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Marketing Your Illinois Business

Promotion Ideas to Increase Foot Traffic in the New Year

January 10, 2020

If you’re a bar or restaurant owner, you have probably tried running a promotion in the past. We’ve written several blogs about promotions, but we know that everyone could use some new inspiration every once and a while. Check out some of these promotion ideas to help you drive more foot traffic to your establishment in the new year!

Before you get started on creating a new promotion, you need to do a little bit of groundwork to make sure your promotion is as successful as it can be. First, analyze any promotions you may have run in the past. How did they perform? Did the results meet your expectations? Did you exceed your budget? What were your weak points or what could have used improvements?

While it may seem a little pessimistic to dwell on previous promotions (whether they were successful or not), this kind of reflection can be critical to setting up your new promotion. Remind yourself of important details before creating your promotion to steer yourself towards success. Who are your target customers? Are you going to need extra staff for this promotion? Are you giving yourself enough time to plan ahead?

Now that you’ve answered these important questions, you can begin to plan your new promotion! Check out some of these ideas to give you a burst of inspiration!

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Leverage Local Events

If you’re a small business located in a close-knit community, take advantage of any local events that may be going on. Does the local high school have a game this week? Offer a special or discount on food & drink to people who show up with a ticket to the game. Not only does this show support for your local community, you can also expect to see a bump in foot traffic!

Trivia Tuesday Nights

Trivia nights at bars and restaurants are only becoming more and more popular – whether you’re a small, local establishment or a national chain. Offer drink specials to any patrons who are planning on participating in the game – and make sure your trivia is interesting enough to keep players coming back! Reoccurring events like this can help you build a larger base of loyal returning patrons.

Get Social with It

Want a low cost, low effort promotion that you don’t even have to run? Make a post on your social media accounts saying that anyone who likes this post and brings it into the establishment can get a free appetizer or 10% off their next meal. It may sound too easy, but customers love a quick and easy way to get a small discount. Just make sure that you make it clear that the offer is only valid for a specific amount of time!

Embrace the Local Music Scene

Do you have a small area in your bar or restaurant that can be used as a make-shift stage? All you need is a stool and maybe a microphone, and you have the perfect set-up for a live open mic night! Advertise your monthly (or weekly) open mic nights as a place where aspiring artists can express themselves! Don’t forget to incentivize any performers or attendees by offering a drink special or appetizer special.

Are you planning on creating a new promotion in the new year? Let us know how it goes by leaving a comment down below!

 

Sources

https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/restaurant-promotion-ideas

https://www.buzztime.com/business/blog/walk-this-way-simple-ways-to-increase-foot-traffic/

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