Edmonton has a lot of great coffee shops, bars and restaurants… how do you make your shop stand out from the pack? Creating a unique brand identity and building a relationship with your customers are two key ways to make sure people come back again and again. With the food services industry being so competitive in Edmonton, custom printed mugs, custom apparel and unique promo product can set you apart and make sure your business thrives.
Let’s start with custom printed mugs and cups in Edmonton
A restaurant’s cups and mugs are often overlooked by the business owner. Isn’t it cheaper and easier to get some blank cups? By skipping custom printed cups, Edmonton business owners are missing out on a great canvas to promote their restaurant and a memorable way to connect with customers.
I’ll take myself as an example, in my cupboard I have a few mugs but only one is my favourite. It’s from my local breakfast spot and I love drinking my morning coffee or evening tea from it. This branded mug that I bought for $15.00 constantly reminds me of my favourite breakfast place.
What sets that one mug apart from the others? How do you design a mug to be someone’s favourite? Of course this is subjective, but my fave mug has a classic style with primary colours and a vintage logo. It’s comfortable in my hand and has plenty of room for milk and coffee.
Before you go to design your own custom printed mug, take a look in your cupboard and think about why you love the mug you use. Most people have a favourite, ask them about theirs and design your mug to be your own favourite!
The same goes for custom printed cups and custom printed napkins – create a design that suits your restaurant’s aesthetic and branding but also make it extra special. If you love it, your customers will too.
Next let’s build a brand with custom printed t-shirts in Edmonton
Establishing your brand is about way more than a logo and a Facebook page. Think about what your restaurant stands for, what sets it apart and who works for you.
Every restaurant, pub, coffee shop, tea house and club has it’s own unique story, what’s yours?
Once you’ve reflected on your brand, create custom printed tee shirts for your staff that reflect your unique story. Add the date you were founded, a funny slogan or a serious mission statement. Creating custom printed tee shirts as staff uniforms is one essential step that so many restaurants skip or don’t put enough effort into.
You can add flexibility to your staff uniform by making alternate colours and designs for your staff uniforms. Better yet, add unique elements like custom printed hats and embroidered golf shirts so that your restaurant is properly represented.
Now let’s reach out to customers with custom printed lapel pins and gifts
It’s not enough to establish your brand, you have to get it out there! Creating custom printed metal lapel pins is a great start – you’ll have an affordable gift you can give to customers. These small tokens of appreciation go a long way in creating loyal patrons and spreading the word of your business across Edmonton.
Custom printed lapel pins should be stylish and well designed, take a look at some popular lapel pins around the city or on Instagram (#pingame) Your custom lapel pins can be cartoonish and charming or clean and serious, just make sure they appeal to your customers and represent your brand.
When you make a unique promotional gift for customers, be it custom printed patches or embroidered baseball caps, you have an opportunity to reach your community. Giving out a customized umbrellas is one thing, creating a social media contest or special event where umbrellas are given out will make your brand super popular!
Let’s run over everything!
Stepping your restaurant up and making it a popular brand takes work but it means more customers and more attention across Edmonton.
Step 1. Establish your brand with branded items around your restaurant, eg:
Step 2. Bring employees into the brand with team uniforms, eg:
Custom embroidered baseball caps and polo shirts
Step 3. Reach out to customers to make an impact with promo gifts, eg:
Get creative and blend these ideas, you can always give your branded mugs out to favourite customers or design apparel for merchandise sales.
When you represent your brand well, hungry people from across Edmonton will come check out your restaurant.