What went wrong? (Bartending Disaster.)
August 14, 2008
Isn’t that the question you ask yourself when you don’t get the tip you deserve?
Whether you may or may not know, 1 week ago today I asked a list of a couple thousand bartenders all over the country, that burning question:
What do you do when a customer does not tip you?
The answers I got were incredible!
Well, I have compiled that list into a short report that I feel is worth reading…if you want to make more money that is!
The FREE Report is located at:
Just click on the above link, and scroll down to the bottom of the page to download your copy today!
Check it out!
Dedicated to your Bartending Success,
James Wedmore
www.BartenderConfessions.com
P.S. What is Tip Attraction? Find out August 29th.
Too Fast-Too Furious: Drunken Nights! (Part II)
August 13, 2008
And now, with out further adu, Part II of Jeremy Shirk’s(author of Make Money Bartending) blog post on increasing your speed as a bartender. Why is this so important? Well…the faster and more efficient you are as a bartender, the more tips! You can serve more customers and they wait less for their beverage. You’re happy, they’re happy…it’s a win-win! ENJOY!!
Becoming An Extraordinarily Fast Bartender - Part 2
ef-fi-cien-cy [i-fish-uhn-see]
n. pl. ef-fi-cien-cies
1. accomplishment of or ability to accomplish a job with a minimum expenditure of time and effort.
2. The ratio of the effective or useful output to the total input in any system.
3. The ratio of the energy delivered by a machine to the energy supplied for its operation.
As a bartender, if you can churn out drinks with minimum expenditure of time and effort� you will make ridiculous amounts of cash and have the option to work at virtually any establishment you like.
In Part 1, we spoke of ways you can increase you speed. All speed requires is the decision to� well� move fast. However, increasing efficiency requires more time and preparation than simply deciding to turn it up a notch� and that�s exactly why many bartenders collapse under the pressure of being thick in the weeds� because they fail to take the time to prepare their bar for maximum efficiency.
So how do you become more efficient?
1) Contemplation
Look at your bar surroundings:
Is there anything that can be improved?
Is there a certain action you hate doing, because it eats up so much time?
Now, while you may not be in a position to start reconstructing shelf and fridge space to suit your needs, such a minor change, like the location of your shot glasses, can make a drastic difference to the amount of effort you expend in during a shift.
And if you are in a position to influence bar reconstruction, do it if it will increase your bar�s efficiency! The bottom line is, become aware of your bar�s environment and make changes if necessary.
2) Preparation
Showing up 30 minutes earlier to prepare for your shift can make a world of difference to your night. Extra preparation time BEFORE your shift will result much less time and effort expended DURING your shift.
3) Systems
Systems allow you to execute without thinking, and that�s exactly what you want as a bartender. You shouldn�t have to �think� about where to reach for your grapefruit juice when someone orders a Seabreeze. It should be automatic. It should be second nature.
Have you ever seen a bartender buckle under the pressure of a mob of customers all screaming for a drink? Well, it�s not a pretty sight.
When every action is second nature, you can keep your cool easily, even when it gets crazy. Systems mean you follow the same procedure each time. You don�t do things randomly and sporadically, you do them the same, everytime! Everything from the way you set up your bar, to the sequential order you make drinks, etc.
4) Organization
While organization is a requirement of a good system. It�s important to stay organized throughout the night. Especially if your work alongside other bartenders.
Put things back in their place. Make sure you�re on the same page as your co-workers. It drove me nuts when I used to work with bartenders who didn�t put things back, or worse, because of their lack of preparation, have to come to my well/work area and grab a bottle.
As an efficient bartender, you will pull in the highest sales, and create the most enjoyable experience for your customers. Instead of dreading �the weeds�, you will welcome the craziness of working in a busy establishment because you know you can handle it.
~~~
The author of this article, Jeremy Sherk, is an expert, world-class bartender who has helped thousands of bartenders land their dream job and explode their level of cash tips.
Rather than hitting your head against a brick wall trying to succeed on your own, let him take you by the hand and show you exactly how to land the bartending job of your dreams making hundreds in cash per night! 100% Guaranteed! Click here now for all the details!
