A black whiteboard was the perfect solution to my cafe menu dilemma. My name is Susan and here’s how a black whiteboard transformed my business.
How a black whiteboard transformed my business
My name’s Susan and I run a small café on Brisbane’s northside.
When I decided to start my own business I was lucky enough to find a lovely little space. As soon as I walked in, I could picture a thriving cafe. I knew I’d found my ideal location.
Now, I’m just an ordinary woman but my cafe goal is to provide extraordinary service. I want my place to be a home away from home for my customers. The best reward are the smiles on the faces of my regulars.
I’ve had my share of success, but it hasn’t been without its learning experiences. I wanted to share a few of them with you.
When it comes to cafes, style is everything. In my cafe’s interior design, I opted for lights from a 1920s movie theatre, a gorgeous white marble countertop and - of course - a blackboard menu with high-quality artwork.
To fit with my décor’s colour scheme, I really wanted the menu to have a black background. I’ve seen some awesome blackboard menus in my time – beautiful artwork and colours that really pop. I wanted something just as good.
I bought a large traditional blackboard and placed it at eye height behind my counter. My daughter is an artist, so I asked her to come up with a menu that would be a talking point with customers.
The final product was everything I wanted and more. The customers were happy, I was happy, everyone was happy…
Then…
Trouble. There were problems.
First, I had to change my prices semi-regularly. This meant I had to change the blackboard.
The chalk was difficult to erase. When my daughter tried to change the prices, the residue of the old numbers remained. While the results didn’t look anywhere near as nice as before, I didn’t have the heart to ask her to start over.
Second, over time, the blackboard’s blackness and the chalk colours dulled. My bright, cheery chalkboard didn’t ‘pop’ as much as it used to.
I didn’t know what to do. I put up with it until one day when a customer noticed my mood and asked me what was up. I gestured to the blackboard menu. She quickly understood.
She suggested I look into a black whiteboard. Yes, “black whiteboard” sounds like a contradiction in terms, but they really exist. With one I’d be able to keep my cafe’s same colour scheme, she explained, but a black whiteboard wouldn’t have the same hassles as a blackboard. She even had one at her own business, a florist, and suggested I come and have a look. I liked what I saw.
The difference between her black whiteboard and my blackboard was night and day. Her black whiteboard—also known as a glassboard—had a Starphire glass finish, lending it superior aesthetics.
The black of the board would be a much better match to my decor than the dulled grey-black of my old blackboard. On top of all that, the luminescent fluoro marker pens she used were brilliant: the colours ‘popped’ a lot more than the standard chalk.
And, when I tried to erase the pen marks, absolutely no residue…
It was a no-brainer. I knew I had to have a black whiteboard.
WhiteboardsOnline was among the first companies I called, and they won my business within minutes.
The very first company were polite enough, but when I asked for advice, they didn’t seem interested in giving me comprehensive answers. WhiteboardsOnline, however, were willing to spend time on the phone with me to talk about options. Their advice really was invaluable.
The other thing I really liked about WhiteboardsOnline was that they offered subsidised delivery. The first company wanted to charge me an arm and a leg. So, no prizes for guessing who I decided to go with…
As I’m writing, I’m looking up at my new whiteboard menu behind my marble countertop. I’m smiling because I know I made the right decision in buying a black whiteboard and buying it from WhiteboardsOnline.
Why choose a WhiteboardsOnline whiteboard?
WhiteboardsOnline will help you find the best solutions. Call us today on 1800 654 911 to see how we can help you.