Coronavirus is having a devastating impact on businesses across the country. There are those businesses and brewery owners that have found a way to pivot and remain viable. Granted these breweries may be operating on a shoestring and with a skeleton crew, but they are hopeful when the pandemic passes -- and it will -- their loyal customers will come flocking back.
We, at PrideBites, know that once we are able to open our collective doors and go about our lives as usual, shoppers, craft brew enthusiasts and pet parents will want to resume their lives. Many will want to resume their lives and get back to their own habits and routines with gusto.
How To Market Your Brewery Even If You’re Currently Closed
What will that mean for you and your brewery? It means you will want to be the g0-to brewery when restrictions are lifted. You want to be the brewery that kept in touch with its patrons, perhaps offered curbside pick up and who also had items available for the pet parent.
Remember, the pet parents are home, trying to get work done as they make a shift to a remote-workstyle. Their dogs have been accustomed to them leaving the house and leaving them home alone. It was a symbiotic relationship that worked! Now, though, routines have changed, the pet parent is trying to conduct business while Fluffy or Fido is nudging their legs wanting to play, go for a walk or get a belly rub.
How can your brewery help?
1. Offer a buy-a-brew get a dog toy special. Connect with the pet parent at their heart -- through their pup. Update your online store or your Facebook status to let them know that “Tuesday is brewery pick up and dog toy day!” Giving your craft brew customer a chance to sample your beers and getting something for their dog is a win-win.
2. If you already have pet merch for sale at the register, get it online. Let pet parents know when they come to place their online order that you have unique pet merch. If your customers are calling in, let them know you have dog toys available. If you have dog toys and bandanas, for example, offer a bandana with the purchase of a specific dollar amount of your product. The bandana could be a great entry point into a larger pet merch sale.
3. Do you want to set your brewery apart from the competition? Pet merch might be the ideal way to do just that. Pets and pet parents are going stir crazy. Dog parks are closed. Outings with friends and family (other than immediate household family) are being discouraged. Because of that, giving the pet parent a new toy for his or her dog without the pet parent having to go into a store and potentially risk illness is showing you care about them and their pets. Use your pet merch in your marketing message on your social media pages, your website and in your newsletters to customers.
We would love to be your source for unique ways in which to use pet merch, get it on line at your site (we have great resources for this) and if you haven’t already added pet merch to your product line, talk with one of our design consultants today.
The PrideBites team is still here. We are still working -- albeit from our own home offices -- and we want to help you not miss a step once you can reopen your doors. In the meantime, we want to provide you ways in which to connect with and deepen your relationships with current customers.