Looking to fill some empty stools (and some empty glasses)? Even if your bar has a reliable crowd and a strong reputation, advertising is always helpful in promoting your business, generating new customers, and creating local buzz for your neighborhood tavern.
But where should you start when it comes to advertising your bar?
There’s no one-size-fits-all advertising plan for bars—your specific location, size, and style will determine what your best marketing options are. However, with our top-shelf bar marketing ideas, you'll be able to find new advertising opportunities and reach more potential customers.
Read on for a comprehensive guide to bar advertising ideas—complete with technical solutions, classic ad styles, and community engagement.
Host charity events
Get the word out and give back all at the same time by hosting a charity event at your bar. Not only will you have your name attached to promotional material, but you’ll also bring in a new crowd who will feel appreciative of your generosity.
Consider charity events like:
- Canned food drives – Encourage neighbors to bring in canned food to donate to those in need. When they stop in, they’ll likely be thirsty, too. Establish a goal and once you reach it, invite the whole community for a celebration.
- Non-profit pair-up – If you don’t already know one, research non-profits in your community that are looking to make a difference and reach out. Whether they work with schools or local government, invite them to your bar for an event. You could offer to donate a percentage of sales, host an event or speaker series, or sell tickets to a raffle to benefit your non-profit partner.
- Align with a national charity – Whether you want to tackle an environmental cause, or save endangered animals, align your bar with a national charity and encourage customers to give as well. You’ll bolster your name, connect yourself with another organization, and bring in new patrons all at once.
To show that your goodwill is always on the menu, you can offer a drink that’s directly linked to a cause you care about and have a percentage of profits from that drink go directly to a non-profit organization. - Support other local bars - Although it might seem a bit counterproductive, extending your charitable efforts to competing bars could end up working out in your favor, too. That was the case for Adolfo Melendez, owner of El Mezcal in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Amidst particularly trying times during the COVID-19 pandemic, Melendez allocated $2,000 of his advertising budget toward purchasing gift cards from other restaurants in his neighborhood. He offered them up to the community through online raffles, giving not only a positive boost to local bar-goers but also to the surrounding locales. Plus, his generosity made local headlines, resulting in increased brand awareness for El Mezcal—a real win-win-win situation.
Often, the best way to advertise to your community is by displaying the positive aspects you display as a local business. Set your bar up for success by supporting charity, and you’ll win your way into the hearts and minds of your neighbors.
Build your presence on local TV
94% of restaurant owners have found TV ads effective. So, why wait to put your bar on the big screen?
While national TV ads can be prohibitively expensive, local ads are more affordable and can allow you to target the community you’re looking to reach with more precision. Local TV ads still come with a fairly high premium, but that number can be offset by the number of eyeballs you reach and the number of pints you fill as a result. If you’re looking to make a big splash with your ad, local TV is a good option.
Before opting for a local television ad, spend some time thinking about these topics:
- Audience interaction – A 30-second slot placed during a local news segment or interest piece could bring a lot of eyes to your ad. Because local broadcasts are community-based, you may find higher audience engagement and interaction when your ad is in front of or behind local stories.
- Visual engagement – Few advertising forms are as instantly eye-catching as television. Audiences can be swept up in the sights and sounds of a quality TV ad—use that to your benefit. Be sure to create (or have your team create) a visually-engaging ad that shows off your brand as a bar, while keeping the action as interesting as possible.
- Frequency and reuse – As with a lot of advertising methods, once you’ve created your ad product and put it out into the world, there’s little left to do but wait and see what kind of return on investment it brings. With television advertisements, you can use the same commercial as many times as you’d like, learning what time slots are most effective and how frequently they should run.
If you’ve ever wanted to see your face on the small screen, think your bar is highly photogenic, or just have a sharp idea for an engaging commercial—a local TV advertisement may be an effective way to introduce a whole new customer base to your bar.
Newsprint ads
A recent study showed that advertisements in newsprint are often more effective than those on some social media platforms.
Being a local business should mean supporting your local newspaper. It’s up to you and your community to stand behind the journalism that keeps your neighbors informed. Support your paper by taking out an ad and you’ll see a return on investment.
