The world of mixology has evolved significantly in recent years, with a growing focus on creativity, innovation, and customer experience. This is one of the reasons why bartender marketing also needs to be much more effective.
Promoting with influencers requires that you are able to get in touch with influencers that have audiences related to your niche. The good news is that this is not very difficult when you are dealing with a niche such as bartending. Mainly given the broad appeal with audiences over 21 years of age and also in their 40s or even their senior years.
As a bartender, it’s not only important to master mixing techniques and create delicious drinks. Also, to promote your work and attract an audience that appreciates your creations. This is where marketing becomes crucial, and an effective strategy that has gained popularity in recent times is the use of influencers.
In this article, we will explore how bartenders can use influencers in their marketing process to boost their businesses.
The role of bartender marketing in the world of mixology
Marketing is an essential part of any successful business, and the world of mixology is no exception. Bartenders, whether independent or working in an establishment, need a well-planned marketing strategy to attract and retain a loyal clientele. Effective marketing can help increase the visibility of bartenders. It can attract new customers, generate more revenue, and build a strong reputation in the industry.
There are several marketing strategies that bartenders can use for engagement in bartender marketing. For example, social media promotion, content marketing, online advertising, and collaborations with influencers. However, in recent times, the use of influencers has become particularly popular due to their ability to reach specific and authentic audiences.
The power of influencers in the mixology industry
Influencers are individuals with an active online presence and a committed following on social media. They are considered opinion leaders in their niches and have the ability to influence their audience with their opinions, recommendations, and lifestyle. In the mixology industry, influencers can play a powerful role in bartenders’ marketing process.
One of the main benefits of working with influencers is their ability to reach highly segmented and specific audiences. Mixology influencers often have a following interested in alcoholic beverages, home mixology, mixing techniques, and bar culture. This allows bartenders to effectively reach their target audience and generate more interest in their work.
In addition, influencers can also provide an authentic form of promotion. Influencer followers trust their opinions and recommendations, and consider their content genuine and reliable. When an influencer recommends a bartender or a place to have cocktails, their audience tends to trust their opinion and may be more willing to try the services of the recommended bartender. This can help bartenders build a positive reputation and attract new customers.
How to use influencers in the bartenders marketing process
Now that we have explored the power of influencers in the mixology industry, it is important to understand how bartenders can effectively use them in their marketing process. Here are some key strategies for working with influencers and boosting your business as a bartender.
Keep in mind that there are probably some other things you could be doing, but these ideas will help you obtain the best results for the long run. Keep them in mind at all times and you will achieve many things. It is important to remember that it takes time for things to start picking up.
Identify and select relevant influencers for bartender marketing
The first step is to identify influencers who are relevant to your target market. Look for influencers who have an audience interested in mixology, bartending, bar culture, and alcoholic beverages. Check their engagement on social media, the quality of their content, and the authenticity of their online presence. Also, make sure their style and values are consistent with your personal brand or establishment. It is about identifying relevant influencers who are notably engaging with their audience.
Build genuine relationships with influencers
Once you have identified the right influencers, it is important to build genuine relationships with them. Comment on their posts, share their content, and send them personalized messages to express your interest in collaborating with them. It is important to build a solid relationship based on trust and authenticity before requesting their collaboration in marketing strategies. This takes time, but the more you invest in this sort of synergy, the better the results in general.
Create collaborative content for bartender marketing
Once you have established a relationship with influencers, you can collaborate with them in creating content. This can include conducting interviews, participating in events or competitions, or creating joint content on social media, blogs, or videos. The key is to create valuable and engaging content for both the influencer’s audience and your own audience. All while showcasing your work as a bartender and promoting your personal brand or establishment to generate more leads.
Offer exclusive promotions
Another effective strategy is to offer exclusive promotions through influencers. You can provide special discounts, happy hour promotions, private events, or exclusive experiences for the influencer’s followers. This creates a sense of urgency and exclusivity, which can incentivize the influencer’s audience. This leads them to try your services and share their experience on social media. Therefore generating more visibility and promotion for your business.
Participate in events and joint collaborations
Events and joint collaborations are excellent opportunities to work with influencers and promote your business. You can participate in cocktail events organized by influencers, collaborate in creating a special drink for an event, or participate in cocktail competitions where the influencer is involved. This provides you with exposure to a wider audience and allows you to interact directly with your target audience and the influencer’s followers.
Measure and analyze results for bartender marketing
It’s important to measure and analyze the results of your influencer marketing strategies. Use social media analytics tools to evaluate the reach, engagement, and impact of the influencer’s posts and collaborations. Evaluate if your strategies are generating an increase in visibility, engagement, and customer conversion. Adjust your approach based on the results obtained and continue working with influencers who have a positive impact on your business. This is one of the reasons why it is important to become familiar with technology for bartending.
Maintain long-term relationships with influencers
Finally, it’s important to maintain long-term relationships with the influencers you work with. Keeping a constant relationship with influencers allows you to leverage their platform and audience continuously. This involves maintaining regular communication with them, staying updated on their projects and collaborations, and keeping the collaboration active over time. Moreover, maintaining long-term relationships with influencers allows you to build a deeper and more meaningful relationship, which can lead to increased trust and loyalty.
