MARKETING FEATURE
Y T R A P E T A E CR L L E S T A H T EXPERIENCES
Lehlohonolo Tsotetsi, manager at Vaal Monate Cafe
I
n the past, having a shebeen, meant simply stocking your fridges and waiting for patrons to visit. Nowadays you have to up your game. This includes renovating your establishment, focussing on rigorous marketing and advertising, playing good music through a quality sound system, investing in a flatscreen TV, and above all, good customer service. Spotong recently embarked on a quest to uncover what kinds of party experiences are being provided in the market these days. Our first visit led us to Sebokeng, Evaton North, to the family-owned Vaal Monate Cafe where the always cheerful co-owner and manager Lehlohonolo ‘Jomo’ Tsotetsi told us about their annual year-end allwhite party - their biggest event of the year. They also host a bowtie party for his younger brother’s and co-owner’s birthday, a Thursday Divine Night themed for their resident DJ Divine, and the Mondays Free Mogodu Special. 8
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The year-end party is in its third year and commands an entrance fee of R250. Food is served in-house by a professional chef and on this day top DJs and celebs are given Most Valuable Guests comps and treated to free drinks. Jomo says, “In five years’ time the event will be pre-booked around March since it gets bigger and better every year”. It increases the number of customers and profit margins grow dramatically as a result.” The pub boasts ample parking space, a car wash and two bar areas, of which one is a dedicated VIP area with a bouncer. Recently they have started collecting soccer stars’ shirts which are framed and displayed at the bar area. The venue employs 43 dedicated staff members. “My personal experience is to always be involved in all aspects of the business. Live it with passion, compromise, and sacrifice. Invite people everywhere and entertain them,” he says.
Our second stop was in Soweto, Diepkloof, Zone 6 Venue, which is located within the massive Bara taxi rank mall. There we met the soft-spoken Prince Mazibuko, the manager, who showed us around the indoor events venue. It opened its doors in December 2012. The main entrance is strictly for pre-sold and cash paying patrons only and a strict entrance screening awaits you. The inside is divided into two floors; the ground floor consists of six bars, with a bar strictly used for service purposes only. This floor also features ten booths to house the media and sponsors, and has a total capacity of 1500 people. The upper floor caters for an average of 300 people, and hosts radio stations, DJs and celebs. “It is mainly used to push product stocks for sponsors. Social media and signage are used as marketing tools,” he says. Among the events hosted here are the Absolut Vodka Summer Sundaze and
