Creating a marketing and promotional plan allows you to put into action the vision that you have created for your bar, nightclub or restaurant. It aims to give you a practical plan that is easy to implement over the course of the year. This plan will provide focus and direction while also encouraging you to monitor your results in order to improve.
In order to keep that register ringing, now is the perfect time to compile and start implementing this crucial plan that will aid in the success of your business. And not to fret, we’ve assembled our 2014 Promotional Planning Guide, including a calendar of events and holidays and some expert advice on getting started.
With this guide and calendar in hand, along with continuous updates on Nightclub.com, you’ll be armed with ideas to attract crowds every day of the year! The more you plan, the easier and more successful your promotions will become.
Here we have provided some key elements for creating your marketing and promotions plan to help you get started.
Objective
What is the purpose of creating this marketing plan? Do you want to increase new customer traffic? Provide incentive programs for loyal customer? Build brand awareness through social media channels? Or, all of the above? It is best to clarify the main focus of the plan upfront.
Go Back
Did you create a marketing and promotions plan last year? If so, take the time to look back and objectively review the promotions that you executed. Analyze why successful promotions drove traffic to your business. Also evaluate what didn’t work so that you don’t make those same mistakes again. Sometimes a great idea fails because it was executed at the wrong time or promoted to the wrong audience.
Target Audience
Research shows that a carefully executed promotion plan directed at the appropriate audience significantly increases the effectiveness of the promotion. Identify the exact types of customers you want to frequent your establishment over the next year. It is impossible to market to everyone therefore this helps you to concentrate on specific groups that fit your theme and brand.
Budget
Budgeting is a key element in planning your marketing and promotions plan. Make sure that you know how much money you can allocate to your promotional strategies each month. This will determine how many promotions you can realistically implement based on the allocated portion of revenues that you put towards the plan. Promotional spend varies from venue to venue; therefore, you need to determine what works best for your budget. If you’re a new venue budget more than you think you need.
Strategy
Based on the previous steps and the information that you have gathered it’s now time to define the key elements of the marketing and promotions plan and the lead time needed in order to execute successfully. Without deadlines little will get done. Lay out the opportunities that you would like to take advantage of and what/when tasks need to be completed.
Tactics
Tactics include defining exactly what you are actually going to do for each promotion. Create a central theme and develop a message to support that theme. Get creative and fine tune the preliminary details of the promotions prior to implementation. Most people start at this step and then wonder why their promotions didn’t work.
Execute
A great promotion means nothing if you can’t execute, so make sure your staff is fully prepared and don’t spare any details. Designate someone from your staff to drive the promotion. Then provide them with a Promotional Execution Guide. Include the following:
- What — A summary of the promotion and goal(s).
- When — Pertinent “headline” dates (start, end, contest dates, finals, etc.).
- Who — Who is doing what and by what date? Sponsorships, POS materials, drink development, running the contest (if there is one)/contest rules, media, staff, food, etc.
- FAQ — Think of all of the things a customer or server may ask and make sure you have an answer. Can someone reserve a table? If so, who and how? Who handles reservations, and is there a special reservation list? Is there an employee incentive? How does it work? What are the prizes? Are there food specials? What are they? A FAQ list can be hung on the employee bulletin board or attached to paychecks to make sure everyone is aware of the event as well as when and how it works for staff and guests.
Make sure to check in with the appointed staff member in order to keep them on track and provide them with the proper support to ensure success.
Evaluate
Evaluation of the marketing and promotions plan should take place on an overall level at the end of the year and an individual promotions level. Did the promotions work? If so, great! But, what elements contributed to the success of these promotions that can be applied to the others? What if your master plan didn’t work? What can you learn from the promotion and make sure not to repeat.
Do Not
Do not fall prey to the latest trends or fads. Not all of them will compliment your brand or relate to your target audience. The most effective promotional plans are cohesive and well-planned.
Click on the icons for each month to see even more profitable promotional ideas.