Speedy Gonzalez was an Alcoholic
August 12, 2008
We all new it growing up! “Speedy G.” (as he likes to be called now) is a complete lush! Even worse, he’s an impatient and angry drunk. To avoid having Speedy G. and other impatient guests breathing down your neck on a busy night, I have guest author Jeremy Sherk with Make Money Bartending with a great two-part article on how to increase your speed so that even Speedy Gonzalez will be impressed
Becoming An Extraordinarily Fast Bartender - Part 1
Your speed and efficiency behind the bar is crucial to your level of tips as well as the quality of bar you can work at�
So, how does one become a faster bartender?
Speed and efficiency are the two primary ingredients of a �fast� bartender. Efficiency is working �smarter�, exerting raw speed is working �harder�.
With that said� please do not underestimate the importance of speed. Both efficiency AND speed are crucial to becoming a fast, money-making bartender. Just because you�re efficient doesn�t mean you can slack it behind the bar, being efficient simply means you won�t be wasting any effort.
If you�ve ever been �in the weeds�, you know that there�s no time to waste� you�re flying and moving as quickly as possible! Having a systemized, efficient bar setup will allow your night to flow� you�ll be able to effortlessly stay in the zone without hitting any unnecessary �speed-bumps�. Being �in the weeds� will no longer take you over. You�ll actually find yourself relishing the opportunity to be behind the bar when it gets crazy!
Increasing your actual speed, like anything, comes with practice. If you�re concerned about your speed, try practicing pouring shots over your kitchen sink at home.
Does this sound crazy? Well, in my early days I did exactly that. I would fill up an empty liquor bottle with water, stick a pour spout in it, and just crank out shots as fast as possible.
Doing this for just 10 minutes a day will drastically increase your shot pouring speed in as little as a week!
You can also try setting up a few different bottles with water to more closely resemble an actual behind-the-bar experience� where you�re moving back and forth, grabbing different bottles, etc.
~~~
The author of this article, Jeremy Sherk, is an expert, world-class bartender who has helped thousands of bartenders land their dream job and explode their level of cash tips.
Rather than hitting your head against a brick wall trying to succeed on your own, let him take you by the hand and show you exactly how to land the bartending job of your dreams making hundreds in cash per night! 100% Guaranteed! Click here now for all the details!
Bartender Interview Secrets
August 9, 2008
Jeremy Shirk is the man when it comes to teaching you how to land the bartending job of your dreams! Your greatest success as a bartender can come from a perfect balance from lucrative shifts at a bar you enjoy working at and a steady flow of bartending gigs as a mobile bartender!
In this article, Jeremy shares with us his secrets to nailing that interview and securing the bartending job of your dreams!
Proven Job Interview Techniques To Seal The Deal And Land Your Dream Job Bartending
Your mouth is dry, your palms are sweaty, your heart is beating so fast it feels like it’s going to pop out of your chest!
Sound familiar?
Just a common case of interview anxiety. For most people, interviews are very uncomfortable. The mere thought of them causes anxiety and nervousness… and this is the last impression you want to give a bar manager during an interview!
The competition is fierce in this industry, so why do you always “bomb” during the interview?
You probably walk out of them and think of all the things you could’ve said, how you could’ve answered certain questions, but this doesn’t matter, it’s how you perform during the interview that gets you the job.
There’s already enough things out of your control that you’re competing with, so why work against yourself?
Let me show you how to be in your full power during the interview, so that scoring your dream job and leaving the competition in the dust comes easily and effortlessly to you!
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Dress The Part
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Dress as though you already work there, give the interviewer a rock solid visual of what you’d look like behind the bar… this makes it more probable that they’d consider you for the job.
Remember also that this is the service industry. Unless you are applying to a five star hotel, there’s no reason to show up in a suit and tie for the interview. This is trying too hard. Wear the same type of attire the employees wear.
