I Need Ideas

[courtneybperez]

Hello!
My stepmother recently purchased a coffee shop in Lubbock, Texas. We have Texas Tech, Lubbock Christian, and several other universities/colleges within our area. They come in, buy a cup of coffee and stay for several hours. We have the competition just down the way too. We are personal, friendly, highly trained, and we have the atmosphere. But we are trying to sift through 10 years or so of a bad rap. Any ideas on how to get the word out that won't cost us a fortune? We serve the best coffee, espresso, and tea in town and all of the desserts and pastries are homemade...most of them by me.

Please help me!!

Thanks a bunch!!

 

[jmeiss]

Typically in a situation like that, you would do some sort of "New Sheriff in town" promotion. Print up a BUNCH of flyers mentioning change in management, customer appreciation day, etc. and then hand them out all over town.

Talk to a local radio station that most of your target audience would listen to, and sponsor their afternoon show or morning show by bringing the DJ's free coffee/snacks.

Those are relatively inexpensive... There's plenty more where that came from too.

-Jeremy

 

[NW JAVA]

re new image

PAINT it, new banners, and side walk signs. And the other recommendation....

 

[morrisn]

Here are links to two interesting articles which may help you, while they are discussing the pizza business, the same principles apply

www.pizzamarketplace.com/article.php?id=2555

www.pizzamarketplace.com/article.php?id=2414

 

[demetri]

Re: re new image

PAINT it, new banners, and side walk signs. And the other recommendation....

I agree with PAINT it. I've seen a local hospitality corporation do that with their clubs. They own about 7 in town and every few years will shut one down, do some cheap renos to change the look and feel, change the name and change the style of music.

They're highly successful and do crazy traffic. It's the perception that this is a new place and that brings the people in. Most people don't realize that when the lights are on the place really isn't that different from before. The irony is that the "Coolest" clubs in town are owned by a group of pot bellied bald men.

Perhaps a name change and a slight change in colors would be enough to shed any bad rap from the past.

 

[dant]

Why did the shop have a bad rap?

 

[Fresh Roaster]

One word... Churches. Donate the coffee for as many as you can in the community. Word will spread.

 

[Fresh Roaster]

p.s. If it's as good as you say. THe key is fresh. If you're not roasting your own fresh, don't bother. And if you're not roasting your own you probably can't afford to do this.

 

[equus007]

beter idea

First of all let me give my sincere condolences for having to live in Lubbock.

The church idea is good but you have in you town a better solution...two major universities. If you have the cash get a mobile stand on the two campuses(especially Tech) branded w/ your name. Also there is a major Cingular call center there with employees that live on caffine. Get in there and get your name out. Lubbock is also in serious need of live music that is not Texas Swing. Don't know about what kind of space you have but its a cheap way to get people in your shop.