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BAR MANAGEMENT IN TOUGH TIMES
As the saying goes, “The definition of
insanity is doing the same thing over
and over again and expecting different results.” I can’t
find anyone who
believes BAR AND CLUB’s current (and old) business model
is appropriate for the present reality. On the other hand,
it’s difficult to even find a healthy
discussion about what is needed to re-set this industry's
business model for
even 2010. Clearly, The Bar, Lounge, Club, Sports Bar, Beach
Bar, Restaurant Night Life Bar format are in desperate
need of a viable new financial model
that can not only survive, but compete, in the perfect storm
that all these on premise liquor establishment face..
While it’s easy to remain fixated on the blow-by-blow of
negative cheap drinks and giving the bar away, it's
much more difficult to make the change to focusing on
attracting Women, Spenders and Quality Patrons.Almost
everyone seems to agree that it is past time for some behind
the times Owners to step up and step out of their, out of
touch thinking, and get a long-overdue “makeover.”
Once that process begins,dominoes will fall and other Bars
and Clubs will undergo substantial format changes.
YOUR MANAGER HAS TO BE DEDICATED, COMMITTED,
WILLING, ABLE TO MANAGE, MARKET, PROMOTE, HOST, PRESENT,
PRODUCE AND PROFIT FOR YOU.
IF YOUR MANAGER IS NOT WILLING OR WANTING TO
DO ALL OF THE ABOVE, THEN FIND ONE WHO IS.
The substantial format changes are inevitable.
It’s a nasty but necessary process that the
entire industry seems to be waiting anxiously to occur, and
it's certainly only for the good.
It's all about "Bar Management In Tough
Times".
Meanwhile, something very disturbing is occurring all
throughout the industry, bars and clubs are closing down
weeknights, and simply depending on two weekend nights to
make it.
I am totally opposed to this option.
Yup, this diverse multiplatform consultant is
urging bars and clubs not to take this
Two Nights To Nowhere approach.
But rather, I guide my bars and clubs to be
on the ground floor of the “New Bar and Nightclub
Model"
Bar Management means hands on, no days off, one night off,
that's it for now, You must have a total
dedication to reformatting your entire bar without
delay.
Bar Management is all about taking the lead and not being
one of the followers.
With the launch of "MY
SUPERIOR STRATEGIES", I am
working with traditional and new Owners as well as
General Partners and Managers, to create the “BEYOND
SURVIVAL & SOAR" Nightly formats.to
emerge on the other side of this mess in a far better
position then they presently are operating from. It's all
about what Bar Management will do to survive this current
crisis and emerge a much more profitable, popular and packed
bar?
P.A.C.K.E.D.=
PREPARING ACTION CONCEPTS KNOWINGLY &
EXCITEDLY DELIVERED
THAT IS THE APPROACH I TAKE TO SPONTANEOUSLY
RESPONDING TO THE PROMOTIONAL NEEDS OF A BAR OR CLUB THAT
NEEDS A MAJOR INFUSION OF "THE FUN" AND "THE
WOW". TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. WHILE MOST OWNERS
ARE CONCERNED WITH PAYING THE BILLS, HIRING, FIRING,
ORDERING, THEY HAVE LITTLE TIME FOR "P.A.C.K.E.D."
BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THESE TIMES CALL FOR , FAST,
DETAILED, TARGETING WOMEN, INTERACTIVE, STREET BUZZ GALORE,
NO CLUB PROMOTERS NEEDED, NO RADIO SPOTS WANTED. YOU
implement "P.A.C.K.E.D."
I ASKED THE "NIGHTCLUB & BAR
CONVENTION YEAR AFTER YEAR AGO TO HAVE A PROMOTIONS
SHOWDOWN, I ASKED MR. ED MEEKS TO SET UP A "PROMOTIONS
CHALLENGE" AND I SUGGESTED MR. HENRY, MR. FORD, MR
TAFFER TO DUEL WITH ME FOR 2 MINUTES.
