Everybody knows that creating a distinct brand for your coffee shop is a hard thing to do especially with having lots of competitors in every block you see. But I am not saying that it is impossible to do, you just have to have the right combination of hard work, unique theme/design and of course great coffee (Don't forget this!). Once you have these, you can say that you have distinguished through differentiation and extinguished the competition. Kidding aside, it was just a nice thing to say to give you some fighting spirit, but here is a great answer by Kim T. Gordon of Entrepreneur.com

You can create a distinct brand for your coffee shop through a combination of unique (or themed) decor, menu design and wait staff attire. Choose a look or theme that will give customers a distinctly different, fun or interesting dining experience.

You can also develop a customer reward program that lets frequent diners earn reward points. And most of all, by learning the names of your frequent customers, you'll make them feel welcome, and they will be more likely to spread the good word about your restaurant.

What do you think of her suggestions? As for mine, I'll be posting mine in my next entry. Have a Great Weekend everyone! Tickle Away to a Great Day!