Once you have mastered the marketing procedures, the number of promotions you can do to increase your sales is almost limitless. Promoting these events to your customers lets them know you are going to be a fun place to come to on that day and you are welcoming their attendance. People work hard and when they spend money they want to know they are going to have fun and that they are welcome. If they are not sure of this, maybe they will go somewhere else. To be considered for a place to go to watch the Super Bowl your customer must know you will be showing the Super Bowl and have lots of televisions to watch it on. Likely you have promoted NFL football throughout the season and especially in the playoffs with playoff pools, appetizers and posters throughout your restaurant.

Let's start with a Super Bowl promotion as an example. You need to think of everything that people would want to have for a good Super Bowl party. Ask some of your customers and/or friends. Your list might look something like this.

• Lots of televisions so it doesn't matter where you sit you get a good view of the game. One big screen TV is ideal.
• Plenty of appetizers, pretzels, popcorn, etc.
• A Super Bowl pool. Make a draw to assign people's names to scores so everyone has an equal chance of winning. Start promoting this as early as two weeks prior to Super Bowl Sunday.
• A place that welcomes and encourages sports enthusiasts. Promote your tavern, lounge or restaurant as a great place to watch sports throughout the year.
• Lots of promotional flyers posted around so they will feel welcome to come and watch the game. People want to feel like there will be lots of other people there as well.
• You may want to sell tickets to the event (depending on your customers). Sell a package that includes door prizes appetizers. Reserved seats. etc.
• Try to make it into a full day event. How about a Super Bowl breakfast, BBQ or whatever prior to the game? How about arranging rides home? Think about what your customers want. Be creative but most importantly, ask them what they want.
• By now you should have a list of your best customers and addresses. Make sure you send them the details of this event.
• Promote the event in your advertisements in your community newspaper. If you become known for these events you should mention it in your yellow pages ads as well.
• Post the event on your notice boards in front of your restaurant and on your sign in front.
• Create events for football widows.
• Can you work with any of your suppliers to get free give-aways, table tents, etc? Beer suppliers are usually quite good at this. If you are not getting these items you are missing the boat. These items should be available at no charge.
• Can you create large meals for people to eat at home? Why not sell pans of your famous lasagna or pizza that can be special ordered in advance and then baked at home. Let your customers know this well in advance, so they can pre-order if they are having a party at their home.
• Your imagination is the only limit to this list for restaurant marketing.

Once this list is complete put together some brightly colored flyers that you can post about your restaurant or tavern.

I mention this many times but I can't believe how few restaurants don't bother to do it. You need to gather the names and addresses of your good customers so you can mail out invitations to these kinds of events. There is a section in the ProfitMAX Marketing System that is devoted to this. Refer to it and get going.

Once you have held one event, make notes of what worked, what was a hit and what wasn't. Ask the attendees how you could improve next year. Put the notes in your computer and in a file and refer to it before you start planning the event next year. Each year's event will become better and better with more people attending. Preparation for these events should start months in advance. And remember each time you do it they become easier and easier because the preparation and brochures already have been done. All you do is change the dates.