RETHINK, REVAMP, REFRESH YOUR BAR
I have never seen so many bars remain stagnant,
stale, predictable, and boring. In a time when you need to
"RETHINK" every single phase of your operation, in a economic
climate that demands you "REVAMP" every facet of your night
life, entertainment, marketing, and in a Year that has proven
to be worse than last year at this time, RIGHT NOW you need,
you must "REFRESH" your Bar.
The Outside
The Front Entrance
The Walls
The Stools
The High Tops
The Glassware
The Atmosphere
The Floor
The Restrooms
The Seating Areas
The Patio/Deck/Beer Garden Area
The Silverware
The Pricing
The Staffing
The Maintenance & Daily Cleaning
The Marketing
The Nightly Format
The Days, Nights, Hours of Operating
The Avenues of Income
The Management
The Payroll
The Insurance
The Missing Factors
The Competition
The Relationships you have with Liquor & Beer Vendors
The Live Entertainment you present
You have coasted along for far too many months, if not
years, resting on your past success, instead of thinking,
planning, presenting, producing and promoting your future
"Packed Nights".
I don't follow Trends, I create Trends, you on the
other hand simply look around to see what you think is a
"TREND" and then attempt to duplicate what is working for
competing bars. Keep this in the front of your mind, your bar,
you club, your sports bar, your casual dining place, your
upscale dining establishment is not NEEDED, there are way too
many based on your population, rent, overhead, location,
parking, and the fact once again, there are just too many
places to party and to dine, that is why "REFRESH" is not
vital it is an "IMPERATIVE"..................................
WHEN DO YOU STOP FOLLOWING AND START "REFRESHING" you
BAR?
The Same Situation Over
& Over & Over Again:
Hi Rich,
I came across
your web site, while doing some research for our new sushi
bar/nightclub. I guess I got lucky finding you ahead of time,
and not at the end.(lol) I've spent the last day reading your
articles, your various priceless tidbits of information, and I
find myself relating to a lot of the issues you write about on
both ends.
I have been in the bar
business for ten years. I worked my way through all the
aspects of the job and have saved, planned and coordinated my
way into a partnership in a joint venture.
In research and
development of my abilities, while learning the business, I
failed to learn the marketing end of it. I like most people
thought I could simply hire a team of promoters to pack my
house every week. But as you said it comes and goes, the new
place rush fades and most places in area rise and fall in a
few short months. My location is seasonal due to very high
temperatures in the Summer, so it leaves us (bars) pitted
against each other in the off months. I have been lucky enough
to have had time to do some trial and error as an event
coordinator at a bar I worked at for five years, I ran the
usual live bands, djs, pay per view, blah, blah, blah, the
list goes on and on, and we were very successful, we had had
a 2 story venue, ( sports bar) and a capacity of around 600
for our club nights. Tuesdays was billiard league night,
Thursday was our club night 300-500 people average, but the
owner began to try to adjust my financial arrangement and we
could not come to reasonable compromise, so I discontinued my
event work and simply became a bartender only. The place went
out of business in four months, after it closed I put my
savings along with personal loans, took on a partner and we
found a great venue, liquor license, and away we go.My
question is, where do we go from here? I reiterate we began
with club promoters who as you always say "do nothing to build
our business". You were 100% correct. We are located in the
heart of downtown, surrounded by hotels and various
boutiques, we are 15 minutes from a major college campus, we
have one of the nicest looking settings and dance floor area,
we are an upscale venue and of course we want to be "THEE
PLACE FOR THE FUN AND THE WOW" you always are demanding from
Owners. Thanks, Jonathan.
MY RESPONSE:
Jonathan, first never again trust, do business with or work
with club promoters, you learned the hard way unfortunately
that they are not the answer to packing your place. Why, oh
why, do you Owners place your business, your investment, your
livelyhood in the hands of perfect strangers who have no
vested interest in you, your club, your community?
Their only concern is
their cash and how much of yours they can make their own?
