Forward Marketing a nightclub is all about image and reputation. While your revenue is generated from selling drinks, bottle service, cover charges, and possibly venue rentals, you are also in the business of selling a fun and unique experience to your customers to increase loyalty and overall image and reputation. The most powerful marketing message will come from these customer experiences dictated by the ambiance of your club, the music you play, the entertainment you have, and the different social groups that will attend. Marketing strategies begin by targeting a niche audience. Nightclub advertising is a necessity and it goes hand in hand with a promotional event. Examples are: Ladies Night Wednesdays, Gay Tuesdays or Student Mondays: set up an event calendar for each night open and have different branded events in mind. By having an advertising staff in place, marketing a targeting niche audience, knowing about these events; a nightclub promotional will only be as successful as your marketing strategy will allow it to be.
Competition Promotional Strategies Motowne on Main Street in Mauldin, SC is the only late night nightclub in the area. This club has directed its attention to a mature adult crowd, of which I am focused on as well. They have advertised on the local radio station and have a web site. Motowne on Main Street has celebrated its third year in business and are doing a steady flow of business. They serve food, have live entertainment, and hours of operation are from 7pm till 2am on Wednesday thru Sunday ("Motowne on Maine," 14). The Studio 220 in the down town Hyatt Regency Greenville has advertised for the mature professional adults after work. Their marketing strategy is to the professional class working adults after working hours Thursdays evening. Showing their business cards and offering a free drink; however, this is new to the area, and has not really been tested as of yet. They serve food from 2pm – 10pm, and are open until midnight. When I called to further document the information I had heard on the radio, I was told that Studio 220 is just a space in the hotel for rent on a specified time, not a permanent location. The Orb Lounge is the bar for their guest to have drinks.
Recommendation Strategy Promotion is one of the key elements of the marketing mix, and deals with any one or two ways of communication that takes place with your niche audience. The type of crowd determines the choice of marketing and promotional methods used. Finding the right mix of events is important because certain groups will be drawn by whatever is popular, while others will look for something not available everywhere else. Choose a signature event, drinks or décor theme to make a night out stand apart from other area night clubs.
Consumer-Oriented Promotions Deciding on a marketing communications strategy is one of the primary roles of the nightclub marketing manager. This process involves some key decisions about who the customer is, how to contact them, and what the message should be. Dividing potential customers into discrete groups is vital if you want to increase the success rate of a communication message. If you do not know who you are talking to, it is unlikely you will get much of a response. Who are the potential customers? How many sub-groups should you divide them into? How do these groups differ? Hopefully, this information will be readily available from your nightclub marketing manager research. Rosehill and Media (2014) state, “The bar and nightclub industry in the United States is a $23 billion market, according to an October 2012 report by IBIS World, a major source of industry data. Competition for those dollars is strong, but your club or bar can get its fair share of this market by expanding your customer base and giving your regulars a reason to visit your venue more often through clever promotions” (p. 1).
Pricing Strategy Most importantly, by evaluating