The main objective of every entrepreneur is to increase sales and, consequently, their business profits. The most obvious and efficient way to do this is by attracting and retaining consumers.
If you already have your business up and running or are planning to open soon, it's always a good time to think of ideas to attract customers to the pub.
But how to do it? With so many different options for people to choose from, what can you do to make your space stand out from the crowd and make customers choose you over other restaurants?
The focus here is to think of ideas for bars that can differentiate themselves from the rest. Offer a unique experience that awakens people's curiosity and makes them feel good and comfortable. It's not just an interesting menu that will draw customers' attention to your space, but a whole set of ambience, service, marketing and product.
In addition to offering a quality service, it is essential to provide a good service that makes people come back again, calling their friends and even family to enjoy the place.
Create an ideal place for people to relax and enjoy, where both they and you can showcase this to the public via social media.
Below are some simple pub ideas for making this happen and attracting new customers to your establishment.
Tips to attract more customers to your bar
Obviously, no one would want to spend time in a disorganized, dirty and unkempt place, would they? Therefore, to know how to make a bar attractive, you must plan every corner with the ambience, offer entertainment to your customers, provide good service and, of course, have attractions, such as promotions.
Some ideas can also be adopted as pub ideas if you have a more versatile environment. Anyway, check out what can't be missing in a bar!
#1 Environment
The environment is responsible for making the first impact and offering an overview of your establishment. It is a key factor in the success – or not – of the place and goes far beyond the physical space: it involves the sensations that you will awaken in the visitors.
The setting process begins with the planning of the layout of the place, which must consider points such as the distribution of tables and chairs, the arrangement of lighting and ventilation, the possible queues that will be formed, and the comfort of the seats, among others.
Space decoration is a fundamental part of building the climate you want to create. A sports bar should be different from an English-inspired pub, for example, from the counter setup to the items on the walls.
You must also decide whether you want to feel intimate with low light or create a focused environment, such as a gaming space.
#2 Service
This, without a doubt, is an aspect that directly influences the consumer's perception of your business. After all, customer experience is linked to the service they receive. It is very important to train your team to know how to deal with different customer profiles and unexpected situations.
Imagine that you manage to attract a lot of people, but their experience is not so good. In addition to not returning to your bar, they can still become brand detractors. On the other hand, if the visit is satisfactory, they can organically promote their business and take more people with them when they return.
The tip for your team is to always be attentive to the needs of the public without interrupting conversations and not running out of drinks! Don't let the pressure and day-to-day problems interfere with your mood when talking to customers.
#3 Promotions
There's no way around it: promotions and discounts are some of the main attractions in a bar. In addition to attracting more consumers, this helps move inventory. In order not to suffer losses, just plan well and test strategies to find out what pleases your audience the most.
You can bet on a period of happy hour promotions, offer progressive discounts according to the number of items purchased, create combos that mix food and drink, and invest in a loyalty card, among others.
Strategies such as desserts or drinks for birthday people who bring friends can help fill the house. In that case, work with advance reservations or always leave a space reserved for large groups.
#4 Entertainment
A bar that wants to stand out needs to offer more than quality products and services; investing in entertainment may be the solution! Here are some options for attractions that can attract more customers:
- -Live music show;
- -Karaoke;
- -Board or card games;
- -Pool games, such as pool and foosball;
- -Large screen displaying sports competitions, films and series;
It is important to remember to observe the customers' reactions in these cases, to check if the music volume is pleasant or if it interferes with conversations, for example.
#5 Happy hour and seasonal dates
Take advantage of happy hour and commemorative dates to offer special prices, typical events, themed dishes and drinks, and personalized decorations, among others. Turn your bar into a conducive environment for get-togethers!
It is necessary to offer news so that frequent customers continue to be surprised. Some dates that can be taken advantage of include St. Patrick's Day, Carnival, Friend's Day, Valentine's Day, finals of major sports competitions and the last episodes of famous series.
#6 Diversify the menu
As previously mentioned, it is important to have new items on the menu frequently, but it is also essential to keep the classics, those dishes or drinks that sell a lot. That way, you always surprise the customer without changing the winning team.
#7 Use technology
It is possible to use technology to facilitate service, simplify payment, avoid queues, speed up food preparation and much more! An integrated automation system for bars and restaurants helps you to have control over all operations.
Self-service is one of the most impactful novelties: customers can use tablets to look at menus and send their orders directly to the kitchen. The waiter would just bring the choices and check if everything was right.
#8 Invest in digital marketing and social media
It's common knowledge that your brand needs to be on the internet to reach a wider audience. After all, there is no point in diversifying your service and not disclosing it correctly.
Invest in web content creation to create communication channels with customers. The internet needs to be a space where they can give feedback about the establishment – listen and respond carefully.
Create promotions that involve the online environment, such as discounts or gifts for those who review the page on Google My Business.
#9 Partner with Influencers
Map bloggers, local celebrities, and influential people and invite them to your bar. Depending on the potential for repercussions, do a paid action with this influencer so that she can promote and recommend your establishment. Always think about who is an influencer to your audience.
#10 Google Adword
Identify your audience, map keywords related to your audience's searches in your business segment and use Google Adwords always to be one of the first results on the search network. Example: If the person searches for "Happy Hour in London", your bar may appear in the first result, depending on your Adwords strategy.
Conclusion
Before thinking about advertising, you need to be sure that your business has a good proposition for the public. If your brand identity is not good, the image will not have pillars to support itself.
Think and evaluate what characteristics your business has so that you can consider competitive differentials against the competition. It is not valid to say that it is the quality of the food and drink, the cool environment, the service, quality of sound, as these points are obligations and not differentials. If you base one of these points as a differential (even if they are differentials at that moment), the first competitor with a nicer structure will come and take all your customers, one by one.
Make a strategic plan for your business. Establish your mission, your values, and your vision.