5 Promotions to Try For Your Craft Beer Store

Craft beer sales are on the rise.

In fact, U.S. craft beer sales increased 7.9 percent last year, and the industry isn’t slowing down any time soon — it’s growing faster than any other segment in the beer industry.

If you’re ready to take advantage of this growth by opening a brand new store, or to amp up your existing business, you need to run the right promotions to increase profits.

Try these five fresh promotion ideas to boost sales at your craft beer store.

Bundled Brews

Your customers aren’t coming to a craft beer store to pick up just one beer — they’re picking up a pack. Make sure you’re meeting your buyers’ demand, and offer enticing deals on bundles of your best brews.

If your point of sale (POS) system has a mix and match pricing feature, you can give your customers a discount on a bundle of different products. This gives you a fantastic opportunity to run fun and effective promotions.

Try bundling locally brewed craft beers, or sell variety packs of different types of beer — like porters, lagers, and IPAs. Giving your customers a discount for buying multiple products might encourage them to buy even more — and if you reward them for their current shopping habits, they’re more likely to return and become loyal customers.

Bottle Shop BOGO

If there’s one deal that customers know by name, it’s a BOGO deal — buy-one-get-one.

These discounts often offer a free product or significant discount after an initial purchase, and are a great way for you to please shoppers and move more product. Try a “Buy one six-pack, get one free” deal or “Buy a case from a local brewery, get 50 percent off the second” discount.

Beer connoisseurs love to stock up on their favorite brews, and will jump at the opportunity for a solid deal that will help them fill their fridge — take advantage of this buying behavior and promote an offer they can’t turn down.

Free Gift With Purchase

It’s hard to resist a free product, so a free gift with purchase is the perfect way to attract new and existing customers.

While it might seem counterintuitive to give away your inventory for free, offering a small product with each purchase — at no additional cost — is a great way to encourage larger transactions. Set a price threshold, and customers are sure to meet it. Include a six-pack of koozies with every $25 purchase, or a set of beer mugs with each $50 transaction.

And if you’re trying to push a new product, try offering a bottle (or two) of a specific brand of brew with any purchase — your buyers will be more aware of the variety of your inventory, and may return to pick up a 12-pack on their next visit.

Local Partnerships

Craft beer is all about the small-batch experience, and the care and innovation of independently owned breweries — much like your small business.

Take advantage of this opportunity to form business partnerships, especially if you’re in an area with locally owned breweries. When you stock their beer, they’ll promote your store, so they can sell more — and so can you. It’s a win-win for everyone.

You can partner with local businesses, like restaurants or small clothing brands, and sell their product in your stores — they might carry and promote your brand, too. Community organizations are also a great way to get your name in front of fresh faces — consider sponsoring local nonprofits or sports clubs.

In-Store Craft Beer Events

Customers that love craft beer appreciate the experience of drinking craft beer. Use this opportunity to get them into your store, and organize events.

Host a taste testing, where shoppers can sample your products. They’ll get to try before they buy, and will be more likely to buy more — free samples can increase sales by as much as 2,000 percent.

Get creative, too. Start a “books and brews” group, and host local book clubs, or hire a food truck to set up shop out front — it’s an easy way to get more people in your store. Or run a raffle for a larger-ticket item, like a kegerator — and require that the winner be in-store for the drawing to win. And remember to take advantage of seasonal trends — Oktoberfest and St. Patrick’s Day are popular times for beer drinkers, so host events accordingly.

Boost Sales With Creative Craft Beer Store Promotions

Customers love a great deal. They save cash upfront, but often end up spending more to take advantage of the discount — putting more money in your pocket.

These promotion ideas will help you boost sales and increase profits, so make sure you have the right POS system to handle the business. 

If you’re ready to boost your business with a point of sale solution designed specifically for your industry, schedule a demo with one of our Bottle POS specialists today!