As any liquor store owner knows, the liquor store industry is just about as competitive as the NFL. Stores are popping up on every corner, and you need to make yours stand out if you want to survive.
With state minimum pricing and standard options, many customers can go just about anywhere to get the liquor they need for their next party or event.
But you can stand out and make your store the destination for liquor and party needs in your area. How? With a solid liquor store and alcohol marketing strategy that targets the right audience and brings them in the door.
In this post, we'll share some creative promotion ideas that you can use to market your liquor store effectively. From social media campaigns to in-store events, we've got something for everyone. So whether you're a small mom-and-pop shop or you own multiple locations, there's something here for you.
How To Market a Liquor Store: Legal Requirements
Marketing can be challenging for any business, but marketing a liquor store has unique challenges.
Chief among those challenges is ensuring your store complies with all relevant laws and regulations related to your industry. There are strict laws around advertising for alcohol, and many states have specific rules surrounding the do’s and don’ts of marketing your liquor store.
What are some of the key legal requirements to be aware of when marketing your liquor store?
For starters, you need to be careful about the language you use in your marketing resources and materials. There are strict rules around the claims you can make about your products, and you must be careful to avoid using language that could promote excessive drinking.
You must also be mindful of the images you use in your marketing materials. Many states have regulations and alcohol marketing guidelines around using images of people drinking alcohol, so it's important to be aware of these rules and review the requirements for your state.
Failing to comply with legal requirements when marketing your liquor store can have serious consequences. In addition to facing legal penalties, you could also damage your store's reputation and lose the trust of your customers. Understanding the legal requirements around liquor store marketing can help you avoid these pitfalls and build a strong, trustworthy brand.
1. In-Store Events
One of the best ways to promote your store and bring in new customers is hosting events. You can showcase new or existing products and provide customers with valuable information about them.
You can offer tasting events where customers can try different types of wines, spirits, or beers. Or invite vendors to display or offer tastings for new or seasonal products to help strengthen your vendor relationships and provide customers with a positive experience.
Related Read: How to Increase Liquor Store Sales in 5 Steps
You can also host events like live music or game nights, educational events like mixology workshops, or beer brewing classes to bring customers into your store.
Think Outside the Box: Consider using virtual reality tours to allow customers to tour vineyards, distilleries, or breweries from around the world.
2. Loyalty Programs
A part of a successful marketing campaign is bringing in new customers, but you also want to hold onto the customers you already have. Enter: customer loyalty programs.
Creating a loyalty program can help reward customers for their repeat business. This type of program both encourages customers to return to your store and helps customers feel valued and appreciated.
Consider offering discounts, free products, or other perks to customers who sign up for your program or have purchased specific products in the past.
Pro Tip: Simplify your customer loyalty program management by using a point of sale (POS) solution with built-in customer loyalty features.
3. Local Partnerships
Have you heard the saying, “a rising tide lifts all boats?” You can leverage this idea for your liquor store by partnering with other local businesses.
Consider partnering with a local restaurant or food truck for an in-store event. You can also collaborate with another local business to offer coupons or discounts for their business to customers of your store and vice versa.
Local partnerships are a win-win for both businesses and they help to integrate your store into the fabric of your community.
Think Outside the Box: See if you can run a pop-up bar in partnership with another local business to bring additional traffic to their store while promoting yours. Ensure you check local regulations and laws before pursuing this idea.
Social media marketing is a great way to promote your store and products in an organic, personable way. You can use social media platforms to post pictures of your products, share recipes, and host giveaways.
Related Read: 5 Promotions to Try For Your Craft Beer Store
You can use social media advertising to great effect, as well. Consider exploring geofencing, which allows you to run social media ads only to customers accessing their social media applications from a location near your store.
Pro Tip: You can ask customers to try a custom store recipe and tag your store with their results! This type of user-generated content is great for awareness and builds a connection with your store.
5. Displays and Signage
When discussing retail marketing, we can’t forget to mention the importance of displays and signage. The design and signage of your store communicate the store’s feel to your customers, so ensure you’re crafting a store that attracts your desired customer base.
Create eye-catching displays of your most popular products to attract customers to your store and increase sales of these products. You can also consider creative, seasonal themes like holiday cocktails or popular summer drinks in your displays and signage.
Pro Tip: Promote strong sellers and seasonal favorites in prominent window displays to increase foot traffic from passersby.
6. Custom Gift Baskets
Custom bundles and gift baskets are an excellent way to appeal to customers looking for a convenient solution to their gift-giving challenges, while also increasing sales. This is especially true during the holiday season!
However, you don’t have to wait until December to leverage this idea!
Craft themed baskets for special occasions you can offer year-round, like weddings or birthdays. Bundling items together in an attractive format can help you boost sales of lower-selling items by pairing them with bestsellers.
Think Outside the Box: Consider offering a liquor subscription box service featuring a curated selection of products, tasting notes, or cocktail recipes!
7. Referral Programs
Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of word-of-mouth marketing! Referrals are a powerful way to draw new customers into your store and create a stronger relationship with your existing customers.
Consider offering existing customers rewards or discounts for each new customer they bring into your store. Taking these steps can help build buzz around your store and increase customer loyalty.
Pro Tip: Track this data in your POS system to prevent headaches around which customers should receive the benefit or discount from referring another customer.
How To Market a Liquor Store: You Don’t Have to Go It Alone!
Try out any one of these creative promotion ideas — or implement a combination of them — to increase the traffic in your liquor store and grow your business!
We know that implementing a robust marketing plan is easier said than done. Managing the customer data and schedules necessary to make these programs successful can be daunting.
But with the help of a robust point of sale solution, you can easily market your liquor store, manage your customer data, and process transactions!
To see how Bottle POS can help you with customer loyalty, mix and match pricing for promotions, and more, schedule a free demo today!
