A clear signal
Growing your market can be an expensive business but getting the message right can certainly pay off. By Peter Segal of srcg, a consultancy specialising in retail strategy, category development and training.
Meeting current customer needs is vital for any business and so it should be. Attempting to reach new customers can be expensive and often without reward.
However, many pubs will need to find new customers to grow their business and to do so they need to consider how they market themselves.
I would suggest there are three key steps to "getting people through the door".
Firstly, pubs need to have a clear understanding of the message they want people to receive. Find out what your current customers say you are good at and why they come to the pub to help you decide what makes you different and this will be your communication message. This is a fundamental building block that will elevate your business above the competition. You don't have to be good at everything to be different, but you do need to be clear on what you want to be known for. This is your "business proposition", your "people come here because..." statement.
Secondly, the message needs to be communicated to your audience. Potential customers are out there right now looking for a suitable place to eat or drink with very little information to help them. This doesn't have to be expensive, it might simply mean working your current assets harder.
If you are on a busy road, the outside of your premises can be used to communicate to passing traffic. This could be via posters or chalk boards, or more fundamentally in the appearance of the premises.
There are pubs that have successfully reached their market through painting the outside walls - the new look has created a message that has got through to the target market. I know of a pub that changed its name and in so doing clarified its message that it was a great place to bring the family.
Your message can also be communicated through local press and radio. Try calling either of them up and offering dinner for two in a competition, or challenge them to find a better beer or atmosphere in the area.
The internet is a fantastic place to display your wares. Websites are inexpensive and quick to set up. Where relevant, a head office can help by setting up a corporate site that ensures the right links have been made to drinking related websites.
It is also possible to get featured on other websites - try searching for "pubs" using any search engine and see what you get, you'll be amazed if you haven't tried it before.
Thirdly, you need to implement your communication strategy. It may not take long to think about the kind of things that you can do, the time is really in making it happen.
Try enlisting the help of others, perhaps local businesses whose employees you can send lunchtime menus to.
Can you ensure that today's customers leave with tomorrow's menu and have an incentive to bring more people with them? By enlisting the help of your local sales representative, you will be making them look good in their company by getting them involved in your activity. Ask them to produce literature for you or to provide help in building a website. You can help them justify their expenditure by giving them till data to assess the cost and benefits to them of the activity, getting more people through the door benefits them as well as you!
In summary, there are many practical, inexpensive things pubs can do to reach their market. However, let's not forget those current customers because they are the cheapest and most effective marketing mechanism available to man.
srcg is a consultancy specialising in retail strategy, catgory development and training. srcg facilitates collaborative working between retailers and manufacturers in the On-trade, Multiple Grocery and Convenience. Tel: 020 8948 4048 or visit www.srcg.com
