Vegetarian and vegan stores that provide excellent service are held in high regard in the vegan community. It doesn’t matter whether your store is Internet-based or has a physical storefront. Customers return to businesses that treat them well, and they tell others about these companies. I will often pay a little more for vegan products provided by a small company with great service than pay less at large chains with little or no service.

As the owner of a vegan store, are you in danger of developing tunnel vision when it comes to marketing your products? Although the focus of your store is veganism and vegan products, you may be overlooking billions of potential customers who are non-vegan if the focus of your advertising is too narrow. Don’t forget about the mainstream audience. It can be very good for business (and raise awareness of veganism in general) to encourage mainstream consumers to do some vegan shopping!

When you’re a vegan business, it’s natural to wonder about your pool of potential employees. Of course, you will have your requirements, but job seekers have their requirements too. You might be asking yourself if the vegan job market exists.

What do statistics show? According to a study done by Vegetarian Times in 2008, about 0.5 percent of people in the U.S. are vegan. Although this percentage might not sound significant, it equates to 1 million people. The study also showed that 10 percent of Americans (22.8 million people) eat a “vegetarian-inclined diet.” At some point in time, these individuals have been job seekers, but you just have to know how to target them. Some of them may not be searching for a vegan specific job, but maybe they would be interested in one, if they saw the ad.

When it comes to managing your vegan business, what are your strategies? Paying someone to create your business forms and templates might not be the best route if you’re in the beginning stages of getting your vegan store off of the ground. Although any business requires some investing on the owner’s part, there are some free business tools out there that you can use to your advantage. According to a New York Times article, “The help is free, and it’s a click away.”

The holiday season is a hectic time of year, but it can be a profitable time for your vegan business too. It’s up to you to make your vegan products and services appealing to customers, so how do you prepare for the holiday rush?

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