Brewing Up Business By Blogging
Joshua Williams listens to his customers… and responds. The manager of The Salt Shaker bookstore in Enumclaw, Washington, Joshua has created a comfortable space for folks to browse everything from books to video rentals to gifts to church supplies. The store’s children’s department features a custom Noah’s Ark reading and play area.
In addition to the goodies you’ll find in this spacious independent bookstore, you can shop online, too. The Salt Shaker’s online store sells books and Bibles; music, movies, games and software; accessories, apparel, and jewelry; gifts and greeting cards; home décor and collectibles; gourmet treats, skincare , and more.
As if all that wasn’t enough, the folks at The Salt Shaker created their own brand of specialty gourmet coffee, aptly named Book Brew™ Coffee. Their unique blends include:
- Breakfast Preface
- Dictionary Decaf
- Writer’s Roast
- Espresso Libro
- Reader’s Choice
Book Brew Coffee
Book Brew, which has been on the market for three years, is becoming so popular among book lovers and bookstore owners that it has attracted the attention of coffee industry professionals. Joshua’s blog, “Cupper’s Journal,” is geared for coffee industry pros, and contains tips on café management, customer service, and reviews of high-end espresso machines.
When I visited with Joshua at a writers’ conference last week, he told me that his professional-looking Web site and blog, along with the variety of “hot” coffee accoutrements he sells (wholesale and retail) has resulted in orders from “high-end” retailers nationwide.
It didn’t just happen by accident. Joshua and his team have been diligent students of the coffee industry, attending coffee trade shows and conferences, where they pick the brains of growers, tasters, baristas, and coffee product wholesalers.
They’ve mastered the art of creating cool shapes in the foam on lattes, and they’ve systematically expanded their product line. Joshua’s blog presents him as a coffee industry professional in the know – which he is.
Joshua’s combination of business savvy, eagerness to learn, and marketing skills have helped him create a thriving business that’s quickly expanding.
What about you? Have you dreamed of launching a new brand or a new business? What steps are you taking to make your dream a reality? Tell us about it in the Comments area.
Joshua is branching out into social media, too. You can follow Book Brew Coffee here:
Update (4-13-10) The Enumclaw Courier-Herald did a nice writeup on Book Brew Coffee (we scooped ’em, though!)
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