Make Your Location a Destination: Host Regular Events
Last fall, we posted a blog article on the value of hosting regular events at your location, and used the example of Breaux Vineyards in Virginia. The fourth Friday of each month, they host an event with live music and live food and wine specials. Hosting regular or reoccurring events like this is a great way to drive traffic and make regulars out of your customers. In keeping with our March theme of making your location a destination, we’ve dug up a few more great examples of how to make regular events work for your business!
Host a Late-Night Event
DGS Delicatessen in Washington, D.C. is keeping the lights on a little later than usual starting March 27. While their typical crowd comes in for lunch or an early dinner (and they usually close at 9:30 PM), they’re launching their Delicatessen After Dark series. On the last Thursday of each month, bartenders will whip up $10 specialty cocktails to match a different era, style or spirit of the delicatessen.
If your business is more of a lunch/early dinner crowd, this type of monthly event could work for you! When paired with specialty cocktails or menu offerings, it’s sure to surprise and delight your guests!
Host a Monthly Educational Event
The Grape Restaurant in Dallas, TX hosts monthly “Come as You Are” wine dinners. The dinners provide a fun, casual setting, that allows the guest to “come-as-they-are” and dine at their own pace, allowing for a more festive one-on-one format with the wine experts. Themes include a wine expert/host for the evening who speaks to each individual table about the wines selected.
If your restaurant has a substantial wine list or a good relationship with local wine vendors, this type of event would be perfect for you! Not only would your guest host likely be able to promote his/her own wines (if they are the winemaker or wine distributor), but your customers will leave more educated and appreciative of your vast selection (and tasty food)!
Host a Monthly Super Sale Event
Unwined, a wine shop in Alexandria, VA helps customers save big on wine by hosting “Last Sunday” sales on the last Sunday of each month. When customers pay by cash or check only, they are eligible to receive 20% off all in-stock wine purchases (with a minimum 2 bottle purchase) and 25% off all cheese purchases.
Not only does it allow them to move perishable inventory, but it encourages customers to come and see them when they need to stock up! This type of sale works well for specialty retail shops that have a smaller (but higher priced) inventory.
Host a Daily Sale Each Week
Our local Whole Foods Market hosts weekly One Day Sales where a special item is on sale – but for one day only! Hot items like lobster tails, steaks, and specialty nutrition products are usually in high demand, and this type of sale allows Whole Foods to move them off the shelves quickly. Plus, customers learn to keep their eyes and ears open for the next One Day Sale.
If you run a restaurant or bar, you can make this type of one day sale work for you, too! Just pick one night a week to host a special – maybe it’s a “two-for” night: “Two pizzas for the price of one,” or “Two appetizers for the price of one.” It’ll encourage your customers to hang around a little longer, and they’ll keep you in mind for their next mid-week night out!
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