Play with your menu to keep it looking fresh and appealing. Your customers should be able to easily spot your newest tea additions, as well as dependable best sellers.
2. Analyze your sales trends and don't be afraid to eliminate poor sales performers. Examine your monthly sales reports or your purchase order history to accurately determine what's been selling and what's been sitting. Maybe a strong sales performer has lost its appeal due to the addition of a new tea. Maybe that personal favorite of yours still hasn't caught on with your customers, a sure sign you should consider eliminating it from your menu altogether. It's easy to add new teas to your offerings, but realize that each poor performer is taking up valuable space on your menu, space where you can introduce a newer, better performing product.
3. Order from a reputable wholesaler. The old saying, "To end up with a good tasting dish, you have to start with quality ingredients." applies to tea as well. Tea is a food product with considerable variation in quality, taste, and shelf life. Get to know your wholesaler and ask them questions about what makes a particular tea unique, where it comes from, and when it was harvested. When in doubt, sample before buying.
4. Keep your teas fresh! Nothing hurts tea sales more than selling tea that doesn't even taste like tea. Each cup should release its own characteristic aroma, taste, and mouth feel. The color should be bright and inviting. Store your teas in air tight containers, away from heat, moisture, and direct sunlight.
5. Talk to your customers. Each geographical region has their own buying interests. Some customers opt for tea as an alternative to coffee, others are looking for a flavorful tea to make as an iced beverage, many wish to find a healthy everyday green tea, and perhaps some are curious about oolong teas for weight loss. No one knows your buyers better than you. Talk to them, survey them, find out what they want and perhaps even what they've enjoyed elsewhere! When they see you've added a tea they've been wanting, they'll become even more loyal customers.
6. Follow trade publications and trade shows to sample the latest flavors and ingredients. As tea resellers, we should make ample time to generate ideas on how things can be different. Schedule a few days a year to attend a trade show where you can view the latest trends in tea and gain valuable marketing tips. If you're on a limited budget, just subscribe to a few trade publications and see what's new and exciting.
7. Dare to try something new! A portion of your tea menu devoted to bold, daring flavors will set you apart from the competition. Don't be afraid to try something unusual and unexpected. If you are able to offer that exceptional chocolate, pu-erh, cinnamon, raspberry blend that no one else has, people will be back for more.
8. Educate your staff. As the specialty tea industry continues to rapidly expand across the country, consumers are also more inquisitive about the foods and beverages they consume. Your staff should be well educated on the unique characteristic of each tea, paying particular attention to the recommended steeping amounts, times, and temperatures. By educating your staff, they will feel more confident sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm with your customers.
9. Market green. The desire for organic, fair trade, biodynamic teas will only rise, as we all wish to become better caretakers of our planet and our neighbors. Consumer choice and the power to influence behavior through those choices is exercised through the buying and selling of organic, fair trade and biodynamic teas. Maintain a healthy option of there product to help build further identity of your brand.
10. Quality packaging. Product packaging is what moves tea. Whether consciously or unconsciously, consumers respond to colors, shapes, descriptions, physical feel of your package and scent (once the package is opened). Take the extra steps to create the best finished product you can. Don't be afraid to seek professional assistance