Big Mountain Blend

Good Morning, Coffee Crew ~

Have you tried our Big Mountain Blend?  It is a lovely blend of Ethiopian and Central American coffees.  My cup is overflowing with notes of lemon, full body, rounded balance and lots of flavor.  It pairs nicely with rhubarb crisp and will be great as an iced coffee this afternoon.

The tourists are back!  Do you live in an area where the population swells during your popular season?  We live in a beautiful part of the country 30 miles from Glacier National Park.  Yes, the traffic is bumper to bumper, restaurants have waiting lines, hotels/resorts are filled to capacity, and the hot spots are busy.  I have lived most of my life in a resort/tourist area and had a love/hate relationship with the benefits and disadvantages of tourists.

What I notice now is that locals are much more appreciative and patient with the “busy-ness” this year.  I see customer service improving and the tourists welcomed back.  The travelers’ dollars are needed for the local economy.

How about you and your area?  Is your “tourist season” summer or winter, spring break, holidays, or are you in a relatively steady economic market?  Let’s appreciate our locals, business travelers, and tourists by giving our best when they walk through our doors.  And how about attracting this market?

Marketing ideas:  Leave your business card redeemable for a free drink as a tip for your waiter/waitress or other service workers; hand out coupons to the local tourist hot spots such as the water park, golf course, resorts, hotels, chamber of commerce; and barter with your webmaster to improve your website.

Signage:  All retail businesses need signage.  Inside and outside your shop.  Full color photos of coffee drinks show customers what is available.

Criteria for signs include visibility so it shows up in its surroundings.  Use colors like red and yellow to attract attention, typestyles that are easy to read and words that are understood by the average customer.

Mc Donald’s is attracting lots of attention with their ice tea and latte signs in their store windows.  They have brought specialty coffee to the masses and mainstream customer.  This marketing can be a benefit to you and an opportunity to excel with your quality specialty drinks that McDonald’s can’t provide.

Tony explained to me about the importance of signage at the McDonald’s stores in China.  Apparently, the drive thru concept is new in China and McDonald’s has accepted the challenge of training customers how to properly use the drive thru.  They need signs indicating directions, menu boards, where to pay and receive their food.

So much can be accomplished with proper signage.  You can let your customers know when you are open for business, what you have to offer, how to find you, and where to park.

I recently joined Facebook and found the Sonoma Coffee Café in Hicksville, NY.  Hoorah for you guys!  Just another example of “signage” and getting the word out that you have a great place to hang out and drink coffee.

I am so proud of each of you for the great job you are doing in your business.  Your passion, commitment, and work ethic are an inspiration to me.  We appreciate you and your business.  Be sure to continue giving us your feedback and how we can better serve you.

Cheers,

Peggy Sue Ennenga