Tips to Make A Pittsburgh Donut Shop Successful

The last donut shop we sold is growing and expanding. We know there is no shortage of donuts in the Pittsburgh area, but with some creativity and savvy, you can be successful! Here are some ideas to thrive as a Donut Entrepreneur:

Make delicious, beautiful donuts.

Everyone knows a good product is essential for success, but for donuts especially, they also have to be cute. Make sure your donut is Instagram-ready and people will share and tell their friends. This helps you with your own marketing and social media efforts. And since donuts are a trendy food, you’ll want to have an active social media presence.

Explore other complementary products.

Donuts pair with a lot of other products. Specialty coffee and other drinks are a home run. You can easily incorporate more baked goods/ pastries alongside your donuts as well. ?Or if your kitchen supports it you could introduce something savory to go with your donuts. You could even sell cute donut-themed merch.

Make people curious with unique flavors.

In the MTO Donut world, part of the magic is getting to try unique combinations and flavors. If you can add some unique and creative flavors and toppings into your offerings, that can bring people in because they want to try it!

Everyone’s had a bacon donut now, but what is the next thing you could top a yummy donut in??You can even do this with seasonal or limited-time-only favors.

Get involved in the community.

Community involvement is a great way to foster awareness of your business and it’s just a good thing to do! You can offer fundraisers at your shop where a portion of each purchase goes back to the group/organization. Or deliver some boxes to local teachers or first responders on appreciation days. You can even supply them as snacks at a local fundraising event.

There are a ton of ways you can get connected with the community around you. Being a helpful force in the community is a great way to get your name out there, plus it's a great feeling to help those around you!

Be a destination!

The location of your shop makes a big difference. It’s easier to attract business if you have a lot of road/ foot traffic. But if you have a location that is more out of the way, make sure you’re making your shop a destination that people are willing to go out of their way for!

Cultivate a comfy look and feel. Design a great selfie spot for the social media-obsessed. You could even have games or something to appeal to younger kids. If the whole experience is memorable, people will want to come back.