Take it and run with it!

Back in August of 2006, I wrote a post talking about promotion. I was responding to an article that was written by Rhonda Abrams for the Gannett News Service. The post talked about several things that all small businesses need to remember while promoting their product - in our case it is specialty coffee catering. Now that I have a chance, an opportunity really, to start over with Cafe Evoke Catering, I have been revisiting these tips and trying to run with them. Here is what she had to say in her piece: 1. Ask and ask again. If you’re a small retailer, you may be missing out on thousands of marketing dollars. Ask suppliers whether they offer co-op money to support your advertising. 2. Start small. If you’ve created a new type of pet product, it’s going to be a lot easier to land a promotion in a local pet shop than in a national pet superstore. 3. Start lining up promotions and co-op money well in advance. Promotions are decided upon many months in advance, especially at large retailers. You can’t approach a store in November or even September or October about Christmas promotions. Likewise, it takes time to get co-op money approved. Ask at least six months in advance. 4. Develop a good sales track record. Retailers only want to promote items they’re confident will sell well. Co-op dollars go quickest to those who have sold the most of a supplier’s products. This is a bit of a Catch-22, but you’ve got to demonstrate you can sell. 5. Build relationships. Get to know the people in charge of promos and co-op programs at the companies you do business with. Stay in touch with them. 6. Understand the costs. Promotions are not without costs. First, you’ll typically have to supply the retailer with a lot more inventory — often on a returnable basis or at your expense. The retailer may require a contribution for promotional or advertising expenses. 7. Support the promotion. Make sure you’re doing your best to promote the promo or special offer. Don’t just rely on the retailer. 8. Ask about off-site promotions. Some retailers participate in special sales activities off their store premises. An athletic shoe store, for instance, might have a sales booth at an event for runners. 9. Finally, don’t give up. Like all marketing efforts, success in promotional opportunities and co-op advertising takes repetition and persistence. Keep at it! As you can see, many of the tips are assuming you are selling a physical good - a piece of inventory for another retailer. We are not doing that so we have to adapt these tips to fit our circumstance. Over the next few weeks, I will go back to what this blog was all about - the journey of Cafe Evoke. I will talk about what we are going to do to gain market share in Oklahoma City and how we plan on changing the face of specialty coffee in our town, state, region, and beyond. We are not in this just to make money anymore. We have grown to love what we are doing some much that it is more than just a bottom line. It is a lifestyle, a passion, and a mad and desperate rush to help those in our community and those that are trying to make it just like we are in coffee producing countries. This is just the beginning of a new journey. We are taking our concept and running with it like it is the first and last leg of a 400 meter relay. ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke, coffee catering, coffee, espresso, tea, oklahoma city, oklahoma The Global Exchange Fair Trade Store is your Online Source for Socially Conscious Gifts

Coffee Kids - They Need Your Help

So you drink Fair Trade Certified Coffee - great (no matter what your take is on this program, it does not hurt, agreed?). But what about the kids? Coffee Kids is an organization that focuses on things like health care, micro credit, education, and community projects in coffee growing regions. In many of these areas, farmers earn less than $0.04 per pound on the coffee they pick by hand - hardly enough to support a family or even themselves. There are some really cool things happening next month for this group. Mark Prince of Coffee Geek is doing an awesome fund raiser. You can find out more about it from the Coffee Kids Blog. In a nutshell, however, he is auctioning off some cool grinders, matching donations, and giving ad money to the group. Go check out what is happening there and commit to helping out. You will feel good about it and the coffee you drink will taste even better knowing that you did something to help. Here is a short little introduction to Coffee Kids that should give you a quick sample of what they are about. Are you a Facebooker? If so, click here to get to their page and add them as a friend! So, if you are looking for an organization for your company to support or even one to give a bit of your own change, look at Coffee Kids. They would appreciate it! ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke, coffee catering, coffee geek, espresso, coffee kids, oklahoma city, oklahoma

