SURVIVAL IN 2012

2012 BAR & NIGHTCLUB SUMMER FUN!

By RichUnger@promotingnightclubs.com

Every Bar, Club, Sports Bar, Lounge, Restaurant with a Bar, Beach Bar, Tiki Bar, Hotel Bar, all should take full advantage of "HOT FUN IN THE SUMMER".

As I always state, if you have a deck, beer garden, beach bar, patio, outside seating area, you are in the most advantageous position to maximize your Summer Success.

I made ten suggestions to a new Casual Restaurant, that just opened, it is one of 45 in the chain.

In just it's two weeks open, it is the #1 revenue producing, profit making, people packing unit.

FACT.

You maximize "SUMMER FUN", in every single element of your format.

The Food

The Drink

The Music

The Fashion

The Atmosphere

The Image

The Staffing

The Sports

The Movies

The Trends

The Holidays

The Marketing

The FUN

THE WOWSER

THE FAB

STOP RIGHT NOW ! Think about what you have planned for June, July, August, September?

Do you have POWER PROMOTIONS?

Are you going to empty out your competition based on what your overall "CONCEPT" is?

Are you going to double your numbers from last year?

Are you going to attract lots of hot women, I mean women who not only look great, but are successful, and smart, and savvy?

Are you going to transform from the typical, average, predictable place to an OUTSTANDING

ESTABLISHMENT?

Are you offering "Alluring APPS"?

Are you adapting your Menu to embrace Summer Specialties?

This Summer is a MAKE OR BREAK for both chains and independents.

There is very little room for mistakes.

There is nothing you can take for granted.

There is no competition that you can't empty out and take all that business away from.

There is no sense in spending a penny on radio, newspaper, magazines, or traditional marketing.

There is NO TIME FOR YOU TO SIMPLY SURRENDER, TO SIMPLY IGNORE, TO SIMPLY OPERATE IN DENIAL, TO SIMPLY LOOK THE OTHER WAY, TO SIMPLY STAY THE SAME!!!!

You Owners are facing three very tough, very daunting, to be totally honest, very scary Months ahead.

What worked before will not work as well this Summer.

Don't be a "COPY CAT", be a "LEADER Of FUN, WOW FACTORS & FAB".

Email RichUnger@promotingnightclubs.com

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WHY DO CLUB PROMOTERS ASK ME TO DO WHAT THEY SHOULD?

Hey there Rich! I have been reading your articles and so far I feel
great I read them.

I recently took over a night which used to have an average of 350 people
or more... Now the night has around 60 people (up to 90 when lucky).
Finally I decided to take things into my own hands and take over the
night myself as I am able to professionally create flyers, I can do a
lot of face-to-face promotion since I go out every night of the week to
the top clubs. I am beginning to apply the great ideas you mention on
your web site. I should expect to have some good returns on that. I am no
longer focusing on promoting the drink specials, now I am promoting the
music more, and also the club's atmosphere.

Is it a good investment to have hot girls dressed in bikinis be the club
Go Go dancers? The promoter on Friday (which fills up the place to
capacity and makes thousands) usually does really well even booking male
models and the girls seem to love it!

Are there any more ideas you can share with me on how to bring more
females over? We used to have a guy bringing a party bus and that's what
was helping the night... but the guy now works for the competition due
to not making enough money with his bus service.

What are some ideas to make the night hot? Our audience is mostly
college students and some older people who are loyal to the club. I am
trying to negotiate with the owner to throw Events that we can give
away/sell bikinis right at the club @ great prices. Also trying to
set up a pool in the back of the club and hire at least 2 cute college
girls which will not only go in the pool but dance in the main stage.

Again thanks for your information and if you could help me out with a
few more pointers on bringing HOT people in... that would be great

Thanks, Alex

MY RESPONSE:

Alex, your a club promoter, you take on a night, that has almost totally tanked. Now you want to attempt to the night, pack with a great crowd. Your first marketing technique are "Flyers". You want to invite potential patrons face to face nightly when you go out, you think having girls dancing in bikinis is going to attract a quality crowd, you are all over the marketing map, with hit or miss, mostly inconsistent proposals that are either ineffective, outdated or have no impact at all.

