Ask An Expert: Quick wins

I've just taken on a new pub and cash is tight. Are there any quick wins that will get the tills ringing without breaking the bank?

Any easy place to start is by getting the outside of your pub up to scratch - everything should look clean, fresh and inviting. Make sure external chalkboards flag up your food offering, drinks deals and upcoming events to entice new and returning customers inside.

As soon as they enter, the inside of your pub should continue the welcoming theme, so if you haven't already, thoroughly clean and declutter your bar and public areas to freshen things up.

Once you've got customers inside your pub, you need to ensure that they stay and spend with you. Clearly signpost ordering points and reorganise your back-bar to give prominence to the higher margin drinks you would prefer your customers to enjoy.

If you have a food offering, make sure menus are readily available and that your internal chalkboards promote specials, snacks and sharing platters. Think about offering meal deals such as a drink and main course for a fixed price to encourage the lunchtime and weekend crowd.

Check the calendar for upcoming events that you can benefit from. The Easter weekend, for instance, is a chance to not only fill your dining room but also to benefit from the reassurance of advance bookings, if you promote well enough in advance.

As a final thought, as a new licensee do you have a story to tell that the local press would be interested in? Perhaps you won awards at your previous pub or your new pub is a local landmark. Contact your local paper - you might get some PR out of it.

Gemma Teed is a strategic planner at marketing communications agency Brahm​