EACH OF US WOULD BE GIVEN THE SAME THEME, AND
WE HAD TO FORMULATE AN ORIGINAL IN DEPTH PROMOTION BASED ON
THAT THEME.
ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, CREATE, THE
FORMAT, THE FOOD SELECTIONS, THE DRINK MENU, THE FUN, THE
ENTERTAINMENT, AND THE MUSIC.
BUT MR. MEEKS, THE FORMER OWNER OF THE SHOW
IN VEGAS DECLINED.
SO INSTEAD, THEY CONTINUED WITH THE SAME OLD
SEMINARS, WHICH I DECLINED TO SPEAK AT.
THE DAYS OF ROUNDTABLE CONVERSATIONS ARE
OVER.
LOOK AT THE MAJOR DECLINE IN ATTENDANCE, IN
EXHIBITORS AND IN THE OVERALL PRESENTATION OF THE LAST SHOW.
BAR, CLUB, LOUNGE SPORTS BAR OWNERS
WANT DIRECTION AND ACTION NOT TALK RIGHT NOW.
WHAT GOOD ARE DRINK MENUS FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC BRANDS,
IF YOUR BAR IS NOT JAMMED?
WHY DO SOME IN THIS BIZ PLACE MORE IMPORTANCE
ON
BOASTING YOUR BRANDS BEHIND THE BAR, RATHER
THEN CREATING A CROWD GOING ON AROUND THE BAR?
THE PROMOTIONS SHOWDOWN NEVER TOOK PLACE, BUT
I STILL USE THE SAME FORMULA EVERY DAY TO CREATE, DESIGN,
FORMULATE "THE FUN" AND "THE WOW
FACTORS".
YOU DON'T NEED SPEAKERS, YOU NEED DETAILED
PROMOTIVATION. YOU NEED RESULTS, THAT'S WHAT I DELIVER.
___________________________________________________/
WOMEN,
WOMEN & MORE WOMEN
TURN THEIR HEADS AND TURN THEM ON
YES,
YOU WANT LADIES NIGHTS, BUT NO
YOU
DON'T WANT LADIES DRINKING FOR FREE.
YOU
WANT LADIES PACKED INTO YOUR BAR FOR THE HEADING TURNING,
THE EYE POPPING "MALERTAINMENT" YOUR FEATURING.
NO,
NOT SOME CHEESY MALE REVIEW, BUT STYLISH, TRENDY, AND
SOPHISTICATED MALE SENSUAL, SEDUCTIVE AND HEART STOPPING
"MALERTAINMENT".
IT'S
A FORMAT I CREATED TO RISE ABOVE THE TYPICAL AND THE
PREDICTABLE, YET AT THE SAME TIME ATTRACT THE HOT TIGERS AND
THE SIZZLING COUGARS AT ONCE.
YOU
WANT WOMEN WHO SPEND.
WOMEN WILL
SPEND, THEY HAVE PLENTY OF DISPOSABLE INCOME, THEY ARE IN
MANY SITUATIONS FAR BETTER OFF FINANCIALLY THEN THEIR MALE
COUNTERPARTS IN THE SAME FIELD OF ENDEAVOR THAT THEY WORK.
STOP
PLACATING THEM WITH "LADIES DRINK FREE" NIGHTS AND
START APPEALING TO THEM WITH NIGHTS THAT ARE DEDICATED TO
THEM WITH GIRLS GONE STYLED.
NO
MATTER HOW DAZZLING YOUR DECOR AND DESIGN IS, WITHOUT THE
ENERGY AND THE FUN AND THE WOW, YOU CAN'T EVEN BEDAZZLE
WOMEN. BUT I CAN, BECAUSE "MALERTAINMENT"
MAKES WOMEN STOP, LOOK, AND
REACT............................................
