don’t worry; setting up a website is not rocket science. For starters, you can take a look at this offer here on how to get a website for your business.

Be Social Media Active

Café and social media both are the places of youths, so you need to make a perfect balance between the two while open a coffee shop. Like it or hate it, you can’t ignore it.

Social media has become increasingly essential for food businesses and can help reach a wider audience than ever before. The only problem is, you’ve got to post regularly to hold people’s attention.

If you’re thinking, I really don’t have the time for this to get one of your staff members to manage it for you. Even if you’re regular on just one platform (preferably Instagram), it’s enough.

Encourage Customers to Take and Share Pictures

Now, this is a cool marketing tip that will help you get a good profit. If you don’t have time or skill to take great pictures of your restaurant and food for social media, let your customers do it for you.

There are enough Instagram lovers out there who would love to show off a beautiful dish to their friends.

Here’s what you can do to encourage people to post pictures – 1) make sure your presentation is picture-worthy 2) serve amazing food so the caption conveys how great it tastes 3) throw in a little incentive, like a free coffee or ice cream for posting with a branded hashtag.

Add Menu to Facebook and Other Reviewing Sites

Make it as easy as possible for people to make a decision about your cafe. With so many options available, people like to know exactly what to expect in a place before they make their final choice.

Think about it – if a vegan sees that special dish on your menu, he/she might pick your restaurant over the one on the next street that has no menu online.

Do Local Newspaper Marketing

Old and traditional ways of marketing still work especially the local newspaper ads. Don’t underestimate the power of the local newspapers.

A great way to reach people around the neighborhood is to run ads and discount offers in the local papers. People around you read these and are more likely to get incentivized to visit you for their next coffee.

Host Media Event

Invite local journalists and food bloggers for a media event. Some free drinks and food will cost you a bit but if they write about your place in popular print or online journal, you could really go places.

The Bottom Line

I am sure that after going through this blog, many of you are thinking that you already knew it. But, as I have mentioned it at the heading these are underrated.

You may know this but you are not utilizing the same. It is the time to use the power of marketing and take your café to newer heights.