Let’s talk taproom sales!
The bread and butter of your brewery is how much product you are able to sell. A brewery’s ability to generate revenue should be a key primary focus of their business.
One of the best ways to boost this is through a taproom. Taproom sales can not only improve sales but help you learn more about what interests your customers.
Now it’s unlikely that you don’t know what a taproom is. But, essentially a taproom is a space dedicated in any brewery to selling its own beer directly to consumers.
Some breweries’ sales come from wholesale distribution to retail partners. However, taprooms allow you to supplement that revenue stream with your wholly-owned space that can better illustrate the brand you want to be.
Taprooms can be as extravagant or as simple as you want them to be. Don’t think of a bar! Think more along the lines of developing a community of supporters and fans that can help generate some positive word-of-mouth about your beer.
As we mentioned before, revenue should be a key aspect of any brewery looking to make it in this competitive environment. That means that even your taproom should be looking at ways to improve their ability to sell in order to better supplement your businesses’ revenue streams.
The most clearcut way to improve taproom sales is to try to get more customers to visit your brewery to try your beer.
One of the biggest hurdles some breweries face is the lack of awareness regarding their taproom. People can’t visit if they don’t know it exists!
Start getting the word out there. This can be done through positive word-of-mouth or some more advertising through traditional and digital media. While the latter may require some investment, it’ll likely translate to some more foot traffic.
You’ve gotten more traffic through the door – that’s great! Now it’s time to get those customers to spend more. If customers are only buying one brew then dipping out, it’s likely time to get creative and come up with ways to increase their purchase.
This likely means creating sales promotions that help encourage more spending every visit, such as 2-for-1 specials or happy hour time frames. While these might feel like losing out on money due to some discount factors, the revenue comes out higher at times due to the increased volume of sales. Can you say “cha-ching?!”
Now it’s time to get your staff on board! Make sure staff are familiar with the product and know how to sell them.
It’s one thing for your staff to like your beer and be able to tell their friends about it. But when they are put in a situation where they’ll need to explain the beer to someone, how do they do?
Keep your staff well-trained by developing some simple-to-remember spiels as well as best practices. Often, taproom patrons enjoy the sense of community that comes out of a local taproom. Make sure your staff exemplifies this by trying to connect with customers in a genuine way. Think “friends” instead of “customers.”
This can lead you to learn more about what customers are enjoying about your beer as well as what can be improved with each batch. This direct feedback system is priceless for breweries looking to ace their beer!
You’ll want to consider expanding your product selection instead of just offering beer. Who doesn’t love a snack with their brew? This doesn’t mean having a fully operationalized kitchen at all times. Instead, think about offering food options that can complement what your customers are already having.
This goes hand-in-hand with your efforts in getting customers to spend more per visit by giving them the option not just to drink but to eat as well.
Entertainment is a strong factor in why any patron chooses to drink where they do. Giving your taproom customers something to do or watch while they enjoy your beer can make them feel more comfortable. This could lead to more spending and more positive word-of-mouth to friends and family.
Explore attaching TV screens to play the latest game live or host special one-off nights. Trivia night at the brewery? We’re game!
So they came, they saw, they did it all… Now it’s time to get them back in the door! This means making sure your after-sales marketing is working well in providing previous patrons incentives for coming back.
These incentives can include new product variants, new promotions or simple reminders to people to come back. Utilize free online newsletters, a social media presence, as well as an active phone line to continue connecting with the customers you have and want to grow.
A taproom is a great way to get your product directly to the consumer in a way that maintains branding and allows you to connect with each customer. However, you’ll need a brewery software like Beer30 that helps you manage your sales and inventory.
Book a Beer30 demo today to learn how our software can help you!
