Learning from our Mistakes!

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

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:

http://www.TipAttraction.com

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.

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!

…haha! Yes Balogni! I said it…

What to do when you DON’T get tipped

Heaven forbid this will ever happen to us, but it DOES happen, and when it does, we HAVE to be prepared with what to do next!

I want to do something a little different here.

I want to hear YOUR response to this question, and then I will post the best answers so we can all learn from each other.

It’s a question I get all of the time from bartenders everywhere, and it’s a great one!

What do you do when you don’t get tipped by your customer?

Whether you are working at a bar or a restaurant and you serve a customer who does not tip you, or you work an entire night for a private party and you don’t get tipped (or tipped poorly)…

WHAT DO YOU DO??

As bartenders, we survive and depend on our tips, so it really hurts us financially when we don’ get that tip we worked so hard for.

Recently, one of my bartenders did an event for me. The client who hosted the party was from a different country (I will not identify due to incorrect stereotyping for bad-tippers!).

Anyway, at the end of the night, the client walked up to my bartender, said thank you, HUGGED HER and gave her a $5.00 tip.

FIVE DOLLARS?!

My bartenders are used to making $100-$300 in a tip at the end of the night (and sometimes way more!!)

Needless to say, my bartender was devastated and confused. She thought she did an outstanding job, and the host loved her!

But I gave her tons of helpful advice that I use for those rare times when my tip is below par or non-existent. Advice that she truly took to heart that she believed was very helpful.

But I ask you, in your bartending or serving position, WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU DON’T GET THE TIP YOU DESERVE?

Please reply in the comments section of this BLOG. I will then compile the best answers along with what I have done in the past and will create a great article that everyone will get a FREE copy of!

So send me your answers, THANKS GUYS!

To your Bartending Success,

James Wedmore
Mobile Mixologist
Bartend4Profit.com