Your in the right
location, now you have to stand out, stand above and stand far
away from every other bar in your downtown. Local Bands will
not accomplish this.
Giving away cheap drinks
will not achieve this.
You are 100% correct,
"THE FUN" and "THE WOW FACTORS", not the overdone, already
done, past done, so called promotions, but the fresh , new,
stylish, trendy, women, women, and more women attracting
nights are what you need.
Do not buy any Radio
Spots.
Do not hand out any
Wasted Flyers.
Do not take any Print Ads
out.
FINAL REMARK:
This Owner rather than take my "Advice" to heart, listened to
his Partner and is now close to shutting down, sadly.
IT'S not about being "OLD
SCHOOL", it's all about being totally behind the times. Even
frozen in time. Why Owners refuse to learn, embrace and
implement "FRESH NEW FUN & WOW", only they can answer?
Why do "Mom and Pop"
Restaurants refuse to offer gluten free bread, whole wheat
bread and simply serve white flour rolls and bread, when so
many dining patrons are so health minded these days?
I asked a server at a
very popular Siesta Key, Florida seafood eatery, his response
" The Owners do not care". I asked an Owner of a small always
crowded bistro, why they did a direct mail piece along with
window tinting,
car painting and
wallpaper businesses, the Owner said " I thought it would
work, but out of ten thousand direct mail we only had 2 people
come in".
*DIRECT MAIL DOES NOT
WORK
* RADIO SPOTS DO NOT WORK
* ALTERNATIVE NEWSPAPERS
DO NOT WORK
* FLYERS DO NOT WORK
* PRINT ADS DO NOT WORK
* CLUB PROMOTERS DO NOT
WORK
* SIMPLY HAVING A FACE
BOOK PAGE IS NOT ENOUGH
YOU CAN'T THROW DARTS AT
A BOARD AND HOPE FOR A BULLSEYE, YOU HAVE TO LEARN "THE ART OF
PROMOTING".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GREAT,YOU ALLOW
SMOKING, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE STENCH & TOXINS THAT REMAIN?
So your a bar or
club that is allowed to have smoking inside, good news right?
Wrong if you don't have a program in place to take the
nicotine out of the air and to clean the bar, stools, tables,
mirrors, and other interior fixtures. The toxins remain on
everything inside your bar. The stench is disturbing and
disgusting. Why should non smokers be subject to health risks
and possible discomfort just for simply drinking in your bar,
because you do nothing to protect them and your employees?
From specialized
fans with Commercial Smoke Eaters aka Commercial Smoke
Purifiers to remove the smoke and the stench to having your
entire staff devote a Sunday Morning to cleaning and wiping
from top to bottom every single fixture, bottle, mirror, wall,
chair, table, with "GREEN" disinfectant so that the interior
of your bar smells consumer friendly and not smoker's
deadly.USE ONLY "GREEN" PRODUCTS,PROTECT the environment from
any further harm. Your so use to the disgusting odor, that you
just accept it, but your losing business,keeping just the
smokers,instead of seeing an major influx of fresh faces.
Once and awhile you
need to ask yourself why you want to suffer rather than
succeed?
_______________________________________________________/
WHY DOES AN
UPSCALE BAR MAKE A DOORMAN, THE MANAGER?
One day, soon I
hope, someone is going to explain to me, why an upscale bar,
would take a Doorman and out of nowhere, with no rhyme or
reason, promote him to be Manager of the entire bar along with
all the responsibilities? Recently I had a "Doorman" contact
me, he was all of a sudden thrown in management. So he had
flyers printed up, nobody showed up. He went on Face Book,
nobody showed up. He asked me why nothing he was doing was
working. I replied for a number of reasons:
1. Flyers are as I
always say worthless.
2. Face Book alone
is not going to all of a sudden with zero notice, pack your
bar.
3. Without a
"STRATEGY", a "GAME PLAN", a "PROMOTIONS PATH" , a "MARKETING
METHOD" in place and implemented at least a Month ahead of the
planned night, do not expect wall to wall four deep at the bar
women, women, women and spenders.
