What kind of fun things can we do, in a local bar, to build my customer base & keep them coming back?

Question

business is so slow and I need something original to offer people, that will get their attention and keep them coming back. (besides cheap, great drinks, we already to that.) Thanks!

Answer 1

You neglected to mention the size of your bar. Is it a nightclub with a dance floor or the smaller neighborhood bar with a few booths and stools?

First and foremost: fresh ingredients, real fruit juice, half and half and high quality garnishes. The reason one would go to a bar is to drink...right? Make your beverages better and more memorable than what one would usually expect. Taste alone will bring repeat customers.

Comfort is important. Who wants to sit on a hard stool for any amount of time.

Do you serve food? Snacks? Something better than the usual goldfish or nuts would be great. Even if you had one night a week where you had a buffet set up for the after work crowd. Taco bars, Gyro bars, etc...something they can make themselves, eat with one hand and not put them out like a light.

Don't laugh, but keeping board games around for your customers to play is really fun. I don't mean they actually use the boards, but games like Taboo or Scruples is a fun way to bring a bunch of individuals together for a fun and laughter full evening. You can make your own rules. We would have one person read the question and before you knew it everyone was crowded around yelling out their answers. There wasn't any score keeping, just laughing at the funny answers.

Make the single people who come in alone feel welcome. Make it a point to remember the name of one who has entered your establishment more than twice. Introduce your customers to one another.

You can always go the way of theme nights, but make certain to give out freebies. Glow sticks are fun. Anything with your logo. Get your name out in the public.

There are so many more ideas if I knew a little more about your bar. But I hope these little ideas get the creative juices flowing. :)

Good luck!

Answer 2

I worked in an Irish pub as a bartender for a few years, I'll tell ya, singing was a blast and it kept people coming back.  But you need to have a good MC, our owner was killer.  Lots of fun.  Maybe give that a try.

Answer 3

Well I always came back if there was good music and good enviroment at the bars I went to... Of course you have to have good music that the majority of the costumers around that neighboorhood like...

Also some good snacks to munch on if you don't already have them and if you can put TVs for sports and stuff that would bring in the sports fans, and you sure as h**l know they like to drink lol  

Karaoke is a good idea at certain days too, depending where the bar is located...