| Three business partners contacted me about | | | | The key to the coffee shop is the |
| creating a marketing plan for a coffee shop | | | | merchandising and taste of its specialty |
| that they were opening in Greenwich Village | | | | drinks, which involves having the right |
| in New York City. They had already leased a | | | | coffeemaker and coffee, and people who |
| 3000 sq. foot space, which is very large for | | | | understand the art of making good coffee. I |
| a coffee shop. They had not worked out what | | | | suggested that the coffee shop purchased a |
| type of food or coffee they would serve. The | | | | high-end cappuccino coffeemaker that has a |
| location was too large for it to survive as | | | | shiny copper and bronze exterior that can be |
| just a coffee shop something extra would have | | | | set out in a separate station to attract |
| to be added. | | | | interest to specialty coffees. Two employees |
| | | | along with the manager were trained in the |
| I met with the three partners where I | | | | proper technique of making specialty coffee |
| discussed my concerns about there new | | | | drinks. |
| business venture. I convinced them to follow | | | | |
| a plan that I created that would solve the | | | | I worked with the part time program and sales |
| extra space problem for them. Since they had | | | | director with finding groups and creating |
| already signed the lease on the location that | | | | groups that will hold meetings in the coffee |
| was to large to succeed as just a coffee shop | | | | shop. A discount was offered to any group or |
| I created a plan for the coffee shop to be | | | | individual who would bring in groups. I |
| used as a place for community service groups, | | | | created a web site explaining what the coffee |
| discussion groups, art and theatre groups, | | | | shop has to offer, and what meetings are |
| and special interest groups. | | | | taking place and how they can attend these |
| | | | meetings. The coffee shop will send out |
| I arranged for the coffee shop to operate a | | | | coupons to groups offering a 25-percent-off |
| two-prong strategy. In the morning it will | | | | discount. |
| offer coffee, cappuccino, and breakfast | | | | |
| muffins and an assortment of pastries to the | | | | I bought a list from a list broker of |
| people in the morning, 65% who are | | | | organizations, associations, and local |
| professional. After 9:30 A.M. the coffee | | | | community groups in the area. I wrote |
| house will strive to become a meeting place | | | | solicitation letters to them explaining what |
| for various community groups, organizations, | | | | services the coffee shop had to offer. I |
| associations, and a place for college | | | | created online discussion groups that would |
| students to meet after classes. The coffee | | | | involve potential clients for the coffee |
| shop will have a part time program director | | | | shop. Articles were written for on line |
| who will work with the various groups to help | | | | publication for the organizations, |
| facilitate community meetings and set up | | | | associations, and local community groups that |
| interesting forums and discussion groups, and | | | | held meetings at the coffee shop. These |
| to provide other entertainment for the | | | | articles contained links to the web site for |
| college students. | | | | the coffee shop that would list the upcoming |
| | | | events and discussions that would be held at |
| I conducted some research on successful | | | | the coffee shop. Print ads were also taken |
| coffee shops and found that the espresso | | | | out in a small local publication that the |
| machines contribute well over 50 percent to a | | | | targeted market reads. |
| coffee shop's revenue and even more to its | | | | |
| profits. The shops with the best tasting | | | | After about 5 months the results of these |
| drinks did five to ten times the business of | | | | marketing efforts had paid off. The coffee |
| shops with average tasting espresso. To | | | | shops morning business was doing 10 percent |
| capitalize on this the coffee shop should try | | | | better that was forecasted. The coffee shop |
| to get its espresso drinks to over 50 percent | | | | had 8 regular groups, organizations, and |
| of the drinks served. To accomplish this, the | | | | associations holding weekly meetings in the |
| coffee shop set up a separate espresso | | | | coffee shop. I got permission from the |
| station, with instruction on how to make a | | | | clients who are using the coffee shop for |
| great espresso. The coffee shop will set its | | | | meetings to use there names in the next set |
| pricing approximately 25 percent below | | | | of ads that will run, and on the new web |
| typical Starbucks' pricing. | | | | site. You must promote your success to get |
| | | | new business. |