For Bars, Beach & Night Clubs
I. Key takeaways from this Study:
1 - Marketing strategy for bars during a crisis
2 - Composition of a complex marketing plan for bars
3 - Do’s and Don’ts in marketing for bars, beach clubs and nightclubs during COVID and an economic crises
4 - Social Media marketing for bars, beach clubs and nightclubs
5 - Content marketing for bars that makes sense today
In this Case Study we have found some important marketing techniques for Bars, Beach Clubs and Nightclubs that should be used during this crisis. They may not be suitable for every business in this niche since all businesses are different in their needs, budget and goals, however suggested marketing ideas & tips will give you an understanding in which direction your business should move during and after the pandemic.
Marketing for bars, night and beach clubs in Bali has been highly underrated and should be considered as a lifeline, at the current state of the world. In Bali, the Pandemic has caused widespread anxiety resulting in owners and managers struggling to keep their businesses above water and financially survive these difficult times. It is now more than ever that marketing for bars should be planned in a strategic manner, personalized to your specific market and specific target audience. The best way to communicate with your kind of audience is through social media marketing and email marketing. Tourism has stopped dead in its tracks, due to the shut down of international borders, which means bars, beach clubs and nightclubs are suffering the effects of social distancing. The human desire to socialise is this sectors’ main selling point, and if the virus had to break out in a bar, beach club or night club it would spread vigorously as reducing contact is almost impossible in this kind of establishment. Unfortunately for nightclub marketing, their selling point is drinking alcohol in a social environment, which means take away and delivery options will not generate sales the way restaurants will be, selling food.
The method in which you manage and market your business now during the down time, according to your budget and needs, will have an affect on sales and customer acquisition in the future. Consumer behavior will change when the lockdown lifts, as people will have less confidence, less disposable income, and increasing health concerns. Competition will be high, so make sure your marketing strategies for bars, beach clubs and nightclubs directly relate to the “new normal “ consumer behavior we are about to see. In order to find the right tone and follow the most effective marketing plan, professional knowledge and expertise from a 360 marketing agency like Brut, should be given the chance to build your business a sound nightclub branding strategy and help you. Yes, please help!
II. (Post) COVID-19 marketing: how does it look
A “new normal” will erupt from the unexpected lockdown period, meaning the first thing to do when creating your marketing plan for bars, is to re-evaluate the way you run your business, the way you communicate with your customers and ultimately adapt to new and improved marketing strategies for bars. Consumers will be evidently spending less money on luxury outings such as sunset drinks and mid night parties. Tourism will slowly regain momentum, however this will take time to return back to its original numbers and so, looking inward and marketing to the local Indonesian and local expat community, would prove promising. In order to keep your brand alive, being creative and staying live, showing empathy and support through donations and charitable projects, partnership marketing and motivational messaging, will keep the loyalty of your customers.
III. Marketing communication: the key to keeping your brand alive during times like these
Keeping in contact with your regular customers throughout this period is extremely important . Your customers will naturally interpret the way you communicate with them and the way that you react to the situation. This means handling the crisis with the correct demeanor, presenting your brand tone accurately and continuing to nourish a loyal relationship with your audience is vital for future sales.
Allow the future to roll out smoothly, without over promising.
A strong brand strategy is what will help you face the challenges resulting from the COVID-19 crisis in a consistent and effective manner. By putting your core values and brand heart in practice, your business will choose the right long-term decisions and will be able to navigate through the crisis. What is your business’s purpose, or in other words - what are you trying to achieve? What does your brand stand for? These questions and more will help you to align your business’s content strategy and thus allow you to communicate with your customers in a more cohesive and impactful way. The authenticity and genuine meaning that your brand eludes is what will come to people’s minds when it’s time to hit the bar, night/beach club again.
Social media marketing for bars and restaurants, even when you are inoperational, will allow your brand to keep living. Posting hopeful and positive content across your platforms will of course uplift your customers, but make sure to only present them with accurate facts and do it only in a creative way, as everyone already knows that they need to wash hands and keep distance. Adhering to safety protocol and sharing this with your followers, will instill trust. Remaining sensitive and showing support will keep your brand top of mind and when the lockdown does end, and your doors open your customers will be excited to have a drink in your place first!
