So, how can we be using VIDEO to help promote your bartending business??

Well, first, you need to realize that VIDEO can be used for two ways:

1.  To DRIVE Traffic To Your Bartending Website

2.  To INCREASE Your Sales & Conversions

Once your bartending website is UP and running, you need TRAFFIC to your website, and then you need visitors to take action and call/buy from you!

Use VIDEO to Drive TRAFFIC:

This is easy!  Put content on Youtube!  Google owns Youtube and their videos are indexed in Google’s search engines!  Why not have your video appear on the first page of Google every time your prospects are searching for a bartender! Here are some quick ideas for some simple and easy videos you can create for Youtube:

• Drink Recipes & Mixing Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions from Customers
• Tips on How to Hire a Bartender
• Party Planning Tips
• or any other informational videos that teach and inform your customers!

Once your customers find your OPTIMIZED videos in Youtube, they can click your link and head right onto your website!   From there, you can greet them with more video…

Use VIDEO to INCREASE SALES:

Once visitors arrive on your blog or bartending website, you can do even more with video to get people to choose you over your competitors.  You can do anything from a Welcome Video to a “demo video” of actual bartending footage at your past events, and EVEN Video Testimonials!!  Here is a GREAT little welcome speech script for the home page of your website:

Welcome Video SCRIPT:

1. Welcome Visitors to your Website
2. Introduce yourself and who you are
3. Tell People WHY they need a bartender
4. Tell People WHY You are the Solution
5. Tell People WHAT to do next (call, email, etc)

EXAMPLE SCRIPT:

Hello, and welcome to the Magnificent Mobile Bartenders official website-I am James Wedmore Professional Mixologist and preferred bartender serving the Orange County, Los Angeles county for the past 6 years.  You are most-likely here because you are looking for a bartender and some additional help for your next big event.  But more importantly, you need someone to help reduce the stress and workload of planning a party WHILE also impressing your guests with a professional staff.  Please take a look through our website, check out our testimonials of our satisfied clients, and when you are ready, give us a call at the number above and we’d be happy to help you plan your next event!  Thanks for watching, have a great day!

Easy right?!

Video is POWERFUL, but it is also VERY EASY to use!  For less than $200 you can have a wonderful HD camera that can do amazing things for your marketing!  Obviously, you’ll need to learn some tricks such as how to optimize your videos, edit them, and all the rest, and that’s where our course comes in…

Video4PROFIT eCourse

I recently sat down with youtube SUPER Star Dave Powers (RCPowers.com) and we came together to reveal all of his Youtube & Video Marketing Secrets that helped him generate over +41 Million views to his videos and a flood of fresh traffic every day to his website!  This is pretty cool stuff, and I want to invite you to create a free membership using the link below:

http://www.OnlineVideo4PROFIT.com/blog/freeaccess

I REALLY think you’ll enjoy the FREE VIDEOS! Thanks, talk soon!

-James Wedmore

Get Your Hands on our Exclusive Social Media Video Training Modules for just $19.95/month

This Offer will Expire on 2/1/09

The Christmas Season is upon us and NOW is the best time to start Mobile Bartending! To get your hands on the Bartend-4-Profit System before I increase the price, click here!

The Bartend-4-Profit System, only $127

YES! This is my favorite time of year! As a kid I had Haunted Houses in my garage. Today, I still think of the BEST possible costumes I can come up with!! But as a bartender with a Mobile Bartending Business…Expect a lot of Halloween Parties!

Below is a small list of great tips for all my fellow Mobile Bartenders that you can implement during Halloween!

Halloween Bartending Tips:

1. Dress Up! If you are NOT dressing up for Halloween parties…you’re CRAZY! Not only is it fun (and more casual, but your clients/guests will LOVE it. (Just make sure you ask if you can dress up first) Try something related to bartending or your task behind the bar. This year I am going to be a Mad Scientist mixing up some crazy concoctions! (Yes, you may steal my costume idea!)

2. Add Dry Ice: This is awesome! Every martini I make, I put in a REAL glass and add a small coin-sized piece of Dry Ice. The effect is amazing! Your guests will love it and it will keep your cocktails a bit colder!

3. Charge More: It’s basic Supply & Demand here people! When you have more party requests…up your rates. You can only be at one place at one time, bless only the highest bidder with your presence.

4. Unique Tip Jar: I love to decorate my bar with cobwebs, an ugly rat or snake, and a unique tip jar. Try something like a witch’s cauldron or one of those cheesy candy bowls with the motion-sensor hands. Let people have FUN while they give you money (yay!)

