THE STORY……

Starbucks is a phenomenal success story. It started life as a Seattle coffee bean roaster and retailer in 1971, and now has more than 20,000 outlets.

BEST MARKETING STRATEGIES

Getting personal with customersThe staff always ask your name – which they write on your cup.A lot of regular customers actually loved the fact that the staff at their local Starbucks remembered their names.

Adding value Starbucks provides access to free WIFI allowing customers to have a coffee, and maybe a cake, whilst cracking on with work. That little bit of extra value beyond the fare of coffees and cakes keeps people going back again and again.

Great word of mouthWord-of-mouth recommendations are a cornerstone of Starbucks’ marketing strategy, particularly when new stores are launched. The process of building up a customer base of loyal fans helps Starbucks spend very little amount for advertising.

Clusters of coffee shopsA part of Starbucks’ marketing strategy is to hit a new territory hard and open a few coffee shops there – often in very relatively close proximity to one another.This is very clever, because it creates the impression in consumers’ minds that “they’re everywhere”.

Great offersThe offers are usually focused around new products and done in a very engaging but understated way, which often makes a customer feel like they’re in on something that not everyone else knows about.

Social MediaOne of the earliest adopters of the use of social media for marketing and social commerce, Starbucks has certainly taken a leadership position. Their social media strategy is built around their company web site and 6 additional social platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and My Starbucks Ideas.

Market segmentationThe company has stayed with the upper-scale of the coffee market, competing on comfort rather than convenience, which are the case with its closest competitors, McDonald’s and Dunkin Donuts.1 

Customer relationshipsInstead of solely focusing efforts on accumulating new customers, it cultivates its current relationships. This ensures more fans/followers in the long run.

Customer engagementThey believe in letting customer engagement and conversation occur as naturally as possible.  They listen carefully, observe, and apply new ideas from what they learn.

Experience customizationStarbucks provides its unique experience through programs such as My Starbucks Rewards, personalized “SIGNATURE” drinks, and localized store experiences. Their social sites, in particular Pinterest and Instagram, encourage users to share their Starbucks moments’ whether it be the return of a favourite holiday drink or just an artsy coffee cup shot. 

Adaptation and InnovationStarbuck’s  business crowdsourcing, via its My Starbucks Idea website, has been a huge success. Starbucks has clearly embraced the digital realm.

Starbucks reflects a missionIts mission is “to inspire and nurture the human spirit, one person, one cup, and one neighbourhood at a time.”