TASTINGS
DO NOT TURN INTO REVENUE
HOW DOES THIS
PUT CASH IN YOUR REGISTER,
WHEN SOUTHERN,
OR REPUBLIC NATIONAL OR A LIQUOR VENDOR OR DISTRIBUTOR WANTS
TO INCREASE A BRAND'S PRESENCE IN YOUR ESTABLISHMENT,THEY
BRING IN THEIR BRAND MODELS, GIVE AWAY POS AND WORSE OF ALL
GIVE PATRONS FREE TASTINGS OVER AND OVER.
AT THE END OF
THE NIGHT, THE REP WILL GIVE YOU A BOTTLE OR TWO OF THE
BRAND TO COVER THE COST OF THE TASTINGS.
BUT, WHAT PURPOSE DOES
HAVING TWO BOTTLES OF A BRAND SERVE, WHEN YOU MISSED OUT ON
ALL THOSE CASH DRINKS?
YOU SHOULD ALWAYS DO
THE FOLLOWING WHEN OFFERED A BRAND PARTY:
A. EXPECT THE BRAND
MODELS TO SHOW UP AND TO SELL, I REPEAT SELL THE BRAND AS
THE FEATURED DRINK OF THE NIGHT AND UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES
SIMPLY ALLOW THE BRAND MODELS TO WALK AROUND AND OFFER DIXIE
CUPS, PLASTIC GLASSES, SHOT GLASSES OF THE BRAND TO SAMPLE.
B. YOU SHOULD
TIE IN THE GIVEAWAY OF POINT OF SALE MERCHANDISE WITH THE
FEATURED DRINK, NO YOU ARE NOT FORCING PATRONS TO BUY THE
BRAND TO TASTE IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR A FREE T-SHIRT,
CAP,VISOR, KEYCHAIN, OR OTHER BRAND ITEM, BUT YOU ARE NOT
SIMPLY HANDING OUT, THROWING OUT ON THE DANCE FLOOR OR
MINIMIZING THE VALUE OF THESE POS ITEMS BY GIVING THEM TO
JUST ANYONE FOR BEING AT YOUR BAR AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.
C. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS
MAXIMIZE THE BRAND TASTING NOT AS THE MAIN EVENT OF THE
NIGHT, BECAUSE ON IT'S OWN, THESE TYPES OF LIQUOR PROMOTIONS
DO NOT DRAW CROWDS ANY LONGER.
THESE ARE MIDDLE
OF THE NIGHT, EXCITERS, DELIGHTERS, AND DISTRACTIONS.
I HAVE CREATED A STEP
BY STEP SPECIFIC PROCESS AND FORMAT FOR MAXIMIZING BRAND
TASTINGS AND IN THE MIDST OF THE NIGHT MAKING MONEY HOURS.
I HAVE HELD HUNDREDS
OF BRAND PARTIES AND I WILL ADMIT FIRST HAND RIGHT HERE,
RIGHT NOW, THAT SIMPLY HAVING THE CAPTAIN MORGAN GIRLS
GIVING OUT SAMPLES,
GIVING AWAY
MERCHANDISE DOES NOTHING TO FILL YOUR
REGISTER WITH CASH.
THOSE DAYS ARE LONG GONE.
YOU NO LONGER NEED TO
JUSTIFY THE NIGHT BY RECEIVING ONE OR TWO FREE BOTTLES OF
CAPTAIN MORGAN AS YOUR JUST DESERT FOR ALL THOSE DRINKS THAT
WERE GIVEN OUT.
THE BAR IS YOUR MAIN
SOURCE OF REVENUE, RESPECT IT, AND REINVENT IT, DON'T REDUCE
IT TO RINGING UP COMP TASTINGS AND SAMPLINGS.
FROM THE MOST
SOPHISTICATED ULTRA LOUNGE TO THE DEEPEST OF DIVE BARS THE
GAME REMAINS THE SAME,
PROFIT FROM BRAND
PARTIES FROM NOW ON.
A ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS BAR IS STILL USING RADIO &
NEWSPAPER, ONE QUESTION, WHY?
