The 5 Steps To Open A Successful Coffee Shop

It is natural to want to follow a passion and make a business out of it. For instance, if you love to bake then it is a good time to open a bakery. And so many people love their morning coffee so end up opening a coffee shop. 

There is a lot that goes into having it be successful though. There is a big divide between having a passion that you really enjoy and creating a successful business out of that. It takes a lot of hard work, following a winning strategy and also being a little bit lucky. 

In this article, we will go over what it takes to build a successful business out of your passion for good coffee.

1 – Have an exceptional product

There is a lot of competition so mediocrity is not going to suffice. The product and materials used need to be exceptional. Be known for your coffee because it is so good and everything else that follows will be added to that solid foundation.

Everything needs to be of a high standard from the disposable cups to the equipment you use to brew the coffee. 

Make sure to source fair-trade beans as this is not only good for the farmers but good for your business. People are far more aware of how global supply chains work and want their money to get into the right hands without being exploitative. If you don’t have fair trade products then you will lose a segment of your market to the competition that does.

Any food that gets sold should either be prepared in-house with good ingredients or bought from a local purveyor who makes things from scratch.

2 – Make specialty drinks

Added value is the name of the game when trying to make a name for your coffee shop. To get a leg up on the competition, it is a good idea to have some specialty coffee drinks that people will be coming back for. There are many espresso variations that make interesting coffees beyond just a cappuccino or mochaccino.

Cold brew blends also with things like CBD added or ginseng are being sought out these days so should be on offer. Once you have a name established then having your own ready-to-drink coffees for a grab-and-go customer is a nice way to have something for everybody.

3 – Have a loyalty program

For some time, loyalty cards fell out of favor for many people. Wallets were simply too full to accommodate yet another card that needed to be stamped. 

With smartphones being prevalent loyalty programs are back in fashion since they can be kept on a phone and scanned. This is much easier than carrying a variety of cards around. 

People love getting a free item so a free coffee or snack as a reward for loyalty will go a long way toward getting repeat customers. They are also a good way to upsell. For instance, if the requirement to get a stamp is a $5 purchase, then they won’t be able to get it with just a coffee purchase. They will usually opt to add in a snack or some other item to get the total up enough for the stamp.

4 – Know your busy times

Being prepared in a food business is essential. Knowing when your busy periods are will allow you to be set up to meet the crowds without missing a beat or running out of product. 

For instance, if you are open in the morning, then expect a rush-hour surge. Have extra staff working to be able to serve everybody efficiently. Also, make the process quick by having ready-made breakfast items that people can grab and go so they aren’t waiting for things cooked to order. 

Then in the rush hour going home, you want to do the same thing. People will want to bring things home to eat so prepared small meals are a good way to keep the line moving. 

5 – Network

Get support from other local businesses by making sure to get to know everybody around you. Go to neighborhood events and network so people can put a face to the business. 

Networking is an important part of your business as you will need to lean on some other people for advice or even help with the business. An absentee owner who isn’t involved in the business or even neighborhood won’t have much success as one that is fully involved.