It doesn't matter where you bar is located or what clientele you cater to, marketing your bar is something that you have to do if you want to see a profit!
Marketing your bar doesn't have to be expensive and it doesn't have to be hard...you may have to get creative, but that's the fun part! Read on for some of the very best bar marketing tips and then be sure to visit Bar Marketing Genius to get all kinds of free information that will help you keep your bar stools full!
1. Harness the Power of the Internet: One of the best (and cheapest) ways to market your bar is to utilize the power of the internet! Make sure your bar has a Facebook fan page and that you are using Twitter - both of these are totally free and great ways to keep in contact with your customer base! There's no better way to promote special events or to let people know what's gong on at your bar. It's also a great idea to have a website for your bar - if you don't have one, you can get a totally free bar website building ebook that will give you step-by-step directions so you can build your own website for just a few dollars!
2. Get Creative with Your Drink Specials: Another great way to market your bar is to have fun and creative drink specials on a regular basis. Instead of having a regular (read: boring!) happy hour, try something different, like a reverse happy hour that starts at 10:00 p.m. and ends when you close. Or try a 5-minute drink special where you have your staff announce the specials every hour and they are only good for 5 minutes at a time. Think outside the box when creating your drink specials and you'll create interest with your customers! Be sure that you're using all your internet to promote your specials as well as promoting them in your bar!
3. Utilize Theme Nights to Increase Business & to Expand Your Reach: Think about your current clientele and the type of clientele that you'd like to have. Now come up with some theme nights of special events that would appeal to those people. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Bike Night
- Car Show
- Karaoke Night
- Live Music
- Theme nights based around a popular television show
- Ladies Night
- Facebook Fan Night with specials for all Facebook Fans
4. Make Your Bar a Place People Want to Go! Take the time to really walk through your bar with a critical eye. Start at the street and enter your bar as a customer would. Pay attention to your signage, parking lot, entrance, bar area, restrooms, floor....everything a customer would look at. What do all of these things say about your bar? Make a list of things that you need to improve and get to work!
5. Invite Your Customers Back: I can't tell you how many times I've gone out for an evening on the town and NOT been invited back. I know, your bar staff is busy too, but it only takes a second to ask customers to come back and it's something that many bars are totally missing the boat on. My favorite bars are the ones where I like the bartenders...I'll overlook a lot of other stuff if I enjoy a bartender or other employee. If your bartenders aren't making your customers feel welcome, they won't come back. It's that simple.
6. Set Aside Some Money for Marketing Activities: Only you can decide what you can afford to spend, but far too many bars don't think about marketing at all. You don't need to spend a lot of money, but it's a good idea to set aside a percentage of revenue or profits just for marketing activities. If you use the money wisely, it will increase your business and your bottom line!
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