My Coffee Pro

Morning Coffee with my Mom

MyCoffeePro — Sun, 13 May 2012 15:22:01 +0000

Today for Mother’s Day, I figured I’d share a post about one of my favorite rituals I have with my mother.

Whenever we are visiting together, we are awake super early and one of us makes a big pot of coffee. We mix our coffees to our liking, then we usually sit on a porch or outside somewhere and talk about anything that comes to mind. Sometimes we talk about the creatures that are wandering around in the nature surrounding us, or about family issues, or about memories, or about future plans … but sometimes we just sit quietly and sip on our coffee and take comfort in the fact that we are blessed to be together and enjoying each other’s presence.

Even though we live in different states and only see each other about once a year to vacation together, this has become a morning ritual that I cherish and the memories created fill me with joy and love until the next year when we get to share those coffee mornings together again.

Thank you for introducing me to the world of coffee in my younger years Mom … my cup overflows with love for you.

Love, Chase.

What’s your best memory chatting with your mom over coffee?

Green Coffee Makers for Earth Day

MyCoffeePro — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:56:37 +0000

What steps should you take to “Go Green” with your coffee making habit?

1. Use Certified Fair Trade & Organic Coffees: by choosing sustainable, eco-friendly coffees, you’re helping to support like-minded coffee-growing farms and communities.

2. Use a Single-Cup Coffee Maker: such as a Hario Dripper … by making each cup just before drinking it you avoid the problems associated with making a whole pot of coffee … such as burning the coffee as it sits and the extra energy to keep the pot & coffee hot before you’re ready for your next cup.

3. Use a re-usable coffee filter: you can find SwissGold or similar re-usable filters at most super-supply stores now (i.e. Target, Wal-Mart, etc). Why waste paper filters when you can have a convenient alternative that just needs a quick empty, rinse and reuse?

4. Make your own filtered water: while you’re at that super-supply store, buy yourself a water-filtration system like a Brita. Great water makes for great coffee … no reason to waste money on disposable bottled water when you can just filter your tap water for the same great result.

5. Heat just the water you need: by using a water kettle, like the Hario kettle, here again you avoid the problems associated with making a whole pot of coffee as mentioned above … no need to waste energy keeping coffee or water hot while waiting between drinking cups.

6. Use your own travel mug: you’ll be able to cut down on land-fill waste products, keep your coffee hotter for longer and most coffee businesses offer you some sort of discount for bringing and using your own cup.

What other ways do you suggest that people and coffee companies can be more green?

Marketing your Coffee Business in April

MyCoffeePro — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 15:26:08 +0000

Ah, Spring is in the air … bees buzzing, birds chirping, flowers pollinating and coffee brewing.

We’re all familiar with April Fool’s Day, Palm Sunday, Passover, Good Friday and Easter … but there are many month-long celebrations in April too.

Welcome to our little list of April Marketing ideas for coffee shops.

National Autism Awareness Month – Donate a percentage of all April sales to your local (or national) Autism charity.

International Guitar Month – Support your local musicians by inviting different performers to your venue all month long … but if you’re not into the whole “live music” thing, than support your local poets instead by celebrating National Poetry Month.

Keep America Beautiful Month – Have a recycling drive all month long inside your shop or ask your employees for volunteers to help keep the community clean all month long … and you can celebrate National Volunteer Month at the same time, how perfect!

Don’t forget to highlight the fact that it’s Stress Awareness Month. You could have a daily 2-3 pm Happy Hour with a generous discount on all espresso drinks all month long … your regulars will appreciate an uncommon discount and the newbies will have a month to switch to the habit of visiting your coffee shop for their afternoon pick-me-up.

It also happens to be Child Abuse Prevention month and About.com has created an awesome list of activities that you could promote as well. What a wonderful reminder for those of your customers that are parents to take a little time each day and strengthen their relationship with their kids.

And while I hate to be a reminder of bad news … don’t forget that April 15th is Income Tax Day

7 Secrets to Spring up Coffee Shop Sales

MyCoffeePro — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:14:55 +0000

Springtime is here again!

Working directly with coffee-shop owners, I’ve often been asked “what promotions and recipes can you suggest for spring and summer?”

Spring Break. Spring Cleaning. Spring Fever. Spring Forward. Spring Seeds. Spring in your Step. Spring Swing.

Here’s an easy adage to remember the months of Spring: “Spring forward the March hours so April showers can bring May flowers.”

Here are 7 Secrets to Spring up Coffee Sales:

1. Spring Break –most US schools have their breaks from early March through early April. The key to Spring Break Coffee Marketing is “Fun in the Sun”. You can make reference to finally ending the chill of winter and anticipating the sweetness of spring. This is not only a key traveling period for teens, but also many family vacations take place during this time … so target the travelers with your savings and specials. Take advantage of the 3 R’s of spring: recovery, relaxation and restoration. If your coffee business has a lot of student customers, make sure that you’re promoting spring specials heavily since you’ll have a large part of your customer base disappearing on their breaks.