THIS BAR IS WASTING $900 A WEEK BETWEEN RADIO SPOTS AND A
NEWSPAPER AD, NOBODY IS COMING IN EXCEPT A FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY NIGHT PATTERN OF REGULARS, YET THIS BAR DOES THE
USUAL "BEER PONG", "WET TSHIRT", HOW DO
YOU GET THROUGH TO
BARS THAT LAME IS, AS LAME DOES AS LAME GOES.
THEY TELL ME "WE HAVE A PILE OF BILLS TO PAY", OF
COURSE YOU DO, HOW CAN YOU KEEP UP WITH YOUR SET OVERHEAD,
WHEN YOUR ADDING TO IT WITH MISTAKEN MARKETING?
###############################################
I FINALLY GOT THROUGH TO THEM.
CLUB PARTNERS FINALLY SEE THE
LIGHT,
NO MORE CLUB PROMOTERS.
Hi Rich
As we continue to follow your ways to grow and create
The FUN, the partners have finally seen the value in not
using promoters and are in the process
of ending the use of promoters ..... the slowest part of the
year has always
been June, and we have always lost $$$ each year.
But not this year.
As we doubled our sales from a year ago and turned a profit.
In addition
to a GREAT June we are hitting July with a full head of
steam...our last
week created $12K in sales and with that trend, should hit
our target of $55K
in sales for July..... and with the "new" school
year starting in August
we should have some fantastic months ahead of us ....
Thank you on behalf of myself and the Partners.
Will keep you posted, We appreciate your
continued input, insight and expertise, as the
partners are seeing the value of being creative and adding
fun at the club
We are still re-defining a few things and tweaking others as
we continue to implement your strategies.
Have a great week
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LD
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HOW TO DEAL WITH NO SMOKING
ORDINANCES, NOISE ORDINANCES.OUTSIDE DECK ADDITIONS, CABARET LICENSES
& THE REST OF THE PAINS IN THE REAR.
You cannot simply ignore
Ordinances that your Community has put in
place to counter situations, citizen
complaints and possibly problems that
your own establishment may be
part of.
Often you create a major mistake, by
retaining an Attorney that clearly places your establishment in
an adversarial position with local governing bodies and law
enforcement.
I have found one on one direct face to
face meetings can resolve issues in a much more expeditious manner
with a much more friendlier atmosphere as well.
Once you bring in the Lawyers, the
defenses, the motions, the objections, the specifics of the incidents,
all take on a far more formal status, as well as a life of their
own that you have no control over.
There are always remedies that do not
require "THE SUITS".
"THE LEGAL BILLS", "THE
LENGTH OF TIME", "THE PUBLIC PRESSURE".
When you take "a stand in the sand,
your not going to budge" strategy, you
always raise the tension, the emotions
and you cause "The SUITS"" to
circle the wagons.
Passive Persuasion is the method I
recommend.
Why is it I can see the light at the end
of the crisis, but Owners harbor
such bitterness and anger, they let their
emotions cost them thousands of
dollars and way too long a time
frame to reach an amicable agreement?
I always have the answer, the key is
making it palatable for both sides to
embrace.
When an issue is on the hot seat, the
last thing you want to do is add fuel to the fire.
This is not about the Law, it's all about
"COMPROMISE", "COMMON SENSE"
"CONSISTENCY" and
"CREDITABILITY"
I am thee Nightclub, Bar, and Restaurant
Consultant, where most see Problems, I have Solutions.
The Most Widely Viewed Pains In The
Tuchus that Owners face are
A. Smoking Ordinances
B. Minors
C. Problematic Patrons
D. Incidents inside and outside
E. Obtaining Permits for Outside Areas
F. Approval of a Cabaret License
G. Drug Activity
H. Rumors, Innuendos that are destroying
your Establishment
I. Failure of Vendors to Support
your Establishment
J. Entertainment Bookings
K. Management/Employee
Policy/Relationships
L. Partner Disputes (Often worse then a
bad marriage)
M. Internal Theft, from over pouring, or
simply coming up short cash.
