9 Nightclub Promotion Ideas That Will Fill Your Bar or Club
No one wants to go to an empty nightclub. The best memories that people have of nightclubs are full of bumping music, lively crowds, and fun times with friends (old and new).
As a nightclub owner or manager, it’s up to you to create an environment that people are attracted to, whether it’s during a big Friday Night or your run of the mill Tuesday.
Check out these nine nightclub promotion ideas you can use to pull people through the doors any night of the week and create an experience that makes them want to come back.
#1) Host Themed Events That Catch Attention
The best way to bring somebody back to your bar or nightclub is to give them a new reason to come out. You can see this often with restaurants offering seasonal specials or unique dishes. You can do the same with theme nights, fashion shows, cocktail offerings, and other promotions to set your night apart from every other club on the block.
Try to host these theme nights on days when you typically don’t have as big of a crowd so you can draw people you otherwise wouldn’t to spend money at your space.
Themed event ideas for night clubs include:
- Masquerade Party
- 80's Night (and now even a 90's night)
- All White Party for people to dress in all white
- Glow Party
- Black Dress or Red Dress Party
- Awards Night Party (include contests for best dressed, best hair style, etc)
- Costume Party (people love to dress up but keep it open and not too specific so people can get creative)
6 Ways to Promote Your Event (That Have Nothing to Do With Creating a Facebook Listing)
#2) Tap Into Text Marketing
More people prefer to be reached by text message than ever, with 35% of the population saying they prefer a text over a call or email. Text messaging is also fast. It takes an average of 90 seconds to respond to a text and most texts have a 90% open rate or higher. This is great news for nightclub owners who need to get the word out fast.
You can tap into text marketing and push out a message that reaches the vast majority of your text list in only a few minutes. There are several ideas for night clubs to utilize text marketing.
A few nightclub ideas for using text messaging include:
- "Show this Text" promotion for things like a free drink or free entry
- Skip the Line and Guestlist Signup
- Enter to Win contests such as a private VIP Party
- Text Club only offers to get customers in the doors
#3) Use FOMO to Run Photo Promotions
More than half of all social media users suffer from FOMO, or the fear of missing out. This is the sadness that comes from not getting invited or having to pass on a cool event that your friends post about online. As a nightclub promoter, one of the best things you can do is tap into FOMO. You want people posting about how great your club is so everyone else wishes they were there.
One of the best ways to do this is with photo promotions. You can take photos of attendees at an event and then ask them to tag themselves on social media. You can also set up selfie booths and create other opportunities for people to share and tag photos of themselves. The more people you have snapping and uploading, the more FOMO you will create!
#4) Share Your Events in Local Groups and Pages
Strategic social media managers don’t just post on their own timelines. There are dozens of groups, pages, and influencers in your area who can promote your event and recommend your nightclub to everyone who follows them. Look for local pages that promote events in your area or join neighborhood groups that share updates. You can reach new audiences and drive more people to your events and brand pages.
Add your event to your local area site today!
#5) Turn Your Social Media Channels Into a Resource
Strategic nightclub owners use their social media channels to balance education and entertainment. You can share funny memes and gifs, but also use your space to connect with customers. Share your band lineup for the week. Announce cocktail promotions for certain nights. Let people know your holiday hours.
People will want to follow you on social media and engage with your brand to stay up to date on what you have going on.
Social Media ideas for nightclubs include:
- Instagram Stories that engage with guests at the party
- TikTok videos promoting certain dance moves, local artists and celebrities
- Posting high quality photos from Photo Promotions and tag regular guests on social media
#6) Participate in Cocktail Competitions and Food Fests
Beerfests and cocktail competitions are incredibly popular in many cities. A nonprofit will hire a few dozen restaurants to provide food samples as part of a fundraiser or challenge various area bars to create an impressive cocktail that wows fans. This is a great way to support local community organizations while boosting your nightclub promotion strategy.
Start attending these events as a vendor. More people will hear about your nightclub and will check it out in the following weeks.
#7) Develop Your Business Directory Profiles
In the same way that you want to get your name out on different social media pages, your nightclub needs to be found across the web. One way to boost your nightclub promotion is with business directory profiles.
These are profiles on sites like MyArea Network that curate top nightclubs and locations in the area. These pages are effective because your brand gets in front of new audiences. You can market to new people instead of relying on loyal customers. That is how you grow your business.
Create your MyArea Network business profile today.
#8) Build Relationships With Other Businesses in Your Area
Make of list of potential vendors, contractors, and groups you can partner with to build your nightclub business. So many groups want to partner with nightclubs that you can become a core player in your party scene:
- Find local DJs and bands who are looking for a space to play.
- Contact food trucks and vendors who will set up outside.
- Look for transit providers (cab companies, trollies) who can take customers home.
- Identify nonprofits who would be a good fit with your brand to support.
- Partner with other nightclubs to create a party crawl in your area.
By partnering with these groups, your brand gets exposed to their audiences, and vice versa. This is a mutually beneficial partnership where both parties gain business by helping each other out.
#9) Become an Event Space
If you want to fill your nightclub on off nights or guarantee that you will have a certain amount of people on a certain night, offer your nightclub up as an event space. You can rent your space out for personal gatherings, like a wedding reception, or you can turn your space into a meeting location for business gatherings and networking events. It’s not uncommon for professional organizations to host cocktail hours, and you can offer your nightclub up as space.
Related: 3 Ways to Use Competitor Research to Develop Better Promotions & Ads
Keep Your Nightclub Promotion Ideas Fresh
People are always drawn to what is hot and new, which means your nightclub needs to be on top of the latest trends to keep people coming back. If you think your nightclub promotion strategy is growing stale, we are here to help. Reach out to MyArea Network today and ask for ideas to bring people in to party.
