Posted: 03 January 2020 at 07:47 | IP Logged
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Depending on what their favorite sport happens to be, fans may be
winding up or winding down energy and excitement for their preferred
team and players. But for sports bar managers and employees, the season
is never over. Sports bar marketing and business planning is a
year-round event, and the financial success of your establishment may
depend on getting a little creative once in a while. Your ability to consistently pack your bleachers (so to speak) can mean
the difference between maintaining a stable cash flow and having to work
around the ebb and flow of a down season — not to mention providing an
even more fan-worthy experience for your customers than ever. Here are
seven big ideas for your sports bar marketing that can take any business
from rookie to Hall of Fame.
1. Lean into the heart of fandom. Number
one rule of sports bar marketing? Get local sports fans excited. They
are your core customer base and their excitement translates into more
visits and strong word of mouth for your business. And the key to
getting fans excited? Speak their language. Name drinks or dishes
after local sports teams or players. Number your menu with the hometown
team’s jersey numbers. Print disposable menus or drink lists with stats
charts on the back, so fans can track how their team is performing over
the course of a game. In short, lean into the minutiae of what it means
to be a hardcore fan. If you give customers an outlet for their
excitement, they’re more likely to return again and again to have that
special experience.
2. Consider LTOs. Limited
time offers typically draw in returning customers eager to try
something new, but also tend to encourage other spending alongside the
offer itself. Creative appetizer and small plate specials can encourage
customers to stay longer, bring friends, and order more drinks along the
way — capitalizing on alcohol sales that likely drive some of your
largest profit margins. A limited time offer doesn’t have to just be a
menu item, however. Purchase a jersey or sweater with a local hero
player’s name and number stitched in. Or a limited edition cap for the
big team drawing your crowds. And then advertise a raffle for it on a
special night or weekend afternoon. Hand out a ticket with every drink
purchase and raffle the prize off at the end of the night. Not only will
it draw a crowd (everyone loves a contest), but it should drive up
drink purchases — a win-win for a likely investment on your part of less
than $100.
3. Rent out a party room or patio. Dividing
out some space in your establishment to host private parties is a
natural avenue for additional profits. What sports fan wouldn’t want to
host their birthday party, Father’s Day celebrations, or graduation
event at their favorite bar?Renting out party rooms also gives you an
opportunity to crowd control a bit during big events, plan and divide
your staff responsibilities more thoughtfully, and guarantee a minimum
amount of revenue for larger crowds. Customers won’t have to worry about
being crowded out by other fans on their special day and will be able
to enjoy your facilities and the big game without distraction.
4. Pay for pay-per-view. Put
those big screen televisions to work for a special event you can plan
with a single click. Ordering a special program — like a boxing match or
a popular, out-of-market game — can be a tiny cost to you, but a big
driver of interest for lots and lots of sports fans. Customers that
can’t afford or choose not to subscribe to a particular pay-per-view
event will come out and spend money on drinks and food with you. Your
sports bar becomes their home-away-from-home for a night and you may
even draw in new customers if you advertise the event in local free
papers or in your online profiles and Facebook page.
5. Sponsor a sports team. Whether
it’s an adult softball or kids’ baseball team, sponsoring a team in a
local, amateur sports league ties your business closer to the community
you service. It’s a great thing to do to show you care about the
neighborhood you live and work in, but it’s not 100% altruistic. This
kind of sponsorship earns you a lot of appreciation from families and
local leaders (not to mention relatively inexpensive advertising) —
which translates into customer loyalty and more business, particularly
for adult teams after the big game! Where else would players go to
unwind and celebrate (or commiserate) than the sports bar printed on the
back of their t-shirts?
6. Host live appearances. Bringing
in local bands or performers for special events can draw customers who
wouldn’t normally have considered stopping in to your sports bar. You
just have to be sure you have both the space for the band (plus
equipment) and the appropriate sound system to support them. But live
appearances don’t just have to mean performers. Hosting classic sports
figure signings can be a huge draw, particularly for lifelong sports
fans who are willing to pay a special cover or upcharge for the
autograph of their favorite local player — active or retired. You’ll
have to do a little research on where to book particular athletes (or
which athletes available booking agencies have access to) and
rationalize the cost of the appearance with your potential profits. But
if it all seems to line up, a special autograph session could be the
highlight of a year’s worth of sports bar marketing.
7. Make it about more than sports. Sports
bar marketing doesn’t need to be 100% about sports. Particularly during
down times (although, if the interests of your bar visitors are
eclectic enough, there never truly is down time between sports seasons),
special events like trivia nights, games, and poker nights can fill in
the gaps on a week night without a game or event. Trivia can be either
sports-related or about pop culture, depending on the age and interests
of the crowd you expect to draw. If you do host a poker night,
however, make sure you do so without any money stakes! Federal and state
gambling laws are strict and unyielding, particularly for businesses
that serve alcohol. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with it!
Playing for chips and bragging rights (or even door prizes) can be just
as exciting and energizing for your customers as their usual big game. Just
make sure to check with your local chamber of commerce, alderman, or
state statutes before planning anything. You don’t want to assume even
money-free gambling is OK if your state prohibits that. You could be
putting your liquor license at risk.
Source:https://www.rewardsnetwork.com/blog/sports-bar-market ing/
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