Tips to Create a More Profitable Bar and Beer Program

Tips to Create a More Profitable Bar and Beer Program

Read these 5 quick tips on how to create a more profitable bar and beer program!

1. Sell More Craft Beer

While craft beer may have a higher acquisition cost than traditional macro beer, the profit margins are considerably higher. Craft beer typically sells for $2-3 more per pint than mass market beer. With roughly 120 pints per 15.5 gallon keg, you can make an additional $200-300 per keg.

2. Save Time and Money

In our experience, as well as the bar managers we have spoken to, you can spend upwards of 3-5 hours per week updating your beer lists. Between updating print menus, your website, and social media, that time really adds up. If you could save 50-75% of that time, why wouldn’t you?

3. Educate

With the additional time savings, you can more effectively educate your staff and customer base about the finer points of craft beer. A staff that can describe different beers and their styles properly will sell more beer. A customer base that understands the differences between mass market beer and craft will drink better (and more profitable) beer.

4. Craft Beer-Focused Promotions

Focus on promoting your craft beer program: tap takeovers, beer dinners, and meet the local brewer events will all drive consumers into your location. Local brewers and distributors are more than willing to invest their time to help you sell more product.

5. Get Evergreen

With a database of over 40,000 craft beers, 115,000 downloads of our app, and 65,000 monthly visitors to our website, our reach can really help you promote to the craft beer fans out there. Our easy-to-use platform can combine your web menus, print menus, on deck list, Facebook and Twitter updates into a simple, easy to use, all-in-one solution.

In addition, we also can help you design and implement digital beer boards using your existing TVs. Don’t just take my word for it, see what our clients say.

Digital Beer Display – Future or Fad?

Digital Beer Display – Future or Fad?

It seems more and more restaurants, bars, taprooms and brewery tasting rooms are jumping on the digital bandwagon with large format HDTV displays featuring their daily offerings. Is this the future for the industry? Will this be the death knell for the old fashioned, hand written chalkboard?

I’ve been in many taprooms and bars with poorly or sloppily written chalkboards and I’ve been to many that have gorgeous, artistic and creative boards. Many craft beer centric pubs and restaurants have a very DIY vibe with exposed beams, old relics and vintage signage and the chalkboard seems to be part of that “charm.”

A lot of places have a hip, tech type vibe with an almost industrial feel and the digital board seems to fit right in.

While the chalkboard will never really go away, there are numerous reasons why a digital display makes sense:

  • Sleek
  • Fits in with the existing TVs behind the bar and around the restaurant/bar/tasting room
  • Crisp, easy to read fonts (when done properly)
  • No more climbing up a ladder or standing on the bar to change beers
  • No more chalk covered hands (and clothing)

Digital displays also open up a host of questions:

  • Do I have to buy new equipment?
  • Do I have to contract with an A/V company?
  • Will the TVs I already have work?
  • How do I update my content?
  • How much is it going to cost me?
  • In a world of rapidly changing technology, which solution is best for my location?

We know that every location is different and both sides have their benefits and drawbacks. Unlike an analog chalkboard, a digital solution from Evergreen combines digital menu, online menu and print menu maintenance, social media and advanced data tools all into one easy to use interface.

I’d be happy to share what we’ve learned about making the digital transition and show you some examples. For more information, drop me a line: [email protected] or check out some examples here!

Andy Coppock

Business Development // Evergreen

How Bars are Promoting on Instagram

How Bars are Promoting on Instagram

promoting on Instagram

Instagram made major waves a few weeks ago when it released its new video sharing feature. It was an instant hit, with 5 million uploads in just its first 24 hours live.

Media sharers everywhere quickly forgot about its predecessor, Vine, and embraced Instagram’s version which featured longer 15-second videos and allowed users to edit frames and apply one of Instagram’s beloved filters. Businesses immediately recognized the exciting potential of this expansion on an already prominent social media marketing tool.

Just this week Open Roads Films released the first ever Insta-video movie trailer for the biographical film ‘Jobs’ staring Ashton Kutcher, illustrating the new frontier of advertising possibilities that this app has opened up. Instagram video gives businesses an easy way to share in-depth, interactive, and exciting perspectives of their products with their consumers. Here at 4 ideas for how you can use Instagram video for your bar:

1. Introduce Your Employees

Literally putting a face to your name is a great way to give your business a more personable feel. Consumers love to see that the people behind their favorite places and products are genuine, friendly, hardworking, and fun people much like themselves!

If you own a bar or restaurant, make a video of your chef whipping up one of your most popular dishes, your bartender shaking up some cocktails for happy hour, or a clip of your manager inviting people in to watch the game this week. Loyal customer bases come from real connections between your employees and the guests they serve. Instagram videos are a great way to introduce your staff to all of your followers and initiate that feeling of familiarity.

[RELATED] OUR BEST INSTAGRAM TIPS FOR BARS

2. Make a How-To Video

Intsa-video is just another way to have a conversation with your consumer. Making a simple ‘How-To’ video is a fun way to engage your audience about something they might find interesting or beneficial, kind of like a visual blog.

Bar owners might try something like, “How to achieve the #perfectpour”- which is also a great way to show off what you’ve got on tap! New Belgium made their own tutorial entitled “How to make a streak plate”, which gave their followers a unique look at the microbiology aspect of craft brewing. Check it out:

3. Behind The Scenes

Taking your customers behind the scenes is an opportunity to get them interested in what’s going on with your business and what’s in-the-making that they have to look forward to. Burberry proved the power of this with their viral Instagram video featuring a behind the scenes compilation of their spring/summer 2014 fashion show in London last month that got a whopping 18,000 likes.

In the craft brewing world, Stone Brewing Company’s behind the scenes flick gave their followers a sneak peak of the bottling of it’s newest collaboration brew Drew Cutis/ Wil Wheaten/ Greg Koch Stone Farking Wheaton w00tsout! to get them amped for its arrival.

This is a way for you to increase transparency between you and your consumers, making them feel more connected to your business.

[RELATED] NEW INSTAGRAM FEATURES FOR EVERGREEN CUSTOMERS

4. Special Announcements and Promotions

With Instagram video, your marketing promotions can literally come to life. Gone are the days where social media advertisements are static and 2D.

If you have a special announcement to make- happy hour deals, a new location opening, seasonal promotions that you’ve got going on- Instagram video is the perfect way to get the word out in an exciting, creative way!  The sky is the limit for the types of campaigns you can create and there are countless examples of savvy businesses that are profiting from the newest social media marketing tool!

Here’s wishing you a Happy Friday from us at Evergreen!