Tips for Your Own Cafe
Buy an existing cafe and become your own boss: here's how it works!
Buying an existing cafe is usually more advantageous than starting one "from scratch." We explain below which factors matter for the success of this venture. Buying instead of founding is the way to go for anyone who doesn't want to lose time and would rather get started today. Buying a cafe has many advantages — above all, it's considerably more economical and, of course, more time-efficient than founding one. But the best part is that you're taking over something that already works, and you can then run it according to your own wishes and ideas.
Taking Over a Cafe: Bring Your Own Style
By taking over a cafe, you're not just taking over a business and its inventory — you're also taking over its image, its culture, its values, its loyal customers, its team, and much more. That doesn't mean you shouldn't change anything, though. Quite the opposite: you can (and should) bring in your own ideas to make what's already good even better. After all, that's exactly why you decided to go down the path of self-employment.
There are many areas where, depending on your budget, you can let your creativity run free. Make sure, for instance, to create a welcoming ambience in the cafe. Try to give customers a lounge-like feeling of comfort, as if they were in their own living room. Even the most successful chains play this card. But beware: don't copy, create your own — that's the motto! Customers will generally only prefer your cafe if you manage to stand out from the crowd through your uniqueness and character. Experts recommend favoring a clear, simple, understated design (though this isn't a hard rule).
A Cafe Is for Sale - Time to Check Your Financing Needs
Many people don't have the necessary financial means at the start, or need a subsidy to buy the cafe they want. This hurdle isn't unusual and can be overcome relatively easily with the right preparation. Fortunately, Germany has numerous support programs that can help you financially with your plans.
Cafe Bought - Now Comes the Creative Part
Creativity fuels your cafe's ability to innovate. That, in turn, matters so you can keep meeting the new trends and expectations of the cafe industry with your product and your service. But don't just wait for signals from the market — be proactive, and set yourself apart from competitors by creating a "wow effect" for customers through creative ideas, which contributes to your uniqueness.
Of course your customers come for the good coffee, but don't forget that good coffee is available elsewhere too — so you should always try to convey added value as well. That's exactly what you need a good marketing plan for. The previous owner can help you here, and comment on the marketing plan they used before the handover. You can add to it, or even change it completely, as needed.
Not Everything Is Online: Don't Neglect Classic Marketing for Your Cafe!
Handing out flyers, putting up stickers, or taking part in (local/regional) events — these still belong among the tasks that shouldn't be neglected. Even though much happens digitally these days, there are things that will probably never change. That goes for personal, direct contact too, for example. Get to know the people around your cafe — or, put another way, make sure the people around you get to know your modernized cafe. Good old-fashioned discount promotions, merchandise, loyalty or bonus cards, and so on, can also be useful for your offline marketing strategy.
Social media channels also let you achieve great results with relatively little effort, to make your cafe better known and more popular. And not only that — you also get your community interacting with you. You can boost engagement and turn customers into fans this way. Of course, you'll need the necessary patience for this, since "the tree doesn't grow overnight," as they say. Here too, it's worth paying attention to trends. You can also draw inspiration from other successful cafes around the globe. Depending on your target audience, social media posts with a more minimalist design tend to perform best. No need to panic if you're not experienced with social media — there are plenty of guidebooks and blogs that use practical examples to show you how to properly use these tools in your business to achieve maximum results.
You're now almost ready for the big rush. You've bought the perfect cafe and made the necessary changes. You're also present on social media channels, so things are going pretty much according to plan. One very important point is still missing, though: sign up for Google My Business. You surely know it too: these days, people almost always turn to the internet first when they have questions. In Germany, Google is by far the most popular search engine, with a market share of over 90%. That's why it's strongly recommended to always keep this fact in mind when it comes to your business's internet presence. With a free Google My Business listing, your cafe becomes findable through regular Google search as well as on Google Maps or Google+. Keep this account up to date by always keeping information important to customers current — such as the address, opening hours, contact details, homepage, product details, photos, and videos. Reviews from your customers matter to Google too. So encourage your customers (both online and in person) to rate your cafe, its products, and its service whenever appropriate. Always respond positively, even to critical comments, and try to restore the trust of a disappointed customer. Interaction with your customers matters a great deal to Google too, and will have a positive effect on your business's ranking, as long as you generally receive mostly positive reviews, of course.
Whatever kind of self-employment you pursue, never neglect self-motivation. Taking over your own cafe is certainly no easy feat, but with the right mindset, a good plan, willpower, and the necessary fighting spirit, you can absolutely make your dream come true. And last but not least: sometimes questions come up before or during the takeover process that aren't so easy to answer. In such cases, it's advisable to get professional help and seek advice from experts accordingly. On the DUB.de advisor marketplace, you'll find the right advisor.