| Your cafe
business plan pulls no punches. Jump over the land mines, and
create a business that will work.
KEY CONSIDERATION
A cafe suggests a small,
intimate place for eating, for coffee, for conversation. It's a
neighborhood place, perhaps like the one on Jerry Seinfeld.
STRONGEST ADVANTAGE
Bankers understand cafes. There
is nothing complicated about them. There are no algorithms to
analyze.
STRONGEST DISADVANTAGE
Bankers understand cafes. Yes,
this is the strongest disadvantage too. Even if they don't
really understand cafes, they think they do. And that's worse.
OVERCOMING THE DISADVANTAGE
WITH YOUR CAFE BUSINESS PLAN
Draw the banker into the
business.
You have a slew of decisions to
make before opening your cafe. Menu items, decor, advertising,
kind of personnel to hire, hours to keep. When talking with your
banker, ask his/her advice on one or two aspects that you
haven't yet decided on -- perhaps how large the outdoor sign
should be, or whether or not to bake your own pies.
People like to believe that
their opinion is important. So let the banker feel important.
You will be rewarded with his/her undivided attention, and
perhaps more advice on how to nail the loan.
Demonstrate your experience in
the restaurant business.
Restaurants, and hence cafes, have a very high mortality rate.
Anyone who cooks thinks he/she can be a restaurateur. Well, it
just ain't so.
Knowing the territory in the
restaurant field is more important than most other fields.
Knowing what to buy, what to cook, how to cut corners, what
hours to keep -- these are things you must know. The cannot be
taught through on the job training.
The banker is going to be
looking for very solid experience. Give it to her/him. Adapt
this cafe business plan to demonstrate your real talent to the
banker!
OTHER PLUSSES FROM YOUR CAFE
BUSINESS PLAN
Make your business plan reflect
your cafe as much as possible. Use the same color scheme. Show
your menu if you have it ready. Include architectural drawings
of the interior. Show the rendering of the exterior.
Make it as real as it can be.
If it is an existing business,
show the before and after to demonstrate how you will spiffy it
up. If it is an existing business, be especially careful in your
financial projections. Don't assume that "under new management"
will automatically draw crowds of people.
It takes more than that. Show
what you will do to attract new clientele. Then your cafe
business plan will really work.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FOR YOUR CAFE MARKETING PLAN
For traffic information for
your marketing plan for a cafe, contact the owner/manager of the
retail center. Also go to your city or county planning
department where you can get traffic counts and information on
housing and construction in that area.
For statistical information on
the particular industry you are entering, go to
BizMiner.
At the home page, look for the
"Search by Industry" box.
Enter "Cafe".
You will be taken to a list of
reports specially designed for your area of interest, including
reports for Lunchrooms and cafeterias, as well as for cafes.
Be sure to look in the left
hand column of that page for VIEW ALL REPORTS, then AREA
DEMOGRAPHICS. This is information compiled from the U.S. Census,
and provides valuable information on your potential clientele
base. Because your banker will know this information, it is
important for you to know it as well.
YOUR LIKELY LENDER/INVESTOR
The
SBA
is probably your best bet.
YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE
Your website will
promote your business, and may offer online ordering. Be sure
that it to reflects the style and quality of your cafe.
YOUR CAFE BUSINESS PLAN
Make your cafe as unique as you
are. You will be a cornerstone in your community -- wear that
distinction with pride.
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