Mobile Bartending Tip #2 | Booking Your 1st Bartending Gig

Get Bartender Testimonials So You Can Increase Sales

Word of mouth is one of the MOST Powerful Forms of Advertising! What others say about you has WAY more value, than what you could ever say about you, your company or your services.

It makes sense, right?! Ford tells you they have the fastest, sleekest, most popular car on the road, and you may take in the information, but does it really convince you? Then your best friend Mike pulls up in THAT car and does nothing but RAVES about how this is the fastest sleekest, most popular car on the road. A little more convincing, right?! Well why is that?!

Well, you like, know, and TRUST your good friend Mike, BUT you also know that he has NO hidden agenda for praising this new car. We tend to not trust salepeople and television commericals, etc because we know that whatever they are feeding us, they have the intention of SELLING us something.

So Why Does This Matter?

When you are marketing your Bartending Business and your services, YOU may be the BEST bartender in the World, and you provide AMAZING service, and your drinks kick butt, but how well can you (the salesman) convey that message in a way that your potential clients will believe what you say! As part of your Marketing Strategy, you NEED Testimonials (on your website) of Past Clients who can rant and rave about you. THIS is what gets potential new clients excited! THIS is what works! THIS is what sells your customers!

What is a Testimonial?

A Testimonial is any form of feedback or praise from a past client or customer that describes how AWESOME your services were and recommends you to others! They are a form of Social Proof: “Well, if SHE liked this company, I’m sure I will be pleased with this company too!”

How To EASILY Get Testimonials:

It is IMPERATIVE to include testimonials on your website…the good thing: it is EASY to get them (once you’ve had your first bartending event!)

First, make sure you provide outstanding service! If you are not putting the effort in to make people start talking about you, they won’t have anything to say when you ask for that testimonial! This means, be early to your bartending events (not on time!) Be kind, courteous, and treat the guests like royalty. Be funny, outgoing and helpful! Keep your bar clean, make the drinks fast and keep a smile on your face! Do this and put 110% effort in at all times, you will have no problems.

Make sure that when the event is over, you thank your host with sincere appreciation while in person. Within the next 2-3 days (the sooner the better), write them a quick email thanking your host again! Your client will be 100% obligated to return that e-mail and say a few kind words (THAT IS YOUR TESTIMONIAL!) I would highly recommend asking them for their permission to publish this information on your site (at this point, they may be MORE inclined to write you an even better testimonial). The client will ALWAYS say yes, so do not hesitate to ask.

The Money-Maker: Ok, so text is great, but a picture says 1001 words, right?! Get a picture of you and the host right about the testimonial and you will have a bullet-proof marketing tactic!! Either bring your own camera and ask for a pic, OR ask the host to take a picture of the both of you! Its THAT’S simple!

The ADDED BONUS: Now, if you have REALLY hit it off with your client, or they are a family friend or something, I would simply ASK them for a good testimonial, but here is where it gets better! I use a service called AUDIO GENERATOR that allows the client to call a number and leave a VOICE recorded testimonial which you can INSTANTLY add to your site so people can listen to it!! Pretty cool, right?!

So there you have it! Now go out there and get some bartending testimonials for your website.

Great Bartending Tips from a HUGE Private Event

We just pulled off an INCREDIBLE event bartending for the Newport Beach Film Festival.  The client needed 9 bartenders AND a couple portable bars from me, so you can imagine how much money I walked away with in just a few hours.  In the video below, I put together some simple, yet very important tips that will help you look more professional AND help you make you more money!

New Year’s Eve Survival Guide for Mobile Bartenders

This is a very late post, and New Year’s Eve is QUICKLY upon us! If you are a Mobile Bartender, I hope you have booked a gig for New Year’s! This final day of the year is the ULTIMATE celebration for both you and your guests, and you are Guaranteed to make a TON of MONEY if you plan your night correctly! Below is a quick list of tips and tricks that my bartenders and I use at our New Year’s Events to insure success!

1. Dress-Up! It’s New Year’s! Dress up and look great. I always like to add a silly hat or glasses to my attire to help get in the mood and show everyone that I am the “Life of the Party.” Everyone else will be in the mood to party like there is no tomorrow, so be prepared to do the same! Wear something, beads, “2009 Glasses” or a crazy hat to show you are ready for a great night!

2. Bring Props! Add a little flair to the night with some noise-makers, poppers and other do-dads! Keep some for yourself, but share the love and pass them out to eager guests. When that clock strikes Midnight, it will be THAT much more fun to have everyone using your toys and gizmos and even the host will appreciate it! (More Tips)

3. CHARGE DOUBLE: This is my most important tip! You must charge AT LEAST double your normal rate for New Year’s Eve..your reasoning: “It’s New Year’s!” No one wants to work on this night unless it is really worth it! So make the price you charge high enough so there are no regrets! And don’t forget gratuity!

4. The Tip Jar: No one is found at home doing nothing for New Year’s, so chances are, you will have MORE guests at your event than most other parties throughout the year. Imagine if everyone in the room of a 100 guest party just gave you $2.00 a piece. Not bad, right! Well, get that Tip Jar out on your bar and make it visible to everyone. For New Year’s this year, I found a GIGANTIC glass Champagne Glass that will be just PERFECT for my Tip Jar. Having a Tip Jar this New Year’s is a MUST and make sure you dress it up so guests have FUN giving you money!

5. Champagne anyone? New Year’s Eve is all about celebration! 2008 is gone, and 2009 is upon us! And what better way to celebrate than with a full glass of bubbly! No matter what, make sure you host is supplying champagne for their party! Imagine being the bartender at a New Year’s party that DOESN’T carry champagne! BONUS: Why not add a few other Champagne drink options to the menu like Mimosa, Kir Royal, etc.

6. The New Year’s Kiss: Great conversation always leads to great tips. Ask your guests if they have that special someone to kiss when the clock strikes midnight or what their New Year’s Resolution is. Who knows, you just might find yourself kissing a guest at Midnight too!

7. Just Have Fun: As a Mobile Bartender, sometimes we get stuck at uptight, stuffy parties where the liquor is NOT flowing, and the guests are NOT having fun. A New Year’s Eve party is ALWAYS the exception. Be prepared for guests bringing their “A Game” and their “Party Hats!” So have fun, relax, drink a little, and enjoy your New Year’s!!

Next Page »