Summer is obviously one of the nicest times of year to be outside. However, that can be a terrible thing in the bar industry! Over the summer months, more people decide to skip the bar altogether and do outdoor activities instead. Things like going to the beach, having a backyard barbecue, or sitting around a campfire takes precedence over bellying up to the bar; and that can impact your bottom line negatively. Even if you’re bar is located by a lake, it can still be a tough sell. So what can you do to bring people into your bar during the summer months? Fortunately, there are a few tactics that will still bring out the crowds if you know what you’re doing. Here are a few ideas to consider when preparing your bar for summer.
Open a Patio Section
One of the biggest reasons that people skip the bar during the summer is that they want to sit outside and enjoy the weather. That’s really hard to do when sitting inside a stuffy bar where the smell of beer and patrons hangs in the air. So, you need to offer them an area outside to sit and enjoy their beverages. If you don’t have a patio, you need to figure out how to setup part of your bar outside. You don’t necessarily need an actual bar and bartender outside! You just need a place where people can sit and enjoy the weather while buying items from your establishment.
If you already have a patio, you should consider having a large banner printed up to hang out in front of your bar. That way, everyone walking and driving by knows that you have outdoor seating available for customers. Best of all, you don’t need to worry about having smokeless sparklers for your bottle service because of all the fresh air!
Tropical Cocktails
Whether you live in Florida or in Minnesota, summers get hot and humid. When the weather feels tropical outside, people like to transport themselves to a tropical destination; if only in their minds. By creating a selection of tropical drinks for your customers to enjoy and advertising them properly, you will draw in a crowd of people looking to take a “vacation” for a few hours. Ice cold tropical drinks are irresistible in the hot summer months. When you couple that with their difficulty to make at home, you have a recipe for success.
Live Music
One thing that brings in customers regardless of what season it happens to be is entertainment. In this arena, live music is the king of the realm. First off, you will you get most of your regular customers interested in coming to see the band. Additionally, the band will usually bring a small following to your bar as well to boost business. If you have the space and it is allowed by your local laws, you should try to have your music outdoors whenever possible. Doing this will combine the live music with an outdoor experience that customers crave. However, it is also great marketing because people in the surrounding areas will hear the music and come to your bar to check it out!
Summer may be a slow time for the bar industry. However, with proper planning and marketing you can still run a successful business. Attempt to key-in on what customers are interested in doing during the summer months. That way, preparing your bar for summer success will be a much easier process.
