What are some fun things your local bar does for promotions?

[Maine-ah]

looking for some ideas to drum up some business .....

things like...

trivia
beer pong
open mike....

you get the idea, I'm looking for something new, something that we haven't done before. All ideas are appreciated.

[Roon]

1. Drag Shows!!!

what?

[Maine-ah]

2. lofl, something a little more tame....but I do like it :)

[SteppingRazor]

3. Best promotion I ever saw...

was at the Avalanche Brewery in Denver. Back when Kenny used to be killed off in every episode of South Park, they used to have a "free beer till Kenny dies" promotion. It was hysterical. You'd get a packed room of people all yelling at the TV, telling Kenny to duck, get out of the way, or whatever, with plastic glasses of beer being carried around the room on trays. And of course, when it was all over -- usually after about 15 minutes -- you had a house full of people who all wanted more beer.

I don't think that really helps your case, since I don't think they kill off Kenny every episode anymore, but it was a really creative promotion, I thought.

[Maine-ah]

4. I love it, but state law prevents us from giving away alcohol.

[Rabrrrrrr]

11. You could do dollar beers until he gets killed

and have a betting pool on what time he'll die, the winner of which gets a free chicken wings or something.

[SoxFan]

21. You guys don't understand New England puritanism

The regs in NH (and I assume Maine) are absurd. Essentially, you can't do much of anything. Beer Pong is only ok if you use cups of water and drink separately (yes, that's from the enforcement office). You can't advertise specials outside of the premises, including no chalk boards on the sidewalk in front of the establishment.

The kicker is the "intoxicated patron on premises" bit. If someone in your bar is drunk (imagine), you can be cited and fined by the liquor inspectors. In other words, if you put a guy in the corner with a cup of coffee and tell him to sober up before you give him the keys, you run the risk of a penalty. It's actually an incentive to put a drunk in his car and get him out of the way.

[Kali]

5. we don't do bars much anymore, but the "saloon" at the guest ranch up the road

has live music on the weekends and poker on Thursdays, I think. Seems like food or drink specials would more likely lure me in, they are pretty pricey for what it is. Darts - championships? Free drink on your b'day? Random free drink or some other small giveaway once or twice an hour?

Movie nights? with popcorn and a few other typical "movie" snacks - show cult classics - Big Lebowski, Rocky Horror, Repo Man, Dark Star etc - or old moster/sci fi.

The last little neighborhood bar I remember really enjoying had a bowling game that was a lot of fun, people would be lined up waiting to play. No idea if they make those anymore. Lots of places still doing Karaoke, but that has not ever appealed to me personally.

[Maine-ah]

9. I like the movie idea....

can't give away booze. What I wonder about the movie thing, is if there is any kind of licensing issue we'd have to deal with....I would expect, that since we wouldn't be charging for the movie it would be fine.

[Kali]

13. aw hell, you may have a point about the licensing

I didn't even think of it. You are providing it as a form of entertainment for the public, so it may be a problem. I know the local food co-op can't even play the local community radio station (mostly a music station) because some suits came in and threatened them.

well, two options - find out how much it is or the famous "Kali's Principle of First Offense" AKA "easier to apologize than get permission."

[SoxFan]

20. Lawyerball Moment

Check the licensing ramifications. These things can get very expensive. All it takes is one of your competitors making a phone call to the rights holder and you're screwn.

[Heidi]

6. American BBQ night and country & western music

sung by an Italian guy with a leather vest and chaps.

"Surreal" would be an apt description.

[Maine-ah]

7. oh that's bad....

:rofl:

[Heidi]

12. Here's a photo of us on American BBQ Night at the local restaurant

in Ticino (southern Switzerland). Getta load of the very, very authentic mullet tail on the guy at the left behind us. Lawdy. He coulda been a classmate of mine. :rofl:

[Rabrrrrrr]

8. Occasionally offer free estate planning and will writing, or donate such services to auctions

[geardaddy]

10. One place had a ping-pong

tourney every Thursday during the winter.

[UTUSN]

14. Pro bono. Oh, *that* kind of bar!1 Nevermind!1 n/t

[SoxFan]

19. My law office is upstairs from a bar

I've got both angles covered!

[Blue-Jay]

15. They serve drinks.

[Bennyboy]

16. I run a team trivia game on Thursdays....

ton of fun, keeps peeps in the bar for two hours and is good for biz.

I do beer tastings too with the local microbrews. beer events like homebrewers festivals.

Wii olympics. if you don't have a Wii hooked up you must. Keeps people there, We got a living roon set up. Leave the DL and play all night. Keep drinking. We do the Olympics like a pool tourney, on wed night. Ten events or games over 12 weeks (make up days). Pool, the golf game, darts, liars dice, wii golf, bowling, madden, etc....whatever is in your bar.


No pretty girl bartenders at night. make it a chick bar and have hot guys so the women will come in. The men will follow. Large breasted hot girls for the daytimers (pervs) only.

[Maine-ah]

18. We do the trivia too

I was thinking of Wii...I like your idea.

All our bartenders are women except for one.

[Bennyboy]

17. throw peanut shells on the floor night is a fave....

at some bars.