Simple Ways To See Your Hospitality Business Succeed
Working in the hospitality industry at the moment is harder than ever, and since the start of 2020 many small pubs, restaurants, hotels, and clubs have struggled to stay afloat amidst a global pandemic.
However, there are small ways you can make your business in this industry succeed and thrive every day - and today we want to talk you through some of those things.
Keep it simple
One of the most important things to remember when starting a hospitality business is to keep the concept simple. It can be all too easy to think up crazy ideas for themes, recipes, and events for your patrons - but it can be difficult to manage a lot of these things in those first few months. Be sure to keep your concept simple to start with and you are much more likely to find the success that sticks.
Host a launch event
When launching a new restaurant or club, you should drum up as much interest as possible before you begin - and this can be achieved with a launch event. Launch events allow you to invite people from the local area to experience your venue in all of its glory and you can host a tasting menu or a cocktail evening to show off your stuff. By marketing this way as you begin your business journey you will be able to gain an audience before your official opening day and therefore hopefully have more patrons in that first weekend.
Have a signature drink
Whether you are the owner of a swanky new club or a family pub - it is a great idea to have a signature drink on your menu. Your signature drink could be a beer you have brewed yourself, or it could be a cocktail that you have created in house to wow your guests. A signature drink is the kind of thing patrons will tell their friends about and come back for, and if it is a drink they can’t get anywhere else then you have a wonderful opportunity to gain many more followers.
Download handy software
In this day and age, it is important to consider the handy apps you can use for your business in hospitable. For example, if you are opening a nightclub you could use nightclub software to allow patrons to order their drinks in advance and while at their table, making it more likely for them to drink more as the night goes on. Handy apps such as these can make a big impact on your sales because when people are sitting at their tables able to order they will order more frequently and may splash out more on your expensive menu items.
Save on supplies
When opening up your restaurant or venue it is important to consider your menus and condiments. Every table will need the essentials such as salt, pepper, and vinegar and you may choose to add things such as ketchup or sriracha to the table too. Be sure to buy these items in bulk for a warehouse and save a ton of money doing so. When printing menus you don’t need to go crazy with gsm of paper - a simple menu sometimes is easier and it will do the trick. You can also consider laminating them so that you don’t have to replace them every time someone has a spill!
Decorate on a budget
Decorating your venue will likely be the most exciting part of launching your business. When it comes to decorating a venue it is important to have a theme. For example, if you are opening an Italian style restaurant you will want to add elements of red-green, and white, red curtains, the artwork of Italy, and simple wooden seating to give the feel of an Italian escape. There are lots of options you can try with decoration and we recommend making it as unique as you can because your customers will talk about it. You can find inspiration online on Pinterest.
Rent out a wall for art
As a new business owner in your local neighborhood, it is important to make a good impression and to feel like you are part of the community. One of the ways you can do this is to rent out one of the walls of your venue for local artists to display their work. This can be a great opportunity for you to make some extra income and will allow small artists to showcase their work and possibly get sales as a result. This sort of facilitation can be a great chance for you to bond with your community and gain a good reputation.
Allow dogs
If you own a pub or restaurant and want to pull in a whole demographic of people - allow dogs into your establishment. More and more people have pets these days and dogs are like children of their families. By allowing them into your venue you will pull in dog owners and these people are a huge market which many other venues in your area likely haven’t tapped into. Make the most of being unique and being ‘the dog friendly place’ everyone goes to with their family and friends.
Engage in social media
Social media is a powerful tool when you work with food or drink - and showcasing your food or cocktails is a great way to generate interest in your brand. Just think about how many hours people spend looking at food porn on Instagram and make sure that you are part of this. Share both images and videos of your food to tantalize your customers and gain traction.
Create an app
As a small business working in the hospitality business, one of the things that might help your case is creating an application. An app can host your menu items and have news about your company, and those who have the app might gain exclusive deals. It is a great way to connect and engage with your audience even when they aren’t sitting in your venue.