4. You were
given a Position of Management, that even you knew, was way
over your abilities, skills, knowledge, and experience. There
was no shame in simply saying "Hey I'm not ready". It sure
beats being let go for not producing the desired and demanded
results. STUCK IN A NO WIN SITUATION? EMAIL:
RICHUNGER@PROMOTINGNIGHTCLUBS.COM
FOR HIS ADVICE.
"SOBE" ( South Beach
for all you out of the loop) CLUBS, WHAT PURPOSE DOES IT
SERVE FOR LEBRON JAMES TO BRING HIS ENTOURAGE INTO YOUR CLUB
IF HE DOES NOT PAY HIS TAB AND TIP YOUR STAFF?
For that matter if any
of the "Miami Heat" Players wanna party at your "SOBE" Club,
charge them, that's right, with the millions they are making
why should you "COMP" any of them?
I use to host Thursday
Nights at "AMNESIA" a 30,000 square foot club on 1st and
Collins in "SOBE" on Thursday Nights. We had over 1500 people
every week for 15 straight weeks, and nobody, I mean noooobody
got comped. Everyone paid cover, paid their tabs and tipped.
Why roll out the red carpet and velvet stanchions for the High
Rollers, only to let them slide on their tabs? For what? Just
to say "They party at my place"? So what? Is your ego that
desperate, that you need to have that buzz going on, instead
of that cash in your bank account? I remember when Ian
Schrager refused to allow Paris Hilton into his NYC Bar, he
just didn't want that element, I said to myself, "WAY TO GO
IAN". Who needs the chaos, that results? I also remember the
poor SOB who opened up two clubs with Paris in Florida only to
see both of them BOMB....................................
Conclusion:
INFAMOUS PEOPLE DON'T
EQUATE INTO $$$ or IMAGE. SPORTS FIGURES SHOULD PAY FOR EVERY
SINGLE DRINK, NO COMPS. YOU DON'T GIVE THE RICH THE RUN OF THE
CLUB, THEY CAN AFFORD TO BUY YOU OUT TEN TIMES OVER, BUT YOU
CAN'T TOUCH THEIR SALARIES.
=================
****************FAST
FREE MARKETING TIPS************
A. DON'T OFFER A % OFF ON MEALS
B. DON'T OFFER SOMETHING FREE,
WHEN THEY BUY A MEAL
C. SIMPLY GIVE OUT $10 OFF
COUPONS TO INVITE GROUPS TO PATRONIZE YOUR PLACE, WHEN PARTIES
OF TWO OR MORE DRINK & DINE. THAT WORKS. THAT'S WHAT CREATES
GOODWILL & REPEAT BUSINESS, AS WELL AS LOYALTY.
D. DON'T HANG BANNERS OUTSIDE
THAT WAFFLE AND FOLD OVER IN THE WIND, MAKE SURE THERE ARE
SLITS IN THE BANNER TO LET THE WIND BLOW THROUGH.
E.MAKE SURE THE BANNERS ARE NOT
GENERIC IN NATURE, BUT RATHER POWERFUL IN THE MESSAGE THEY
GIVE.
F. HAVE THE BANNERS MADE FOR
FREE BY A BEER VENDOR OR LIQUOR DISTRIBUTOR
G. DON'T MAKE A SIGN HOLDER,
HOLD A SIGN THAT NOBODY CAN READ, THAT SAYS NOTHING TO LURE
DRIVERS IN, MAKE IT SIMPLE, MAKE IT CATCHY AND MAKE IT
ENTICING.
H. DON'T HANG UP COMPUTER
GENERATED POSTERS AND FLYERS IN YOUR ESTABLISHMENT, TALK ABOUT
CHEESY.
I. DO NOT TOLERATE YOUR
EMPLOYEES CURSING OR BEING RUDE WHILE WORKING OR EVEN WHILE
OFF WORK BUT AT YOUR PLACE.
