Dear James,

I am new to the bartending scene…very new, I just finished bartending school and have not secured a job yet. I really do not want to work in a bar, club or restaurant, I would much rather do private parties, weddings, etc; however I am very nervous about starting out alone. I think that starting with a company that specializes in bartending for private events might be a good avenue for me to pursue. The question is how do I get a company to give me chance to prove myself with a even though there will be a little bit of a learning curve?  So what would your best advice be about how to get your foot in the door without having experience?

Sincerely,

Roni

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James’ Answer:

Hey Roni!

Welcome to the Bartending Catch 22: Managers are looking for bartenders with experience…so how do you get some?!

Listen, if you want my advice, just do private parties on your own! But here is ONE way you get over your fear…

BRING someone with you!

If you know anyone who has been in the service industry for sometime, even if they are just a server, having a second person there will help you tremendously!  Promise them you will split all the money 50-50 and they will be very willing to help!

Another trick with mobile bartending is that you will tell the host exactly what to provide so YOU will know what drink options are available.  If some guest throws a curve-ball drink at you that you have no idea how to make, simple say, “Oh sorry, I dont have the proper ingredients back here to make that.”  Simple!

ALSO, when you arrive early and get all set up, the guests will usually start to “trickle” in.  SO you quickly get acclimated to the process of mobile bartending.  In other words, you get to practice on a few guests before the real party begins!

Once you do your first event, you will actually laugh at the fact that you were ever nervous!  All of the bartenders and staff I train have NEVER bartended before…YOU have actually gone to bartending school so you are light-years beyond the rest!  You are going to KILL it, just go out there and get that first gig under your belt!

Take care!

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80/20 Bartending

This takes me back to last Saturday night’s bartending gig at a clients home. The event was actually a charity auction that took place on their tennis court. (Yes, they had a tennis court and a HUGE home!) Over 200 guests showed up to get drunk and bid on some ridiculous stuff-one LIVE auction item included Mike Eisner’s old Mighty Ducks Box seats and another was an Andy Warhol original.

I had a tip jar out and I was working my butt of to keep these thirsty guests happy. I was “in the zone” as I like to call it. Just as you finish pouring those last cocktails, another guest has given you a big order. You just have enough time to wipe your brow, clean your shaker and keep moving! The music is blasting behind you and everyone gathers to watch your hands move like lightening. I love it!

The tips were coming in pretty steady, but nothing to be too excited about. I would say every other guest put in a dollar or two guaranteeing me a $100-200 for the night (not bad, right!) Well…then something happened!

80% of Your Income comes from 20% of your Clients

The 80/20 was in Full Effect! A gentleman came to the bar who I had been serving all night. This was his 4th glass of Chardonnay for the evening and he opened up his wallet to dig for a tip.

“Looks like this is your lucky night,” the patron said as he dropped a Fat Hundy ($100 dollar Bill) into my bar! Lucky night, indeed!! I was stoked!

But wait, it gets better…

Two minutes later another gentleman comes up to the bar. He actually asked, “How you doing on tips tonight?” as he peered into my jar. That’s when his eyes caught sight of the $100 bill! “100! Mike (name’s have been changed) gave you this, didn’t he?!”

“Yep!” I said.

“Well, I can’t let Mike show me up like that.” This guy whipped out his wallet and threw in another hundred dollar bill!! WOOHOO! $200 in less than 5 minutes!

The Lesson Here:

So Why am I telling you this? If you think it’s to brag about how much money I make…you are Dead Wrong!! It is the 80/20 Rule. 80% of my tips came from 20% of my customers (or just 2 guests!) Every other guest there didn’t tip over a dollar or two, but these two guys happened to give me a combined total of $200! The 80/20 Rule is all around you in every aspect of your life, you just need to be aware of it!

So…next time you are bartending, keep in mind, there are a few potential guests out there who will make the different between an “average night” and a fantastically-successfull evening!” Keep an eye out for these individuals. They are your VIP’s!

VIP Hunting: Finding that 20%

VIPS are extroverted, wealthy drinkers. They usually are males with loud, tacky shirts (this is just from my personal experience). They frequent the bar often and want to know your name. The VIP of the party is THAT guy who would be the FIRST one to jump in behind the bar if you were to suddenly vanish or something. The VIP of the party is an ALPHA MALE. Treat him so.

If you want to get on the good side of a VIP, treat him (or her-sometimes) like royalty! Make their drink EXACTLY how they want it with plenty of liquor. They are the life of the party, help propel them even more so! Use their name often, point them out in the crowd, and become their best friend!

One Final Thing…

I first learned of the 80/20 Rule in Tim Ferris’ book The 4-Hour WorkWeek. I LOVE that book and have read it 3 times! I highly, recommend you pick up a copy and read through it. I only bartend a few gigs a week, so I have the 12 hour work week, not four…but I’m working on it!

Cheryl Charming
(aka: The “Martha Stewart” of Modern cocktail Culture)
Experience: 28 Years in the Food & Bev. Industry
Books (9 Total): including, Miss Charming’s Guide for Hip Bartenders and Wayout Wannabes, & The Everything Bartender’s Book
Coming Soon: Knack Bartending Basics: More than 400 Classic & Contemporary Drinks for any Occasion
Websites: www.MissCharming.com / www.CharmingResumes.com

A Great Interview:

You can imagine that 28 years of experience behind the bar can make you an expert in your field. Miss Charming is no exception. In just a short hour, we discussed some great topics ranging from How to Get the Bartending Job of Your Dreams, Great Stories, Lucrative & Popular Bar Tricks, and how to become a Successful Bartender and so much more!

It was such an honor to speak with her and in such a short time, she shared so much valuable information that I know will make me a better bartender, and I hope it will make my listeners better bartenders as well!

James, How can I listen to this Interview?

Well…great question! I did record the entire interview and I am including it FREE as a Bonus to my NEWEST product: Tip Attraction: The Definitive Resource for Increasing your Tips and Becoming the Life of the Party which is LAUNCHING in just a few short days!! Check it out at www.TipAttraction.com.

Visit www.TipAttraction.com for more info!

For those of you who sign up and submit your e-mail address, you will get your copy of Tip Attraction at 50% off with ALL THE BONUSES! (yay!) And don’t worry, I will send everyone an e-mail letting them know when Tip Attraction is finally available to the public!

I will have TONS more to report in just a few short days so check back soon!

Cheers,

James Wedmore
www.Bartend4Profit.com

I am getting ready for a night out in San Diego right now, and then I have a few bartending gigs to work the rest of the weekend!

But I just had to get this quick post out:

For those of you who don’t already know, our newest product: TIP ATTRACTION, is nearing its launch date!

We are getting really excited about it, because we have a ton of great stuff to offer our bartenders, but the main goal is this: Show you how to increase your tips behind the bar!!

Visit www.TipAttraction.com and get on our mailing list. Everyone who does will receive their copy at a DISCOUNTED PRICE when Tip Attraction is launched!!

So…What Is Tip Attration?

You’ll just have to stay tuned for more info!

Thanks Guys!

Cheers,

James Wedmore
Bartend4Profit.com

P.S. Here is the most random picture I could find today…

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.

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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