Love Coffee? Let It Make You Money!

If you have been toying with the idea of starting your own business for quite some time now, and just happen to be a coffee aficionado, opening up your own coffee shop could be a great idea. Not only will you be surrounded by the thing you love the most, but it is also a very feasible business opportunity. No matter what phase the economy is in, people will always need to catch up with friends and relax over a cup of coffee, some snacks and a great conversation. Enter coffee shops. No wonder Starbucks has turned into such a huge success.

You have three options into get into the café business: You could purchase a franchise, buy and existing café or start your own from scratch. Whatever be your model, to run a café successfully, here is all that you need to know:

Location is the key: Find a good location where professionals and students are likely to visit, as your business being located in such an area will result in greater footfall. However, the rent of centrally located areas is often too high so you should do the math in advance and go for a location that is feasible for you.

Parking: If you set up your café in a mall or other high-pedestrian traffic site you can maybe forego the parking, but if your café is located in a cosy neighbourhood, there needs to be easy access and adequate parking available for vehicles. If your café is difficult to reach or cannot be stayed in for long because of parking hassles, customers will not turn up.

Be consistent about quality: This segment is quite saturated, so in order to make your café stand out, you need to focus on a variety of tea, coffee and snacks that stands out in terms of taste and quality. This will go a long way in maintaining the loyalty of your customer base as well as get you positive reviews online, which will again bring in new customers

Improve the overall experience: You are not merely selling a beverage in a cup; you are selling an experience. Focus on hiring good staff and training them properly. Keep the interiors in line with the cool, fun vibe of a café. Sell only fresh food every day. Source the best quality beans and have good quality machines to make the complete experience perfect. You could even offer perks such as loyalty cards and free Wi-Fi to attract crowds/.

These are the basic tips to remember while starting a coffee shop. Remember to keep a positive attitude and maintain interaction with your customers, and you will be off to a great start!