CLUBS,BARS,SPORTSBARS 2012
HAPPY, HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO ALL !
This is either going to be the year you
soar, or you fall.
I am speaking directly to Owners now.
Add up all the money you spent last year on
marketing, on bands, on DJs, on
advertising, on drink discounting, on no cover
charge, and then add up all
your overhead, everything.
Now take the first number vs the second number,
where do you stand?
Don't forget to count the money you paid your
own bills with.
You used business revenue, so it must be
included.
THERE COMES A TIME WHEN YOU CEASE WASTING
MONEY.
A CLUB four years ago read my article on
spending money on radio, this club spent $100,000 a year on
radio, swore by it. Anyway this Owner decided to take my
strategy and canceled his radio schedule for an entire year.
He never told me about his bold challenge to my remarks, until
the year was over.
He emailed me and told me this entire story
and his results were even mind blowing to him. He did as much
business without spending a penny on radio, then he did
spending $100,000 a year on radio. FACT. TRUE STORY. Not a
single word or aspect of this incident has been changed.
I had another Owner who did not book the same
local bands for six months, he used DJs and other
entertainment that I directed him to present. This Owner did
almost twice as much business in those six months than the
previous six months.
What I speak works, what I pound the stone
about is for "REAL". It's 2012 what you going to do
differently to ring that cash register bell?
I have never ever seen so many bars, clubs,
sports bars change hands, close down, get closed down, go out
of business, partners walk away then in the last year. It is
saddening and heartbreaking.
I know the first time I hear these Owners on
radio, the first time I visit their web site or facebook page,
the first time I receive their emails, I know then that they
are in such a mental meltdown that they are afraid, scared and
in fear.
All these wasted emotions do nothing but cost
you money, business, and reputation.
First panic plan from a huge club is, "We need
to let minors in".
WHY?
All your going to do is get their cover charge,
all they are going to do is try to get an illegal drink all
night. Is this your answer to a "TURN AROUND"?
Next is the "Drop The Dress Code", let anyone
in no matter what they wear, I want people in here. So you let
in the punks, thugs, foul mouth problematic patrons who don't
drink, don't tip, grope your female staff and patrons if you
have any, and you destroy your crowd at the same time, chasing
away all the quality, in trade for the slime quantities.
Then of course you add hip hop crap to your
music mix, only adding to the worse case scenario for a club.
Finally you drop the cover charge, yup, you cut
off a main source of revenue that brought you in thousands of
dollars, because you already ruined 90% of your format why not
make it 100%. Now what do you have?
It's 2012 and this is the way you want to start
this club's New Year?
Are you for REAL?
Hi Rich I came through your
web site and read some of the articles you wrote about
promoting bars clubs etc.. I opened an international
lounge/bar and working on adding a kitchen soon. I agree with
you that Liquor is your money maker, So far I am opening
Thursday to Saturday these seems the day that customers come
in. I eventually want to open 7 days a week when I add TV's
and kitchen so I can get local customers sports events goers.
I don't believe in promoters, especially the ones I don't
personally know. I would to promote my place myself, I have a
lot of energy, stamina and consistency to do this, I just
don't know what direction to start I was hoping that you will
give me some points on what methods of marketing and promoting
is effective and how to go about it. thanks for your help in
advanced.
Zachary
MY RESPONSE:
Zachary, why would you add a kitchen?
THE KITCHEN
EQUIPMENT
THE CODES YOU
NEED TO MEET
THE PLUMBING
& ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS
THE STAFFING
THE CHEF
THE
SILVERWARE, PLATES,
THE FOOD
COSTS
WHAT purpose
would a kitchen provide to this "International Lounge/ Bar"?
Food is not where it's at. You don't need to open seven days
a week to add TVs for Sports, you are already open 90% of
the days and nights, major sports are already broadcast.
You do not
need any club promoters, I applaud your great attitude, You
should promote, produce, present and pack your own
International Lounge/Bar.
The direction
you need is to focus strictly on
Excellent
Atmosphere
Awesome
Female Staff
Spectacular
Dance Floor FUN
Superb
Customer Service
Sensational
DJ
Strict Dress
Code, Cover Charge, EIM, ( EVERYBODY IS IMPORTANT) Section
High Energy
Bottle Service
Great Female
Door Hostesses
Huge Wide
Screen TVs
Extraordinary BAR FUN
Very High
Profile Web Presence
Hands On
Ownership
And you will
soar.
____________________________________________/
CRAFT
BEERS ALONE WON'T MAKE IT
Rich,
I know there is no such thing as a free lunch so I wanted
to ask you how your service works and is priced.
