Fresh Cup Magazine, providing specialty coffee and tea professionals with unique insight into the trends, ideas, products and people that shape their world.
Issue link: http://freshcup.epubxp.com/i/50871
EIGHT CURES FOR THE WINTERTIME BLUES continued from page 45 needed. Badger says a good way to make this happen is by being upfront with staff members about the ebbs and flows of the business. "I'm really big about sharing all that with them," he says. "If they know that taking vacation at a certain time can impact the business as a whole, they may think differently about it." At Silk Espresso, owner McMahon tries to get workers time off after the New Year both because it makes financial sense and because many employees ache for off days to recharge in the wake of the busy fall and hectic holidays. The storeowner also welcomes back a handful of former workers who leave town to go to col- lege but return for most of January. "They come back and sort of give us all a shot in the arm," says McMahon. "The team loves it because they get a welcome break but aren't losing shifts in the long- term. And the kids coming back— they say, 'Let me tell you about my last three months,' and we all get energized." SLASH THE WASTE A quiet shop means sales are low, but it also means you have time to sit in the office and find out how to cut your costs over the coming year, a vital step for any business looking to grow steadily. "We use January as a time to analyze our spend- ing," says Minor, who has grown his business by 30 percent each of the three years it's been open. "You get sloppy and lazy when money's coming in. That's never the time to self reflect." And what moves has Minor made as part of that winter self- reflection? Last year he researched all the VoIP providers in his area and found one that offered ser- vices for $32 per month less than what he had been paying. He also switched electricity providers and locked in what amounted to $200 a month in savings. This year he's taking a hard look at labor costs, which he says have tripled in the past 12 months as the company put renewed focus on wholesale roasting. He's also meeting with food suppli- ers to see if they can offer what he needs at lower prices than his current vendor. "It's like bodybuilders," he says. "When they put on muscle mass, they're putting on fat too because that's how you grow quickly. So then they go through a cutting process. In business, you grow and then cut down so you can stage yourself to grow again." 46 Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com PROVIDE INEXPENSIVE ENTERTAINMENT Just as you and your staff probably feel a bit worn and weary post-Christmas, consumers themselves like to use January and February to chill out and save money. But they'll still want to get out of the house now and then. If executed properly, a shop can offer events that dovetail with that desire. Badger's Steeltown Coffee & Tea offers a yearly event called Coffee for a Cause, a "celebrity" latte art contest in which local politicians and others are given a 30-minute tutorial and then play barista for the crowd. An international women's rights group sells Steeltown gift cards before the event to raise money and then encourages folks to come spend their credit during the con- test. "It's awareness raising for the charity and for us," says Badger. At Silk Espresso, McMahon tries to regularly hold author readings and art shows during January and February to create foot traffic. She says most artists prefer to have their events before the holidays so they can sell to eager shoppers, but McMahon sweetens the January pot for them by using email and text marketing to make sure the evenings are well attended. "We'll also have free cider or free hot chocolate," she says. "It really does draw people in." McMahon points out that main- taining hubbub-free periods is also important. "We keep them varied so it doesn't feel like this place is full of activity every time custom- ers come in," she explains. "We look at January as a time when we can help them recover." WELL PLANNED: The owner of Ohio's Stoney Creek Roasters uses the slow months to reassess the business and find ways to cut costs. SEEK OUTSIDE-THE- CAFÉ OPPORTUNITIES Another way to make the most of your (somewhat) relaxed schedule is pursuing new clients that may have been off your radar during other parts of the year. Badger says he has found winter to be ripe for catering—he and his staff have the time to bring their service to events around town, and the colder temperatures make coffee and tea appealing options for those entertaining guests. McMahon says she uses her chamber of commerce connec- tions to pick up some helpful catering bucks when the café is quiet. Every week or so a chamber-associated business will have a ribbon cutting, and McMahon says it pays to be proactive