What is the best way to see if an influencer is legitimate?
You have probably seen a social media account with hundreds of thousands of followers, but only a handful of interactions. When this is the case, it is very likely that the account in question has used massive exchange sites to gain more followers. The issue with this is that the followers are not really interested in the content.
While that is likely the scenario when a site has lots of followers and little engagement, it could also be due to uninspired content that simply does not catch the attention of the followers or their newsfeed algorithms. In either case, an influencer with a large audience and very little engagement is not a high level influencer that can help promote your business.
This is the reason why you need to look at the engagement versus the follower count. This is essential to see the value of a particular influencer. Do not forget that the very best in the business are always people with high engagement. Those who have a large enough audience of people who participate in their content.
What are the costs of an influencer promotional message?
In the influencer world you have two main ways for them to promote your business. One is the use of shout outs and this are just quick short mentions of a business without any details. Usually lasting a few seconds of speech at most. They are both veruy useful for bartender marketing.
Then you have the sponsored messages which are usually going to have the influencer speak about the product or service in detail. it’s important to note that influencer costs vary depending on various factors, such as the platform, the reach of the influencer, the demographics of their audience, the type of content, and the duration of the contract, among others. Therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all or standard answer to this question, as each influencer may have their own rates based on their popularity and demand in the market.
Platform:
One of the variables that influences the cost of an influencer ad is the platform on which the content is published. Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms have different audiences, and the price may vary accordingly. For example, Instagram is known to have higher rates due to its popularity and focus on visual content, while YouTube may have higher prices for video ads due to its focus on long-form content.
Remember that the looks are important when you are promoted, so make sure everyone in your team is looking sharp!
Influencer’s Reach:
The size of the influencer’s following or audience also affects the cost of the ad. Influencers with a large number of followers usually charge higher rates due to their wider reach and ability to reach a larger audience. On the other hand, micro-influencers, who have smaller but highly engaged and specific niche followers, typically charge lower rates.
Demographics of the audience:
The demographic profile of the influencer’s audience can also influence ad rates. If the influencer’s audience is highly relevant to the brand in terms of age, location, interests, or other demographic factors, the influencer may charge a higher rate due to the higher likelihood of the content reaching the brand’s target audience.
Type of content:
The type of content created for the ad can also affect influencer rates. For example, video ads are usually more expensive than image or text ads, as they require more time and effort to produce. Similarly, ads that involve a higher integration of the product or service into the influencer’s content, such as long-term brand sponsorships, usually have higher rates than simple mentions or tags.
Duration of the contract:
The duration of the contract or collaboration between the brand and the influencer can also impact rates. Long-term contracts or exclusive collaborations usually have higher rates due to the commitment and extended partnership involved.
Estimated rates and costs:
- In Instagram, influencers with a smaller following (around 10,000 to 50,000 followers) can charge an average of $100 to $500 for a single sponsored post. Influencers with a larger following (over 100,000 followers) can charge several thousand dollars for a single sponsored post. However, these prices are only approximate and can vary significantly depending on the market niche. Also on the geographic location, and demand for the particular influencer.
- In YouTube, prices tend to be higher due to the nature of video content. YouTube influencers can charge between $500 to several thousand dollars for a sponsored video, depending on their reach, content quality, and product or service integration in the video.
- In TikTok, which is an emerging and popular platform among younger audiences, prices can also vary widely. TikTok influencers can charge anywhere from $100 to $2,500 or more for a sponsored video, depending on their reach and content creativity.
Note: You really need to take too many things into consideration and remember that the engagement is more relevant than the number of followers. Bartender marketing is a process that requires attention at all times.
Party Shakers offers the best of both worlds with an influential bartending team
At party Shakers, we are always working hard to be at the front in very aspect of our business. We are committed to the profession on bartending. We want to ensure that everyone that works with us is able to see the value in our services. This is extremely important as it allows us to see things from a point of view of commitment and high value.
If you are in need of a bartending team with experience and true dedication, we are the best option. Send us a message and let us know exactly what you need done for your next event or party. Our services include beverage catering, photo booths, music DJ’s, and more.
Questions and answers
What is the best way to see if an influencer is legitimate?
To know which influencers are legitimately worth contacting for promotional efforts, focus on their engagement. Ask yourself how many people like or comment on their posts on average. This is going to be a great way to find out how they perform.
What are the estimated rates and costs of an influencer service?
It is hard to say without considering many factors, but you can expect anyone with more than 10 thousand followers to charge around $100 as a minimum for a single promotional post.
Is influencer bartender marketing really effective?
Influencer bartender marketing can be extremely effective and this is one of the reasons why it has become very popular. It is one of the best marketing strategies in modern times as long as their audience is heavily engaged.
Final thoughts on bartender marketing
Working with influencers can be a powerful marketing strategy for bartenders. It allows you to leverage the audience and influence of influencers to promote your personal brand. Also your establishment, generate more visibility, increase trust and credibility, and attract new customers.
However, it’s important to select the right influencers, establish genuine relationships, create valuable content, and measure results to ensure the success of your influencer marketing strategy.
if you want to see a great bartending team in action with their marketing, check out Party Shakers!
