Cafes are the go to hangout spot. They provide good food, good music, and the perfect backdrop for aesthetic pictures – which is probably why so many new eateries have been popping up.
For any cafe or restaurant, the first few days of its operations are extremely important. Not only is that when the public forms their first opinions, but it’s also when the staff works everything out and builds their own flow. And of course, no new cafe is complete without an opening event. Call it a soft launch or something else, your opening event is an opportunity to create some buzz about your cafe – and to pull off a successful one, you’re going to need to market it.
Here’s how you can host a successful cafe opening event:
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Plan Fun Activities
People come to cafe openings not just to have great food, but also to have a great time. One simple way to guarantee that your guests leave your cafe opening feeling satisfied and likely to return is by arranging fun activities for them to partake in. This could range from a latte art tutorial to a lucky draw to free coffee-inspired nail art, among other activities. You can also arrange activities to keep the kids occupied, such as an arts and crafts corner or movie time.
Not only is it important to arrange these activities, but it’s also important to market them beforehand so that people are drawn in towards your cafe opening. Remember, while adding an element of fun to your opening will go a long way, just make sure you’re not neglecting other arrangements in the process.
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Set Up a Sample Stall
Ever wanted to try something but felt too afraid that you wouldn’t like it and would end up wasting your money? In recent times when inflation has been hitting harder and more and more people have been facing financial struggles, conscious spending – or at least spending on only what you know will bring you joy – has become common. Setting up a sample stall in the week leading to your cafe’s opening will not only create hype for the actual day but will also help you build repeat customers before you even actually open.
Set up a counter and chair outside your cafe, offer up a limited selection of your menu in sample-sized portions – be sure to include your potential best sellers – and hand them out to the public for free. While you’re at it, make sure to converse with your customers and tell them about your opening day event along with all the fun activities that you have planned. In fact, you can even go a step further and take down their contact details to send them notifications as opening day approaches!
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Get Digital
One surefire way to host a successful cafe opening event is by embracing the digital route – yes, that means digital marketing. While the arena is vast, a good place to start is Instagram. Start by setting up your profile. Here you should select a profile picture that represents your brand, add relevant details to your bio – such as your address and opening hours – and also a one-liner about your opening event.
With your profile ready, it’s onto the content. This is where PosterMyWall swoops in to save the day with their range of grand opening poster templates. Simply select a template, customize it to match your cafe’s aesthetic and vibe, and put it up on your page – pairing it with an SEO-optimized caption, of course. And since the PosterMyWall platform is beginner-friendly, you can skip out on hiring a graphic designer and utilize those funds elsewhere – a real win for any new business! Speaking of Instagram, don’t forget to create and post story content in the form of polls, announcements, and other interactive content.
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Invite a Food Influencer
Influencers play a crucial role in determining consumer preferences and dictating market trends. From the food we eat to the clothes we wear to the places we visit, influencers are working behind the scenes – and on our screens – to push certain experiences and get more and more people to embrace them. The same goes for your cafe’s opening event – if you want attendance numbers to go up, then having an influencer speak about it is the way to go.
The first step is to shortlist a few influencers – here you should think about which niche best suits your audience. As it’s a cafe opening, enlisting a food influencer is likely to target the right people. With your influencers selected – make sure that the ones you choose have a high engagement rate – it’s onto the actual partnership. Influencer agreements should be mutually beneficial. The influencer can post branded content on their socials, speak about your cafe opening event on their stories or Instagram live, and even share a special discount code with their followers, as well as visit your cafe on opening day. In return, you can either offer monetary compensation, a commission every time their code is used, or access to free eatables and beverages from your cafe, depending on their follower count and engagement.
So, if you’re looking to host a successful cafe opening event, then these tips and tricks are your go to. Just remember to switch things around according to your cafe, and you’ll be good to go!