2. Spring Cleaning –research shows that 3 out of 4 US adults plan some type of spring cleaning. Suggest to customers that they provide your coffee to people who visit their yard sales (often a result of spring cleaning). Have your own coffee shop “Yard Sale” to move items left over from winter holiday stocking … out with the old and in with the new.

3. Spring Fever –capture the energy and excitement that are part of spring fever. Suggest ice blended coffee drinks, fruit smoothies and other iced drinks to “Cool Your Spring Fever”. Target kids desire to skip school … and adults desire to skip work. Use the fact that parents will begin dealing with the reality of kids running amuck and bouncing back and forth, inside and outside suggest they “Melt away with a Latte” or slam some espresso shots to keep up with them. Remember to play to the tune of the birds and the bees … romances blooming all around you … have a “Couple’s Cappuccino” that’s shared from a latte bowl. Promote “Couple’s Coupons” buy one get one free.

4. Spring Forward –not only is it time again to move our clocks forward an hour, but time to move your company forward too. Freshen up your marketing materials like your business cards, brochures, coupons, and website. This is also a great time to analyze and refine your marketing plan and set new sales goals for the coming year based upon the previous year’s numbers.

5. Spring Seeds –spring is always a good time to make things grow. Let your customers know that your company is “green” by tying in promotions that utilize seeds. Have avid readers? Give them plant-able bookmarks. Or you could attach your business card or drink punch card to a Tree Seed Tent Card and give out to regulars. Or let your customers know you look forward to growing your relationship with these branded flower and plant stakes. Have a local Direct-Mail campaign and send out some branded seed packets ”Since you can’t grow coffee in this part of the world, grow these instead”.

6. Spring in your Step –most people are experiencing a sense of renewal and rejuvenation in springtime so suggest they do so with your coffee & tea offerings. Promote “Espresso Shots to put a Spring in your Step”. Participate in, or sponsor, a local event that benefits a worthy cause, like a walk or marathon. Invite all of your employees and customers to join the effort and collect donations. Have a contest where the person who collects the most donations wins something spectacular. On the day of the event let everyone know that 10% of sales will be donated to the cause. You should send out a Press Release a month in advance so perhaps your company will get some free publicity and the cause will probably garner more awareness and donations.

7. Spring Swing –this is a time for barbeques, dances and parties. Think of how you can tie-in celebrations to your coffee-shop marketing efforts. Host a company barbeque for your employees to reinvigorate and reenergize them … you could invite choice customers too. Sponsor a dance at a local community center, seniors home, or school. Have a VIP party during non-regular business hours, invite your best customers and give them special discounts.

Now get out there and plant these seeds of marketing wisdom to grow your spring coffee-shop sales!

Here’s a page dedicated to Ice Blended Recipes.

What’s your favorite springtime coffee-shop drink?

Google Plus Coffee Guru My Coffee Pro

MyCoffeePro — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:58:14 +0000

I want to become the Coffee Guru of Google Plus … will you help by circling the My Coffee Pro Google Plus Page?

Pay It Forward … with Coffee

MyCoffeePro — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:21:18 +0000

Pay It Forward Coffee

My buddy Jennifer over at dailydemitasse.com had a nice post for the new year.

Pay it forward and buy a stranger a coffee to start their week off right. Doing something nice not only give someone you don’t know a surprise, it doesn’t hurt knowing you’ve made that happen.

When you take part, Please share with a link to this post. Tweet #PayItWithCoffee Mondays or comment on Facebook with #PayItWithCoffee Mondays.Buy a stranger a coffee to pay it forward and start their week off right. If you’re checking in on Foursquare, tell everyone on there “Buy a stranger a coffee to pay it forward and start their week off right #PayItWithCoffee Mondays.”

Read it all here

Coffee & Marketing to Your Customers

MyCoffeePro — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:01:35 +0000

A word cloud based on what I talk about the most via my blog and social media.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/104226133029319075907/posts/4GvofuG3YTT

Join me on Google+ http://gotoplus.me/mycoffeepro

My Coffee Pro at Cafe Moto

MyCoffeePro — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:38:26 +0000

It’s official, I start my new job at Cafe Moto today. They happen to be a large roaster here in San Diego. I hope to put all of my coffee experience and skills to the test and help expand and organize this company over the coming months and years.