I am a bartender in a beer and wine bar in the
_________ area. We have a nice little bar and strive to be
the cleanest bar with the best service around. We typically
carry around 100 beer selections with 12 draft taps. For the
first few years we gathered a fairly decent crowd of craft
beer drinkers and tried to keep a good rotation of new craft
beers to keep our beer connoisseurs excited about product. We
made a decent profit on quality patrons but never really took
off big like we hoped. In the past year two corporate and
franchise craft beer locations opened up within a mile or two
of our location and kinda stole our thunder to some extent.
Our original owner sold the bar and our new owner has tried to
regain ground and business by catering more to the local
college crowds with beer discounts and specials. We are
seeing a small rise in patrons but more and more who are
looking for the cheapest special and drinking a lot of
pitchers and cheaper drafts. As you know this doesn't help
the bottom line that much. We have decent nights with Karaoke
and some small entertainment acts but we are barely making
it. I am looking for some new ideas to spice things up and
get more ladies in here to keep more of the guys coming and
drinking.
Hit me up and let's talk.
Mick
MY RESPONSE: MICK, OFFERING 100 BEERS IS BEYOND
THE TYPICAL BAR, THAT IS QUITE UNIQUE, SO PATRONS COME IN FOR
A BEER THEY PROBABLY CANNOT FIND ANYWHERE ELSE, THEN WHAT?
YOUR FORMAT NEVER REALLY TOOK OFF BIG LIKE YOU HOPED, BECAUSE
YOU NEVER REALLY ADDED ANY SPICE TO WHAT THE BASIC PREMISE
WAS. OF COURSE YOUR TYPE OF FORMAT IS THE BEER RAGE SO FROM
INDIES TO CORPORATES, MORE AND MORE MASS SELECTION BEER BARS
ARE GOING TO OPEN UP.
THE POINT IS YOU NEVER EVER LET ANYONE STEAL
YOUR THUNDER, YOU STEAL THEIR'S BEFORE THEY EVEN OPEN.
YOUR NEW OWNER HAS NO CLUE WHAT TO DO, SO HE
PANIC PROMOTES TO THE LOCAL BEER GUZZLING COLLEGE CROWD, AND
TURNS THE PLACE INTO A FRAT PARTY. CHEAP BEERS, LOWEST PRICED
PITCHERS, AND CHEAPER DRAFTS, HOW DUMB CAN YOU GO? IF YOU HAVE
DECENT NIGHT WITH KARAOKE THAT OLD WORN OUT, BEATEN DOWN,
FORMAT, THEN STICK WITH IT. THIS IS NOT THE TYPE OF VENUE
WOMEN WANT TO FREQUENT, LET ALONE EVEN GO INTO. I REFER TO
"HOT" WOMEN. IT'S NOT AS I ALWAYS SAY ABOUT IDEAS IT'S ALL
ABOUT AS I ALWAYS SAY , SIGH...................."THE FUN",
"THE WOW FACTORS" AND "THE FAB" AS IN PREMIER PROMOTIONS,
THEMES, EVENTS, PARTIES, CONCEPTS, CONTESTS, CELEBRATIONS,
GATHERINGS, HAPPENINGS, AND UNIQUE ENTERTAINMENT, NONE, NONE
OF WHICH YOU HAVE. I ALWAYS SAY TO DEDICATED EMPLOYEES LIKE
YOU, FIND ANOTHER PLACE TO WORK, BECAUSE THIS OWNER'S MINDSET
I GIVE IT SIX MONTHS TOPS AND HE IS HISTORY.
YOU SHOULD
APPLY AT THESE NEWER BEER PLACES AND GO IN WITH THAT ENERGY,
ENTHUSIASM, AND EFFORT YOU ARE PUTTING FORTH HERE, VOICE IT,
SHOW IT, AND YOU WILL BE HIRED ON THE SPOT. GOOD LUCK.
EMAIL
RichUnger@Promotinghtclubs.com
_______________________________________________/
BEING
FULLY NUDE, BUT NOT SERVING LIQUOR A CHALLENGE, BUT YOU CAN'T
JUST COMPLAIN, YOU HAVE TO TAKE ACTION AND NOW!