January
National Thank You Month
National Hobby Month
January 1
National Bloody Mary Day
New Year’s Day
January 4
National Trivia Day
January 11
National Hot Toddy Day
January 19
National Popcorn Day
January 20
Martin Luther King Day
January 23
Chinese New Year
January 24
Beer Can Appreciation Day
January 25
National Irish Coffee Day
February
Black History Month
February 2
Groundhog Day
February 2
NFL Super Bowl Sunday
February 11
National Peppermint Patty Day
February 14
Valentine’s Day
February 15
Singles Awareness Day
February 18
Drink Wine Day
February 17
President’s Day
February 22
National Margarita Day
February 27
National Kahlua Day
March
Red Cross Month
March 3
National Mulled Wine Day
March 4
Mardi Gras
March 8
International Women’s (Working) Day
March 9
Daylight Savings Begins
March 16
Freedom of Information Day
March 17
St. Patrick’s Day
National Green Beer Day
March 20
Spring Begins
March 24 - 26
Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show
March 29
National Mom and Pop Business Owners’ Day
April
National Humor Month
April 1
April Fool’s Day
April 7
World Health Day
Holocaust Remembrance Day
National Beer Day
April 13
Scrabble Day
April 19
Amaretto Day
April 20
Food Day
Easter
April 22
Earth Day
May
National Hamburger Month
May 5
Cinco de Mayo
May 6
Beverage Day
May 8
World Red Cross Day
May 11
Mother’s Day
May 13
World Cocktail Day
May 16
Wear Purple for Peace Day
May 18
Armed Forces Day
World Whiskey Day
May 21
National Waiters and Waitresses Day
May 25
National Wine Day
May 26
Memorial Day
May 28
National Hamburger Day
June
National LGBT Pride Month
June 4
Hipster Beer Day
National Cognac Day
June 5
World Environment Day
June 8
Name Your Poison Day
June 10
National Iced Tea Day
June 14
Flag Day
National Bourbon Day
June 19
National Martini Day
June 21
Summer Begins
July
National Hot Dog Month
July 1
International Joke Day
July 2
National Anisette Day
July 4
Independence Day
July 5
Bikini Debut: 68th Anniversary
July 10
National Pina Colada Day
July 14
National Grand Marnier Day
July 16
Ice Cream Sundae Day,
July 19
National Daiquiri Day
July 23
National Hot Dog day
July 24
National Tequila Day
July 27
National Scotch Day
August
National Sandwich Month
August 1
National Girlfriend Day (Girls)
August 4
US Coast Guard Day
August 7
National IPA Day
August 12
Vinyl Record Day,
August 16
National Rum Day
August 19
National Aviation Day
August 25
National Whiskey Sour Day
September 
California Wine Month
September (TBA)
NFL Opening Day
September 1
Labor Day
September 11
9/11 Remembrance Day
Patriot day
September 15
National Crème de Menthe Day
September 16
Mexican Independence Day
September 18
National Cheeseburger Day
September 20
National Rum Punch Day
Oktoberfest Begins
September 21
International Day of Peace
September 23
Autumn Begins
September 28
National Drink a Beer Day
September 30
National Mulled Cider Day
October
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October (TBA)
MLB World Series
October 1
World Vegetarian Day
October 3
World Smile Day
October 4
Vodka Day
October 5
World Teacher’s Day
October 13
Columbus Day
October 16
World Food Day
National Bosses Day
October 24
United Nations Day
October 25
World Pasta Day
October 27
Navy Day
October 31
Halloween
November
Peanut Butter Lovers Month
November 1
All Saints Day
November 11
Veterans’ Day
November 12
Happy Hour Day
November 14
National Spicy Guacamole Day
November 20
Great American Smokeout
November 23
National Espresso Day
November 26
National Cake Day
November 27
Thanksgiving Day
November 28
Black Friday
December
National Eggnog Month
December 4
National Cookie Day
December 5
Repeal Day (end of Prohibition)
December 6
National Bartender Appreciation Day
December 7
International Civil Aviation day
Pearl Harbor Day
December 10
National Lager Day
December 15
Bill of Rights Day
December 20
National Sangria Day
December 21
Winter Solstice
December 24
National Eggnog Day
December 25
Christmas
December 31
New Year’s Eve
National Champagne Day