Bar Owner Profit Tip Of the Week Archive

From BarOwnerTips.com November 11, 2009

Top 3 Rules for Successful Bar Promotions

1. Identify a goal

Ask yourself why you are running a promotion. Is it to bring in more
customers on a slow night? Increase sales for a particular beverage?
Attract new customers? Get current customers to come in early or stay
later?

Whatever the reason, keep it in mind while you design your
promotion so you don't get off track.

For example if your main goal is to get your current customers to
stay later, a 3:00 to 7:00 happy hour isn't going to help you. A
late night happy hour on the other hand, might be just the thing that
you need.

2. Make them wait

When you're running a giveaway or contest promotion, don't host the
contest or announce the prize winner until later on in the evening.

If you run the contest or announce the prize winner within an hour of
opening, you'll lose your captive (drink buying) audience. Keep
guests in your bar later while they wait for the promotion finale.

Maintain the energy all night with drink specials and entertainment
for your customers.

3. Do something for everyone

Make sure each of your customers can be involved in the promotion;
being left out of something isn't a lot of fun.

Most contest promotions only have a small group of contestants. Try
to involve everyone so that all of your guests can have a good time.

Run drink specials or lottery-type prize drawings that everyone can
participate in. If you're running a contest, let your other
customers vote on the winner. Keep everyone involved and everyone
will have fun.