Hi Rich,
I have been
reading your articles and agree with what you have written. I
know your expertise has been with liquor clubs and bars
however, the strip club I have here in ___________ is Full
Nude and we cannot serve any alcohol or have any on the
premises. This has been our issue competing with the liquor
clubs and liquor strip clubs in the area. Since the bars close
at 3am we are open till 4am sun – thurs and till 6am on fri
and sat. We tend to get a late night crowd on the weekends and
it feels like we are an after-hours club. This is a different
industry where we need both the customers and girl dancers to
both be at the club at the same time to make money .Currently,
we have enough girls but there is always room for better
quality entertainers. One of the biggest issues we have is
finding an event to host since we can't serve alcohol. So my
question is how can we get more customers to come in and
continue to come back and what type of events can we do that
will keep bringing people back on a regular basis?
Thanks, James
P. S. Any
suggestions on getting quality entertainers that want to work
and make money. There seems to be a small percentage of girls
that make money versus the ones that sit around most of the
night.
MY
RESPONSE: JAMES, BEING FULLY NUDE, HAVING BEAUTIFUL GIRLS
DANCING, AND NOT SERVING LIQUOR GIVES YOU THE BEST AND WORST
OF THE EXOTIC DANCE CLUB FORMAT.
THE
MONEY IS IN THE LIQUOR , BUT YOU DON'T SERVE LIQUOR SO YOU
HAVE TO REPLACE LIQUOR WITH A POWERFUL, RELENTLESS ARRAY OF
"FUN", "WOW FACTORS" AND 'FAB", THAT EVEN AFTER YOUR PATRONS
COME IN AT SUCH LATE, LATE HOURS, YOU ARE FULLY PREPARED TO
DAZZLE THEM WITH NOT JUST YOUR GIRLS, BUT WITH INTERACTIVE,
HIGH ENERGY, SENSUAL PROMOTIONS. YOU HAVE NONE. QUALITY FEMALE
ENTERTAINERS GO TO WHERE THE MONEY IS. VERY SIMPLE, THEY HAVE
NO LOYALTY, THEY WANT TO MAKE CASH FOR THEIR NUDE DASH.
BUILDING LOYALTY IN YOUR ENDEAVOR IS A CHALLENGE THAT REQUIRES
BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS AND THEN SOME. YOU HAVE A JUGGLING ACT, OF
KEEPING ENOUGH HOT GIRLS WORKING WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, DOING
WHAT PATRONS WANT, DESIRE, LONG FOR, SINCE YOU CAN'T SERVE
LIQUOR. THE GIRLS THAT DON'T MAKE MONEY WEAR THE SAME OUTFITS
EVERY NIGHT, DO NOT PUT ANY "EMPHASIS ON THEIR BEAUTY, THEIR
SEX APPEAL OR THEIR STAGE PRESENCE. THEY GO THROUGH THE
MOTIONS, AND JUST WANT TO GET DONE WITH THEIR SHIFT. THE
REASON BEING THEY HAVE NOTHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING AT
AN ESTABLISHMENT THAT DOES NOTHING TO BRING IN MALE SPENDERS.
THERE
ARE NUMEROUS ACTIONS AND STRATEGIES YOU CAN TAKE, BUT YOU DID
NOT RESPOND TO MY EMAIL, SO YOUR STUCK BETWEEN A ROCK AND A
HARD STILLETO, BECAUSE YOU DON'T ACT TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF
YOUR CLUB. YOU ASK, BUT YOU DON'T DO. PS THE WAY TO ATTRACT
NEW GIRLS THAT STAY IS TO PACK YOUR CLUB WITH "FUN", "WOW
FACTORS" AND "FAB' THAT KEEP THEM THERE. KEEP DOING WHAT YOUR
DO AND YOU WILL CONTINUE TO TURN OVER GIRLS ON A REGULAR
BASIS. WHAT A NIGHTMARE.
Rich,
All we are doing are increased drink specials and restaurant
specials
MAJOR_PROBLEMS: People are bored to come here.
COMMENTS: I am the Promotions Manager and the owner of the Bar
doesn't want to listen as he still believes that everything
that worked when he DJd in the 80s can still work today. I
have a promo/marketing team of 20 and they are spreading the
word to get new and better business there but we still have
the reputation as a "ghetto" club because of our previous
bouncers and people still don't want to come in. Help, Justin
MY RESPONSE: JUSTIN, YOU HAVE AN OWNER IN A
CLUB TIME WARP, DOING NOTHING BUT BAR BEGGING AND PRICE PANIC
OPERATING. YOU ARE THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER, HE DOES NOT WANT TO
LISTEN TO YOU. WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO WORK FOR AN ARROGANT
OWNER WHO PUTS HIS LACK OF CURRENT TRENDS TO WORK AGAINST HIM?
