Seattle Bakery Makeover Drives an Additional $4,000 per Month in Sales

June 1, 2011 - PRLog -- Sugar Bakery & Cafe, a charming shop located on Madison, has been reaping the benefits of a recent makeover.

The cafe's made-from-scratch goods have always set it apart from other local coffee shops, but Owner Stephanie Crocker wasn’t clear on how to bring in more business. She knew she needed to change her marketing, but wasn’t clear on what the next steps should be.

After attending a seminar delivered by Robbin Block, Crocker decided to hire the marketing consultant to create a plan. "I originally asked about using social media, but Robbin made me realize that my first priority was to take advantage of all the local foot traffic." The area, known as Pill Hill, has a constant flow of people thanks to all the nearby hospitals and medical offices, but, “Stephanie wasn't taking advantage of the beautiful display window facing a busy street,” Block explains.

"The idea was to make the baked items the star. The appearance of abundant goods makes your mouth water, and that's the emotional response we wanted from customers. Of course, once you get people to come in, you need to make it a pleasant experience."

That meant creating a shelving system inside to better display the goods in the window, and at the same time, making it operationally efficient. Interior changes included de-cluttering the signage, adding white wainscoting and better task lighting, and painting the tabletops white to brighten the space even more.

The bakery has experienced a big jump in sales, getting about twenty more customers per day since it implemented the redesign. That may not sound like much, but with an average sale of $8, that translates into about $4,000 per month. Not bad, considering the makeover cost about $1,000, "...with a lot of help from my brother who flew up for the weekend. And I paid one of the baristas to help paint. I still owe my brother," says Crocker.

"After the dust settled, I began to see operational improvements as well. The staff really likes the new layout, even though there's more arranging and rearranging of baked goods. But since it's out in the open rather than inside display cases, it's actually easier," says Crocker.

"The biggest improvement came after working on a branding exercise with Robbin. It helped me focus my vision to make better decisions about selecting products to support the made-from-scratch brand. In a way, I wish I had done this before we first opened when the press was paying attention."

Crocker intends to continue with Block's other recommendations, including organizing campaigns around holiday periods, more photo-posting to a Facebook page and blog, and a local awareness-building communications program.

About Sugar Bakery & Cafe

Sugar Bakery & Cafe on First Hill in Seattle bakes all their pastries and desserts from scratch using locally sourced ingredients. Coffee, sandwiches and house made soups are also available. For more information, visit sugarbakerycafe.com or call 206-749-4105.

Location:
1014 Madison Street
Seattle, WA 98104

Hours:
Mon-Fri: 7am-6pm
Sat: 9am-1pm
Sun: closed

About Robbin Block, Blockbeta Marketing

Robbin Block is the founder of Blockbeta Marketing, a firm specializing in marketing strategy for small business. She’s also the author of “Social Persuasion: Making Sense of Social Media for Small Business”. Robbin’s irreverent style makes her a sought-after speaker on marketing, Internet marketing and social media, and she’s available for book signings and interviews. For more information, visit blockbeta.com or call 206-335-5929.

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About Blockbeta Marketing

Blockbeta provides training, counseling and consulting for startups and small businesses. From defining a great business model through promotions, we work with you to come up with the right strategies and tactics using the best of traditional and new media. Visit our website for free and low-cost marketing resources.