If you run a liquor store, you are likely already well aware of the many challenges of promoting liquor products. Alongside federal laws related to the advertising and marketing of alcohol, each state has its own additional laws that establishments must obey. Liquor shops must also follow regulations as set out by their state’s Alcohol Beverage Control Board to avoid potentially losing their liquor license for sales of alcohol to be consumed off site.
Keeping all laws and regulations in your state in mind, top liquor promotion ideas can help your store increase its marketing and boost its sales and revenue. Don’t forget about effective ways to manage your liquor store promotions, too — a point of sale (POS) system is a huge help! Here are some our best tried-and-tested liquor store promotional ideas.
Discount Coupons
Everyone loves a good bargain. While in-store discounts on their own can encourage people to buy items they may not have purchased otherwise, there’s almost a feeling of exclusivity attached to coupons. Discount coupons often have a feel-good factor, with some studies suggesting that coupons can have a positive impact on overall happiness and health.
There are various ways you can distribute coupons to entice customers into your store. Consider using your website and social media channels, such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, to provide people with discount coupons. If you don’t have a website, no worries! One of the amazing features of Bottle POS is that it includes set up and integration of an e-commerce webstore, allowing for online sales as well as an internet presence.
If you use email marketing and send out newsletters, consider sending coupons directly into a person’s inbox. You could also hand discount coupons to existing customers to secure a return shopping visit. You can use discount coupons for selected items, for the overall total, for an overall total above a certain amount, and similar purchases. Custom POS software makes handling coupons at the point of sale a breeze.
Free Samples
If you’re wondering how to promote liquor products, free samples can be a terrific way to raise brand awareness and encourage people to purchase a larger full-size product. Samples work especially well if your store has recently started to stock a new product. Suppliers may be happy to offer samples to you for free or very low cost. After all, increased sales for you also means increased sales for them. Even if customers don’t purchase a particular item based on a sample, free items help to build loyalty and a feeling of generosity. Therefore, customers may be more likely to return to your shop for future purchases of different items.
Free cocktail sampling is another top promotional idea for liquor stores. It can introduce people to new tastes and encourage them to buy the ingredients to replicate the cocktails at home. As mentioned, just keep your local and state laws in mind before you hand out alcohol samples.
Two-for-One Deals
Free has a very special place in the hearts of many consumers. Many people can’t resist the allure of getting something for nothing. Buy-one get-one free (BOGO) deals are a great way to encourage extra sales. Indeed, studies have found that freebies attract shoppers more than discounts. A good POS system will automatically handle the total, meaning you don’t need to remember all your store’s deals when ringing up the bill. A great POS system will make customization quick, easy and efficient.
Free Gifts
Similar to BOGO deals, free gifts can be great for promoting liquor products. Gifts don’t need to be high value to entice consumers; the idea of free is often enough to encourage people to buy something. Consider, for example, a free glass with a bottle of liquor, a complimentary packet of snacks, a free mixer, or even a miniature bottle of a related product.
Giving away free gifts helps customers feel satisfied when walking away with their final purchase. It can also help to build good relationships with your customers and ensure loyalty to your store. Even better, why not run giveaways that include your store logo to help with ongoing promotions and marketing of your shop? It’s free advertising! Pens, T-shirts, key rings, car stickers, drinking glasses … there are so many ways to increase visibility of your logo to expose your store to potential new customers and keep your shop fresh in an existing customer’s mind.
Mix and Match Promotions
What about customers who buy a selection of goods from your store? Mix and match deals are among the best liquor promotion ideas for multi-buy customers. Rather than being limited to a particular product, mix and match promotions allow people to receive discounts or other perks when buying a selection of items. Promotions may include, for example, a choice of certain goods for a set price or a BOGO deal across select brands.
Loyalty and Rewards Programs
Customer loyalty and reward programs can be a great way to increase sales and build a loyal customer base. They also help customers feel somewhat special, creating an exclusive feeling. Watching the total points grow can be exciting, with the idea of a reward at the end encouraging extra sales to increase their points balance further. However, trying to manually manage a points scheme would be a headache! The best point of sale system in a liquor shop should make it easy to reward repeat customers.
Bundles
Bundling certain items together for a set price is a good idea for liquor product promotions for several reasons. It can encourage people to buy more than they initially planned and boost sales. It can encourage people to buy non-liquor items from your store instead of elsewhere, too. It can introduce customers to items and brands that they not have tried or considered trying in the past. People may even be inclined to buy additional products in the future.
Consider, for example, cocktails. Somebody making a cocktail needs several items. If they’ve popped into your liquor store to buy a bottle of tequila, having a bundle that contains everything they need to make a margarita could be hugely popular. Combining tequila, triple sec, margarita salt, and lime juice in a bundle could be convenient for the customer and increase your sales. This is particularly effective if you already stock all necessary items. If you don’t, you could partner with local businesses during promotion periods or test a small batch of new products.
Run Liquor Product Promotions Effectively with Bottle POS
Simple, smart, effective and efficient, Bottle POS was created by a liquor store owner for others in the same industry — fellow liquor shop owners. It combines state-of-the-art technology to automate your day-to-day operations and planning matters, giving you more time to focus on other things.
Set up promotions and deals at the touch of a button. Gain valuable insights from sales reports. Track your inventory with ease. Enjoy stress-free dealings when it comes to invoices. Effortlessly manage online sales. All this and more with a user-friendly interface that takes just minutes to get to grips with. Our specialized liquor store point of sale system gives you everything you need to make life easier while you grow your business. Contact us to ask any questions you may have and schedule a free software demo!