HE PROBABLY HAS NO CLUE WHO "LADY GAGA" IS. HE PROBABLY NEVER
HEARD OF "SWEEDISH HOUSE MAFIA". THE 1980s ARE LONG, HE CAN'T
LET GO OF HIS "GLORY DAYS" AS A DJ. IF YOU HAVE A PROMOTIONS
MARKETING TEAM OF 20 AND THEY ARE SPREADING THE WORD TO GET
NEW AND BETTER BUSINESS IN THERE, BUT THEY ARE RUNNING INTO
THE "GHETTO CLUB" LABEL, BECAUSE OF THIS VENUE'S PAST
REPUTATION, YOUR OWNER DOES NOT WANT HELP, WHAT IS THE LOGIC
BEHIND MY GIVING YOU EXPERTISE, ONLY TO HAVE HIM SAY " NO "?
ONCE A CLUB HAS A "GHETTO" CONNOTATION TO IT,
THE ODDS OF TURNING THAT CLUB AROUND IMPROVE ONLY IF YOU
1. CHANGE THE NAME
2. CHANGE THE LOOK
3. FIRE ALL THE PREVIOUS NEGATIVE EMPLOYEES
4. IMPLEMENT A DRESS CODE
5. BEGIN A COVER CHARGE
6. TIGHTEN YOUR PLAYLIST NO HIP HOP
7. PUT WOMEN ON YOUR DOOR
THESE ARE TIPS JUST FOR STARTERS IT TAKES ME 60
DAYS TO TAKE SUCH A BAR OR CLUB AND TURN IT AROUND, BUT IT
DEMANDS
THE OWNER
THE MANAGEMENT
THE STAFF
ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, DEDICATED, AND COMMITTED
TO ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE REQUIRED. OTHERWISE THE CLUB IS
GOING TO CLOSE AND THE 1980s DJ OWNER CAN SPIN ALL HIS OLD
FAVES ON HIS TURNTABLE AT HOME. BECAUSE HE IS THE REASON THIS
CLUB CANNOT THRIVE. IF YOU HAVE AN OWNER WHO IS OPEN TO THE
YEAR 2012 AND WHAT IT TAKES TO BRING IN WOMEN, WOMEN AND MALE
SPENDERS. WHEN PEOPLE ARE BORED, IT'S TIME TO FIRE STAFF, HIRE
ENERGIZED WOMEN, REFORMAT, REVAMP, REINVENT, REPOSITION AND
RECONFIGURE, BECAUSE YOUR PUTTING YOUR FEW PATRONS THAT COME
IN, TO SLEEP.
Rich,
My Restaurant is fully seated for food service till we stop
serving @ 9pm, then everyone just goes there own way to
everywhere they can dance and party, what can I do? Thanks,
Robert
MY
RESPONSE: Robert, all you do is simply move tables and chairs,
bring in the Night Life Setting, and pack your restaurant till
2am, with serious money , low overhead, and "THE FUN", "THE
WOW FACTORS", "THE FAB".
I mean women luring, crowd packing Premier
Promotions.
It's not just the music later at night.
What else are you doing?
It's not about the price of a drink.
It's all about the fabulous, fantastic, "FUN".
Restaurants can reduce their Night Life
overhead by 75% as compared to their food service expenses.
Restaurants can also increase their revenue by
100% as compared to their food service cash flow.
But far too many Owners are too afraid, too
reluctant to take the steps necessary, so they make the
biggest mistake they can, they bring in so called club
promoters who destroy their entire image, which also causes
their food service business to start slowing down.
Think about this, if you can serve great food,
provide excellent service, have a community wide reputation
for being thee place to eat, what prevents you from taking on
the Night Life?
THE MOMENT YOU SPOT IT
REACT!
THIS NEW YEAR, DON'T
WAIT TO GET CALLED "GEHTTO".
DON'T WAIT TO BRING IN
THE WRONG CROWD.
DON'T WAIT TO SEE
FIGHTS LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
DON'T WAIT TO DROP YOUR
DRESS CODE ONLY TO DRAW THE WORSE PATRONS.
DON'T WAIT TO HEAR
NEGATIVITY IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
DON'T WAIT TO START
LOSING GREAT EMPLOYEES.
AND THE BIGGEST
INDICATOR , DON'T WAIT TILL THE MONEY, THE REVENUE, THE COVER
CHARGE CASH, ALL START DROPPING LIKE RAIN DROPS.