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Breathe
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Before the interview, take a few nice, deep breaths to calm and relax yourself. This helps get oxygen to your brain and also releases tension. It can be a painful process to be seated and waiting to be interviewed by the employer, this will ease that pain and clear your head so you can “knock ‘em dead”.
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Make Eye Contact
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If you can’t bring yourself to make eye contact with the interviewer, you can forget about getting the job.
When being asked a question, if your eyes look to the floor or to the side when answering it gives the impression you’re not telling the truth for starters, and it also represents a lack of confidence, which isn’t something you find among good bartenders.
Look the person in the eye when speaking and more importantly, when listening. This is easier said then done if you’re in the habit of not doing it, becoming aware of it is all takes.
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Firm Handshake
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Be conscious of your handshake. I cannot stress this enough! A weak handshake gives a terrible first impression of you. Again, as with poor eye contact, it represents a lack of confidence. This is not what you want to do to kick start the interview.
A nice, firm, handshake gives an excellent first impression and will start the interview off on a strong note. No matter what you have to do, remember to do this.
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Act As If
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There’s no better remedy out there than “acting as if”. Act as if you are the best bartender in the world. Walk into the interview with that attitude and you’ll be surprised at the kind of energy you feel and the outlook you have.
You’ll tap into raw genius that you never thought you had. You’ll answer questions and give the interviewer exactly what they want to hear.
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Be Direct
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I hardly ever watch TV, but one show I simply cannot miss is The Apprentice. I make it a point to watch this show. I mean, how often do you get see a billionaire in action? Being able to see the behavior and demeanor of Donald Trump is my sole reason for tuning in.
One thing he preaches in his books and practices in his life is being direct. This is a must during a job interview!
The opposite, rambling and excessive talking, is a sign of nervousness so avoid it at all costs. A lot of people actually are nervous during the interview so rambling is a common thing. But when you are as direct and to-the-point as possible, this reflects self-confidence and certainty, when you do this you will stand out above and beyond every other applicant.
Do not confuse “direct” with “rude”. When answering a question, tell the interview exactly what they need to know, without a life story which only you care about.
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You Ask
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This may sound like a shock to you, but it’s not the interviewer that should be asking all the questions during an interview. The way you want to approach an interview is… you are interviewing them!
By doing this, you may find that they’re not the best place to work for after all. You may find out it’s not a good fit for you.
For example, the requirement may be for you to pool your tips after each shift. A definite thing to avoid in a potential employer! I explain this, along with everything else you must avoid when “screening” employers in Bartending Secrets Exposed.
Have a written list of questions to ask the interviewer. The one who asks the questions is in control, this is not to say to not let them ask you any questions, but have some of your own to balance things out.
When you have questions for the interviewer and you get them talking, they’ll love you for it! People love to talk about themselves and if you can do that you’re scoring huge points and establishing a connection. Believe me, it works.
Some not so obvious examples that will impress the interviewer are:
What sort of staff training is in place here?
How long have you been employed here?
What is the nightly sales record in this bar?
Do you allow low-risk, controlled flair bartending?
What is the turnover like in this establishment?
What’s stopping you from hiring me today?
Will you allow me one unpaid shift to prove myself?
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Have Some Class
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Avoid doing what so many people out there do, which is only think about themselves.
What do I mean by this?
I’m talking about the kind of person who walks into the interview and starts asking about pay and vacation time right from the get go.
These questions are focused solely on what’s in it for YOU. You don’t want to do that. Show some class and character by asking about those types of things towards the end of the interview.
You should start by asking questions about the actual job and how you can best service THEM as an employee. i.e. What you’ll be required to do for them, what sort of training is in place, how many shifts will you be able to work etc.
I hope this article gave you some good ideas and gets you thinking about what you can do better to score the bartending job of your dreams!
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The author of this article, Jeremy Sherk, is an expert, world-class bartender who has helped thousands of bartenders land their dream job and explode their level of cash tips.
Rather than hitting your head against a brick wall trying to succeed on your own, let him take you by the hand and show you exactly how to land the bartending job of your dreams making hundreds in cash per night! 100% Guaranteed! Click here now for all the details!
