Note: This article was written for Mobile Bartenders-those who choose the adventurous lifestyle of working at private parties as a Bartending Business Owner!  I have made over $950.00 in tips just from one New Year’s party, and that did not include the commissions I made from other parties I booked that night.  The following article will tell you a few tricks on just exactly how I did that.

The Craziest Night of The Year:

Welcome to New Year’s Eve!  It is no question that more people party of New Year’s Eve than on any night of the year…AND the party harder than ever before!  What does this mean for you as a Mobile Bartender?  Well, if you play your cards right: more work & more money!

As Demand Increases, So Does Our Rate:

Remember High School Econ’s Supply & Demand Curve?  The MORE people want a product or service(demand), the more the market is willing to pay for it (the price increases!).  That means good news for YOU!  New Year’s Eve is the one night of the year where you can double-or triple your bartending rates and people will easily pay them!  WHY?! Two Reasons:

1. People want the BEST Party ever & are willing to pay for the best help!
2. It is NOT easy to find a bartender who is willing to work on New Year’s Eve!

How Much Will You Charge?

You probably became a bartender because you love the nightlife!  That means it may be hard for you to pull yourself away from the biggest party night of the year so you can “work.” (Like this is actually work, right?!)  Well, putting that into the equation, that should make it easier for you to charge $250-450.00 JUST to show up for five hours!  Because what’s the worst that could happen?  You DON’T book a gig and you end up having a great time with family & friends!

Bottom Line: Do NOT be afraid to charge double/triple your standard rate for New Year’s eve!

A Tip on Tips:

If your host is shoveling out +$300 just to have you pour a few drinks, they might get a little stingy on a tip at the end of the night (uh-oh…problem!)  So…I always REQUIRE a tip jar on the bar for my New Year’s parties! If the client says no, you have two options:  a) Say goodbye; b) Pass it off to another bartender

What About Extra Bartenders?!

Whether or not your business has grown to accommodate additional bartenders, THIS is the night to start thinking about additional bartenders…because you will have more than one client calling you for this night!  And remember, we can’t be in two places at once (duh!) And we don’t want to just trade time for dollars, right?!  What if we could get paid an extra $100 just for booking one of your friends?!  Now multiply that a few times and New Year’s is starting to look pretty good, yes?!

Attracting High-Paying Clients:

A lot of my New Year’s parties come from past clients and referrals which is great.  If you have been private party bartending at LEAST 6 months, you will start to see the “Word-of-Mouth” take effect.  BUT I also get clients from my advertising efforts.  How do I advertise?!  Well…I have a few secrets, but GOOGLE is the big one!  Your client will type in “Los Angeles Bartender” and click the first result they find in Google!  Is that result you?!  It should be!  Do you even have a website?!  You better, it’s a MUST!

When clients call, I always let them no we are in high demand for New Year’s, if they try and hang up to “think about it,” you have lost them!  Let them know the spot will probably be filled because you get several calls a day or week for bartenders!  Get them to say “YES!” now, before you are SOLD OUT!

A Final Thought:

Yes, you have the potential to make a TON of cash on New Year’s if you play your cards right!  But what any bartender will tell you is this: don’t worry about the money/tips while you are actually bartending…focus on giving excellent service!  People are at this party to have the most incredible night of their lives…GIVE IT TO THEM!  (…they may just compensate ya for that!)

Be safe, make some money & have fun this New Year’s eve!

Cheers,

James Wedmore

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