IT'S A NEW YEAR, IT'S
TIME TO EMAIL ME, RIGHT HEAR:
IT'S 2012, THIS YEAR, THE
WORDS, "BORED", "STALE" ,"PREDICTABLE" NEED TO BE REMOVED
ENTIRELY FROM YOUR NIGHT LIFE. BE IT A RESTAURANT WITH A BAR
AT NIGHT, A BEACH BAR, A SPORTS BAR, A CLUB, A LOUNGE, IT'S
TIME TO THINK AHEAD AND NOT BEHIND. THAT'S RIGHT DO WHAT NO
OTHER VENUE IN YOUR AREA HAS, FORGET THE CHEAP DRINKS, STOP
THE FREE COVER CHARGES, REFUSE TO BOOK THE SAME LOCAL BANDS,
DEMAND YOUR DJ NEVER CURSE AGAIN, NOT WEAR ANY HAT BUT A
FEDORA, SPIN NO HIP HOP OR TAKE YOUR MIXES AND FIND ANOTHER
GIG IF YOU CAN.
THIS IS THE YEAR TO SHARPEN
UP, SHAPE UP AND STRAIGHTEN UP YOUR ENTIRE FORMAT.
ENERGIZE THAT DANCE FLOOR.
ENHANCE THAT VIP SECTION.
ENTICE THAT BAR WITH GREAT
BAR STAFF.
NEED THE BEST IN THE BIZ,
SIMPLE AS EMAIL:
OWNERS ONLY PLEASE.
HOW TO COMPETE IN 2012
NEVER LOWER YOUR DRINK
PRICES
NEVER DROP YOUR COVER
CHARGE
NEVER ADVERTISE ON THE
SAME RADIO STATIONS AS COMPETING VENUES
NEVER COPY WHAT OTHER BARS
OR CLUBS ARE DOING
NEVER BOOK THE SAME BANDS
OR DJS
NEVER EVER SHADOW WHAT
THEY DO.
INSTEAD
TAKE OUT A LEGAL LINED
YELLOW PAD
DRAW A LINE DOWN THE
MIDDLE
LIST EVERY MARKETING,
PROMOTIONAL, FOOD/BEVERAGE
ADVERTISING ELEMENT YOUR
COMPETING VENUES ARE DOING ON ONE SIDE.
THEN ON THE OTHER,
'TWEAK', 'FINE TUNE', AND ORIGINATE DO NOT EVER DUPLICATE.
DO NOT MAKE THIS ABOUT WHO
IS CHEAPER.
WHO IS LETTING IN SLOBS.
WHO IS CATERING TO HIP
HOP.
WHO IS TOLERATING ANYTHING
GOES.
WHO IS LETTING ANYONE IN
JUST TO HAVE BODIES IN THEIR VENUE.
WHO IS TOLERATING
MISBEHAVIOR BY THEIR STAFF.
WHO IS LETTING THEIR
GENERAL MANAGERS DO NOTHING.
WHO IS ALLOWING THEIR
INTERIOR TO LOOK LIKE A UFC FIGHT TOOK PLACE THERE.
WHO IS LETTING THEIR SIGN
TURN ON WITH BROKEN BULBS AND A BEAT UP PARKING LOT.
WHO IS MAKING UP EXCUES
AFTER EXCUSE BUT NOT TAKING ANY POSITIVE ACTIONS, CHANGES OR
MOVES TO TAKE THE LEAD AND EMPTY OUT THE OTHER PLACES.
AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU
BAR, CLUB, RESTAURANT AT NITE, SPORTS BAR, LOUNGE HAS TO BE SO
DIFFERENT, SO UNIQUE, SO STYLISH, SO PACKED WITH HOT WOMEN,
YOU DON'T ACCOMPLISH THIS BY COPYING WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING.
YOU EMPTY OUT THE
COMPEITITION BY MOVING FAR AHEAD AND AWAY FROM WHAT THEIR
USUAL NIGHTS ARE.
PROJECTIONS, EXPECTIONS, MEAN
NOTHING
When you create a business
plan, with expenses vs revenue with patron counts vs per
person spending, it all means nothing.
You are simply guessing.
A small 35 seat eatery is having
a builder draw up the concepts, the builder thinks will work.
WRONG APPROACH.
All the builder needs as long as
no barrier or structural walls are being moved or knocked down
is the permit. The "RECONFIGURING" should be done by the
Owner.
So many Owners rush to spend way
too much money on matters of renovating, remodeling, remaking,
they ignore what they are spending, worse what they are
creating.
Have a Successful year, it's up
to no one but
YOU.