Check out our Cafe Moto Facebook Page

Follow Cafe Moto on Twitter

Wish me luck

13 Coffee Shop Marketing Halloween Treats

MyCoffeePro — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 05:06:54 +0000

Did you know that Halloween is the third largest party occasion, after New Year’s and The Super Bowl? Halloween generates $2.5 billion in sales … $500 million are spent on costumes alone.

Wondering how you can make sure your coffee business gets a sweet piece of that treat? Here’s a little list of marketing ideas to get you started:

Donate coffee and refreshments to the radio staff at the biggest Haunted House (or hayride, or corn-maze, Halloween attraction whatever it is) in your area … you’re bound to get mentioned on air.
Really play on the “I’m a Zombie before My First Coffee” theme … how far can you take that idea and run with it?
Give away a free pound of coffee to anyone coming in on Halloween in a costume that ties into your branding, or whatever theme you choose … make sure you’re pretty specific on what the costume can and can’t be and don’t forget to take plenty of photos to post into social media.
Have a Great Pumpkin donation/giveaway contest: For a $1 or more donation, customers get to enter their name in a giveaway of a giant pumpkin (proudly displayed in your shop until it’s won). All donations go to a local charity in the spirit of the season.
Host a Halloween Party … with contests for best/scariest/creative costumes of course. Try to get some neighboring businesses to join with you and make it a block party that the kids can go from business to business trick or treating.
Throw a Haunted Halloween Sale … from Midnight until 2am, 31% Off!
Promote a “Coffee Killer” video contest where entrants submit their “coffee killer” themed videos to your YouTube channel and the winner gets a very nice Grand Prize … like a trip to an origin country and visit to a coffee farm.
Send out a few costumed employees to hand out Free Drink coupons.
Decorate everywhere for Halloween. Don’t stop with store decorations, put Halloween stickers on to-go cups, give your website a Halloween touch, and don’t forget your email marketing campaigns … give them trick or treat discount codes. Get creative … draw a skeleton hand on the sidewalk pointing into your shop … or a chalk outline of a dead person with a spilled coffee facing away from your shop.
Give out chocolate covered coffee beans to any adults in costume on Halloween.
Why leave the gift baskets to Christmas? I say buy a few skull and pumpkin mugs and make up some Halloween baskets!
Have your baker make special pastries that are ONLY available during the last 13 days counting down to Halloween (Lady’s Fingers anyone?).
Create 13 Spooky Specials … for 13 days counting down to Halloween have a different Spooky Special of the Day.

What do you do different and unique for marketing your coffee shop at Halloween?

7 Steps to Increase Coffee Customer Loyalty

MyCoffeePro — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:05:00 +0000

In today’s coffee marketplace, it’s essential that you have some form of a customer database … and that you routinely use and update that database. Google “customer database software” and choose what works best for your coffee business and situation.

Once you’ve entered all your customers into your database, analyze it’s information and segment your customers into buying groups. I personally like to use 4 groups: 1. Platinum, 2. Gold, 3. Silver, and 4. Bronze; categorized by their spending habits of Recency, Frequency, and Monetary (RFM formula –see below).

Now create and use your Customer Loyalty program with the following tips:

1. Know Them

Note their names, their families names, their birthdays, their specific preferences or special needs. You can use this information to interact and keep in touch with them.

2. Inform Them

Which of them would appreciate knowing that you’ve just received that special something they always ask for? If you get in a complimentary item to something they’ve purchased from you in the past, contact them to see if they’d be interested in the new item.

3. Help Them

Write a weekly or monthly newsletter to relay any pertinent information you think might affect their lives. If you’re sharing valuable information with your customers then they will think of you as a great resource and welcome your communications with them.

4. Surprise Them

Send your best customers a special coupon or a little birthday or anniversary gift. Make sure this falls outside of any "loyalty" program you already have in place so they’ll view and value it as a true gift from you.

5. Delight Them

Go above and beyond birthday and anniversary cards and gifts. Inform your customer’s significant other that you have great items in stock so that they can surprise their loved one on this upcoming occasion. Got a new item that you think compliments something they’ve purchased from you in the past? A special occasion is a great excuse to offer them your new item as a free sample. If it truly is something complimentary and suites their tastes, they might start ordering both items on a regular basis.

6. Thank Them

The most powerful words in the English language are "Please" and "Thank you". Make sure you use these words regularly in all your communications with your customers. Try sending a hand-written thank you letter after any major purchase.

7. Reward Them

Everyone loves to be recognized for their loyalty and value to you. Make sure you have an incentive or loyalty program in place (i.e. buy 10, get 1 free) and link it to that trusty database so you can give them something extra special on their birthday or anniversary … just for being loyal.

Always remember:

If you’re loyal to your customers, they’ll be loyal to you.

Follow this link, the RFM Formula, to learn more about how to use it with your customer data in your marketing campaigns.