The life of a professional bartender can be an exciting one! Events throughout the year offer bartenders the opportunity to meet new people, do a bit of travel, and to show off their skills to guests. There are many events that can benefit from hiring professional bartending services, such as weddings, company anniversaries, bridal showers, and holiday parties. With all of these events comes the possibility of many jobs for bartenders to tackle.
What is it like to work as a professional bartender, even as a part-timer? In this blog, we’ll explore some of what it takes to start your own bartending business.
Start Small, but Market Aggressively
First things first: make sure you have your business plan and any required licenses in place before embarking on those first professional bartending gigs. Licenses may include business licenses as well as food service or liquor licenses – check local and state regulations carefully.
Once all of that is in place, it’s time to get serious about marketing. Create professional-looking flyers and business cards, and ask around for referrals. Your friends, neighbors, and coworkers can be a goldmine of possibilities for landing bartending jobs. Also be sure to list your services in local online directories and on Google’s Local Maps, which are often free. If you present yourself and your marketing efforts in a professional manner, great jobs will come rolling in!
The Social Component
Throughout modern history, the bartending profession has been characterized by friendly, outgoing personalities. If you are a social person, professional bartending opens the doors for social interaction with a wide range of people. You never know what kind of event you’ll be hired for, and some of these seemingly random events may turn into something beyond your dreams. Of course, providing your bartending services at events and parties is a fantastic way to network with others; and you may soon wind up with many great new gigs just by being yourself.
Think About Value-Added Services
Competition in professional bartending can be fierce. One great way to stand out from the competition, even if you’re just getting started in the business, is to offer “value-added” services. Adding snacks or gift baskets to your roster of services are two ways of providing that little bit of extra flair. There are many other ways to add value to your services; a bit of brainstorming can help you unlock the very best ways for your personal style and business plan.
For more awesome tips from Bartending professionals, click here.
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