I Would Like Your Suggestions

Joshua · #1 (**permalink**) 08-03-2007, 10:13 PM

I have a Marketing Plan Due Soon, But I've Had Other Obligations.

All though I'll probably make do and be fine without an abundance, I'd certainly like any suggestions, links, resources, etc. you may have concerning a Marketing Plan for an Internet Cafe.

Thanks in advance, Folks.

PuritanBouncer · #2 (**permalink**) 08-03-2007, 10:24 PM

I think part of a marketing plan would have to include visiting local Colleges (big and small) and trying to get some administration behind advertising it for you. Your pitch would be getting the students out of the dorms, where they can be distracted, and into a place that can be enjoyable but also a place where they could study and work.

You could offer coupons or something to sweeten the deal.

PuritanBouncer · #3 (**permalink**) 08-03-2007, 10:26 PM

Since this would be run by you Josh, I would heavily market a "family atmosphere". This way parents could trust sending their teenagers there as well. There is a very small coffee house near us that our students LOVE to go to. They don't advertise very heavily or promote a family atmosphere, but if they did, I know there business would triple. You have to convince some old fogies that the internet and a cafe is not a "scary" place, but sort of like a library with treats.

larryjf · #4 (**permalink**) 08-03-2007, 11:08 PM

This may be of some help...
http://www.bplans.com/Sample_Busines...ve_summary.cfm

Me Died Blue · #5 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by houseparent

I think part of a marketing plan would have to include visiting local Colleges (big and small) and trying to get some administration behind advertising it for you. Your pitch would be getting the students out of the dorms, where they can be distracted, and into a place that can be enjoyable but also a place where they could study and work.

You could offer coupons or something to sweeten the deal.

Marketing to existing local communities (like college campuses) would indeed be an essential element of marketing an Internet Cafe. After all, what an Internet Cafe is trying to do at the most basic level is combine the two elements of 1) physical, local familiarity and 2) World Wide Web access. The first element includes all the things like the ability to be somewhere close, meet other people face-to-face, be in a relaxed yet neat environment, and have the food & drink aspect as well. So as Adam pointed out, it is essential to direct part of the marketing plan to the local flesh-and-blood groups of people who already have the first element (namely, being in the community).

Yet along those same lines, it is equally invaluable to make sure the marketing plan targets the groups and people who are particularly active users of the second element: the web. Make sure the marketing plan includes some online messages, banners and/or offers that would target and be seen by members of local groups and networks on sites like Facebook and MySpace, and local groups on Meetup.com (an excellent resource, by the way).

Overall, I would call that part of the marketing plan (targeting—via the web—local people who are already engaged in online activity, work, and groups) the "other side of the coin" to the part Adam noted (targeting—via visits and flyers—local people who are already settled in local flesh-and-blood groups, workplaces, and establishments).

P. S. I'm serious about Meetup.com being an outstanding resource - both for joining and/or creating meet-ups yourself, as well as for finding local, online groups of people who would be invaluable targets for an Internet Cafe marketing plan to aim for.

Joshua · #6 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 12:11 AM

Note: This is not something that will actually come to fruition. This is all theoretical.

North Jersey Baptist · #7 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshua

Note: This is not something that will actually come to fruition. This is all theoretical.

Josh - and you would be shocked how many theoretical business plans actually make it to reality. These classes tend to give the entrepreneurial individual the "push" they need to go into business for themselves.

Semper Fidelis · #8 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 02:22 AM

Yeah, the funniest story I've ever heard was the founder of FedEx wrote his business plan as either a thesis or a dissertation (I don't know which). The professor told him it would never work.

A few things to consider:

1. Computers (lease or buy)
2. Software to load on them (simply internet browsing or put some games)
3. Connection fees to Internet
4. WiFi supplier (Do it yourself or share profits with a national service)

On the coffee side of it I have no idea except make sure you have all the fufu stuff as well as ton of things to eat to make you fat as well as smoothies for the kids and people that don't like coffee.

Puddleglum · #9 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 03:07 AM

Yes - Rich has a good point - if a place (any place) has smoothies or a good selection of tea, I am much more likely to go hang out there then if it's a coffee-only place. I only go to those places if I'm hanging out with someone and that's where they want to go.