Coconut shake shop spends over $6,000 on bloggers and Telegram group to promote business, gets 'almost zero' traction

Despite a slow start and failed attempts at marketing, the owner of a small beverage shop in Serangoon is not giving up.

In an interview with BestFoody posted to Instagram on Sunday (Oct 25), Pradeep Pannirselvam, who owns coconut shake shop Coco Fwens, shared that he had spent over $6,000 on food bloggers and Telegram groups to advertise his business, yet it amounted to nearly nothing.

The store opened seven months ago in March.

When business wasn't brisk, with some days seeing only four cups sold, the 39-year-old decided to engage food bloggers to help promote his shop.

He paid over $3,000 but gained no traction from the publicity.

Later, he paid around $3,000 for a single promotional post on a Telegram group.

There was no traction from that marketing effort either.

"Before signing up, they showed impressive results and promised good exposure. But after spending the money, the response was almost zero," read the caption accompanying the post.

"Honestly, it hurts. For a small business like ours, $6,000 is a lot of money. That money could have helped us survive a little longer."

Pradeep also revealed that since opening the shop, he hasn't paid himself any salary.

'I want to keep the business alive'

As for the $6,000 that went down the drain, the owner feels that at the end of the day, he doesn't blame anyone.

"Running a business is all about trial and error. If you never try, you will never know. You need perseverance. Even when there's no business, we don't take a day off. We still open the shop," he said.

"No off days. I just want to keep the business alive and survive."

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The former manager of a recreation club in Singapore remains hopeful about Coco Fwens, as customers who have tried his drinks loved them and have kept coming back, he said.

His bestsellers include the Original, Oreo and Mango coconut shake flavours, Pradeep tells AsiaOne, adding that their Fizzy Coconut Coolers are popular too.

Still, in running the shop these past months, he has learnt that having a good product doesn't mean a steady flow of customers is guaranteed.

Rather than engaging bloggers and Telegram channels, he now tries a variety of other different methods to attract customers.

He sells his drinks through Shopee live, for instance, and offers discounts through the platform's digital vouchers.

Pradeep is also looking at doing product collaborations with other homegrown businesses and have even gone door-to-door to hand out flyers to the homes and offices nearby.

He is diversifying his income stream too, with Coco Fwens offering live station and bulk order services, and wants more potential customers know about this.

Supportive wife

A major reason why he remains positive about his venture is because of his wife.

"Although the business is not where we want it to be, to be able to pay off our expenses, my wife has never complained and never asked to give up," Pradeep shared.

While his wife works elsewhere, she helps out at Coco Fwens and is supportive of the business through these difficult times.

The couple first met in secondary school and reconnected after 20 years before tying the knot.

Both of them came from low-income backgrounds, Pradeep said, adding that they share similar values when it comes to finances.

"Thank you, my wife, for standing by me when things are tough, sharing the burden, and never giving up on me."

Address: 151 Serangoon North Ave 2, #01-73, Singapore 550151
Opening hours: Wed-Sun, 10am to 9pm; Mon-Tue, 12.30pm-8.30pm

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dannon.har@asiaone.com