You didn't need to rely on a Party Bus, sure that's a nice addition, but it should have no impact if it is gone.

You have a propensity to rely on so many others to accomplish what you can do yourself.

You keep stating, they do this, they do that, but you should be taking COMMAND and DOING IT ALL.

Your wasting way too much money, depending on far too many others.

You never hire girls to dance, NEVER EVER. Female Customers want to dance, you do not detract from a night, by bringing in girls you have paid to dance. Your not a strip club, your a night club.

Your Owner should be thrilled to give away $75 bikinis that he only pays $22 for. He can have beer distributors, liquor vendors pay for the bikinis either through reimbursement, direct payment or marketing and sponsorships. It is legal in most States and done on a daily basis by hundreds of liquor establishments.

You seem very unsure of where you stand with the Owner?

If you do not have the "FULL SUPPORT" of the Owner, unfortunately you are doomed to fail.

It is very easy for any Owner to give anyone the responsibilities of packing their Club for a night. It is very daunting for anyone who is faced with these challenges to actually be successful.

It's not about flyers, or Face book, or radio ads, combined they are less than 1/3 of what you need to implement in order to have a successful night, that transcends into a packed week night, every week.

For example, we had a club that hosted a Spring Break event, packed the club with over 600 clubbers every Wednesday Night. When Spring Break was over, I had to plead with the Club Owners to continue the night's format. Needless to say, the format was a huge success for three straight years. Because we kept updating it, tweaking it and refining it, rather than doing the same concept in it's usual context, week after week after week.

You sound young, and also very disjointed as to what you want to do, with a clear plan and course of action.

You might want to watch the TV Program "THE PITCH" on AMC, and learn how ad campaigns are created. It's not the same old "Come on into this Club Concept" any longer. I find many Managers and Club Promoters in , way over their heads, because their egos are bigger and larger than their actual experience, knowledge and hands on education in Club Marketing, Club Producing, and Club Packing a Crowd in.

You need to step back, sit down, take a legal yellow pad out, and plan your Concept. What it is going to entail? What time is it going to start? What market you are targeting? How is it going to play out? How many people are you aiming to bring into the Club.? What are the aspects of "FUN" and "WOWSER" going to be? How far in advance are you going to begin the marketing? What is the profit level going to be and from what streams of income is it going to be generated? What genre of music are you going to spin? Who is going to host the Night?

These are just some of the basic elements you need to know, before you even go any further. Most important what kind of support is the Club Owner going to provide you with? If the Club Owner is not going to back you 100%, walk away NOW. In all reality the Club Owner, should have his GM or his Promotions Manager do their Promotions and not an outsider. Honest, but realistic. The club is now done to sixty people on a night it use to attract over 300. That tells you, this Club is having major internal and external issues. DON'T END UP IN THIS SITUATION, EMAIL RichUnger@promotingnightclubs.com NOW, ACT NOW. WHY SUFFER, SINK and SLIP into the "Abyss"?

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My name is Ken, I own a local bar & grill in ______ called ______________________.

my wife and I have owned the bar for 1.5 years and it has been a great ride so far. Like anything else there are ups and downs, slow nights and nights where you can not move in the place. I am looking for some advice on driving my business to the next level

Its time to make some real money I'm looking to build solid happy hours and like everyone else I know I want the beginning of the week busy

I guess I am looking for some advice on how to drive to the next level a little more consistency and overall profit that's what I'm here for.

My friends call me the "gimmick man" I have done everything from beach night where I fill the bar with sand and everyone is in beach attire to toga parties. I'm looking for a little advice on grabbing that extra edge on my competitors and step it up its time to see some real money and profit growths. Thank you in advance for any advice you have.

