Increase Sales for Your Cafe Post-COVID: Learn This Powerful Sales Technique

AIDA is a hugely powerful and persuasive sales blueprint. It stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action, and it’s an approach used in practically every industry to transform passersby into paying customers. From printed flyers to the layout of your cafe furniture, AIDA always works!

Simply by memorising AIDA, and applying it as widely as possible to every aspect of your cafe business, you’ll have an immediate sales and marketing advantage. Because in the wake of COVID-19, and with a super-competitive cafe industry being created by the crisis, every advantage counts – and winning the most sales is all about stacking every advantage in your favour!

So let’s take a look at each step of the AIDA approach, and how to apply it to your cafe.

Attention increases footfall for your cafe

Money follows attention. The more attention you can put on your cafe, the more sales you’re likely to make – and for that, you’ll need to optimise your advertising. In everything from your printed flyers and business cards to your pavement signage, posters, banners and social media advertising (right through to your cafe furniture and shop front), focus on grabbing the most attention you possibly can with your branding, colour scheme and design.

And here’s an extra level to consider: for these marketing tactics to grab more attention, design each one according to AIDA as well. From the smallest card to the biggest premises, the AIDA blueprint always applies!

Interest turns passersby into potential cafe customers

You have the attention of your potential customers, so what now? This is when you generate interest, and where your irresistible offers actually get people through the door. For deals and offers to work in the cafe industry, three things have to happen at once: your advertisement must be beautiful and noticeable enough; your deal must be compelling enough, and your customers' needs (and appetite) must be great enough.

It all comes down to knowing your ideal customer, even better than you know yourself – because when you know your target customers’ tastes and budget perfectly, your offers will tend to succeed!

Desire entices people to your cafe counter

Now that you’ve done the hard work of actually getting people in through your door, the job of your cafe interior is to create desire, and funnel people naturally towards your food and drink on display. Having your food on show behind glass is obviously enticing, along with a great atmosphere and delicious smells in the air. But also think about everything else that’ll stack up to increase your customers' desire to buy.

At this stage, it could be a huge help to learn about creating a relaxed buying environment for your ideal customer, which is all about resonating with their unique psychology. Everything from your music and cafe furniture to your lighting, layout and interior design can (and should) be precisely engineered, to encourage repeat visits from your ideal customers. And crucially, post-COVID, your distancing and safety measures are paramount in helping your customers’ desire (and sense of security) grow.

Action puts income into your cafe business

Now we come to the whole point and purpose of the AIDA approach: action. The first three steps of AIDA only exist to lead up to the action. This is the point where orders are made, great meals are enjoyed, and money flows into your checkout from happy customers. But think about it: in what ways could you make the action of the purchase even easier and more enjoyable, especially in the new normal of COVID?

Have you switched out your regular menus for easy-wipe lists or QR codes on your cafe tables, for example? Could you add more protective screens or booths to optimise your cafe layout, and really perfect your socially distanced cafe chairs? Could you even increase the visibility of your cleaning rounds, to help keep your diners at ease? If customers order online or by phone for collection or delivery, how could you make it easier for orders to be placed?

Consider the pull of your loyalty scheme too, to make sure your customers have a powerful incentive to return. Focus on the action of the transaction itself, and greasing the wheels to make the process smoother, and you’ll quickly begin to stack your sales advantages!

So AIDA makes the sale, but what about generating repeat business?

As simple as it sounds, your cafe furniture is what really creates your customers’ dining experience, and what drives their recommendations by word of mouth. Fresh, comfy, beautiful and practical cafe furniture, with a true sense of belonging in the overall design of your cafe, creates the foundation of happy customer experiences – and most importantly, it brings people back to spend more at your counter. Never underestimate the secret (but simple) sales potential in choosing the perfect cafe furniture!

That’s where we can help. We specialise in the absolute best cafe furniture at incredible prices, for every type of cafe there is. Our team would love to help you choose the perfect cafe furniture for your business; expertly designed and socially distanced to seal the deal on your new AIDA approach!

So whether you’re looking for cafe chairs, cafe tables, protection screens or anything in between, we have it all right here at online reality.