How to Run a Successful Event & Party Room
May 1, 2019Do you have a large space in your restaurant set aside for special events and parties? Does it get reserved as often as you wished?If you’re like most restaurant owners or managers, the answers are yes and no. You probably have a space – almost everyone is expected to – but you may not be promoting it effectively.
Do you need better restaurant supplies? Curious what it takes to get your event space rented? Specific marketing?
Yes! Here are the tips you need.
Market Well in Advance
Do you know the perfect time to start marketing outreach to organizations and companies that might host a holiday event in your restaurant?
If you guessed June, you’re right!
Remember, businesses plan ahead. Corporate events and even weddings are planned 6 – 12 months ahead, so your marketing needs to keep pace. In the summer, you should be getting restaurant supplies for and marketing to people hosting holiday parties. In winter, ramp up your marketing to wedding parties and summer holidays.
The great news when it comes to this advance planning is that you can have a pretty good idea what kind of party revenue you’ll have well before the events happen. This can help you order the supplies you need as well.
Use Your Existing Outreach
The people who are most likely to use your event space are probably already customers that are connected to your restaurant. Use your existing marketing channels to reach them and remind them about your event space.
A regular dinner customer may work at a company that needs ideas for their next corporate lunch or teambuilding event. When you reach your current social media channels, email list, and website with a reminder about your space, you’ll be marketing to those most likely to book.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try traditional outreach as well. Use Every Door Direct Mail to reach the homes and businesses near your restaurant without buying a mailing list. Also, consider doing a free sample event at local employers.
Focus on the Experience
People only buy a home if they can see themselves living in it, and people will only book your event space if they can see themselves having a great time in it. Having a large or beautiful area is only step one.
You also need to make an effort to show images of people enjoying your event space. You can even stage this, with appropriate restaurant supplies and people posing as diners having a great time.
The purpose is to let people know what it will feel like to have an event at your restaurant and to show them how much fun it will be.
Build Your Reputation
Marketing an event space and becoming a restaurant known for a great party room can take some time. One thing that will make a big difference is to ask those who have events in your space to leave online reviews.
From Yelp to Google, people trust online reviews almost as much as personal recommendations. When they see people talking about having an amazing time in your party room, it will make a big impression and may be the deciding factor in a booking.
Have the Restaurant Supplies You Need
If you’re going to create great patron experiences in your event room, you’ll need to decorate and provide restaurant supplies that match the occasion. From plates and glasses to napkins and even silverware that match the event, people will notice and appreciate the extra touches.
If you’re ready to make your event room a success, we have the supplies you need. Contact us to see what we can do for you today!
Uh Oh. Handling Restaurant Disaster Recovery
No one wants to think about a major disaster hitting their restaurant. Unfortunately, it can happen at any time. In Arkansas, large areas (including Little Rock) were declared disaster areas as recently as last summer. Severe flooding, wind damage, and tornados are...
Restaurant Supplies You Need: Technology in Your Business
Every business is impacted by technology, and restaurants are no exception. There are dozens of ways to use technology to build your business, improve your efficiency, and serve customers better. Sometimes restaurant owners feel like they’re too busy to implement new...
Key Restaurant Equipment for a Fast-Casual Restaurant
Fast-casual dining has changed how America eats and has impacted what people expect in terms of convenience, price, and food quality. Generally, fast-casual food is affordable and higher-quality than pure fast food. It’s a step above a McDonald’s, without the price or...
Equipment for Your Restaurant: Choosing a Restaurant Concept
Some people who start a restaurant know exactly what they want. They either buy an existing restaurant with a concept, or they create the menu based on their family traditions or ethnic flair. However, not everyone who wants to start a restaurant knows exactly what...
Restaurant Supplies: Using Herbs to Add Flavor to Your Dishes
If you’re looking for new ways to attract people to your restaurant, consider the ways you can add flavor without adding fat or calories. Consumers are more and more concerned about the quality of what they eat, both at home and in a restaurant. Home cooks generally...
Commercial Kitchen Debate: Stainless Steel vs. Non-Stick Pans
If you run a commercial kitchen, you probably have a lot of ways of doing things that just seem right to you. For whatever reason, you decided between a gas and electric stove. You made decisions about dishware. And you probably have a position on the stainless steel...
Restaurant Equipment: How to Handle Gluten Allergies
In the last five years, you’ve probably seen a dramatic increase in the number of restaurant customers you have that are avoiding gluten. Some of them simply don’t like it, and others have a life-threatening reaction if they eat it. As a restaurant owner, you want to...
Reduce Food Waste: Proper Kitchen Equipment and More
Food waste is a reality in any commercial restaurant, but it doesn’t have to be accepted blindly. Too many restaurant owners or head chefs feel as though there is nothing they can do about this waste. Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to reduce food waste in your...
Restaurant Supplies: Furnishing an Outdoor Sitting Area
Outdoor dining is a very enjoyable experience for many people. In Little Rock the weather is generally pleasant, although humidity may make it hard to eat outside on the hottest summer days. Adding an outdoor sitting area to your restaurant can be a great way to...
Commercial Kitchen Fun: The Wonder of Chocolate
If there’s anything that almost everyone loves as much as coffee, it’s chocolate. In fact, there are multiple celebrations of chocolate each year. Chocolate Day is on July 7th, because historically that’s when chocolate was first brought to Europe in 1550. Don’t miss...
Cooking Equipment Spotlight: Safe Indoor Grilling
Indoor grilling is a great way for your restaurant to delight customers without having to run a big charcoal operation out back. There’s nothing like grilled meat and vegetables to put a great aroma in the air and encourage hungry diners to dig in. There are two...
Restaurant Supplies: How to Properly Store Spirits & Drinks
Spirits and other alcoholic drinks can add a lot to your bottom line as a restaurant. These drinks often have high margins, and people order more than one frequently. This leads to more revenue for your restaurant and better tips for your servers! In order to make the...
Going Green Can Benefit Your Commercial Kitchen
Do you feel like running a restaurant means that you have to give in to wasted food, materials, and even money? Great news – you don’t. If you want to build your business, consider going green! You can structure your commercial kitchen to help the planet while also...
Key Foodservice Equipment for Your Food Truck
Are you ready to start a food truck? While the restaurant industry climbs slowly at roughly two percent a year, the food truck industry has been booming. Growing nearly 8% per year over the last five years, trucks are one of the fastest growing parts of the food...
Cooking Equipment Spotlight: The Right Knife for the Job
Not everyone who’s involved in a commercial kitchen has had professional training as a chef. As a result, not everyone is aware of how to choose the best cooking equipment for each job. Having the right knife is one of the most vital choices you can make during food...