MY RESPONSE: KEN, YOU DON'T NEED ADVICE, ADVICE IS WHAT A LAWYER GIVES YOU ON LEGAL MATTERS. YOU NEED IN YOUR FACE, ALL ABOUT YOUR FACE EXPERTISE !

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU DON'T CHARGE A COVER CHARGE, AS I HAVE SAID OVER AND OVER AND OVER, YAWN, YOU CAN'T GO TO A MOVIE FOR ALMOST LESS THAN $10, WHY SHOULD YOU PLACE THE BURDEN OF YOUR BAND ON YOUR BAR SALES?

WHY DO YOU OFFER BEER PONG, WHICH NEITHER BUD BEER, OR MILLER BEER WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT? WHY DO YOU HAVE AN OPEN MIC NIGHT WITH CHEAP BEER, WHEN MUSICIANS ARE COMING TO JAM, NOT TO SPEND? WHY DO YOU STILL OFFER KARAOKE? KEN, IT'S BEEN SUNG ALREADY. PUTTING SAND IN YOUR BAR IS FINE, BUT THAT'S A ONCE A YEAR, ANNUAL EVENT THAT REQUIRES ALL OF YOUR BLOOD , SWEAT AND TEARS. "HAPPY HOUR" IS NOT WHERE THE MONEY TO BE MADE IS FOUND. KEN YOU ARE PUTTING YOURSELF AND YOUR WIFE THROUGH OWNER HELL, BECAUSE YOU ARE BURNT OUT, TIRED, WORN OUT, AND SIMPLY LOST FOR CREATIVITY.

IT'S THE NIGHT LIFE HOURS FROM 10PM TO CLOSING FOUR NIGHTS A WEEK. I SOUND LIKE A INSTANT REPLAY OVER AND OVER OF WHAT YOU OWNERS SHOULD GET THROUGH YOUR HEADS.

YOU DON'T WANT ADVICE, YOU WANT PROVEN, EXPERTISE.

THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE IN DIRE NEED OF. KEN, STOP TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PACK MONDAY AND TUESDAYS, WHEN NFL FOOTBALL RETURNS YOUR MONDAY NIGHTS, IF YOU PLAY THEM RIGHT, WILL BE PACKED. TUESDAYS ARE A LOSER, UNLESS YOU HAVE REINVENTED THE WHEEL TO EMPTY OUT COMPETING BARS, LOUNGES, BAR/GRILLS WITH A REALLY POWERFUL WEEKLY PROMOTION? KEN, IT'S NOT "GIMMICKS" THAT MAKE A BAR, BAR AND GRILL, CLUB, LOUNGE, SPORTS BAR SUCCESSFUL, IT'S "CONSISTENCY". YOU ARE OPERATING IN A "HIT AND MISS" MODE. THE STRESS, THE PRESSURE, THE HASSLES, THE HEADACHES AND ALSO HAVING YOUR WIFE WITH YOU 24/7 IS SADLY GOING TO COST YOU EITHER YOUR BUSINESS OR YOUR MARRIAGE. YOU ARE 100% WRONG IN THE WAY IN WHICH YOU ARE OPERATING. YOU REFUSE TO OPEN YOUR EYES AND THIS, YOU NEED TO REALIZE.

Email RichUnger@promotingnightclubs.com

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WHY DO OWNERS THINK REMODELING THEIR CLUB IS THE TOTAL ANSWER?

Hey Rich,

My name is Tom, I am the General Manager of a Nightclub in ____________________, called the ____________. I am at a stand still with getting people in the doors. I have only been Manager for three months now. We closed down in January to remodel and attract a new clientele. We were having free well all night with a $10 cover charge on Thursdays, Free well from 10-12 on Friday, $2 domestics on Saturday, Thursday was named Thirsty Thursday, Friday was FML Friday, and Saturday was Saturday Night Standard. We closed down because those promotions was bringing in the wrong crowd. After the Remodel and name change we are doing Thirsty Thursday with $1 wells all night with a $10 cover. On Friday we Are doing a Free for all Friday with No Cover and drinks at regular price. On Saturday we are doing Absolut Ladies night. Reverse cover for the ladies. We pay them $5 to come and guys pay $5. The only drink special we have that night is $2 absolut cocktails for the ladies only. We have had one Party on a Friday night that did great but the following week we fell back into our slump. We are planning another Party with a _______________ theme. We would also like to throw another ____________ but I don't want to burn out our customers. Its was the highest profit single night we have had since we opened, and people are begging for it to come back. What can I do to get the club "popping" with the clientele we are looking for? Thank you. Any help would be great.

