Rush Hour Cafe'

Rush Hour Cafe

Marketing Plan

Executive Summary - Rush Hour Café© is an auto-sports themed full service espresso bar coffee shop and café serving the East Campus, Capitol and Parkway areas.

- With well trained and friendly baristas providing high quality coffee and drinks in a classy modern atmosphere, Rush Hour Cafe© will be laps ahead of the competition.

-Target markets include Young professionals as well as college students

-We will be starting Rush Hour with a 30,000 micro loan intended to cover startup costs and operating expenses for 3 months.

External Situation

• Issue #1: The U.S. Economy-High Unemployment Levels-Recession Recovery

• Issue #2: Going Green & Healthy Eating

• Issue #3: The Budget – College Students & Young Professionals

Internal Situation

- Mission Statement

-SWOT analysis

- Customer Needs and Wants

Strengths and Weaknesses

Opportunities

• Potential to open another location• eventually sell lunch such as sandwiches and wraps• Lower variable costs through efficiency gains

Threats- Competition with Starbucks - a slump in the economy - another beverage will substitute coffee

Target Market

• Anyone who enjoys a great cup of coffee will be at home in Rush Hour Café, but our advertising will target college students and young professionals. These young up and coming individuals are gravitating towards the better things in life, and we intend to be there to serve a them a better cup of coffee and a better coffee experience

PositioningAt Rush Hour we seek to position our products as the number one choice for an invigorating and fulfilling beverage and relaxing place for individuals living a fast-paced and productive life. As well as those who want to be inspired and are in need of motivation and a pick-me-up, whether physically, emotionally or mentally. We offer high-quality products for every individual, including several health-conscious alternatives.

Marketing Objectives

• To have an effect on the awareness of male and female college students and young professionals of Tallahassee, Fla., between the ages of 18-35 specifically to increase the amount of the visibility to the Rush Hour Coffee Shop stellar services and products . (80 percent within six months)

• To have an effect on the acceptance of male and female college students and young professionals of Tallahassee, Fla., between the ages of 18-35 specifically to increase the interest of Rush Hour‟s business concept and theme. (70 percent within six months)

• To have an effect on the action of male and female college students and young professionals of Tallahassee, Fla., between the ages of 18-35 specifically to increase their consumption of coffee, other beverages and treats from the Rush Hour Cafe. (45 percent within six months)

Strategies

• Target new Tallahassee, Fla. residents of all nationalities and races between the ages of 18 and 25.

• Position itself to be the number one place and product for individuals who are in need of a boost of energy, a pick-me-up or a soothing feeling of a stress-free and relaxing break.

• Rush Hour will introduce products including free Wifi, hot and cold beverages and baked goods, each with their own unique packaging.

• Rush Hour’s prices are affordable, but not cheap. The company would like to be known for its high-quality product in which the customers are receiving a premium product.

• Rush Hour will use television, radio and newspaper advertising. Sales promotions will include a grand opening car show, with a buy-one-get-one free special as well as 10 percent coupon giveaways for the customer’s next visit.

Product and PricingProduct • A high demand beverage, coffee, made from coffee beans to be consumed hot or

cold, which will be served plain or with milk or cream. Also, these coffee-based beverages will include other flavors, such as caramel, mocha, and vanilla. Other products include teas, smoothies, pastries and other small snacks.

• To start a successful market Rush Hour Café© must meet its sales objectives by adding products.

Pricing • Rush Hour will be introducing romantic, exotic, relaxing, escape-like beverages

hence best of the best ingredients used to make the drinks as well as the names the products will be given such as Therefore the company would like to have a high-quality product that is not inexpensive, but not expensive, rather worth what the customer receives.

Advertising Appeals• Informational/rational appeals, which focus on the consumer‟s practical,

functional, or utilitarian need for our product and emphasize features of our products and the benefits and reason why they should choose it.

• Example: “Test in the morning – need a BOOST! And quiet place to study?” – Go to Rush Hour.

• Emotional appeals, which relate to the customerssocial or psychological needs for purchasing our product. Example: “Not feeling your best, don’t think you will make it through the rest of the day? – Go to Rush Hour and get that extra BOOST! “

Advertising Programs• Radio - Airtime on radio stations, such as 96.1 JAMZ, NPR, WANM 90.5 and WVFS 89.7 will be utilized to attract our target market on the way to school and work in the morning, as well as in the afternoon during their lunch breaks.

Newspaper - Buying Ad Space in the Tallahassee Democrat, The Famuan and FSView is highly necessary. We will use these mediums to gain our target markets attention and attract them to our products. • Billboards - Advertising Channels near heavy business areas, such as the capital, including malls and shopping areas as well as near schools, libraries and bookstores. • Social Media - The Internet is a medium our target market frequents often therefore, we will create a Twitter account as well as a Facebook page to promote our different special events, sales promotions and products. Rush Hour we also buyad space, such as banner ads on Facebook and Twitter. The company will create a blogto supplement its corporate website and give consumers a more friendly andapproachable avenue to learn more about Rush Hour as well as our products and beliefs.

Financial OperationsFinancial Operations - Rush hour plans to have sales up to the $1000/day mark by the end of the next quarter.

This will require a strong morning crowd as well as a steady stream of customers throughout the day. Our total marketing budget of 30,000 will be spent in three phases. The first phase centers on stock and build-out. It will span 3 months and include:

• Recurring costs: $5400-Rent: $3,000 - Dry goods: $1,400 - Pantry $1,000 • One time costs $17,000- Furnishings: $6,000 - Equipment $10,000 - Digital $1,000 • Advertising Costs $7600- Radio spots: $1,800 - Grand opening w/ George Clinton $1,350 - Ads in the sports section of the newspaper: $2,400 - 2000 flyers $150 - Billboards (2) $1,900 • GRAND TOTAL $30,000

Goals and ControlsFinancial goals - The $30,000 microloan will

see us through 3 months of operations. By that time we hope to be able to reach our break even point. Our recurring costs will be $5,400 every quarter. This translates to about $1,800 a month or $450 a week. In another three months we should be in a position to hire a couple of part-time employees, expand the menu, and set aside some cash for another advertising cycle. From there we will have to re evaluate the direction of the store and determine the scale of our business.