If you ever involved yourself in the process of bartending, you will find that one of the most valuable things you can do is improve your bartender networking skills. The reason why this is so important is that it allows you to achieve the best results with the least amount of effort.
Networking skills are all about knowing when, how, and who to talk to. They require that you have social finesse and that you are able to pitch your services in a genuine way. This is what makes it possible for someone to be a great networking bartender.
There are many ways for a bartender to be able to start networking. The following are some of the most powerful tips that are going to help you maximize your efforts.
1-You need to sharpen your conversational skills
One of the main and most relevant aspects of networking is found in being able to chat with people in a casual setting. You should brush up on your general culture and learn how to engage in any type of conversation.
A good strategy that skilled networkers use is to let people talk when they don’t know a topic. For example, if someone says, “I was watching the football game last night” but you don’t know anything about football. You can always ask them something like “Do you think football is going to remain the most popular sport in the US?” This is a good way to make the person do the talking.
The point is that you need to become skilled at the process of casual talk. Sometimes this requires clever ways to keep the person interested. Those who master the art of conversation are always going to find themselves having an advantage. This is how you turn it into a full-time profession.
It is essential to keep in mind that the best way to have a conversation with someone is to be a good listener. Just keep the flow going and most people will be happy to do the majority of the talking.
2-Learn to use proper body language for reliable bartender networking skills
One of the main things that can be important to consider is that using proper bartender body language is a must. You can’t expect to be a great conversationalist if you cross your arms and have a frown on your face. There is a need to learn how to do this properly in order to see the kind of results you want.
You have to learn to show emotions with your body too, but you can’t be overwhelming the person with your gestures. There has to be a balance and this is going to help determine how people perceive you during any conversation.
When you see someone who is confident, they have very specific body language. Sometimes it is good to study the body language of people who are perceived as leaders. This can give you some pointers on the essentials of body language.
It is also a good idea to always remember that the most important thing is to keep people engaged. This makes them more likely to consider hiring you for their own events. You never know when any random guest could become one of your best customers.
3-Use the “tell me more” trick for optimal bartender networking skills
There are some situations when you are too busy and caught up in the making of cocktails. When this is the case, you can make use of the good old trick of “tell me more”. This is a great trick that is very useful to help you achieve the best results.
When you say “tell me more” during any type of conversation, this allows you to just keep listening. Just as we mentioned before, people love talking and this is an excellent way to let them talk longer.
This is an excellent bartender networking trick that everyone should implement. This is ideal when you feel that you have a hard time implementing any strategy. Do not allow yourself to fall short in your efforts.
4-Tell an interesting story
When you tell a story, you make people listen and this is great to build rapport with someone. Always have one or two interesting stories in mind when you talk to someone. This is going to boost your conversational skills in a very significant way.
Telling stories is always good and it is a great way to boost a conversation without too much effort. When conversations have too much back and forth, it is harder to keep them interesting.
5-Always stay in control of your emotions
There are some people who get into a heated argument and this can often happen when alcohol is involved. This means that a great bartender needs to be someone who is always in control and able to avoid any issues.
The greatest bartenders that work in any kind of event are always people with great emotional control. You need to be able to do this if you really want to make the most out of bartending.
When someone becomes loud or aggressive, you have to be able to stay calm and find ways to diffuse the situation. If you have a quick temper, you may not be cut out for a bartending job.
The nature of a good bartender needs to be calm, but also one that commands respect. This is going to be the most essential way for you to become a popular and highly regarded bartender.
6-Never let conversations become personal for bartender networking skills
There are several topics that often turn discussions into something personal. They are usually either political or religious and this can be a terrible way for a casual conversation to turn sour.
You need to be aware of this type of issue and do your best to avoid falling into any traps of this nature. The best bartenders always have the ability to handle any situation that could turn out this way.
Whenever asked about religious or political views, it is best to simply stay neutral in the conversation. This is certainly the kind of thing that has been extremely important to handle in bartending.
Never allow your personal opinions to clash with guests and you will have a much easier time. This is essential as part of your bartender networking skills.
7-Always have proper competitive etiquette for bartender networking skills
One of the most relevant things that people seem to forget is to have proper competitive etiquette. This means that you should never talk badly about a competitor bartender. Even if you know that a bartender lacks the skills of professional demeanor for the job, you need to avoid getting involved.
Always consider that your reputation needs to be as good as possible. This is also found in how you carry yourself when talking about other people. The best way to be a top competitor is to be the best at what you do.
