Thinking of changing your menu? Here is a tip for launching new products that have stood the test of time.

Launch 1 thing at a time.

Steve Jobs – Famous 2 time owner of apple had some pretty powerful insights into how groups of people work. One important insight was – whenever Apple launched a new product, they only launched one thing at once. One iPod, one iPhone, one iPad. Sure you can provide product alterations down the track (different colours, different sizes etc.) The power from this is that all customers who try the new product have the same experience. Why does this matter you might ask? It increases the ‘shareability’ of the new product. Instead of people talking to each other and asking “have you noticed the new menu at Cafe X” they are more likely to say “You have to try the new dish/beverage at Cafe X”

gingerbread man enjoying the new ‘milk bath’ product

If you wish to completely change your menu, do it progressively. The advantage of which is that you will be able to generate hype around new products, you can remove items on the menu that are performing poorly and you don’t run the risk of upsetting regular customers.

People hate change, yet people also have a tendency to become bored with the same old, so change is essential however must be done subtly and progressively. If you launch one thing at a time every week or two weeks, you will never have a boring old menu. I wonder what Steve Jobs would be like at running a cafe?

D.

Hiatus Kaiyote are a Melbourne 4 piece that make beautiful, elegant music that has been described as “future soul” and fusions together jazz, hip-hop, electronica, r’n’b, rock and soul.

The band’s influences range from Stevie Wonder to J.Dilla to Flying Lotus – and combined with lead singer/guitarist Nai Palm’s smooth jazz vocals and harmonies it’s no wonder the band can count Questlove, Erykah Badu, Flying Lotus and Gilles Peterson as fans.

Tawk Tomahawk features the single Nakamarra which sees the band team up Hip Hop legend Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest.

https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/tawk-tomahawk/id668775119

Track Listing

Mobius Streak
The World It Softly Lulls
Leap Frog
Malika
Ocelot
Boom Child
Lace Skull
Rainbow Rhodes
Sphinx Gate
Nakamarra
Nakamarra (feat. Q-Tip).

Natasha Duarté
Album ‘First Time’ (Empire/MGM)

Below Natasha talks about her experiences recording her album, along with a little bit about how she wrote each song, her influences she drew on and the process for recording. A little backstory is always good for the true fans.

Natasha currently features on the latest SoundsLikeCafe compilation (Volume 39)

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Natasha Duarté has just turned 18 but already she is becoming a major sensation on the Australian music scene, with lots of Fans in the US and a growing following throughout ASIA as well. First she won the Teen category of the International Song Competition (ISC) alongside Missy Higgins and Kimbra. Now she has a staggering 8 nominations in the current ISC. That’s more than double any other Australian writer. Her school tour and other promotions through 2012 including playing Music Matters in Singapore have built her Facebook following from just 1600 to around 50,000 fans. Her new video has had over 70,000 views in this first week alone. Her next round of touring kicks off in schools on March 1 coinciding with her iTunes release of this single. ip info . Natasha has an impressive team committed to her success including Glenn Wheatley, Russell Thomas and Dianna O’Neill along with Higgins and Carter at Empire Records and Sebastian Chase at MGM.

The album First Time is complete and ready to go. Natasha has written 7 of the 13 tracks and has been the principal writer in the remaining 6 co-written tracks. It’s an incredibly strong album from start to finish. Some saying up to 8 singles with 4 ‘breaking singles’ with another 4 songs perfect for sync in films and TV which leaves the 13th song which won the ISC in 2012.

Keep an eye out for her track on the next SoundsLikeCafe compilation coming soon

Website: natashaduarte.com.au
Facebook: facebook.com/tashiduarte
Youtube: youtube.com/officialtashiduarte.

We here at SoundsLikeCafe like to visit as many cafe’s as possible. When the opportunity arises we seize it with both hands and usually knock a drink all over our laptop while in the process (we’re not joking, that actually happened here at HQ… Disaster). So you can imagine what we are like when the opportunity arises to review one of Fitzroy’s hottest little cafe’s at the moment. Marshall from our office reports directly from Cafe De Clieu:

“I had the pleasure of breakfast at De Clieu Cafe in Getrude St Fitzroy on the weekend while on tour with the band – Real Estate (New York) who are playing Laneway Festival. I Only found out later that it was THE reccomended place locally and it certainly lived up to the reputation.

breakfast was a no-brainer with the nice and simple Poached eggs on sourdough with kismet relish-wonderful, eggs were perfect, and all was well. what really gets an outstanding mention was the awesome coffee – a flat white which was smooth yet strong and the sure sign was i ordered another one straight away. The service also worth a mention- quick, friendly but not over the top unlike most other cafe’s of the same ilk. The scene was Saturday morning with locals relaxing. pushbikers coming and going in their clunky riding shoes, wake up, low stress, engaging scene. The music had a great range from heard Massive Attack to Paul Kelly and Sarah Blasko, all topped off when the Real estate boys rocked in later on and the cafe staff were more than happy to play their album.”

There you have it. If you are in the area then definitely worth a stop by. Especially with free wi-fi to go with your coffee.