Keeping any small business afloat is no simple task, especially when it comes to smaller bars. With unpredictable crowds, sales vary and fluctuate. The mid-week slump is real, and not just for larger bars.
But why isn’t your bar always full?
Factors varying from the seasons to the type of beers you serve determine how much volume your bar becomes. If you need ideas on how to increase sales volume for your bar, then you’ve discovered the right article.
Now, other than bringing in new customers, keep in mind that one of the best tactics is to retain existing customers, which you can read about on our other blog post!
Thankfully, there are always creative ways in which your bar can increases revenue. Here are five tips on how bars can increase traffic and sales during the not-so-happy hours of the week.
But why isn’t your bar always full?
Factors varying from the seasons to the type of beers you serve determine how much volume your bar becomes. If you need ideas on how to increase sales volume for your bar, then you’ve discovered the right article.
Now, other than bringing in new customers, keep in mind that one of the best tactics is to retain existing customers, which you can read about on our other blog post!
Thankfully, there are always creative ways in which your bar can increases revenue. Here are five tips on how bars can increase traffic and sales during the not-so-happy hours of the week.
1. Host Different Happy Hours Throughout The Week
This one is a no-brainer. Who doesn’t love happy hour?
The real answer: no one!
With cheap food, delicious drinks, and the perfect place to meet friends or have a date it’s hard to go wrong.
Most people would not hang out at a bar in the middle of the week, so including food items on the menu will bring in new customers and include those just interested in a bite to eat.
Hosting a happy hour is a sure way to boost revenue. But an even better way to increase sales volume is by making these happy hours stand out.
Consider hosting a non-conventionally timed happy hour during the day, or later at night!
Anyone can host a 4-7 PM happy hour. Most places already do, but the trick is to make a happy hour that is hard to miss. Some places, such as one delicious El Camino in Delray Beach, FL, host a late-night happy hour. This brings people in droves. Other themes could include themed happy hours, ladies night, bogo deals, or free food with the purchase of drinks.
Get creative and give it your own twist!
The real answer: no one!
With cheap food, delicious drinks, and the perfect place to meet friends or have a date it’s hard to go wrong.
Most people would not hang out at a bar in the middle of the week, so including food items on the menu will bring in new customers and include those just interested in a bite to eat.
Hosting a happy hour is a sure way to boost revenue. But an even better way to increase sales volume is by making these happy hours stand out.
Consider hosting a non-conventionally timed happy hour during the day, or later at night!
Anyone can host a 4-7 PM happy hour. Most places already do, but the trick is to make a happy hour that is hard to miss. Some places, such as one delicious El Camino in Delray Beach, FL, host a late-night happy hour. This brings people in droves. Other themes could include themed happy hours, ladies night, bogo deals, or free food with the purchase of drinks.
Get creative and give it your own twist!
Restro Gyaan, The Restaurant Times, "Increase Your Restaurant and Bar Profit With These 8 Golden Tips"
2. Activate The Power Of Social Media
Social media is a wildly fun and useful tool for small businesses. Potential customers can search the drinks, food, and ambiance in an easy manner.
Even before going out, plenty of people research bars on social media in order to get a feel of how to dress and what to expect while there.
Outsourcing social media is another wonderful trick, minimizing most of the work. A great way to ensure the social media accounts are covered on all ends is to require bartenders on staff post a story their shift of the bar or drinks that they make.
Once customers arrive, having them check in for a free drink will ensure that your social media accounts are never without action.
Targeted ads cost more, and do not allow for as much flexibility when compared to the organic abilities of social media. Posting to social media is a much cheaper option. Plus it is easy to track the analytics on their individual websites, simplifying the data-tracking process.
Using Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms helps organically reach existing and potential clients and stimulate brand growth.
Even before going out, plenty of people research bars on social media in order to get a feel of how to dress and what to expect while there.
Outsourcing social media is another wonderful trick, minimizing most of the work. A great way to ensure the social media accounts are covered on all ends is to require bartenders on staff post a story their shift of the bar or drinks that they make.
Once customers arrive, having them check in for a free drink will ensure that your social media accounts are never without action.
Targeted ads cost more, and do not allow for as much flexibility when compared to the organic abilities of social media. Posting to social media is a much cheaper option. Plus it is easy to track the analytics on their individual websites, simplifying the data-tracking process.
Using Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms helps organically reach existing and potential clients and stimulate brand growth.