N. DJ Behavior, Microphone rants,
Communication skills
O. Relationship with local law
enforcement.
After 40 years in this
Industry, these seriously are all a "CAKEWALK" for
me to deal with.
Each of these situations
require and demand common sense and professionalism along with a touch
of chutzpah, to resolve expeditiously.
FORGET EGO, FORGET HARD FEELINGS, STOP
LETTING IT DRAG ON.
REMEMBER RESOLUTION............
I call it "THE IRON MAN
SYNDROME"
BEING THE BEST DAMN BAR
PERIOD!
YOU SPENT ALL THIS MONEY
REMODELING YOUR BAR, YET YOUR STILL THE SLOWEST BAR IN TOWN.
WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO
REALIZE IT'S NOT JUST YOUR APPEARANCE BUT YOUR ENERGY?
YOUR BAR HAS TO
PROJECT ONLY THE BEST IN PATRONS, DRINKS, STAFF, IMAGE, FUN, WOW,
MUSIC, DANCE, FOOD, ( YOU DO NOT NEED A KITCHEN TO SERVE FOOD) I JUST
HAD A BAR IN YONKERS, NY TELL ME AFTER INVESTING ALL THAT MONEY IN A
KITCHEN, NOBODY IS EATING.
OF COURSE NOT.
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO
SPEND, SPEND, SPEND, TO SERVE FOOD, WHEN FOR A MINIMUM INVESTMENT, YOU
SHOULD GENERATE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WEEKLY IN FOOD SALES.
TO BE THE BEST DAMN BAR IN
YOUR TOWN YOU HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT, CONSIDERATE, COORDINATED,
COOPERATIVE,
CONSOLIDATED AND CONSUMING.
WOW, DID A BAR OWNER
ACTUALLY SAY "PROMOTIONS ARE USELESS"? LET ME COMPLETE THAT
STATEMENT" "PROMOTIONS ARE USELESS, WHEN ALL YOU DO IS
CHEAPEN YOUR BEER, YOUR DRINKS AND GIVE THE BAR AWAY".
WHAT IS A PROMOTION WITHOUT
A VISION?
WHAT IS A PROMOTION, IT'S A
STEPPING STONE TO MOVING YOUR BAR FOREWORD AND TAKING BACK YOUR
NIGHTS. MAYBE THE REASON YOU THINK PROMOTIONS ARE NOT VITAL IS BECAUSE YOU
DON'T RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE AND THE URGENCY IN ATTRACTING THE RIGHT
BAR CROWD? DO YOU HAVE A CLEAR VISION OF WHAT A PROMOTION SHOULD
CONSIST OF? THAT IS YOUR MAIN PROBLEM YOU MINIMIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF
"THE FUN" AND 'THE WOW" AND YOU COPY YOUR COMPETING
BARS THINKING SINCE THEY ARE PACKED WITH CHEAP AND FREE DRINKS/BEER
THEN THAT IS THE COURSE TO TAKE?
WRONG. BAR OWNERS ARE UNDER
ALOT OF PRESSURE TO MAKE DECISIONS AND ACT QUICKLY, ESPECIALLY IN THIS
DOWN ECONOMY.
SOME WILL MAKE DECISIONS TO
CHASE COMPETITORS AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE RIGHT GAME TO GET INTO.
IF YOUR SEEN AS "THE
FUN" AND "THE WOW" BAR, YOU SEND A MESSAGE THAT
YOUR THE PLACE TO BE.
I HAVE TURNED AROUND MORE
BARS THEN ANY OTHER PERSON IN THIS INDUSTRY.
I HAVE TAKEN BARS THAT ARE
DOING GOOD AND HAD THEM DO GREAT. OFTEN SOME OWNERS ARE IN DENIAL,
THEY ALLOW NEW BARS TO OPEN WITHOUT STEALING THEIR THUNDER AND
MAINTAINING THEIR MARKET SHARE.
