Jun 02 2010
Free Coffee
Strolling through the mall on Saturday morning often leads to the discovery of a temporarily placed barista handing out free coffee. This free sample of coffee is a marketing tactic that has been used with great success by many coffee companies.
The local coffee shop will often dispense free samples of the seasonal blend they are featuring or a new grind they have recently introduced. They understand that people are more apt to purchase a product if they already know they like it rather than risk purchasing something they have never tasted only to find out that they don’t like it and have wasted their money.
Some coffee companies use this free tasting to gauge customer’s opinions. When they use the samples for this reason they typically ask the taster to answer a few questions about the coffee. These questions are designed to help the manufacturers of the coffee know how to adjust their blend to better suit the tastes of the masses.
Free coffee has also been a long time marketing tactic used to get customers into their stores or restaurants. Coupons are printed and included in newspapers and mail outs offering free coffee with the purchase of some other food item or for visiting their store during certain hours. Some stores actually have free coffee for their customers at all times. These free coffee displays are often set up in the entrance area of supermarkets and other establishments as a treat to shoppers.
The popularity of coffee as a social drink is evident in doctors’ offices and corporate offices as well. Often, the statement that follows “how may I help you” is “would you like a cup of coffee?” Coffee stations are as much a part of the office décor as the reception desk in many offices and not having one leaves a lasting impression of the wrong kind.
Free coffee goes beyond the samples that are found in restaurants. There are many ways to get free coffee on the Internet. Many coffee clubs are designed to reward their patrons with free coffee after they spend a certain amount of money. Other coffee suppliers reward their customers with points or monetary equivalents that can be redeemed for coffee. These freebies are designed to attract customers to their business and it works. If monthly coffee purchases are high it is worth finding a company that rewards those expenditures by giving something back.
Coffee lovers don’t mind paying for a piping cup of hot coffee and they love it even better when they get a free one. Taste tests and coupons are two ways of getting a cup of hot, black coffee without spending any cold, green cash.
-Sharon Chapman