MY RESPONSE:

HEY TOM, THIS CLUB CLOSED DOWN, THEN REOPENED, YOU HAVE BEEN THE MANAGER FOR JUST THREE MONTHS, YOU ARE STILL FIGHTING OFF THE PREVIOUS PANIC PROMOTIONS THAT THIS CLUB WAS KNOWN FOR. CHEAP DRINKS. "FREE FOR ALL FRIDAYS WITH NO COVER",

YOU THEN HOST A NIGHT WHERE YOU PAY LADIES $5 TO COME IN. YOU HAVE HOSTED ONE PARTY NIGHT THAT YOU "DID GREAT WITH" BUT THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK INSTEAD OF CONTINUING WITH WHAT PEOPLE WANTED, YOU SIMPLY DID NOTHING, AND LOST ALL THAT MOMENTUM. HOW CAN YOU BURN OUT YOUR CUSTOMERS, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY? YOU HOSTED ONE NIGHT THAT WAS THE HIGHEST SINGLE PROFIT NIGHT IN YOUR THREE MONTH EMPLOYMENT, AND YET YOU TOTALLY TEAR DOWN THE FORMAT, AND ARE CONCERNED WITH WHAT? PEOPLE ARE "BEGGING" FOR YOU TO BRING BACK THAT PARTY THAT YOU MADE THE MOST $ ON, BUT YOU HAVEN'T EVEN HOSTED THIS CONCEPT AGAIN? ARE YOU RUNNING A FEVER? ARE YOU ON MEDICATION AND FORGOT TO TAKE IT? YOU ASK A QUESTION OF ME, THAT YOU ALREADY ANSWERED IN THE REMARKS BEFORE YOU ASKED. THE HELP YOU NEED IS CALLED "COMMON SENSE", "LOGIC" AND "SEEING WHAT IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU". EVER HEAR THE SAYING " A DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS"? NUFF SAID.

EMAIL RichUnger@promotingnightclubs.com But Please, read what you write, before you send it. Thank You. ( banging head on keyboard)

LOOK AT YOUR RATIO OF WOMEN WHO COME INTO YOUR BAR, YOUR LOUNGE, YOUR CLUB, YOUR TAVERN, YOUR PUB, YOUR SPORTS BAR?

IF YOUR serving four or three Women to every Ten Customers you cater to every Night, you are in a crisis mode. Women are the key to every single establishment serving beer, wine, liquor. There is a reason Women are not frequenting your establishment.

Let's start with your "Ladies Night" being a total bomb.

Let's review your overall format.

Let's ask a simple question, Why Would Women even want to patronize your place?

Look @ the men you allow in, the way you let them dress, curse, act, and that is 70% of your problem.

The other 30% can be attributed to your "FORMAT".

YOU HAVE NO "FUN", NO "WOWSER", NO "FAB".

WHAT DO I MEAN, PREMIER PROMOTIONS, THEMES, EVENTS, CONCEPTS, PARTIES, CELEBRATIONS, GATHERINGS, HAPPENINGS, CONTESTS, THAT APPEAL TO HOT, SMART, WOMEN.

YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE THE EFFORT, YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THE HEAVY LIFTING, AT THE END OF THE NIGHT, THE REASON YOUR PLACE HAS DIED, IS BECAUSE OF YOU<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

MY FATHER, ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE, SHARPEST INDIVIDUALS EVER TO BE IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY TOLD ME WHEN I OWNED MY FIRST HUGE CLUB, "YOU BRING THE WOMEN IN WITHOUT DRINK SPECIALS, BUT RATHER FOR WHAT THE NIGHT OFFERS FORMAT WISE, AND YOU HAVE IT".

