St George's Day: get organised!
MANY PUBLICANS will be familiar with the potential of events such as St Patrick's Day and Burns Night to drive customers into their outlet, but how many of you have considered St George's Day as an opportunity to slay some of your sales targets?
Obviously, patriotism is a sensitive area at the moment, particularly where the England flag is concerned. Perhaps your first consideration should be whether your customers, staff and local residents will feel that this is an appropriate occasion for you to celebrate. Consider your mix of customers and catchment area and if you feel that the fit is good, here's how to make the most of the occasion.
It's probably a wise move to concentrate on the 'heritage' aspect of St George's Day - Ye Olde England, in a nutshell. So focus your efforts on traditional English theming and activities. It's all about simple family fun and celebrating the legend of St George and his slaying of the dragon. Be clear on what you want to achieve from the day and who you want to attract - existing or new customers, day trippers, tourists or families - and plan your event accordingly. Think about what is right and realistic for your pub.
Events do tend to mean 'family' and that means keeping the kids entertained. Putting on pin-the-tail-on-the-dragon, hiring jugglers or even hosting a traditional Punch & Judy show could all reap dividends by persuading mum and dad to stay for another.
For the grown-ups, Morris dancers, fire-eaters or a 'knight's challenge' competition among your regulars could all be great crowd-pullers and are appropriate to the occasion.
We can't rely on the weather to perform, so plan an indoor alternative to any outdoor events and make the most of any covered outdoor space you have prepared in advance of the smoking ban - it's a great opportunity to show it off. If you feel that prominently displaying the England flag is inappropriate for your pub, substitute red and white flowers, ribbons, etc. and perhaps incorporate some subtle bunting to your decorative scheme instead. It might also be worth asking your drinks suppliers what branded materials they can provide.
To ensure your efforts are rewarded with a profitable day, you need to promote the event. Make sure your staff are fully briefed well ahead of the big day and ready to generate some buzz by talking it up to your regulars.
Make use of existing hotspots such as chalkboards and menus to let your customers know what is happening and think about using external signage or contacting the local paper to bring new customers in.
Tune into the atmosphere of the day and sell on the back of that. Several brewers will be doing St George-themed specials, which is an ideal
opportunity to get your customers to try a half of something new. Link it to a meal deal with, say, easy to prepare hot roast beef rolls and you could be on to a winner.
If events mean family, family means soft drinks. Stock up on an interesting variety of premium softs to prevent them walking out early at the thought of yet another half-pint of cola. Kids' non-alcoholic cocktails such as 'Dragon's Venom' or 'Knight's Courage' could be a hit here.
As a final thought, double check your staff rota for the day to make sure you can cope - the last thing you want is for a new customer you've tried so hard to attract getting fed up with waiting to be served and never coming back. With St George behind you, you can look forward to a packed and profitable house as you drink to his health.
- Gemma Teed is a strategic planner at Leeds-based marketing communications agency Brahm
