Why Your Bar Isn't Getting Traffic During the Week and How to Fix It
Keeping any small business afloat is challenging, especially for smaller bars operating in today's struggling economy. With unpredictable crowds comes fluctuating bar sales. Unfortunately, the mid-week slump is real and may be bewildering to remedy. You're likely wondering why your bar isn't getting much business during weeknights.
Many factors contribute to your bar's traffic — from the changing seasons and alcohol options to your location and marketing efforts. So if you need insight on how to drive traffic to your bar, we've got you covered. Aside from bringing in new customers, remember that one of the best tactics is to keep your existing customers happy and coming back for more.
Here are five tips on how to increase bar traffic and sales during the not-so-happy hours of the week.
Host Different Happy Hours Throughout the Week
Who doesn't love happy hour? From affordable food to delicious drinks, happy hour is the perfect time to catch up with friends or even have a date night. Typically, a bar isn't the place for people to hang out during weeknights, but with the right food items on the menu, BOGO deals, and drink specials, you can have a busy bar full of new and returning customers.
Hosting a happy hour is a sure way to boost revenue, and an even better way to increase sales volume is by making your 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 p.m. happy hour, and many places already do. However, the trick is to make a happy hour that's hard to miss. Some places, such as El Camino in Delray Beach, FL, attract people in droves by hosting a late-night happy hour from midnight to close. It’s a go-to destination for patrons to end their evenings.
Activate the Power of Social Media
Social media is fun, practical, and affordable for small businesses. Whether or not you have a marketing budget, social media is your friend. Using Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and other platforms helps organically reach existing and potential clients and stimulate brand growth.
Before going out, plenty of people research bars on social media to get a sense of how to dress and what to expect while there. They can easily scroll through the drinks and food and get a feel for the ambiance. Potential customers can get a good glimpse of what your bar has to offer from your staff and past customers. A great way to ensure the social media accounts are covered on all ends is to require bartenders on staff to post a story during their shifts or post about upcoming events to spread the word. You can also promote your social media platforms on your receipts to encourage customers to Like and Follow.
If your budget allows, you can take your efforts to another level through targeted ads that promote past posts or upcoming events. You can also minimize your workload by outsourcing social media to someone more knowledgeable. Thanks to the ability to collect and track the analytics related to engagement, impressions, and more, social media allows for many opportunities to see what does and doesn't work for your business.
Become Friendly with the Local (or Any) Media!
Staying in touch with the local media is affordable, fast, and a great way to gain more exposure and reach your target audience. There are several things you can do to make this happen.
Come up with a crazy deal to 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 fun and exciting events.
For a different approach, volunteer to write columns for the local paper or set up speaking opportunities with a local radio station for yourself. Appear on free radio shows as an expert in your field. Once you ask around enough, one will eventually stick, allowing you to receive free publicity!
Host Free Events
Hosting events is a spectacular way to increase revenue. Whether celebrating a holiday or having an external group host an event at your bar, customers will flock to see what the buzz is about. People love to celebrate, so give them a reason to! First, determine what your audience wants by getting to know them through analytics, surveys, or even a suggestion box. Are they a younger or older crowd? Are they into music or sports? Do your research and decide the best route of action to increase sales and traffic.
Hosting exciting events such as pub crawls, watch parties, trivia, karaoke, games, ladies' night, or singles' night is a great way to garner attention and draw in newcomers. Scheduling regularly themed nights can keep them coming back for more mixing and mingling over food and drinks. Also, consider having specials throughout the night, such as a signature drink or appetizer. Don't be afraid to get creative and give it your own twist! If one idea doesn’t work, you can always try something else. But if something turns out to be a popular concept, you’ll strike gold.
Request Reviews
Making sure that your bar pops up high on a Google search is vital. Happy customers should always be asked to leave good reviews; some may even leave photos! This is the perfect way to rank higher in SEO and receive more foot and online traffic. The problem is actually getting people to take the time 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 they'll receive a free drink or appetizer if they leave a review or check in on social media. You can also grow your email list by offering consumers a chance to enter a free raffle. 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 great reviews, people will be drawn in to stop by for a sip or bite.
Several options are available to help you end up with a packed bar during the week. In addition to the bar-promotion tips we shared above, remember to use your existing tools to promote your bar and create a loyal customer base. Include your social media handles on your receipts, or collect customer email addresses via your guest WiFi. Your efforts don't have to break the bank; make the most of the avenues you already use.
Contact us today if you're ready to learn more about how VersiTech can help you attract more customers and drive revenue.