1.) Let’s turn a negative situation into a positive one
Whilst operational, the least important aspects of a business are added to the end of the To-Do List. Now is the time to tick off these tasks. Take the time to train your staff more vigorously so that they can perform even better than before. Starting planning some future endeavours. Tweak recipes, update costings, perform competitor research and re-evaluate your labour structure. This will improve your efficiency, bring down costs and ensure a smooth running system. This means you will have some budget to spend on your strategic beach club, bar or nightclub marketing plan. Ask your staff for their opinion on these matters, as a fresh perspective can add value and allowing your staff input will show your appreciation for them. If your venue is looking a little shabby, employ your staff to perform deep cleaning and maintenance jobs so that when you open your doors, your venue is welcoming and sparkling! Filming all this maintenance activity and presenting it to your audience as a “behind the scenes” on social media such as IG highlights is a perfect addition to your marketing plan for a beach club.
2.) Be profitable and minimise loss by using a marketing agency for restaurants
In times like these bars, beach clubs and nightclubs have no choice but to shut down their premises. It is the most suitable breeding ground for viruses as these spaces tend to be small, full of customers and profit from people dancing and socialising. Although you may not be able to hold parties at your venue or sell cocktails from behind the bar, there are many interesting ways to keep profiting online (through live streaming parties) and with deliveries (through selling merchandise). Digital marketing for bars, is the best way to spread brand awareness when offline marketing is less probable. Email marketing can be used to share up to date, important information with your regular customers, and social media marketing can be used to keep your customers entertained and positive about the future.
At Brut marketing agency we ensure your brand adopts the best marketing strategies for bars, to stand out above your competitors and impact your target market.
3.) Lower business costs
When there is a downturn of events, and your business´s main form of profit is temporarily eradicated, lowering the businesses running costs is extremely important in keeping the business alive. Looking at the big expenditures, would be the first thing to focus on - Rent. If you are renting your commercial property, then have a casual chat with your landlord and ask them whether a new payment plan, or a “rental holiday” can be put into place, while the crisis runs its course. If you are a good tenant, and have a good relationship, I am sure you can come to some sort of agreement that is fair to both parties. If you don’t ask, you won’t get. Re evaluate your running costs and see where you can cut down on water, electricity and phone bills in the future.
4.) Save the team
Saving your team while temporarily closing your doors is super important. These members are knowledgeable, loyal and know the business well. The best way to limit your active staff is to keep your key staff on board and offer the rest unscheduled and unpaid holidays during this time, and provide them with some sort of incentive to return after the drought. Because this crisis is on a national and international level, most staff will return, happy to be able to get stuck in and earning money, as long as you keep them motivated and excited for the moment that you open your doors. Be consistently in contact with them, updating and asking their opinion to show that you appreciate their commitment.
5.) Keep generating leads, with minimum costs
There are reasonable marketing ideas for nightclubs and bars out there, to attempt and embrace, in order to generate new leads. Although you may not be able to provide your usual product and/or service, providing your customers with a similar experience at home through exciting new content, will keep them interested and eager to visit your venue party, as the lockdown lifts.
The type of content can involve sharing home party music playlist, live streaming performances, offering discounted tickets to a launch party, and building an email list. Post old content to spark enthusiasm and create new, bold, enticing designed content with clear worded messaging, so that you can stand out from the crowd. There is a fine balance between irritating your customer and pleasing them. So - send out enough content, but not too much. Make sure it is relevant, and appealing for your audience
6.) Improve communication with customers
People will be feeling extra sensitive throughout this period of uncertainty. It is a natural human tendency to plan the future with goals and celebrations to look forward to. Because we can not predict the future right now, a sense of doubt is being felt across the globe.
Matching your audience's emotional response, will enable your brand to feed and maintain the relationship you have already spent so much time building.
Listen to your customer through your social media marketing, phone calls and email; and respond with empathy and understanding. Analyse the discussion customers are having on your platforms and on competitor platforms about their future desires. Keep communication open and honest, by not overpromising as well as providing accurate information on the current situation of COVID-19 and the local regulations associated. Keep posting inspiring and uplifting content on a day to day basis, showing your support. Drafting emails and scripts for the correct reactive response is recommended.
