Imagine a café that decided to give laptops the boot because they want people to actually sit at tables, order coffee, and enjoy food, rather than babysit a coffee cup for hours.
So, they slapped up this sign.
So as a freelance copywriter, I naturally thought, there’s a way to put a more positive spin on this so people don't walk away feeling icky.
What’s the opposite of staring at a screen all morning? Yep, talking to someone. Let’s brainstorm ideas that focus on real, human connection.
Connect IRL, Not URL.
Order coffee, eat food, make friends. But please keep your table clear of laptops.
or
Conversations Over Clicks.
We’re big proponents of human interaction. Drink coffee, eat food, share a laugh. But please keep your laptop in your bag.
This is a coffee shop, is there a way to bring a coffee reference into this?
Real Conversations Brewed Here.
During our morning rush hour, 7-9 am, please leave your laptop in your bag.
Screens can be an addiction. Let’s play off of that.
Digital Detox Zone.
Let’s drink coffee, eat cake, and keep our laptops closed 7-10 am.
Do you have any ideas for better messaging for this?
What happened to the third space?
Starbucks grew on the promise of being that third space. Not work, not home, but a special place. Customers could enjoy all the comforts of home: sit in a comfy chair, stare out the window, talk with a friend, and drink coffee. It was about connections and community, not just the coffee.
Then CEO Howard Schultz nailed it, saying, “I’ve never thought of the third place just as a physical environment. For me, the third place has always been a feeling. An emotion. An aspiration that all people can come together and be uplifted as a result of a sense of belonging.”
The concept of being a third space was Starbuck’s differentiator. It was their thought-provoking POV.
But then they grew, cut costs, and it just became about the coffee.
Starbucks leasing agents are the best in the business. They know how to maximize every dollar per square foot. So, at the height of COVID, Starbucks closed their local shop that had sofas inside and tables outside and no drive-through and built a new Starbucks from scratch. To their credit, they laid out the drive-through lane first and then built the store. Now there’s only outside seating (which you can use almost year-round in San Diego). And probably 95% of their business is now drive-through rather than walk-in.
Starbucks now sells coffee, not community. And so does McDonald’s, which is cheaper.
Starbucks lost their differentiator. So if you want to have a cup of coffee with this San Diego freelance copywriter, this is the neighborhood cafe that I’ll take you too. (It appeals to my love of sketch art.)
What makes your business different? What’s your thought-provoking POV?