SOME OWNERS IGNORE THE
REVENUE FALLING, THE PATRON COUNTS GOING DOWN AND WAIT TILL THEY ARE
ALMOST EMPTY TO ATTEMPT TO TURN THE TIDE.
FOR EVERY ACTION ,THERE
MUST BE A REACTION IF YOUR GOING TO THRIVE IN THESE BARE BAR TIMES.
WHAT I DO IS GIVE YOU THE
SOLUTIONS, BEFORE THE PROBLEMS ARISE.
I DIRECT YOU TO BEING
PACKED, BEFORE YOUR CROWDS
START SERIOUSLY
DIMINISHING.
I SHOW YOU THE MARKETING
THAT IMPACTS NOT THE KIND NO ONE REACTS.
YOU
READ IT HERE FIRST.............................
SEEMS
"McCAFE" PUT A REAL TASTE AT A GREAT PRICE OUT THERE.
"STARBUCKS" IS TAKING
IT'S NAME OFF ONE OF IT'S SEATTLE STORES ADDING ALCOHOL TO THE MENU
AND REBRANDING THE STORE AS " 15TH AVENUE COFFEE & TEA".
THIS NAME IS SUPPOSEDLY GOING TO
REFLECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOCATION.
IT IS OPEN NOW AND IS SERVING
COFFEE, TEA, WINE AND BEER.
WE
SHALL SEE IF THIS PILOT STORE TAKES OFF? SHOULD RESULTS BE VERY
POSITIVE, CORPORATE HAS PLANS TO OPEN EVEN MORE OF THESE NEW
CONCEPT STORES FIRST IN THE SEATTLE AREA, BEFORE GOING NATIONWIDE.
THESE ARE CALLED "RETHOUGHT COFFEE SHOPS".
SO FROM LATTE, TO LITE BEER, WHO WOULD OF THOUGHT
"STARBUCKS" WOULD EVER OFFER BREWSKIS?
CLEARLY SHOWS THE DRAMATIC SHIFT IN THINKING FROM TAKING
"McCAFE" HEAD ON, BUT RATHER SHIFTING FORMATS TO
EXPAND THEIR MARKET SHARE AND REACH.
YOU CAN AND YOU SHOULD IMPLEMENT THE
FOLLOWING POLICIES, POST THEM IN A PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATION AND
ADHERE TO THEM:
These policies should be printed on a
very stylish professionally produced sign.
1. You have a "ZERO" tolerance
illegal substance policy. Use, display and or possession of any
illegal substance will not be tolerated and you will be asked to leave
the premises.
2. You must have a
valid ID for entrance, we reserve the right of entry and patrons
entering may be subject to a search.
3. Be advised that our
"Hosts" will enforce our "ZERO" tolerance Policy
for fighting, patrons ignoring this rule, will be denied admission
permanently.
4. No beverage are allowed to be brought
inside our establishment.
5. No alcoholic
beverages are permitted to leave our establishment.
THANK
YOU, THE MANAGEMENT
WHAT YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING FOREWORD TO:
LABOR DAY WEEKEND = RECORD BREAKING
NIGHTS
HALLOWEEN = RECORD BREAKING NIGHT
SAINTS & SINNERS NIGHT = RECORD
BREAKING NIGHT
THE NIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING =
RECORD BREAKING NIGHT
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS EVE = RECORD
BREAKING NIGHT
NEW YEAR'S EVE = RECORD BREAKING NIGHT
IF YOU DO NOT EXPECT TO HAVE RECORD
BREAKING CASH FLOW OVERFLOW, PACKED TO THE WALLS FOR THESE NIGHTS AS
WELL AS FOUR NIGHTS EVERY WEEK, THEN PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL ME RICH UNGER
@ 941-921-7027 OR EMAIL RICHUNGER@PROMOTINGNIGHTCLUBS.COM
