How to Market Your Bar and Bring in New Patrons
We all know the surefire signs of a successful bar: bustling crowds, loyal customers, and a stellar reputation. Elevating your bar to that level may feel impossible, but with the right techniques, you’ll have customers flocking to your bar. Check out these tips on how to market your bar to ensure you’re making the right impression.
Figure out your niche
From a sports bar to a club to a live music joint, each has something unique that sets it apart from the rest—its own décor, culture, and patrons. When someone walks into your bar, they should immediately be able to identify its particular vibe, look, and style. Pinpoint what you want your niche to be and allow your marketing to reinforce what you’re looking to project.
Create a roster of events
Most people want an excuse to get out of their houses, and there’s no better way to encourage that than with fun events. Whether you bring people together for a night of karaoke, trivia, or darts, it will let people know you’re a bar that likes to have fun and go against the grain. Get the word out through fliers, online promotion, and word-of-mouth marketing.
Get your brand out there
No matter how many events your bar hosts or how great the drinks and service are, if you don’t get your brand out there, your establishment won’t stand out. To keep your bar in the back of people’s minds, make sure to show off your branding. Inside your bar, display your logo with custom coasters. If you venture out to a community event, bring along a swag bag of branded items such as custom stadium cups. These items are a fun and subtle way to reinforce the brand you’ve worked so hard to build.
Establish an online presence
Nowadays, few things are quite as important to a business as having an online presence. Plenty of people find where they’re going out for drinks that night by doing a quick Google search, so make sure your bar is easy to find online and that it gives off a great online impression. This means having a clean, well-designed website; active social media profiles; and a Google My Business profile with your hours included. When it comes marketing your bar, a digital presence is a must.
Bring patrons in with promotions
Just the words “happy hour” can conjure up images of packed bars, happy patrons, and a lucrative night. To say that people love promotions is an understatement, so bring in customers with a few special offers. There’s always the typical happy hour, but you can take it up a notch by coming up with creative discounts. Whether you celebrate a random holiday with a stellar discount or implement a loyalty program, people are always happy to get a great deal. If you serve food, don’t forget to offer some half-priced appetizers during happy hour—after all, nothing goes together quite as well as a refreshing drink and some tasty bites.