There are many opportunities to make bartending a lifelong career, you just need to have discipline.
What are the 6 basic methods of bartending?
There are many methods of bartending, but the most common are shaking, stirring, throwing, muddling, blending, and layering. They all have their own specific sets of movements and steps, but the main thing to consider is that they play a very important role in the creation of cocktails.
The best way for a bartender to handle this is to ensure that he or she is able to practice often. The refinement of all the methods and techniques in bartending is an essential way to set yourself apart. One of the things that are truly important to remember is that the largest number of skills in this business are all about muscle memory and retaining ingredient information for mixing.
Can you be a freelance bartender?
Becoming a freelance bartender is much easier than people think. This does not mean that earnings are going to be high at first, but you can begin with small bartending jobs. This allows you to start building a name for yourself and that is always the main goal.
The thing that makes many people hesitant about freelancing is that they have a hard time finding their first clients. This is a common problem and it is indeed something to keep in mind. You have to look for ways to get those first clients in order to build momentum.
Do bartenders make good money?
Bartenders can make really good money that ranges from $13 to $14K a month upwards of $130K a month. This is a process that takes time. Some of the best in the business are people who have worked for many years to reach their status.
Once someone is able to achieve that goal, it is easier to be able to start earning a higher amount of money. The main challenge is always in the beginning stages, but that is always the case. When you want to be your own boss, you have to make some sacrifices and work hard. This is how you establish yourself with the help of your bartender networking skills.
The bartending career is also great for other reasons and a good example is the social aspect of it. There is rarely a boring day when you work in bartending and this makes it a fun experience. When you are having fun, it is easier to make more money.
Tips are a huge part of bartending and many bartenders have the charm and skills to get great tips. This is also something that helps bartenders get a larger amount of money from their work.
How much do you tip a bartender at an open bar?
The amount of money that you decide to tip to a bartender during an event such as a wedding or birthday party is up to you. It is always important to remember that the very best in the business are always people who work extra hard. If a bartender takes care of everything properly and is friendly, a tip is well deserved.
The range of tip value is always important and very relevant. You need to be able to consider that tipping anything below $10 is a bit too low. Some tips can be as high as $40 and $50 and in some cases, even $100 or more.
The freelance bartender usually tries to charge an accessible cost the tips can be very good at some events. If the event is not tip-friendly, the cost of the service is usually higher to compensate.
How many bartenders do you need for 300 guests?
When you have 300 guests at any type of venue, you are dealing with a very large crowd. If all of those 300 guests are adults, chances are that the majority of them will want drinks. This means that the bar area could easily get very crowded and you need at least 3 to 4 bartenders to handle everything.
If you only hire 1 or 2 bartenders, you are not likely to be able to achieve the best results. They could be overwhelmed with too many requests at once and this can turn things difficult. The biggest issue with this is that many of your guests could grow impatient and this is not something that can be blamed on the bartending staff.
Remember that a large crowd requires a larger amount of attention at all times and this is truly essential. Being able to find the right bartending team to handle this process is always essential. Never allow this to become something that you leave to a team with no experience.
Party Shakers offer the solutions you want
We have a team of highly trained and experienced bartenders that can handle any kind of event. Our networking skills have allowed us to become the number-one choice for your bartending needs.
Be sure to send us a message and let us know what you need for your next event. We can handle the music, the food, the cocktails, and the extra entertainment with a photo booth.
Questions and answers
Stirring, shaking, throwing, blending, muddling, and layering are the most basic and relevant methods of bartending. Those who wish to master the art of bartending need to be extremely efficient and those techniques.
Yes, freelance bartending is a great way to ensure that you have great potential for profit. It is difficult at first, but once you gain momentum, freelancing can be amazing.
Yes, they do and it can range from $13K to $130K depending on the reputation and popularity of a bartender.
You can tip a bartender as much as you want, but try to keep it at a minimum of $10. This is a great way to handle tipping.
If all 300 guests are adults that could potentially order cocktails, you would need a minimum of 3 to 4 bartenders to handle the event. It is better to have two bar setups with 2-3 bartenders on each. To make sure that everyone will receive well-crafted cocktails.
Final thoughts on bartender networking skills
Networking skills are very important to have if you plan to become a freelance bartender. The best way to handle this is to always ensure that you can brush up on your social skills to ensure that you can have the outcome you want.
Hire Party Shakers for the ultimate experience with a team of skilled bartenders!