3. Become Friendly With The Local (Or Any) Media!
Staying in touch with the local media is a great wait to gain more exposure.
There are several things you can do to make this happen.
Come up with a crazy deal that will draw in lunchtime customers AND the media's attention.
Offer to give out free lunch with the purchase of another, or come up with a clever ploy to boost traffic.
Host events!
A different way to go about this is to volunteer to write columns for the local paper, or set up speaking opportunities with local radio station for yourself. Appear on some free radio shows as an expert in your field.
Once you ask around enough, eventually one will stick, allowing you to receive free publicity!
Jeff Rose explains this wonderfully in his article titled “He Built A Multi-Million Dollar Business With Zero Paid Advertising - Here’s How” that details how becoming a trusted expert media advisory can take you places.
There are several things you can do to make this happen.
Come up with a crazy deal that will draw in lunchtime customers AND the media's attention.
Offer to give out free lunch with the purchase of another, or come up with a clever ploy to boost traffic.
Host events!
A different way to go about this is to volunteer to write columns for the local paper, or set up speaking opportunities with local radio station for yourself. Appear on some free radio shows as an expert in your field.
Once you ask around enough, eventually one will stick, allowing you to receive free publicity!
Jeff Rose explains this wonderfully in his article titled “He Built A Multi-Million Dollar Business With Zero Paid Advertising - Here’s How” that details how becoming a trusted expert media advisory can take you places.
4. Host Free Events
Hosting events is a spectacular way to increase revenue.
Whether this is for a holiday or an external group hosting an event at your bar, it will have customers flocking to see what the buzz is about.
People love to celebrate, so give them a reason!
This does not only need to apply to holidays and seasonal events, though. Celebrating can become an every-day event at your bar.
Host a bingo or trivia night, become part of a bar crawl, have a college or ladies night, host themed events. The list of ideas can go on forever.
Read into what your audience wants. You can do this by knowing your audience through analytics, survey, or a suggestion box.
Are they a younger or older crowd? Is it a mix of college kids or an older crowd?
Do your research and decide the best route of action to increase sales and traffic.
Whether this is for a holiday or an external group hosting an event at your bar, it will have customers flocking to see what the buzz is about.
People love to celebrate, so give them a reason!
This does not only need to apply to holidays and seasonal events, though. Celebrating can become an every-day event at your bar.
Host a bingo or trivia night, become part of a bar crawl, have a college or ladies night, host themed events. The list of ideas can go on forever.
Read into what your audience wants. You can do this by knowing your audience through analytics, survey, or a suggestion box.
Are they a younger or older crowd? Is it a mix of college kids or an older crowd?
Do your research and decide the best route of action to increase sales and traffic.
5. Request Reviews
Making sure that your bar pops up high on Google Search is vital.
Happy customers should be asked to leave good reviews and some may even leave photos! This is the perfect way to rank higher in SEO and receive more foot/online traffic.
The problem is getting people to actually want to leave a positive review or comment.
Thankfully, there are many fun ways to prompt your customers into leaving stellar reviews.
One way to accomplish this is to tell bar-goers that they will be allowed one free drink on the house if they leave a review or check in on social media.
Another way would be to start collecting emails is by offering consumers a chance to enter into a free raffle to win a meal or drink on the house.
Offering deals and raffles are a classic, fail-safe way to get people involved. Once the information starts to roll in, send out email campaigns and link them to your Google Reviews page, Yelp, or whatever else you may use.
Upon seeing the atmosphere and loads of great reviews, people will be drawn in and stop by for a sip.
Happy customers should be asked to leave good reviews and some may even leave photos! This is the perfect way to rank higher in SEO and receive more foot/online traffic.
The problem is getting people to actually want to leave a positive review or comment.
Thankfully, there are many fun ways to prompt your customers into leaving stellar reviews.
One way to accomplish this is to tell bar-goers that they will be allowed one free drink on the house if they leave a review or check in on social media.
Another way would be to start collecting emails is by offering consumers a chance to enter into a free raffle to win a meal or drink on the house.
Offering deals and raffles are a classic, fail-safe way to get people involved. Once the information starts to roll in, send out email campaigns and link them to your Google Reviews page, Yelp, or whatever else you may use.
Upon seeing the atmosphere and loads of great reviews, people will be drawn in and stop by for a sip.
Author
Sloane Viner graduated from FAU with degrees in English and Communication. She is a Florida native invested in spending her free days exploring and enjoying the great outdoors.
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