The perfect garnish can take a cocktail to the next level — whether it’s a juicy lime wedge adorning a mojito or a rim of sparkling salt on a margarita glass.
Similarly, an enticing promotion takes a customer’s experience in your liquor store from good to great. Promotions excite shoppers, connect them to your brand, and encourage them to spend more money during each visit — but they also require creativity and careful planning.
In this blog, we’ll cover the basics of liquor store promotions, then explore our five favorite ideas. Cheers to higher sales and happier customers!
Liquor Store Promotions 101
First, let’s talk about why promotions are a must-have ingredient for liquor store success. Here are five reasons to offer regular deals:
- Increased foot traffic: An attractive promotion gives new shoppers a reason to stop by your liquor store.
- Customer loyalty: Regular promotions motivate customers to come back to your store again and again.
- Higher sales: Strategic promotions motivate customers to spend more to maximize their savings.
- Improved inventory turnover: Offering deals on underselling bottles can solve cash flow issues and free up shelf space for more popular spirits.
- Simplified marketing strategy: Focusing on in-store promotions makes it easier to stay within liquor industry marketing regulations.
Managing promotions might seem like a lot of work, but the right technology can make it effortless.
Before creating your promotional calendar, make sure your liquor store point of sale (POS) system includes marketing features. This tool lets you create custom promotions, schedule them in advance, and ensure they’re always applied accurately at the checkout counter.
Related Read: How To Choose a Liquor Store POS System: 4 Tips and Providers
5 Creative Liquor Store Promotion Ideas
Now that you have the right tools, you’re ready to start offering the most attractive liquor store promotions in town. Here are our five favorite types of promotions — plus specific ideas to inspire you.
1. Create Product Bundles
Product bundles should be a staple in your liquor store’s promotional strategy. Along with encouraging customers to add more products to their baskets, bundles help you highlight specific bottles, giving you the opportunity to showcase your newest arrivals or increase turnover for your least popular spirits.
Here are three promotional bundles to consider offering:
- Craft beer must-haves: Is your city a hotspot for local breweries? Curate a collection of must-try craft beers from nearby breweries. Customers can try them all and find a new favorite for a discounted price.
- Ready-to-drink cocktail samplers: Ready-to-drink cocktails have spiked in popularity recently. Take advantage of this trend by offering a bundle of your RTD offerings for one attractive price.
- Nonalcoholic starter pack: Nonalcoholic options are also a hot trend in the liquor industry. Attract sober-curious customers by creating a unique bundle of delicious beverages without the buzz.
You can even offer samples of these products if your liquor license allows it, encouraging customers to add more of these discounted bottles to their shopping baskets.
Pro tip: Your liquor store’s POS system should make it easy to create promotional bundles. Simply select eligible bottles and enter a minimum purchase amount, and your POS system will automatically apply the discount at the checkout counter.
2. Host Educational Events
Want to boost your liquor store’s sales and share your passion for fine spirits with the community? Consider hosting events.
Events are an excellent way to bring new customers through your doors and showcase your selection. Here are just a few examples of liquor store promotional events:
- Bourbon for beginners: Introduce attendees to the world of bourbon, educating them on the history of the spirit, how it’s made, and what to look for when sipping. Offer tastings and discounts on a curated selection of bourbons, including affordable options and high-end bottles.
- Wine pairing nights: Invite a sommelier to visit your store and explain how to pair wines with different foods. Offer complementary snacks and discounts on featured bottles.
- Mixology classes: Share which spirits go best with which mixers, and offer tips for measuring, shaking, and serving delicious cocktails. Create a bundle of the must-have ingredients for attendees to take home at the end.
Along with promoting featured products, you can also offer event attendees an exclusive discount or coupon to be redeemed during their next visit — encouraging them to become repeat customers.
3. Offer Branded Freebies
Giving out branded swag is a win-win for you and your customers. They enjoy the excitement of getting something for free — and you get the benefit of free advertising for your liquor store.
You can offer freebies for first-time customers, loyalty program members, or shoppers who spend over a certain amount in your store.
Let’s look at a few popular freebie options:
- T-shirts: Custom order t-shirts for your liquor store that include your liquor store’s name and logo. To make the most of the free advertising, include a funny or memorable slogan in an eye-catching color.
- Koozies: A free can cooler is the perfect complement to a six-pack of beer. Offer slim and traditional options featuring your store’s branding.
- Bottle openers: Customers can never have too many bottle openers. Order custom bottle openers with an attached magnet or keychain for extra convenience.
Giving away free liquor is expensive and may violate liquor industry marketing regulations, so freebies like these are a great alternative.
4. Sponsor Local Events
Hoping to become your neighborhood’s favorite liquor store? Get involved in the community by partnering with nearby businesses and sponsoring local events.
Here are a few ideas to expand your reach and increase brand awareness for your business:
- Festivals: Become a sponsor for your city’s music or arts festivals. You can even ask the festival organizers to highlight your liquor store’s name and logo near the concession stands and pop-up bars.
- Road races: Some adult-oriented 5K, 10K, and marathon races offer a free beer at the finish line. Offer to provide the beer in exchange for advertising your liquor store.
- Restaurant partnerships: Offer to “sponsor” a cocktail on a local restaurant’s menu. For example, you might ask a nearby Mexican restaurant to offer a special margarita featuring your bestselling tequila.
Getting involved in events like these gives attendees a reason to choose your liquor store over the competition.
How will you let customers know about new seasonal products, discounts, and upcoming events? The answer is social media.
Social media can help you attract new shoppers and stay connected with your loyal customers. Check out these post ideas to increase engagement on your pages and bring followers through your door:
- Bottle of the week: Each week, spotlight a new product on your social media page. For example, you might choose a local whiskey, sharing fun facts about the distillery and offering cocktail recipe ideas.
- Social media-exclusive coupons: Offer special deals and discounts for your social media followers. For instance, you can offer a 20% off coupon on your liquor store’s bottle of the week.
- Giveaways: Offer swag bags and exclusive coupons in exchange for follows, likes, and comments to increase your social media reach.
Most social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook have strict alcohol advertising guidelines, so review their regulations before posting.
Make Liquor Store Promotions a Breeze With the Right POS System
You’ve got the right ideas for your liquor store promotions — now you need the tools to bring them to life. A liquor store POS system can help you identify promotion opportunities and turn them into higher sales.
Bottle POS is our top POS pick for liquor stores because it includes powerful features like mix and match bottle pricing, a customer loyalty program, and integrated email and SMS marketing features. Plus, you’ll have access to must-have tools for liquor store management, like case-bottle inventory tracking, built-in age verification, and in-depth sales reporting.
See Bottle POS in action by scheduling your live, personalized demo with one of our liquor industry experts today!
