2021. What a year.
Coffee shops, as with many businesses in the hospitality industry found themselves pivoting their offerings into a different model. This year, like its twin in 2020, reduced footfall, custom and revenue for many.
The good news is, it’s everyone’s favorite time of the year - again. Just like that, Christmas has come around the corner. A season of sheer fun, togetherness and festivity.
Your loyal customers and many coffee lovers will be eyeing promotions. It is vital that your coffee shop should be part of the community celebration of the holiday spirit. The possibilities for you to explore are endless.
It all begins with creating a “themed” environment for your cafe such that they will understand that something about these coming months are different. This helps you build an excitement around your brand. You can begin with a festive playlist and Yuletide-themed decoration around your coffee shop. You want to send that feeling when they enter your cafe, they turn into a celebratory mood and this is something they’ll thank you for.
But then again, we are in the middle of a pandemic so the options may seem a little limited. That doesn’t mean that you have run out of ways to promote and highlight your cafe during this season to make sure you hit the ground running for 2020, all while remaining 2021-friendly.
4 Ideas to Rock Christmas Holiday
1. Feature Festive Drinks and Food
This is a favorite of most coffee shops and for obvious reasons. Selling a limited edition of any drink or food - or even a dolled up version of your best-selling coffee - that are made to cater to the festive mood of people invites rush and exclusivity. For a specialty cafe like yours, holiday-themed drinks immediately gives your customers a sense that they’re in for a special treat. If you can, come up with a special Christmas blend that people will come looking for every year. Check out Demitasse Cafe’s Pistachio Rose Latte or Rose Park Roasters’ Rosemary Ginger Molasses Latte.
Let people know about your new offerings in the window of your coffee shop so that even casual lookers will be encouraged to try.
Not only does the taste or a special section of your cafe menu have to be different - the packaging, too! Be creative by adding a QR code so any customer with a phone can easily scan then access your menu online. No fuss involved. This is perfect if your coffee shop is on limited operating hours. You may also want to offer a click and collection so that your customers can visit your cafe with ease after looking through your online menu. And like we mentioned in an earlier article, having an online menu does you a favor by encouraging customers to purchase more.
2. Launch a Christmas Package
Like last year, Christmas will remain unusual this year and perhaps, for the years to come. Gone are the days where companies hold end-of-the-year parties and relatives hailing from all places come together for a once-a-year big gathering. This time, families will be celebrating in small groups. Companies will be celebrating online while staying at the comfort and safety of their own homes.
The silver lining in this situation is that they are ordering takeaways. Consider this as an opportunity to curate Christmas packages specifically pre-set for these target markets. You can be as creative and as fun as you want with partnering a coffee to a food or a cafe merchandise. You can top it off with a cool name, too. A holiday-themed takeaway gift pack brings the warmth of your into people’s homes. Check out Honeybird coffee’s Magic Bogan Dust Christmas Bundle or FortyFive Vinyl Cafe’s Coffee Lovers Bundle.
You can’t miss creating themed packages for the New Year, too. People will be eating the last supper of the year at home. With a click and collect feature or even a delivery option, you can offer simple takeaway dishes, gifts and drinks without putting anyone at risk.
3. Sell simple yet special gifts to go with your menu
Yes, it will be another year without travel but who said gift-giving has to take a back seat?
Customers will still eye buying and sending gifts to their loved ones despite a tighter budget. Your cafe can say you care by crafting unique and personalized gifts that don’t break the bank with gift cards, mugs, tea towels or DIY coffee recipes. Check out how Mang Kafe and Beanies Flavour Coffee did it.
Go the extra mile by offering an option to gift wrap these gifts and deliver them (with an extra fee, of course) together with a special handwritten Christmas card. Most coffee chains like Starbucks, Coffee Bean or Seattle’s Best will not be able to do this. But this is something that you, as a specialty cafe, can do.
What you get is more than fulfillment. Satisfied and happy customers will return to you in 2022 and might tag along new loyal customers, too!
4. Reward loyal customers or create a new programme
As a coffee shop owner, you would want to extend the merriment of Christmas to your most loyal customers - even to budding ones! This is a perfect opportunity for you to show how much you appreciate and value them by giving them an incentive which is another reason for them to keep coming back. Take an inspiration from Laage Kape and Rosa Coffee.
One of the better things this pandemic has caused is the shift in support for small and local businesses. Customers who are actively seeking to demonstrate support for local brands would be more than happy to be part of a loyalty programme and refer more friends.
Creating a Holiday Loyalty Card scheme is a good strategy to increase repeating customers. These cards do not have to be expensive. A design that best showcases your logo and branding will do the work. Or you can consider sending a Christmas mailer as well - with a uniquely exclusive Christmas or New Year discount code.
Make Christmas Work for Your Cafe
More people will stay at home so you can go all out on social media and get serious on your marketing plans. You can launch a giveaway and offer a prize when participating customers post a picture of your drink. More cafe brands will be stepping up their social game but you can stand out to your group of customers.
Whatever you decide to do this holiday season, we’re here to help you promote your shop. With the right strategy and utilization of resources readily available to you to create a fun and engaging experience for your customers, you will reap the rewards this Christmas!
Need to squeeze those creative juices? Talk to us.
References
Latest News - nationwidecoffee.co.uk. Nationwidecoffee.co.uk. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.nationwidecoffee.co.uk/news/the-best-promotion-ideas-for-your-coffee-shop-this-christmas.
Timmers, T. (2020). 6 Christmas promotion ideas your customers will love. Typsy. Retrieved from https://blog.typsy.com/6-christmas-promotion-ideas-your-customers-will-love.
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