Passionate bean, self-centered bean: What coffee sellers can teach us about marketing

Coffee sellers are some of the most passionate business owners I know. But going from small to big often means channeling that passion and knowledge to their websites. (Pictured here are some delicious Sumatra beans I received from one of those very passionate and knowledgeable roasters). 

Imagine you meet two coffee roasters at a networking event.

The first one spends most of the conversation talking about his cafe and the beans he imports. It’s fairly interesting; you learn about his trips to South America, and his philosophy on fair trade and corporate philanthropy.

The second one asks you about your coffee habits and then makes helpful recommendations. 

The next day, during your morning cup of coffee, you think about those conversations. You really liked both of those roasters. Such friendly people!

But because of that second conversation, you decide to buy a French press. You’ve been curious about it for years, and she gave you just the nudge you needed. 

Which coffee roaster are you likely to stay connected with?

Coffee purveyors offer great insight into the power of customer-centric marketing. If you were to take a look at the websites and social media channels of a half dozen coffee sellers in your area you’re likely to find two distinct philosophies. 

Some will publish new material only occasionally and much of it will be announcements — “Come visit our pop-up,” “Check out our new beans,” “We had a great time at coffee con.”

The other camp will feature “How-to guides” and other resources that enhance the coffee drinker’s experience. 

Going back to that networking scenario, the truth is both of those roasters would probably spend a lot of time imparting their knowledge about coffee. The difference plays out online, where we all live and spend a lot of time gathering information about things that are important to us.

If you are a roaster, you wouldn’t spend 10 minutes convincing a complete stranger to buy your coffee. You’d spend 10 minutes simply talking about coffee.

The lesson?  Your website should act the way you do in real life.