Many people might not know that National Dive Bar Day exists. The alcohol beverage company Seagram’s actually founded National Dive Bar Day in an effort to bring recognition to all those dive bars across America that might otherwise go unnoticed. Yearly, this day is celebrated on July 7th. And this is one occasion that is certainly more festive than formal.
What exactly is a dive bar? They tend to be smaller, out-of-the-way establishments, that seem to have their own atmosphere, culture, and a specific dive bar panache. Back in the day, they may have started life as a tavern or an inn. Some people might’ve referred to them as mom-and-pop shops. Speakeasies and saloons also eventually metamorphosed into dive bars. And on National Dive Bar Day, we commemorate all of these.
What Can You Do to Gain Your Dive Bar More Exposure?
While dive bars tend to have more local clientele, they still need to stay in business. This means that they still need to attract customers to make money. National Dive Bar Day is an excellent time to reevaluate your advertising/marketing strategy. Are you reaching the right people? Are you allocating funds to marketing your dive bar? And are your efforts to this point working, or could they be improved?
Reach out to your community
A dive bar is often associated with a particular area or neighborhood. Therefore, reaching out to your community and the patrons therein will be a smart first step in advertising your establishment. You could do this by way of social media posts. You could also use old-school techniques such as flyers, posters, and mailers. The key is to focus on the people who live and work right around your bar.
Host a contest
People love fun events, and contests certainly qualify as fun. You can get creative here with the type of contests you choose to host. Or how about some sort of eating contest such as a chicken wing eating contest. You might even do a local talent show where you encourage those in your neighborhood to strut their stuff. Again, the key here is to align a fun event with something that will bring people into your dive bar.
Be sure to tell your story
People love a great story, especially connected to their favorite neighborhood bar. Don’t be afraid here to get personal. The beginnings of your establishment likely do have a very personal connection. It could be a family story. It could be a story about picking yourself up and following your dreams. Make it a compelling narrative and give people a chance to read your story.
Work with an influencer
National Dive Bar Day is, of course, all about recognizing those smaller establishments throughout the country. People tend to have a fondness for dive bars. Why not capitalize on this and find an influencer who might be an excellent fit for your bar. Influencers tend to have hundreds of thousands, if not millions of followers. A well-placed word, a glowing recommendation, a live promo, and this influencer could get your bar some traction.
On National Dive Bar Day, we want to stop for a moment and thank those hard-working proprietors who are striving to make a go of it even in this challenging economic climate. Supply chain issues, inflation, and labor shortages certainly are not helping. And yet dive bar owners are persevering in many areas of the country. We drink to you.
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