5. Include Halloween Inspired Recipes: I have include a great website that has a huge list of Halloween Drink Recipes. Click Here to check those out now: http://www.drinknation.com/theme/Halloween

6. Include a Menu: Put those fancy drink recipes on a menu of some sort and display proudly on your bar. Find one of Grandma’s ancient/gaudy picture frames, print out your recipes, and add some cob-webs to the frame. BOOM!

7. Bring a Camera: Chances are, your party will be a dress-up Halloween Party. Well, here is the BEST way to capture leads for your business: Take group pictures of guests as they approach the bar. For them to get the pictures, they must e-mail you…so make a list of their names and e-mails…and now you can promote to them! Oh, and you can also add these pictures to your website!

Got any more Tips?

Have any costume ideas, tip jar suggestions, or anything else that could help the other bartenders out there? Post a comment and let me now? Also, did my tips help, or do they suck?! Let me know your thoughts! Other than that, I hope you have all booked a lot of events for this October (and yes Nov. 1st for those Saturday party-planners)

Cheers,

James Wedmore
Mobile Mixologist

One of my subscribers, Kathy, sent me an e-mail detailing the events of her first bartending gig. I get these all the time from clients who are just so excited, and hooked on Mobile Bartending! Unfortunately, this e-mail was a bit different…ok a whole lot different. In my opinion, Kathy’s first event was a bit of a disaster.

I have attached her e-mail along with my response in this blog. Why? So we can learn from other’s Mobile Bartending Mistakes so we can all become better bartenders and make more money (yay!).

From Kathy:

Hey Kathy!!

What a nightmare! But I guess we can chalk it up to a great learning experience here!!

So, here is EVERYTHING you can do as a mobile bartender to make sure that NEVER happens again!

Get a Mobile Bar or Have an Alternative:

• If you don’t have YOUR own bar, you need to get one ASAP.
• Until then, try finding a suitable substitute. (A portable table, etc.)
• Or, Rent one and charge your clients (plus interest)Most Importantly: Have the bar arrangement settled BEFORE you arrive at the event. Don’t try and solve the problem when you arrive.

Know The Drink Menu:

• If the host is going to throw a “curve ball” at you, with unique recipes and a menu that no one has ever heard of, make sure you get the names and recipes BEFORE the event.
• While booking, ask “What types of drinks would you like me to serve?” This way, you can look everything over and get an idea for how to make the drinks
• If necessary, make a 1 page cheat sheet and keep behind the bar

Let There Be Light!

• ALWAYS check BEFORE the party starts and make sure you have enough light. My host always asks, “Do you have everything, James?” BEFORE the guests arrive, make sure you have an adequate light source. Don’t wait until it’s dark.
• At the worst case scenario, a BUNCH of candles at the bar will do.

Bring Your Own Back Bar:

• Take more control of your bar area, provide your own mobile back bar table.
• Bring a small portable table of your own for the back bar!
• And yes, bring a stool if you must.

Charge More $$$!

I know you are just starting out in Mobile Bartending, but I would be offended if that is all I made in an evening. Change your pricing strategy.

• Charge $147 as your BASE rate
• DONT CHARGE HOURLY
• If your host is tipping you, it should be a MINIMUM of $2 per guest. I think $250 sounds a lot better to you than $100, right?
• Wait until I show you how you can make $500-600 a night.

Kathy, I hope this info helps you on your path to Mobile Bartending Success. But let me tell you…you are making all of the mistakes I made when I first started, I am actually getting “angry” and “fired up” for YOU. I feel like the host totally screwed you big time, and your biggest problem is that you are not taking control and showing him the confidence and knowledge that you have. If you want to continue learning from every bad situation, it is going to be a long and painfully bumpy road.

***************

Well, I hope everyone else can learn something from this situation. I have dealt with problems like Kathy’s before, but not anymore! The Bartend-4-Profit System is your roadmap to success as a Mobile Bartender, check it out at www.Bartend4Profit.com.

Thanks Guys!

Cheers,

James Wedmore

Almost everyday I get asked this question. I open the door, pull back the curtain and expose a bit of my exciting world as a Private Party Bartender, and people say “AWESOME! Great! …How much?”

It is a great question! If you are going to take the leap (I call it a small step) from employee to entrepreneur, you are going to want to minimize as many risks as possible, and when you hear about all of the details of having a Bartending Business, most are left wondering “what’s the catch?”

Why Bartending Rocks:

Becoming a mobile bartender has more perks than I can think of, and frankly need to save for future posts. But the NUMERO UNO reason why becoming a Mobile Bartender kicks some serious butt is:

ALMOST ZERO START-UP COSTS!

