Business Building Sales strategies
Simple strategies to bolster liquor sales As a bar owner, often success is dependent on your front-line employees. U.S. sales expert Bob Brown suggests seven universal strategies Canadian licensees can employ to up the sales ante
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everages are the elixir of celebration and romance. We commiserate over a couple of drafts, savour a glass of wine or try a bar chef ’s latest concoction. Yet, this liquid gold is too often unnamed, unnoticed and poorly offered. Millions are spent on advertising and training, but servers fail to take advantage. How do we close the gap?
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Bottled water: Water, water everywhere Pitfall We buy water at the market, gas station, 7-Eleven and Starbucks. Yet, when was the last time you were offered bottled water in a restaurant, other than at the Per Se’s of the world? And when it’s offered, it’s often in the poorly worded, “Will that be bottled or tap?” Or, in the sneaky, “Will that be still or sparkling?” Plus, it doesn’t pump sales if tap water is poured when guests are seated. Best practice Be artfully soft: “By the way, we offer Evian still or Perrier sparkling.” Gently, offer, inform and describe. Joe Kurth, GM of Milwaukee’s Pfister Hotel, set up a display in the entrance of Café restaurant. Combine that with saying, “I don’t know if you noticed, but we offer Panna and San Pellegrino” can double up verbal and nonverbal selling.
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Wine: The land of fear and confusion Pitfall Wine is perplexing to guests – and servers. When servers lack basic knowledge of wines such as Chardonnay,
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Business Building Sales strategies
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Business Building Sales strategies
Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Pinot Noir, they avoid talking about it. Best practice Demystify with wine lyrics based on body, texture, sweetness or dryness, and flavour such as: • Chardonnay – full-bodied, fresh and dry with flavours of Granny Smith apples, vanilla and oak. • Sauvignon Blanc – medium-bodied, citrusy, crisp, herbaceous and dry. • Riesling – light, crisp, semi-dry with flavours of apple and honey. Once servers learn lyrics for the top reds and whites, they’re comfortable and confident.
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Cocktails: The art of suggestion Pitfall Servers are stuck in the “yes/no” habit of, “Can I get you a drink?” The guest answers, “I’ll have water with lemon, and bring me plenty of sugar so I can make lemonade.” Plus, when a guest orders a
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Vodka Tonic, servers often respond with the lazy, “Do you have a preference?” Or with the manipulative, “Will that be Grey Goose or Belvedere?” Best practice Make it interesting: “By the way, our bartender, Mitch, makes a fabulous Grey Goose martini.” Now the guest is no longer deciding if they want a drink, but which kind. If he orders a vodka tonic, try the gentle listing approach: “We offer a great selection of vodkas, including Grey Goose, Belvedere, Absolut and Skyy.”
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Beers: Ditch the auctioneer Pitfall It’s common practice to rattle off selections like an auctioneer. “We have Bud, Bud, Bud Lite … Miller, Miller, Miller Lite … Coors, Coors, Coors Lite, Da, Da, Do, Do – Da.” The robotic indifference says, “I hate my job.” Best practice Engage with the slow rhythm technique.
Wine is perplexing to guests – and servers. When servers lack basic knowledge of wines they avoid talking about it
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With booze-less beverages, neglect abounds. How many sales go by the wayside in spite of an onslaught of offerings?
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Recite with a calm and commanding cadence, emotive inflection, while sprinkling in enticing tidbits: “We offer Heineken … Becks … Sam Adams … Corona … and Peroni from Italy. For micro brews, we offer New Belgium Fat Tire Amber and Rouge Dead Guy Ale from Oregon.”
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Non-alcoholic: Big profit, missed opportunities Pitfall With booze-less beverages, neglect abounds. How many sales go by the wayside in spite of an onslaught of offerings? Best practice Instead of iced water, Café Atlántico of Washington, D.C., offers Dominican Lemonade with cranberry, lime, pineapple and grapefruit. Instead of a Shirley Temple, how about a Texas Tornado with pineapple and orange juice, grenadine and Sprite garnished with a cherry? From Red Bull to South African Rooiboos Renewal tea, options are endless, enticing – and big on profit.
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Cordials and Cognacs: The unnamed ones Pitfall Cordials and cognacs are not specifically offered or enticingly described. “Would you like coffee or an after-dinner drink?” is the order of the day.
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Business Building Sales strategies
Best practice Offer multiple choices: “For dessert, we offer indulgences such as white chocolate mousse, ginger crème brulée and key lime pie. We have Sambuca, Frangelico, Amaretto, Grand Marnier and Baileys. A special cappuccino with half-shots of Kahlua and Frangelico comes with our famous chocolate disappearing spoon.” This approach underscores the idea that in every food opportunity there is a beverage opportunity.
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Bonus Points: Champagne and roses Pitfall Good is the enemy of great. A ho-hum approach results in missed opportunities to create memories and repeat business.
Best practice At Gramercy Tavern, service guru Danny Meyer offers a muffin in a lovely blue bag as a parting gift. Complimentary desserts or champagne on special occasions will be remembered. Unexpected delights instill loyalty. Of course, questions remain. Do managers know how to break deeply embedded habits? How effectively do restaurateurs work with purveyors to ensure training that demystifies and delights? Or, do supplier-backed seminars leave servers three sheets to the wind and more confused? There is lots of low-hanging fruit ready for the plucking if
managers and staff are given the knowledge and a savvy set of strategies to unlock the doors to beverage sales success. Bob Brown is president of Bob Brown Service Solutions, pioneered Marriott’s Service Excellence Program and has worked with hospitality clients such as Disney, Hilton, Morton’s of Chicago, Olive Garden, Boston Pizza and Red Lobster. He has appeared on the “Food Network” and is author of The Little Brown Book of Restaurant Success and The Big Brown Book of Managers. He has just released a learning system on the Seven Keys. Visit www.bobbrownmedia. com for more information
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