HE WAS RIGHT THEN, HE IS RIGHT NOW.

THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY MANTRA.

I STARTED WORKING @ NIGHTCLUBS, WHEN I WAS 15, I LEARNED FROM THE KITCHEN, TO THE BAR, FROM THE FOOD SERVICE TO THE NIGHT LIFE.

I PARKED CUSTOMERS CARS, I WAS A VALET

I WAS AN INHOUSE CLEANING CREW, CLEANING REST ROOMS

I WAS A DISHWASHER

I WAS A PREP COOK

I WAS A SERVER

I WAS A TOUCH THE TABLES MANAGER

I WAS A BAR BACK

I WAS A BARTENDER

I WAS A BAR MANAGER

I WAS A SPOTLIGHT OPERATOR

I WAS A DJ

I WAS A HOST

I WAS A SOUND MAN

I WAS A LIGHT MAN

I WAS AN ENTERTAINMENT DIRECTOR

I WAS A MARKETING DIRECTOR

I DID THREE SIXTY SECOND RADIO SPOTS EVERY WEEK FOR FIVE YEARS , OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, WITH NO COPY TO READ. I CHANGED THE MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND EVERY WEEK. I LOVED RADIO, IT WORKED, I KNEW HOW TO PLACE THE SCHEDULE, AND HOW THE SPOTS SHOULD SOUND. NOW RADIO IS OVER WITH. REMOTES ARE FOR CAR DEALERS, AND EVEN THEN THEY NO LONGER BRING IN BUYERS. RADIO HAS TOTALLY LOST IT'S LISTENERSHIP.

SURE BUBBA THE LOVE SPONGE, OPIE AND ANTHONY, HOWARD, RYAN, OWN LARGE AUDIENCES. THAT'S FIVE DJS FROM COAST TO COAST.

THE CROWD YOU WANT ONLY LISTEN TO ONE OF THESE JOCKS, RYAN SEACREST, AND YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO EVEN RUN A TEN SECOND SPOT DURING HIS AIR TIME.

JOBS?

I DID EVERY SINGLE JOB IN THE BOH, AND THE FOH.

BY 29 I AND A PARTNER OWNED ONE OF THE LARGEST NIGHTCLUBS IN FLORIDA. I KNOW THIS INDUSTRY INSIDE OUT. YES, I TALK COCKY, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN WHERE YOU ARE, I HAVE DONE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND EVEN, WHAT YOU WON'T DO, I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE BEST OF THE BEST.

THERE IS ONLY 1 SO CALLED TITLE THAT I HAVE NEVER TAKEN, IS THE SO CALLED NONSENSE OF, A "club promoter", BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE IN GIVING AN OWNER'S HARD EARNED MONEY TO SOME STRANGER WHO TALKS A GOOD GAME, BUT CAN'T EVEN PLAY.

EMAIL RichUnger@promotingnightclubs.com

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WHEN YOU OPEN A BRAND NEW BAR, NEW SPORTS BAR, NEW BAR & GRILL, NEW PUB, NEW CLUB AND YOUR SLOW THE FIRST MONTH, EVEN ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS,YOU HAVE A CRISIS ON YOUR HANDS. DO NOT REACT BY SPENDING MONEY ON RADIO SPOTS, DO NOT RESPOND BY TAKING OUT ADS IN NEWSPAPERS OR MAGAZINES, DO NOT ALLOW STRANGERS TO TAKE OVER YOUR NIGHTS, DO NOT BOOK THE SAME DJ OR THE SAME LOCAL BANDS THAT WORK EVERYWHERE, DO NOT OFFER CHEAP DRINKS OR CHEAPER BEER. THESE ARE THE BASIC DO NOTS.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO ASAP IS EMAIL

RichUnger@promotingnightclubs.com