It’s during the festive months that most businesses have the potential to boost their sales and generate a lot of profits.

However, due to the stiff competition posed by similar businesses during this period, some may find it hard to survive.

Here are the top ten best ideas that are bound to help boost the sales of your coffee shop before, during and after the festive months.

10. Exceptional customer service

Human interaction is of uttermost importance in any business. Between the moments a customer walks into your coffee shop to the moment they leave, you should make sure that they are given a quality service; the kind that they would never find anywhere else. Greet them with a smile, politely inquire what they would like to have, give them your personal but positive view of what you think about what they are ordering and as they leave, thank them.

As it is believed, customers tend to become excited about a product if the person selling it enthusiastic about it.

9. Be good to the employees

You can’t expect your employees to treat the customers with love and respect if they themselves aren’t being treated well. It’s therefore importance to address their needs and make sure that they are happy about their jobs and that they work is being appreciated. By so doing, they will feel the need to reflect this ‘positive energy’ towards the customers.

To get started, you can ask them to propose changes they would like to see in the café, how they think the sales could be boosted and what could enable them work more efficiently.

8. Serve high quality drinks and pastries

For you to be able to attract new customers into the café and to also be able to retain the old ones, you have to give them a reason to come back. This need can only be met if you offer quality drinks and pastries.

In addition, you could try adding some festive cheer into these orders by simply playing with the names. So instead of keeping the same old names, try coming up with nifty ones. Also, you can add a few of the special festive treats in the menu.

7. Run a competition

One of the greatest ways by which you can boost your sales is by making the customers feel as though they are part of your café. To make this happen, you can run a competition. The competition can take the form of a raffle, food eating competition or games. This kind of competition will end up bringing in lots of people participate and watch. The winner can then take home a festive gift basket or maybe free coffee for a week.

To make it worth looking forward to, the completion can take place once per fortnight or per month.

6. Offer discounts

Although discounts require that you adjust the pricing on the menu, they play a vital role towards boosting sales. This is because, everyone likes to save. Instead of giving out a discount on everything, you can create ‘combo-items’ that can be bought at a reduced price. Similarly, you can offer coupons to customers and select the times of the day or week when they can be redeemed.

Another smart way of ensuring that the customer comes back is by printing or hand writing a discount on their receipt. Then, let them know that the discount can only be redeemed on their next visit.

5. Embrace the social media

In the year 2014, relying on business cards is least likely to get you ahead. Instead of going the old fashioned way, adopt the modern advertising tools such as the different social media platforms. You can post special festivity menus, add some photos and give the address to your coffee shop on your social media page(s). Since a photo can speak a thousand words, if it’s good enough, it will invoke the interest of lots of people hence prompting them to visit your café.

On the same note, you can run a social media campaign whereby you ask people to invite friends to like the page, or to share posts. Then, at the end of the day or week, you can reward the person with most shares, or one who invited most people, to dine at your coffee shop.

4. Sampling

You have the right to believe that the customer is always right. So, instead of selling beverages and pastries that you think they’d love, why not let them be the ones to decide? This you can do by letting everyone who walks through the door sample your special treats. And since everyone loves trying out new stuff, especially if they are being offered for free, you can rest assured that if the customer loves them, s/he will keep coming back for more. Moreover, this can prompt them to become the café’s product ambassadors.

3. Partner up 

Is there a really good band around that’s looking for an audience? Or an artist in need of displaying his/her work? Or social groups that are looking for a place to hang out? Invite them over to use your coffee shop as their stage, gallery or meeting venue. By hosting such events, you’re bound to get a big number of customers showing up.

You may alternatively host an event whereby you invite some of your loyal customers and ask them to bring a +1.

2. Embrace the festivities

It doesn’t matter whether you believe in Christmas or any of the other festivities in the calendar or not. If there’s a festivity, blend in. Put up some decorations, dress up and try playing with the menu names to make them sound festive. But, as you go about doing embracing the spirit of festivities, make sure that you don’t take it too far. 

1. Determine who you want to be your target

Lastly is the need to identify who your ideal target is. This will enable you to concentrate and cater for their interests more. As such, instead of having customers who only order a cup of coffee and spend three hours browsing the internet, you can have loyal customers who come by because for what you sell (coffee and pastries), and not what you offer for free (Wi-Fi).

By following these very simple and easy to implement ideas for your coffee shop, you’ll end up finding just how high your sales can go, not just during the festive months but also before and after.