Increase Bar Sales and Generate More Bar Revenues

Have you ever heard the old story about the bar owner who provided his staff with minimal training? When asked why he responded – “Well if I train my staff to be good they might leave and go work someplace else” – to which the other person replied – yeah but if you don't provide them with good training they might stay here and keep working for you. An old story – sad but true.

Here is something else that's sad but true – the vast majority of small bars and taverns, as well as fraternal organizations and benevolent associations, don't train their staffs well either. Sure they show them where supplies are kept, how to use the cash register and regulate the HVAC but that's generally it; seldom do they show their staffs how to increase sales or generate more profits.

Working with bars all across America and presenting workshops and seminars at State Tavern League conventions and Beverage Distributor conferences I get to meet a lot of bar staff. Everyone I meet is nice; but its depressing because I meet so many people who lack the basic knowledge and skills to generate additional profits for their bars.

Its no mystery why so small bars and local taverns fail – they can't sustain necessary profits. Likewise most Legions, Posts, Lodges and Aeries struggle just to survive because their staffs have no idea how to increase sales. Its a shame – bar owners and bar managers just keep doing what they've always done even when sales stagnate and revenues decline.

Even though beer is the backbone of most bars, many bartenders, especially the young and inexperienced ones, have no idea how many gallons of beer are in a keg (a US barrel) or how many 12 oz glasses of beer are in a half barrel (½ keg). Its ludicrous – they work in a bar – and they don't know bar basics. Why? No one trained them!

By the way – if you don’t know – there are 31 gallons of beer in a keg – that's federal law (even foreign distributors like Heinneken and Corona are required to use 31 gallon barrels to sell beer in the US). And the ½ kegs (or half barrels) commonly used on bar taps contains 15 ½ gallons – which equates to 165 – 12 oz beers.

Why is this knowledge important? Well if a bar charges $2 for a glass of tap beer one would assume $330 worth of sales right! Wrong! Most bartenders tap beer improperly – they waste 35 to 40 12 glasses from every half barrel. That wasted beer {$70-80} goes down the drain. Now depending on what you charge per tap beer and how many half barrels you go through in a week wasted beer means profits down the drain just like the foam.

Get this! Most bartenders don't know even know the most popular selling beer in their own bar. If you ask them you'll likely hear “Well I guess that would have to be” They guess! They don't know? Why? Because they no one ever told them.

Now this is crazy. Most bar owners and bar managers don't know the three most popular selling beers in America – let alone the best selling Vodkas, Tequilas, Rums or Whiskeys. Maybe its no big deal? But if successful competitors are making big money selling “X” and you're still selling “Z” my question is why? Maybe you have an answer?

Often, I'll ask a bartender to take two bottles down from the shelf and read me their labels. 90% of all bartenders, even those who've worked behind a bar for years, are shocked to learn there is a Whiskey and a Whisky. Is knowing the difference between Whiskey and Whisky important? Only if you want to increase bar sales and generate more profits? By the way it really is hilarious to listen to bartenders give lame excuses as to why there is a difference between whiskey and a whisky – its not because of a spelling error.

Small bars, local taverns, Lodges, Posts and Aeries have three simple ways to quickly and easily increase bar sales: 1) Hire a professional bar manager someone who knows how to successfully run a bar (not a relative, a neighbor's kid or a lodge member – they'll always cost you money, 2) ask your beer or beverage distributor to sponsor a 'revenue generating' workshop at their next customer conference and be sure they schedule Eba G. as the featured speaker so you can learn the basics on how to increase bar sales, or 3) hire Eba G. to come consult with your staff and properly train them.

Connect with Eba G. on Linked In (at linkedin.com/in/ebagee) or friend Eba G. on Facebook (at facebook.com/eba.gee.barprofits)