J. DO NOT ALLOW WORKING
EMPLOYEES TO REST/RELAX FIRE THEM ON THE SPOT. THERE ARE FAR
TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO WOULD BUST THEIR TUCHUS TO WORK FOR YOU,
THAN TO TOLERATE MEN OR WOMEN WHO DON'T GIVE IT ALL THEY HAVE
AND THEN SOME........
K. STOP BOOKING THE SAME BANDS
OVER AND OVER AND OVER, UNLESS THEY LEARN NEW MATERIAL, DRESS
BETTER, AND CREATE NEW SETS WITH PROPS AND COSTUMES. THAT'S
RIGHT YOU HEARD ME.
OR JUST KEEP OPERATING THE WAY
YOU ARE AND REMEMBER I TOLD YOU
SO...............................................................................................................
5,204 RESTURANTS, BARS, NIGHTCLUBS
CLOSED THIS SPRING THAT WERE OPEN SPRING OF 2009 & MOST WERE
INDEPENDENTS
What does that tell you?
Is your Menu priced right?
Is your Menu food right?
Is your Format right?
Are you targeting the right
demographics?
Is your location visible?
Is your sign the best you can have?
Are you a destination location or in
the heart of the Food & Beverage District?
Are you wasting money on unproductive
marketing?
Are your employees giving 1000% not
100%?
Is your exterior and
interior Appearance Fresh?
Are you maximizing all avenues of
income from within your establishment?
Are you hands on as an Owner or
depending, relying on others to do your job as the #1 Greeter,
Goodwill Ambassador, Order Approver,
Marketing Maven, Promotions Professor,
Human Resources Director,
=======================================================================
AND THE WINNERS ARE, IN
THE LATEST ZAGAT SURVEY:
Best Overall Mega-Chain
Food: Wendy's
Best French Fries,
Breakfast, Value and Child Friendliness:
McDonald's
Best Burger: Five Guys
Best Milkshakes: Dairy
Queen
Best Fried Chicken: KFC
Best Healthy Options:
Subway
Best Grilled Chicken:
Chick-Fil-A
Best Fish: Long John Silver
Best Salads: Panera Bread
Best Value: McDonald's
Best Full Service Steak
Chain: Outback Steakhouse
Best Full Service Chain
Pasta: Maggiano's
Best Full Service Chain
Breakfast: Cracker Barrel
Best Full Service Chain
Seafood: Bonefish Grill
Best Full Service Chain
Desserts: The Cheesecake Factory
SO
INDEPENDENTS,IN EACH CATEGORY THESE ARE YOUR RESTAURANT ROLE
MODELS. OBSERVE, ABSORB AND LEARN FROM THEM, HOW TO IMPROVE,
INCREASE AND IMPORT THEIR EXCELLENCE INTO YOUR ESTABLISHMENT, OR
EMAIL
RICHUNGER@PROMOTINGNIGHTCLUBS.COM
OR CALL RICH @ 941-921-7027 FYI, ZAGAT REVIEWED 97 FAST FOOD
CHAINS, 39 FULL SERVICE CHAINS, RATINGS WERE JUDGED ON QUALITY
OF FOOD, FACILITIES, & SERVICE.SO, INSTEAD OF USING CRAIGSLIST,
START LURING YOUR NEW EMPLOYEES AWAY FROM THE BEST OF THE
BEST..........................
SEX ALWAYS SELLS, BUT FROM
NOW ON YOU HOST SUCH EVENTS IN A CLASS, STYLE, SOPHISTICATED
CONCEPT, no more of the crass, out of touch, demeaning way, FROM
NOW ON, YOU COMPLIMENT and RESPECT WOMEN.
