In this age of the pandemic, managing a bar business feels like playing poker: you either fold or raise. No one is going to judge you for doing any of these.
Know, though, that growing your company amid social distancing and other health restrictions is possible – that is if, you also get smart with your marketing strategies.
Here are three marketing ideas that can help you thrive today:
1. Offer Incentives
Offering discounts, coupons, and other incentives might be the last thing on your mind. You believe that you don’t need to bleed more money.
In reality, these promos are ideal for many reasons:
- For some, beverages and take-outs can be dispensable commodities. Promos are a great come-on to encourage them to buy.
- Incentives can help you penetrate new markets.
- It’s one of the best ways to tell your customers that you care for them. That’s a huge plus as far as customer service goes.
To make these promos even more lucrative for you, combine them with promo labels, such as bottleneck hangers and toppers. These can bear your company’s logo or, contact details, and even a website link. Remember, the more they see your brand, the more likely they will remember you.
2. Sell Health
With no vaccine available yet, one of the best defenses against the coronavirus is a strong immune system, and alcohol, among others, unfortunately, doesn’t contribute anything to that. The good news is you can still make your business relevant by concocting healthy drinks.
What are your options?
- Make mocktails from kombucha. Also known as fermented tea, it packs a lot of probiotics, which is excellent for the gut. You can also play around with its flavor, adding fruits or herbs.
- Create vegan meals. Over the last few years, more people are shifting to plant-based diets, but the pandemic accelerated that. According to the New York Times, vegan meat substitutes rose by 35% from April 12 to May 9. During the same period, the demand for meat climbed by only 28%.
- Focus on the wines. Good-quality wines are a lot better than bottles of beer or vodka as far as health is concerned. Americans are also using them for cooking. The market outlook for it seems to be bright too. The Market Research Future report believes that the red wine industry could still grow by 5.9% between 2019 and 2024.
3. Take Back Old and Dormant Customers
Do you have old customers who stopped dropping by the bar probably a year or two ago? Now is the best time to reach out to them and bring them back to the fold.
One, more leads can potentially lead to better sales. Second, since they already experienced your brand, marketing to them can be easier, faster, and cheaper.
You can get them back with these ideas:
- Reach out to them and ask why they left in the first place. You might encounter reasons that are hard to swallow, but consider them as suggestions to improve your product and service. Many appreciate this move too as people like being heard.
- Attract them with incentives. You can design an exclusive offer or discount.
- Stay in contact. Be more organized with your newsletters or social media use. Provide contact reachable contact details, especially if they want to order.
Times are challenging, but your business can be tougher. With more strategic marketing methods, your bar can beat this pandemic.
