It’s time for college basketball fans everywhere to rejoice. That’s right: it’s March Madness, a series of games that 11.3 million people watched in 2017 and will probably do so again. The good news is that your restaurant or bar can make a tidy profit off it if you do a few things.
Promotions
Your first step is having a clear idea of what you are doing that ties into college basketball. You could put up a leaderboard that tracks the teams, or bring in a big screen projector to show the games, for instance. It doesn’t have to be very fancy- it could be as simple as offering coupons to people who wear their team jerseys on game night. This is your chance to bond with the community that supports your business by sharing their favorite sport with them. Doing something creative is a good way to create long term customers as well as get an uptick in people ordering from you.
Marketing
This is the big factor in your March Madness plans. Be sure to tap into social media outlets such as Facebook with basketball related posts. Put news of your promotions on your website. If you will be playing the game on TV in your bar, be sure to post that fact as well as the game schedule on your website. If you’re in a college town, deck out the front of your establishment with the team colors. Put out pamphlets describing your activities.
Ideally, the marketing for an event or promotion should start 2 weeks before it starts, but you don’t have to keep to any tight schedule. So long as you give people some time to decide what they are doing, you should be fine.
Menu
Get ready to emphasize appetizers, especially if you are showing the game. In fact, a good promotion is renaming your appetizer platter something March Madness related. You don’t have to stop there, however. A good source of revenue for a restaurant in general, as we have pointed out before, is carry out food. In fact, it makes up an average of 15% of many restaurant’s profits. So, you have people wanting to watch the game in the comfort of their home with your food- make up a carry out menu especially for those game nights. Long subs, big servings of your classic dishes, and a collection of appetizers will be appreciated by your fan base.Â
Showing The Game
There are a few things to remember when showing the game:
- Mind the volume. Not everyone wants to shout to their friends over a screaming TV.
- Place the screen where many people can comfortably watch it.
- Test the electronics before the game. If you’re bringing in a projector or hooking something to your laptop, you want to make sure it works before show time.
If you keep these tips in mind, March Madness can make you and your customers very happy.Â
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