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A guide to growing your coffee start-up
Coffee is beloved by so many around the world, kickstarting the days of the millions every day. So, it’s no wonder that starting a coffee-based business is a dream for many people. If you’re keen to expand your business venture, consider this your guide to growing your coffee start-up and bringing in more sales.
Consider the platform
There are a few options available to you when it comes to coffee start-ups. If you have a brick-and-mortar store, you may need to think about the ways you can boost interest and encourage people to come back to your store post-lockdown, such as putting on events or coffee tastings.
Alternatively, if you’re focusing exclusively on the coffee itself, you have the option to sell coffee online. Such a high-commodity product such as coffee means you’re likely to have a high volume of customers and since many customers appreciate independent brands in this industry, being a small business could actually go in your favour.
In the new normal, our priorities and how we make purchases have changed, and you may find that what worked a year ago might not be the best move for the future, so bear this in mind when it comes to the best way to expand.
Pay attention to packaging
Design matters when you’re selling any product, but particularly with food and drink products. You need to grab the attention of your target customer and make them excited to try your coffee products, so the packaging you choose is essential. In addition to thinking about the materials you use to ensure durability and the shelf life of your coffee, you also want to pay careful attention to the design.
From colours and finishes to typography and logos, there are various elements to consider when creating your coffee packaging design. What type of image are you trying to portray? Are you a luxury brand showcasing the highest quality products or are you a fun business, appealing to a younger or more creative crowd? The target audience you’re trying to appeal to will influence the design so they should be the focus of creative decisions.
Provide incentives
Incentives are a highly effective way to entice people to try your products and to get them coming back in the future. Start-up owners might shy away from this idea out of fear that they’ll lose money but actually, the opposite is true – incentives and loyalty programmes can boost sales and can help you make more money than the scheme costs to run. The profit comes not only from encouraging people who haven’t used your products before to try them at a discounted rate but in the case of loyalty programmes, it also encourages repeat custom.
Coffee businesses have a range of options to choose from, from 3 for 2 offers on pouches of coffee to loyalty cards that provide a free coffee after a certain number of purchases if you have a physical store. Alternatively, you can offer discount codes for a customer’s next order when they make a purchase.
Utilise social to build your audience
Marketing is the foundation of any successful business, but particularly for coffee brands as it’s a commodity product that’s also incredibly personal to people’s varying tastes. Finding your niche is a great way to reach your target demographic more effectively, especially on social media when you’re sending your message out into a vast digital landscape. It’s works to differentiate your brand and build awareness around what you specialise in.
Imagery is also crucial, since social media centres primarily around image and video content – it offers a greater level of engagement which can help to boost brand awareness and help you grow your start-up. Maybe that means creating behind the scenes content for your brand, tips for brewing coffee or educational content about the coffee growing and brewing process. Whatever you post though, make sure you’re consistent in both posting regularity and the quality of your content.
Start building your brand
Creating and promoting a brand is never easy, but with the right tools and a targeted approach, you can enhance your chances of success. At The Bag Broker, we specialise in creating high quality, custom packaging for coffee businesses that will boost your brand and develop an aesthetically appealing product for your customers. Contact us today to discuss your options.