The Value of Starbucks

Aug 28, 2012 | Sales

Written by: Liz Heiman-Zagorodney of Regarding Sales and Marketing

Do you know what your coffee costs?  Personally, I don’t really want to know how much I pay for a cup of coffee.  The real question here is not about the value of a cup of coffee; it’s about the value of the “Starbucks” or the local coffee shop experience.

There are lots of places to network.  Formal networking events, service organizations, non-profits, activities centered around kids, professional organizations, book clubs or other social and religious organizations.  Frankly anywhere that people gather is a potential networking opportunity. People gather in coffee shops in a fairly open and unstructured way.  They are a great place to network.

Whether you live in a big city or a small town, chances are there is someplace that functions like your local coffee shop.  It’s that place where, whenever you go, you bump into someone who is part of your business network.  It might be the local coffee shop, where people meet over coffee to talk business.  It might be a restaurant where people tend to meet for lunch.  Wherever it is, you need to be there too.

You probably never thought that having a cup of coffee was part of your job description, but maybe you should consider it.  If you can increase sales by taking a few hours a week to enjoy a cup of coffee why not do it?

Drive through has totally changed the nature of the coffee shop experience.  To have a coffee shop experience, you have to do more than drive through.   Bumping into someone else’s car is not exactly the goal here.  The goal is to bump into people you might be able to do business with.   Sitting in the coffee shop gives you the opportunity to say “hi” to people who are coming and going.  It also gives you the opportunity to get introduced to people you might not otherwise meet.  If you can’t sit and have coffee, at least standing in line for your coffee gives you an opportunity to bump into people you know, or to chat with the person behind you in line who might be a sales opportunity.

How much are you willing to pay for a cup of coffee?  I guess that depends on whether or not you get a business lead with your cup of coffee.  When your coffee comes with an “I’ve been meaning to call you….” it’s worth every penny.

Thank you to my sister for her guest post! Now tell me, how much are YOU willing to pay for Starbucks and why?

If you are facing any obstacles in your business with regards to sales, I welcome your questions. Please contact me at alice@aliceh2.sg-host.com or call 775-852-5020.

Alice Heiman

Alice is nationally known for her expertise in elevating sales to increase valuation for companies with a B2B complex sale that have exceptional growth potential. She’s originally, from the widely known Miller Heiman Group. Spending her time strategizing with CEOs and their leadership teams to build the strategies that find new business and grow existing accounts is her passion.  Her clients love her spirit and the way she energizes their sales organization.

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