August can be a tough month for the bar business. Between last minute summer vacations, a plethora of outdoor activities, and the bustle of back-to-school prep, people often opt to spend their time elsewhere as the summer winds down. So what is the cure for the summer sales slump? Entice your customers with an irresistible promotion!
You can create a unique and topical promotion by leveraging one of the many obscure “holidays” that occur throughout the year. And as much fun as “Batman Day” (May 1st) and “World Turtle Day” (May 23rd) sound, it just so happens that there are several days in August that provide the perfect tie in for a promotion. Below are 5 obscure holidays in August, and ideas for celebrating them at your bar.
1. International Beer Day- Friday, August 3rd: Okay, this one should be the most obvious on the list. What better reason to celebrate at a bar than in honor of beer! There are, of course, countless options for promotions, depending on your business and beer selection. You can run an all day happy hour, offer discounted beer flights, or partner with a brewery for a tap takeover. If you’re looking for a more unique offering, try creating a beer wheel: a spinning wheel with a different beer listed on each slot. The customer pays a set price, spins the wheel, and receives whichever beer they land on. A game where everyone really is a winner!
Introduce a limited time only menu item to entice your customers with something new. Try this recipe below, or concoct a creation of your own:
Raspberry Cream Cocktail
- Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of fresh raspberries
- 3 ounces of light cream
- 2 ounces of Rumchata
- 1 ounce of Raspberry Vodka
- Fresh raspberries for garnish
- How to Make it
- Place fresh raspberries in the bottom of a cocktail glass and muddle.
- In a cocktail shaker, add the light cream, Rumchata, and raspberry vodka over ice and shake.
- Add ice to cocktail glass on top of raspberries and strain liquor mixture over muddled raspberries.
- Garnish with fresh raspberries and serve.
3. National Relaxation Day- Wednesday, August 15th: Inhale positivity, exhale negativity. National Relaxation Day falls on a Wednesday this year, so consider offering your customers a mid-week recharge! If you have the space in your venue, offer a pop up yoga class, or if space is tight, consider meditation instead. Place adult coloring books on the tables or bartop, and encourage
people to color (and drink) their stresses away. Partner that with a relaxing playlist, and you’ve created the perfect oasis for your customers to relax and unwind.
4. National Dog Day- Sunday, August 26th: Do you have a pet-friendly bar? Then make sure you don’t let this day go by without a celebration for the pups! Give your canine appreciation event a punny name of your choice (“Pup Crawl”, “Yappy Hour”, “Paws and Pints”), and make sure to stock up on treats and tennis balls for your four-legged customers. As an added bonus, consider partnering with a shelter for an adoption event as well. Talk about the warm and fuzzies!
5. National Eat Outside Day- Friday, August 31st: The perfect day to celebrate on the patio! If your bar has outdoor seating, be sure to recognize this key holiday. In addition to specials on food/drink, offer live music outside if your setup allows. Set up outdoor games, like cornhole or giant jenga, to provide some entertainment and friendly competition. Chances are, your customers will want to be outside enjoying the last days of summer, so bring the party to them!
The best way to keep your sales from wilting in the summer heat is to provide your customers with fresh, entertaining promotions that get them excited to stop in for a break from the sunshine. Try the suggestions above for crafting a unique and exciting promotion that will have your customers beaming.