I’m serious! It really does not cost you much to get you started and on your feet! Even better, you will make so much money so quickly that you can reinvest a portion of your profit into your business so that it will continue to grow.

So what are we looking at here?

What does low start-up costs mean? Well, in The Bartend-4-Profit System’s Home Study Course, I include a detailed list of everything you need and how to get it at the best price. In this post, I have given you a brief list of your most important items and their costs. Remember, in the service industry, people are paying for you…not a physical product!

(In order of importance-in my opinion)

• Business Cards ($100-150)
• A Uniform (all black, or tuxedo shirt, vest, etc…you should already have something)
• Bartending Tools (shaker, wine key, bottle opener, speed pourers, coolers, garnish tray,etc) (less than $100)
• A Portable Bar (you can do events with out one, but you can charge more if you have one…and you can get one anywhere from $50-$1500, I give you a list of all of the different bar options in the home study course of Bartend-4-Profit)
• A Website (your best marketing tool…and you can get it for under $300…don’t worry, I show you exactly how to have one made asap in the Bartend-4-Profit System)

I hope this helps give you an idea of just how EASY it is to get started! PLEASE use the comment form below to address any aditional questions you may have! THANKS GUYS!

James Wedmore
www.Bartend4Profit.com

Well…last Saturday happened to be another successful night for myself! I was hired to bartend a wedding reception of over 125 guests. I brought with me another bartender and we had a tip jar out. Within 5 hours, that tip jar had seen $987.00! Needless to say, it was a great event!

In this article, I am going to discuss some of the principles and techniques that I put into use in order to make this ordinary night into an extraordinary one.

It’s a Wedding

Most importantly, this was a wedding and they can be your most lucrative events. Why? Because everyone is happy, loves to drink, and you can almost always expect to have a tip jar present. At this particular event, I had a large tip jar on the bar that I baited before hand, and never let get more than ½ full!

A Second Bartender

To handle the large crowd of 120 drinkers, I brought along a second bartender (of course I charged extra for this). But there are two reasons why a second bartender will help you: first off, he/she will take off a lot of the workload and the wait-time for drinks will be much shorter. This means you don’t have any unhappy (and thirsty) customers!

But more importantly, if you choose the right bartender, you can have a partner whose energy you can bounce off of! When you have someone else who is also outgoing and very personable, your confidence levels will increase and you will perform much better behind the bar.

Establish Rapport

By establishing rapport, we were able to loose the image of “hired help” and become more like another guest at the party. There are several techniques we used to do this, including using names, physical contact (handshakes, high-fives, hugs, etc) and coming out from behind the bar to talk with our guests.

We would prepare a bunch of shots for our guests and then make a toast for everyone and drink! This works well because it really brings the group together and creates a sense of belonging. We are controlling the environment by ordering the shots, calling the toast, and drinking first.

We also strike up interesting conversations with our guests that show we are very personable and (hopefully) intelligent. Either way, our guests are impressed and can’t leave the night without showing their gratitude one way or another!

Shameless Solicitation

If none of the above worked, we would resort to what I like to call “shameless solicitation.” We would say things to our guests such as, “If you think your drink is good now, just wait until you tip us…I’ll hook you up!” Nine times out of ten, the guest would reach into his/her wallet/purse and hand us cash!

Or, if someone just tipped, we will make a big scene! We grab his drink and add more liquor, or a few extra limes, etc and make sure the rest of the guest sees what we are doing! “This is what you get when you tip!” In this instance, we are setting the social norms for the party: if you want a drink, you gotta tip!”

Flair/Magic

And lastly, we performed a few flair and magic tricks at our event to keep our guests entertained. The flair is all easy and quick moves that you can do when you are slammed at the bar and can actually help you work faster.

The magic is designed for times later in the night when the line at the bar is slow and the guests are drunk. Both the magic and the flair are excellent crowd pleaser’s and always result in added tips into the jar!

In Conclusion:

There really are a myriad of principles and techniques that I implemented last Saturday, and this is just a brief summary. If you are interested in learning more about the methods described above plus many, many others, you can discover more on my website: www.TipAttraction.com. This is a website for bartenders who want to learn more about how to increase their tips!

I hope you enjoyed my post and that you can use some of the principles suggested during your events! If you have any great tactics, techniques, or tricks that you use to get more tips, don’t hesitate to post them in the comment section and share them with the group! Thanks!

Cheers,

James Wedmore
Bartend-4-Profit
www.BartenderforProfit.com