Capturing the Service Industry

Capturing the Service Industry

I see all the time in every market the typical promotion of a Service Industry Night(SIN Night). Nearly every club owner or manager tries to turn an early weekday into a profitable night by getting nightclub workers to come to his or her bar by enticing them with cheap drinks and specials. I am not against this(as I have seen places do well with this promotion), BUT this is not at all what I am talking about.

The type of Service Industry I am referring to is building a loyal client base of surrounding restaurants, pubs, and bars on all of your nights. Think about this…. Where do servers, bartenders, cooks, and managers go after they close down at midnight. That’s correct… they head to a bar and have a drink.

**************THIS IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!****************

Now, how do you get this to work? It takes work, but it is a really simple concept. Think about your area of town and all of the restaurants within a couple of mile radius. Write them down. Now once or twice a week, start visiting them for lunch, dinner, or drinks(I am willing to bet you go out to eat once or twice a week anyway). Introduce yourself to the server, bartender, or manager. TIP BIG! Leave a business card and invite them to come hang out after work for a drink. DO NOT PROMOTE TO THEIR CUSTOMERS, ONLY TO THEIR EMPLOYEES!

Do not be afraid to give them a gift certificate. Tell them to bring friends and co-workers. Make sure they ask for YOU when they do come. Buy them a drink. Do a shot with them. Make them feel important.

Do this every single week for the life of your business and I will guarantee that if you visit these other service industry places, they will all reciprocate the gesture.


Taking it to The Next Level

Now that the easy part is done, it is time to take it up a notch. Get business cards printed with a catchy name…. i.e. “SIN Loyalty Cards”…

On the other side of the cards, design something that allows the patron the opportunity to be rewarded the more times they come visit, or the more beers they buy. Something like, every time you buy a beer, get a whole punch or a signature…. 5 Beers and the next one is on us. Give these cards to every single service industry person that comes in the building. Give them to every single server, bartender, or manager that you visit during the week. Make sure they know how much you appreciate the loyalty.

Easy enough.