Coffee with cats: how to start a business

Introduction

A cat cafe is a cute place where guests can drink coffee with snacks surrounded by cats that people can pet or feed.

Although the concept originated in South Korea, it has become fashionable in Japan, where many residents find it difficult to keep pets because their apartments are tiny. This fact has spawned many Cat Coffee Shops, which offer cat fanciers a place to experience the joy of being in furry friends' company without constantly looking after their pets.

The concept has been popular in the UK for six years now: consistently, around ten cat cafés a year have been opened since 2016. However, the trendy idea alone is not enough for business success. That's why planning every aspect of your business carefully is essential.

If you are considering starting a cat cafe, keep reading this article. We will cover all the main steps in this way.

Cat café as a profitable business

Cat coffee shops are becoming trendy. Many people adore cats, so they are happy to take a cup of coffee with treats while playing with them. Starting a coffee place that corresponds to this search can make you a fortune. The main is to plan the business well.

Location, premises, cats, marketing, name and even logo are vital as they create your brand's image. So let us show you how to start a cat café effortlessly.

How to open a cat café

Like any other business, a good cafe with cats requires careful business planning. But then, you can add creative details, develop marketing and optimise the business performance with software after opening.

Now, let's see the simple steps to start a cat café from scratch. It's much easier than many entrepreneurs imagine.

• Choose a business name. Your brand is essential as it'll work as a free marketing tool. Take a breath to create the one that suits your business best.

• Find location & premises. The second important step is place. It is preferable to open cafés of this type in crowded areas, for example, in the city centre.

• Find cats. You plan to start a cat café, so finding several cats is essential. The best option is to take them from the shelter. Continuous cooperation with shelters is also a good idea.

• Obtain a business license and health permit. Since you will be working with cats, it's required to get not only a classic business license but also to obtain a health permit. Make sure to consult the local authorities to do it the best way.

• Hire a dream team. Now, you should think about people to work with. You can start with friends or look for suitable candidates online. Prepare a work rate for volunteers: helping animals attracts many people.

• Promote. So, you are almost ready to open. Make sure to present your business online, and start!

• Appointment software will help to attract customers and get more sales at the beginning. It's also a perfect source of business analytics.

Appointment scheduling software

So you must pay attention to the clear advantages of booking software. But how important are they for running a cat cafe business?

One of the most important arguments is the accessibility of the café for customers: They can book an appointment at any time. So, for example, if your staff is too busy to take calls from all potential customers in time or makes mistakes that lead to scheduling conflicts, you realise how important it is to eliminate all related problems at once.

It's also user-friendly and accessible for internal use, as enquiries from all your web resources and social media profiles are collected on a single platform. This allows you to respond more quickly to bookings or feedback and inform more effectively about your services using messaging of any kind.

Modern software also offers consumable management that helps cat cafés order goods, maintain products promptly and prevent misuse or theft. Keeping track of the inventory process is essential and does not allow sloppiness to keep costs down.

Collecting and managing customer data is also essential in marketing your cat café. Data is the only way to develop your marketing strategy, but analysing it can be tedious and expensive. The software also creates statistics – you can contribute to their creation by implementing your tagging system. This way, you can later adjust your advertising accordingly.

EasyWeek appointment system for your business

EasyWeek offers an effective solution for those looking for intelligent online appointment software on a budget. However, we still provide more than the closest competitors and ask for less!

Why EasyWeek:

• Online appointments 24/7.

• Notifications and reminders.

• Business analytics.

• Integration with social media.

• Free website and widget.

• Marketing tools.

• User-friendly interface.

• Instant technical support.

Conclusion

Cat cafés use online scheduling software to facilitate communication with their customers. The EasyWeek team offers a user-friendly system with a straightforward interface that is also suitable for those who are not too familiar with modern IT solutions. Nevertheless, the system's simplicity hides extensive functionality that can expand the possibilities of running a business.

If you care about promoting your business, try the EasyWeek software for your cat café, free for 14 days!