7.) Develop new products, expand into a new market
So, your bar or club is closed and you are struggling to expand your product and develop something new and exciting? If your bar was offering snacks or light meals previously, keeping up with deliveries and takeaways, is a definite way to keep profiting and provide a small salary for your employees. Bulk selling mixed drinks or offering tickets to live streamed concerts,could prove to keep your business and employees afloat.
Partner with other businesses, and help market their products. This way, you can take a percentage cut, and the business benefits from the exposure to your audience, selling more. Shifting your perspective, and being innovative is key to pushing through a crisis. Possible redesign and development of your website / application / software should be considered.
IV. What you should & shouldn’t do when marketing for beach clubs, bars and nightclubs
DO’s
1.) Digital
- Let your customers know you are closed for business or new working time, on google and other online maps, on social media posts and on your website.
- Get creative and set up a Live stream, online karaoke party, a friday night sunset drinks, or a trivia night, all in the comfort of your customer’s own home.
- Stream cocktail making shows
- Partner with artists to bring live streamed music to your audience
- Provide your audience with positive inspiring content, so they feel close to your brand, whatever the distance.
- Explore creative ways to build an email list.
- Update your website SEO and Google information. The way one finds you online is important now more than ever.
- Provide only useful content to your audience via email. Irritating them, will only make them want to unsubscribe.
2.) Offline
- Show them that you take precautions seriously by sharing your hygiene protocol.
- Do your corporate social responsibility by encouraging donations for a charity of your choice, or offering a percentage of your profits to be given to those less fortunate.
- Do all the tasks that have been sitting at the bottom of your to-do list all year, NOW!
- Sports and Sex! At least It boosts your immune system compared to Netflix :)
3.) Social
- Create a video story of how your bar opened, and post it on platforms. People love a story, and when better to tell it, than now!
- Create a social media competition to win a free bar tab when the bar reopens.
- Don’t keep automatically scheduled posts. Start manually posting in real time, as the future is difficult to predict.
- Host an online photo contest, where followers will post & tag your place in exchange for a voucher.
- Post cocktail making recipe content.
- Spread useful tips and useful information on the current situation. You want your audience to trust you, and come to you for the most accurate information.
- If you have always wanted to try a new sales platform or social media platform, now is the time to give it a go. You have nothing to lose!
- Partner with influencers and evaluate how you can benefit one another through brand exposure.
4.) Business Development
- Create and offer Spotify playlists with songs to dance to.
- Sell merchandise with your brand and logo on. Come up with something creative that people will want.
- Create a delivery / takeaway product and sell. A cocktail making course and kit would definitely sell!
- Partner with an alcohol brand. Post and encourage customers to enter a Beest drink/ cocktail recipe competition!
- Offer gift vouchers as gifts to buy for family and friends.
- Take a look at new, advanced booking software that may efficiently eradicate any previous errors.
- Consider rebranding your business for the future “ new normal”.
DON’Ts
- Stop marketing activities if you plan to reopen and sparkle.
- Ensure your tone is correct.
- Taking advantage of the current pandemic is out of bounds.
- Don’t sit back and do nothing. Adapting and using the time wisely, will help in the future.
- Do not spread incorrect information to get customers to support you.
- Do not post photos that do not support social distancing.
- Exploit the negativity of the situation or use sarcasm. Remain sensitive. Unless it's really funny :)
V. Marketing approaches restaurants have taken in Bali
We were super interested in the kinds of marketing ideas for bars and beach clubs that were being adopted right now on the island, so we did some research and found the following:
It is a great idea to take your current product and expand on its sales, like Bikini Bar is doing by selling 1L bulk cocktail mixes for delivery and takeaway. Stuck at home and missing your favourite sunset cocktail-no worries. Delivered to your doorstep.
Potato Head have started an incredible #goodtimesathome nightclub marketing campaign that shares entertaining content such as explorative films, interesting written pieces, sustainable hacks and funky music playlists.
Supporting the community is necessary. The Lawn in Canggu is providing the less fortunate with free meals and water every Friday to show their responsibility and concern.
