Successful Sales Tips for Your Taproom

For smaller breweries, a taproom can be the lifeblood of the company. It provides vital feedback from customer interaction and margins on sales that mean capital to continue churning out ideas and build toward a better future.

Brewer Magazine reached out to various breweries across the country to see what sort of promotional efforts breweries have done to further boost efforts in sales for their taprooms.

“When our taproom first opened (in 2011), taprooms were a new concept,” explained Lauren McCurdy, the Social Media and Marketing Director of Good People Brewing in Birmingham, Alabama, “so business was a bit slow at first. We tried a variety of different events during the week — trivia, comedy, open mic, etc. — to attract larger crowds.”

McCurdy added that Birmingham is an extremely philanthropic city, so the brewery also hosted many charity events.

Charities help drive sales as well for Madison, Wisconsin’s Ale Asylum, said Hathaway Dilba, Partner & Director of Promotions for the brewery. This past year, AA began a charitable program called Karmic Maintenance Monday that has proved to be successful. On every third Monday of the month, a chosen non-profit will receive $1 per pint sold between 3-9 p.m.

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“The non-profit is driven to bring as many thirsty people in the door as possible so they can reap the benefits,” Dilba said. “We also do ongoing social media plugs.”

Of course, social media is a driver, added Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.’s Director of Hospitality, Aaron Pozit.

“Social media is the top way for us to drive sales, whether it’s a new beer on tap, new merch or just having fun in the taproom in general,” he said.

The Elmsford, New York brewery also hosts a yearly anniversary party in May which sports 1,500-2,000 people to celebrate.

“We also host ‘Sour’d in September’ where 75-plus breweries from all over come to pour their sour beers for a pretty unique event,” Pozit said. The brewery also hosts beer dinners once a month and have other establishments be a part of them.

“These are all great cross promoting avenues that give the customers a little more than just Captain Lawrence as a brewery but the brewery as in part of an entire community,” Pozit said.

Good People isn’t struggling to find its niche anymore.

Two years after opening, the Double-A baseball team, The Birmingham Barons, moved its stadium across the street from Good People.

“Since then, we’ve been very lucky with the inflow of new customers throughout the year. We went from an event-based taproom to definitely more of a regular crowd throughout the week.”

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