Soft opening: a strategy for your bar's grand opening!

You have installed your equipment, created your menu and trained your team. However, you may not be completely ready to open to the general public. It's time for a soft opening to get some practice.

Think of it as the start of the work and of getting your journey in the market off on the right foot. That is why, before the “big day,” the ideal is to hold a soft opening.

So, what is a soft opening?

It is a pre-opening of your establishment, with no big promotion and counting on only a few invited guests.

During this process, talk to everyone who is there. Honest feedback is essential for you to understand what is working and what is better rethought.

Besides fine-tuning your processes, the soft opening can be a great opportunity to announce the date of the grand opening.

Who to invite

Invite friends, family and a small niche of your audience, so you can test your entire operation, your setup and even your menu.

A great way to promote is to piggyback on opinion leaders in your region (people with a lot of contacts) who are known online for subjects related to your business (beer and gastronomy, for example).

How about sending them a special invitation? Physical invitations, often in the form of a press kit (a set of promotional materials), are a good option to impress and generate visibility even before the opening.

Their visit to your establishment generates organic media: after all, a post on the social media of someone who, for now, is more influential than you is a step toward building trust and interest.

What is the advantage of a soft opening for bars?

The soft opening gives the house staff a chance to make mistakes. Yes, this is the moment for it! Good service, product and service quality are fundamental, not differentiators, and mistakes should not happen at other times.

Attracting people is the first step. But more important than that is making sure everyone who came to your establishment leaves with a good impression, has had an incredible experience and becomes a promoter of your brand.

So it's worth investing in other things to create an unforgettable opening night. Live shows are always a good option to energize the crowd.

But of course... As with everything in your establishment, the profile of your audience will dictate the style. A good option is to hire a band that is well known in your region and already plays similar events. However, investing in someone different who can serve as bait to attract the crowd is a way to enter the market on the right foot.

Remember, the more motivated people are to stay at your establishment, the more of your products they will consume!

So, ready to hold a soft opening and enter the market with a bang? Want a little extra help? Then check out our material on Successful Brewery Business Models!

Want to learn more about myTapp and how we can bring technology to your establishment? Request a contact!

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