Nightclub marketing encompasses all the things you as a nightclub owner or manager do to bring in customers, and most of it comes down to building your club's unique brand. When the name of your nightclub conveys a certain experience, and people have an expectation of the experience of your club before they arrive, your club has a brand. Here is a quick guide to nightclub marketing techniques that have been tried and proven for brand building.
Promotions and Events
Successful promotions attract new clientele segment or boost existing clientele, and they're great for adding excitement to slow weeknights. Discounts and themes are two major pillars of successful nightclub promotions. Whether it's Goth night, disco night, or a 2 for 1 special, promotions and events are staples of successful nightclub marketing.
Contests
You don't have to spend a lot of money to host a trivia contest or a costume contest. Dance and karaoke contests are also popular ideas that don't cost much to host. With a well-attended contest, the cost of a nice prize will be more than made up for by increased sales and further promotion of your club's brand.
Press Releases
When your nightclub hosts an event benefiting a local charity, always issue a press release afterward. If you don't know how to write one, you can hire someone to do it for you without spending a lot of money. Getting a press release picked up by local media can boost your nightclub marketing strategy considerably.
Creative Visual Advertisement
Posters and stickers containing QR codes or interactive links can be effective nightclub marketing materials. A QR code customers can scan for a free drink offer or to waive the cover charge can bring in more people, as can a poster placed in an unexpected spot, like the window of a local business or on the side of a vending machine, for example.
Branded Merchandise Sales
As your nightclub's brand starts to solidify, consider selling branded merchandise, either from behind the bar or in a "gift shop" zone in your establishment. Not only do you profit from sales of the merchandise itself, the merchandise's wearers and users advertise for you whenever they wear their t-shirt or pour their friends shots in your branded shot glasses.
Customer Relationship Management
Some clubs implement customer relationship management (CRM) programs to better cater to their regular or VIP customers. CRM software is available to help you learn more about and track your best customers so you can offer them the best possible experience when they visit your nightclub. It's a great way to increase loyalty and gather information that helps you better target your nightclub marketing campaigns.
Social Media
If you're not already regularly using Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+, you should be. A social media strategy doesn't cost much to implement and maintain, and can have great reach. Offer a free drink to customers who check in at your nightclub with their phones, and their social media friends will see where they are and perhaps decide to join them.
Text Marketing
Text marketing is an exciting and effective form of nightclub marketing. People have their phones with them at all times, and text messages are opened much more quickly than emails - usually within two or three minutes. A promotion code or notice of a contest sent out by SMS can reach large numbers quickly, at a very low cost. If your nightclub isn't using text message marketing, you're missing out on a great nightclub marketing technique.