THE HOTTEST PROMOTIONS ARE
THE FEMALE DEDICATED EVENTS, BUT NOT in the same typical, goofy,
no exploitation, IT'S 2010
TIME TO TREAT WOMEN WITH THE UTMOST OF CONSIDERATION. ALWAYS
HAVE A VERY "HOT" FEMALE HOST YOUR EVENTS, ALWAYS MAKE YOUR
EVENTS EDGY AND "FUN" WITH PLENTY OF "WOW" BUT no trash, no
truck stop mentality. THAT'S WHY you never have GORGEOUS WOMEN
at your BAR OR CLUB. IT'S ALL IN YOUR "ATTITUDE" and "MANAGEMENT
STYLE". ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK IDS TO INSURE ALL YOUNG LADIES ARE
OF LEGAL AGE FOR YOUR AREA.
ALWAYS HAVE THE FOLLOWING:
1. A VERY PROFESSIONAL
FEMALE EVENT COORDINATOR IN CHARGE OF THE YOUNG LADIES IN YOUR
PROMOTION
2. A VERY SECURE ROOM THAT
NOBODY HAS ACCESS TO, BUT THE YOUNG LADIES, PROVIDE A FULL
LENGTH MIRROR, ELECTRICITY, CHAIRS, TABLES, A REST ROOM VERY
CLOSE BY WITH SOMEONE TO ESCORT THE LADIES IF NEED BE.
3. A SET "CAT WALK" AND
PATH FOR THE YOUNG LADIES TO FOLLOW THAT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR ANY
CUSTOMERS TO TOUCH THEM OR HAVE CLOSE CONTACT WITH THEM, YOU CAN
STILL HAVE THE YOUNG LADIES UPFRONT AND PERSONAL WITHOUT BEING
IN A SLOW DANCE POSE.
4. A VERY PROFESSIONAL,
HOT LOOKING, OUTSTANDING PERSONALITY FEMALE HOSTESS.
5. HIGH ENERGY MUSIC AND
LIGHTING, NO HIP HOP CRAP, KEEP IT UPBEAT AND ON BEAT. FEATURE
THE EVENT LIVE ON YOUR FLAT SCREENS.
6. HAVE A FANTASTIC
PHOTOGRAPHER AND VIDEOGRAPHER ON HAND.
7. HAVE A "VERY IMPORTANT
VIEW" SEATING THAT CUSTOMERS PAY A PREMIUM FOR.
8. ALWAYS HOLD THE EVENT
LATE, THEN HAVE AN INTERMISSION, WITH THE FINALE FOLLOWING.
9. MAKE SURE EVERY FEMALE
IS ESCORTED TO HER CAR IF REQUESTED.
10. HOST YOUR EVENTS FOR 8
STRAIGHT WEEKS LIKE I DO AND PACK YOUR WEEKNIGHTS WITH VERY HOT
WOMEN AND BIG SPENDING MEN.................................
ARE YOU READY TO
HOST "MODELS & BOTTLES", CONTACT
RICHUNGER@PROMOTIGNIGHTCLUBS.COM
OR CALL RICH @ 941-921-7027. NO CLUB PROMOTERS
PLEASE.....................................................
HALLOWEEN IS COMING, YOU NEED A FULL
MONTH OF ADVANCE MARKETING TO PACK YOUR BAR, YOUR CLUB, YOUR
SPORTS BAR TWO NIGHTS, NOT ONE NIGHT, NO NOT JUST THE USUAL
COSTUME CONTEST WITH A LAME CASH PRIZE, COME ON THIS CHALLENGING
YEAR, TRIPLE THE CASH FLOW YOU DID LAST YEAR, BUT NOT JUST
OFFERING THE TRICKS, BUT DAZZLING THEM WITH THE TREATS.
Put your ego away, stop listening to
everybody, and for once, just once go to the best mind in the
industry.
=======================
DON'T HESITATE TO EMAIL
ME, PLEASE REMEMBER I NEVER NAME THE BAR OR CLUB, THE CITY OR
THE PERSON CONTACTING ME WHEN I REPEAT A STORY ON MY SITE. SO
NEVER WORRY ABOUT IT.
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