Presentation and Packaging are Key

As a hopeful future owner of a coffee house, it is very important to keep up with trends and standards in the industry. I have always loved the comforting atmosphere of coffee houses and the smell of coffee and baked goods wafting through the air, so that's why I have always wanted to be able to help bring that same feeling to others by opening my own coffee shop. This desire led me to work in the coffee industry as a barista at a locally owned coffee house for the past year and a half so that I could learn more about the inner workings of a shoppe. I also try and visit other shoppes when I'm out traveling to see the different ideas and approaches that other shoppes take. As a barista, not only is it important to provide a quality product but also to present the customer with a beautiful beverage. There's nothing quite as satisfying as handing someone their drink and seeing them smile and take a picture of it. While that may be a bit of an ego booster for the barista, that's the perfect opportunity for the owner to receive free advertisement. A lot of times if a drink looks nice, then chances are that the customer will want to take a photo and share it with their friends on social media. This is the perfect opportunity for organic word-of-mouth marketing. Word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to get your product out there. If someone sees a product shared by one of their friends, it's going to seem much more appealing than if they were just seeing a big billboard or commercial advertising the same product. Likewise, if a beverage looks sloppy and a customer posts it anyway, then that can be a negative reflection on your product as well. If that customer's friends or followers see a poorly crafted drink, then it won't be as appealing. This same trend applies to most goods. While having a quality product is important, good packaging and presentation is just as, if not more, important. Having your business's logo and name on the product is also important. Repetition and recognition are very important in marketing. If someone is familiar with your logo, they will be more likely to choose it because they recognize it. Word-of-mouth is a very important tactic that definitely needs to be used by small business owners because funds for marketing schemes can sometimes be limited. Creating a good reputation about your brand is extremely important for loyalty, longevity, and support.

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