Print ads can be highly effective by:
- Promising something special – Let your audience know about your bar, and offer them something special when they walk in the door. Something along the lines of “Mention this ad for a free drink.” By adding a promotional deal to your newspaper ad, you’ll encourage readers to take action and stop by your bar—and you can see the rate of return on your investment in real-time.
- Showing off your voice – Newsprint ads can be a great exercise in finding your bar’s brand voice. Your brand voice in print can be fun, aspirational, a little snarky, or all of the above. By displaying a distinct personality in your ad, you’ll build up your brand identity and associations with your audience.
- Targeting a specific demographic – Is your bar a modern cocktail lounge for the young and hip, or a sports bar with more TVs than an electronic store? Whatever your style is, make sure you use your newspaper ad to speak directly to the demographic your bar appeals to.
Local news advertisements can be very affordable, while also reaching a large readership. Connect with your local paper and they may even ask for an interview with you, which means free advertisement.
Advertising in the digital space
If you’re not already using digital platforms to advertise, you’re missing out on untapped marketing potential. Nearly everyone is online, and your business should be, too.
The following are some of the simplest and most effective solutions for digital marketing:
- Social media platforms – Social media platforms are the billboards of the modern era. Through these platforms, every business can boost their shares, likes, and followers by creating digital content that speaks to their audience. Start posting regularly and you may start seeing your business climb the ranks when it comes to visibility and, thereby, an upsurge in the pace of your Saturday-night rush.
- Digital ads – Banners, pop-ups, videos, or any other form of digital advertisement can be a huge help to your bar. By advertising online you can reach targeted demographics and let the world know that you’re a great bar online and IRL.
- Nextdoor – The best option to engage with customers in your neighborhood is through Nextdoor, the community hub for businesses and neighbors alike. With Nextdoor, you can build an online presence, engage with neighbors, advertise at a hyper-local level, and receive recommendations from nearby customers.
Trivia night, games, and live music
Make your bar the spot for a range of entertainment and you could find yourself with a packed house. Having a unique event to advertise—online, by word of mouth, or in print—can introduce new clientele to your bar.
By keeping things varied and offering different events on different days of the week, you’ll cater to a diverse crowd of fun-seeking bar patrons.
Events you can host at your bar include:
- Trivia night - Have your patrons test their knowledge from pop culture to popular science. Offer gift cards as prizes and maybe include a drink special. Stacked & Folded, a local bar in Evanston, Illinois, has been hosting themed trivia nights which, according to general manager Chris Rimer, “have been huge for business.”
- Games – If your bar has a patio, consider setting up casual games like horseshoes, cornhole, or bocce ball. Plenty of patrons are looking for something special to do when they’re unwinding, and you’ll have a great way to advertise what’s unique about your bar.
- Live music – Let your bar and local, talented artists take center stage by developing a live music calendar at your establishment. The bands and fans will advertise your business, and you’ll have another reason to let people know that your bar is always the most exciting place to be. Be sure to check your local laws to make sure you have all the permits needed.
Engage and advertise directly to your community with Nextdoor
With all of these new bar marketing ideas, you’re probably ready to roll up your sleeves and start crafting a new marketing cocktail. Before you start posting, printing, or filming for potential customers, we’d suggest you start connecting with those in your neighborhood through Nextdoor.
Nextdoor is the only place where you can market to your community and hear back directly from them. With over 53 million recommendations for businesses made by neighbors on Nextdoor, you can get the dynamic feedback you need to build a better business. Visit Nextdoor today and start creating your Business Page—it’s the first step any bar should take when looking to advertise.
Sources:
Web restaurant store blog. Ways Your Restaurant Can Give Back to the Community. https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/1852/charity-ideas-for-your-restaurant.html
CNN. This restaurant owner spent $2,000 from his advertising money to promote his competitors. https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/21/us/wisconsin-restaurant-owner-helps-competitors-trnd/index.html
Marketing charts. Restaurant Operators Rate TV Ads Most Effective for Driving Revenue. https://www.marketingcharts.com/television-22076
Bant. New Study Shows Advertising In News Outperforms Facebook And YouTube. https://www.bandt.com.au/new-study-shows-advertising-in-news-outperforms-facebook-and-youtube/
On the line. Unique ways to promote your bar. https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/on-the-line/unique-bar-marketing-ideas