Coffee Catering is Specialty Coffee

I have been saying it since the day I heard about it. Coffee Catering is specialty coffee. What do I mean? Think about what specialty coffee stands for. It is a beverage, a service, an experience that many pay top dollar for everyday. They pay top dollar to come to their favorite cafe because they know their favorite barista will be there creating art with a passion only mocked by painters and artists of other canvases. While there are many challenges these baristas face each day in their cafe, think of the baristas that are doing it mobile. Not only are there the challenges of being sure to have all the correct ingredients to allow us to create drinks we have never heard of before (ie: *bucks drinks), we have to compete with weather, with equipment that is better suited for stationery installation, power problems, and other things that we at cafes take for granted. Coffee Catering is a specialty as it comes. Coffee Caterers bring the best in coffee shop menus right to your event. It is a specialty service only able to be achieved by certain companies. I have been watching this segment of the industry with amazement. We got into it about 2 years ago and since then I have talked with dozens of people interested in getting into the same business. I heard about it from my parents who hired a company in Oklahoma City called Dirty Water Coffee. After talking with them about it, I began to think about how Cafe Evoke could get into this business. We brain-stormed and created Evoke Coffee Catering - a leading coffee catering company dedicated to bringing upscale coffee bars to events all over the Gallatin Valley in Montana. We had a vision of having coffee bars set up at events and it feeling just like a cafe. We did not want there to be any gaps in preparation, presentation, or taste. It took off well in Bozeman, Montana for us and we are now opening Cafe Evoke Catering in Oklahoma City as well. When you come to an event where Evoke Coffee Catering is serving espresso and other specialty beverages, you will get the best espresso you have had. Lattes will be served in ceramic cups (as an option) with latte art and garnishing and our baristas will tell you everything you want to know about coffee, espresso, and why we do it. There are now so many companies out there doing their version of Coffee and Espresso Catering. Here is a list of companies I have found over the past few years. While I hope Evoke has the chance to serve in all of these markets at some point in the future, check out the list and hire one of these companies to come to your next event. Arizona: The Flying Barista Johnnies Java California: EuroBar Espresso Crissy's Coffee Bay Bridge Coffee New Frontier Coffee Colorado: Absolatte Illinois: Cappuccino Catering Indiana: A Cup Above Massachusetts: Espresso Dave's Montana: Cafe Evoke Coffee Catering Nebraska: Paradise Today New York: Mud Coffee North Carolina: Sips Coffee and Tea Oklahoma: Cafe Evoke Coffee Catering Dirty Water Coffee Company Pennsylvania: Old City Coffee Texas: Absolatte Toronto Canada: Espresso Planet Washington: Long Story Short Coffee JumpinJacks Coffee Washington DC: Traveling Bean That will do it for my list of Coffee Caterers. Try one out! Your guests will thank you! Have one to add? Let me know and I will keep this list updated! I do not endorse any of the above mentioned companies except Cafe Evoke Catering. I do not know these companies personally or speak on behalf of these companies. Their services and products are theirs and I will not give suggestions as to who is better. I do suggestion, however, to try one out if there is one in your local area. ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke, coffee catering, coffee, espresso, tea, oklahoma city, oklahoma The Global Exchange Fair Trade Store is your Online Source for Socially Conscious Gifts

Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!

That banter goes to me - seriously! What in the world has been going on with Evoke, with me, with this blog? I've GOT to get back to writing - soon. I have a lot of information to share with you. There have been some major things going on with our company and it kills me that I have left this blog to gather dust. Well, I am going to begin writing again very soon. If not in the next few days, for sure by the middle of February. Let me know that you are still around by leaving a comment. We are about to take off again so be ready and let me know what you want to know about. Blog posts are lining up in my "draft" box and will be kicking out soon, very soon. So, this ones to you. ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke, coffee catering, coffee, espresso, tea, oklahoma city, oklahoma The Global Exchange Fair Trade Store is your Online Source for Socially Conscious Gifts