As with any business, when you own a bar you should be continually looking for further ways to attract new customers, and maintain the loyalty of your existing ones. Of course, there are many ways that such an effect can be achieved; we’ll give an overview of some of the most effective tips and tricks on this page. Take a look at some of these, to keep your clientele coming back for more!
Keep customers listening
Music; something which most patrons expect from a bar, you’ve just got to make sure that you do it right! If your clientele are expecting a hip night out, probably steer the playlist away from power ballads. Likewise, if your establishment is to be an easy-going chill out spot; high intensity dance music is liable to scare your customers away. Play to the strengths of your bar, and know your audience; ensure that, even if you’re playing new tracks, you’re not alienating your audience!
Find an exciting niche or theme
In a field as competitive as the entertainment industry it’s important to stay ahead of the game; one sure fire way to do so is find a unique niche or theme for your bar, ensuring that you can be easily differentiated from your competition by clients. Whether this is a design or an overarching theme across the entire business, such an idea can make your business truly unique, and inform many of the choices you make in regards to the direction of the bar in the future.
If based in a particularly old city, a historic theme, supported by photos of the area’s storied past, can really add a sense of place and contemplation to a drinking establishment; more general themes like the Wild West, or pirates, instead instil a greater sense of fun! The crucial thing to remember here, is that a great deal of effort isn’t necessarily needed to create a unique and exciting atmosphere; a few choice pieces of furniture will start you off on the way to a classic 1950’s dancehall vibe, or a more relaxed European café environment.
Serve up something that can’t be found anywhere else
To make your establishment’s unique vibe more than just skin deep, you can experiment with food and drink offerings, with an aim to providing your customers with something that they’re unable to get from anywhere else. Should this culinary creation, or innovative beverage, gain popularity, customers will soon be attracted to your establishment solely to experience this new product. This also provides you with an opportunity to up-sell customers to some of your other offerings; utilise cross promotions to ensure that consumers are experiencing as full a range of your drink and food menus as possible!
The process of developing a unique product can also help to further diversify your clientele; putting your bar on the map for a whole new demographic. Non-alcoholic cocktails are a popular choice at the moment for more conscientious bar flies; creating a new variety of alcohol free cocktail for your establishment gives non-drinkers a reason to be excited about visiting your place with their ethanol loving friends!
Provide customers with more than just drinks
While you’re not going to make much money as a bar that doesn’t serve drinks, you may find out that offering other services and activities on top of those expected from a bar, may yield better results. Customers are there to socialise after all, so planning a range of additional activities that can will make it easier to socially peacock and meet new people, or enjoy themselves further in the group they’re in, make your establishment that much more appealing.
There are plenty of tried and tested existing ideas that get the job done; karaoke lets participants make a fool of themselves in a controlled, yet competitive setting; while pub quizzes allow customers to show off their cerebral power and team-working skills. Depending on the demographics that you’re aiming to attract, it may be worth installing additional activities around your bar; arcade games and pub games can enhance the atmosphere of your bar, and keep customers coming back for more!
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