The best customer is a loyal customer.
After all, customer retention can increase profits drastically.
But every repeat customer is a first-time customer at some point. So how do you turn those fresh faces into faithful buyers?
Get creative.
Try our four favorite ideas for attracting new customers to your liquor store.
Host an Event
Everyone loves a special occasion.
You’re much more likely to draw in new customers with a fun activity or event than you are on an average Thursday night — it gives them yet another reason to bring their business to your store, because you’re adding value to their visit.
And liquor stores have tons of options.
Try a wine pairing night. Bring in local businesses or groceries to supply cheeses and meats, and have a local wine expert lead your customers through traditional pairings (like champagne and brie). Or host a “Craft Your Own Charcuterie” event.
“Paint and sip” parties are always a hit, too. Partner with art supply shops and invite local artists to lead a painting class. If it becomes an ongoing event, try a different theme each time — their favorite pet, a beautiful landscape, or a recreation of a longstanding masterpiece (Monet pairs well with a merlot).
For your liquor lovers, consider hosting a mixology event. Have an employee or local bartender teach customers how to craft their favorite cocktails — you might try themed drinks, like a Marvel-inspired margarita or a mojito named after your customers’ favorite team mascot.
Customer participation is key, so find out what your buyers are paying attention to, and meet them where they’re at — it’s part of the personalized shopping experience that attracts customers. (And partnering with other small businesses is a plus for everyone.)
Try In-Store Tastings
Customers like to try before they buy — which is why free samples can increase profits by up to 2,000 percent!
This is especially true for food and beverage. No one wants to get stuck with a bottle of bourbon they don’t quite care for, so try tastings of your newest offerings, or of slow-moving products that you’d like to sell more of.
Host a “tequila tasting” night, where shoppers can try different brands of Mexican liquor. Add a twist by doing a “blind” test — don’t reveal each brand until after they’ve decided their favorite.
And timing is everything, so take advantage of different seasons and holidays. Have a cider tasting on the first day of fall, or a champagne tasting as everyone gears up for the end-of-year holiday season.
If your customer already knows what they’re coming in for, you might be able to push other products that move more slowly. And if they’ve never entered your store before, a simple sip might just be the push they need to choose your business.
Promote Special Deals
The easiest — and most efficient — way to attract new customers to your liquor store is to give them the best deal they can find. The lowest price is always the preference.
Try a storewide sale — for a limited time, discount everything in the store by 10 percent. Or set up a buy-one-get-one (BOGO) sale, where customers can purchase one or two items and get the second or third item for a discount — take 50 percent off a bottle of white for every two bottles of red purchased.
You can also create bundles tailored to your customer base. Track your sales history, and discover what products your buyers love most. Do they gravitate toward tequila? Try a bundle with a bottle of blanco, some margarita mix, and a couple of glasses. Do they have a preference for dry red wines? Bundle a bottle of malbec, a pair of wine glasses, and a corkscrew. (And if you have a point of sale (POS) system that can easily implement mix and match pricing, bundling items is a breeze.)
Customers love anything and everything free, so use this to your advantage. Include a free gift with any purchase over $50, $75, or even $100 — try adding on small items like bottle openers, shakers, muddlers, aerators, or wine glasses. Or organize a raffle for a larger item like a bar cart — each purchase over $30 is an entry.
Buyers appreciate deals of all kinds, so choose the ones that make sense for your business, and get the word out.
Kick Off a Customer Loyalty Program
The end goal when attracting new customers is to keep them.
To do so, you have to maintain constant communication — and that means gathering contact information. If you don’t already have a customer rewards program, this is a perfect opportunity to engage potential loyal customers. If you do, try kicking it up a notch.
Offer an enticing reward upfront, like 25 percent off the first purchase. Use text messaging and email marketing to continue rolling out exclusive deals to “preferred” customers — not only will you attract them upfront, you’ll become the desired destination for future wine and liquor sales. If they can save more at your store, why would they spend their time and money anywhere else?
How to Get Started Attracting New Customers to Your Liquor Store
Smart business owners know the importance of creating and retaining loyal customers — but return customers have to start somewhere.
Try these tactics to attract new customers to your store, and make sure you have a point of sale solution that can keep up with your business efforts and your increasing profits.
To get started with Bottle POS — the POS system created for liquor stores by liquor store owners — schedule a demo with one of our specialists today!
