Nowadays, people are finding fewer excuses NOT to go out dancing on a Friday night (and sometimes a Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night). So how can you, as a nightclub owner, make the most of those audiences who are looking to sweat it out on the dance floor? Also, what else can be done to increase new business and sustainable foot traffic throughout the week?
The more creative and unique the ideas – the better. Take a typically ho-hum evening and try out some new and inventive promotional tactics that could eventually appeal to dedicated dancers and nightclub newbies alike. If you’re looking for a few ways to increase business and grow membership lists at your nightclub, there are several options available.
We’ve put together a list of some resourceful promotional ideas for nightclub owners looking to sustainably grow audience attendance, providing a significant return on investment, throughout the year. Check them out below:
1. Make ‘Karaoke Night’ a recurring thing
Turning any night into karaoke night at your club is a seamless and savvy business move for so many reasons. Chief among them: everybody loves karaoke. Even those who say they don’t (probably) secretly do. In fact, one study has suggested that karaoke actually exerts a significantly positive influence in attracting people to entertainment venues, encouraging them to stay longer and resulting in increased sales. That’s right: getting up on stage, belting out your favorite track, then waiting for your turn while watching others, can be considered highly addictive.
But for more logical reasons: as a nightclub owner, you’ve likely got most of the equipment – and a killer sound system – on hand already, not to mention the stage space to have a professional karaoke setup. Otherwise, all you need is legal karaoke music and a karaoke software, like Singa – which provides the largest library of legally licensed karaoke software in the western world!
Plus, karaoke is a cost-effective move that can attract large crowds on an otherwise low-key evening. And, of course, karaoke is a collaborative social exercise which means more people coming through the door – and ordering drinks and food.
If you’ve got the setup, you can promote karaoke night at your club throughout the week, thus encouraging guests to visit more often, or you can host themed karaoke nights infrequently to really build them up as must-see events.
For nightclub businesses looking to increase revenue and foot traffic, a dedicated karaoke area or adaptable system is a great investment. Learn more about getting karaoke started in your nightclub here.
2. Ramp up your social media presence
There was a time when if you wanted to advertise parties at your nightclub, you’d print out 5,000 print flyers and paper them all over town. This, by the way, is still an effective promotional tool…but there are better options available.
First and foremost, if your nightclub isn’t already on social media, you need to get it on there stat! Nightclub clientele typically skews younger, so you’re really missing out by not having your business in their feeds, plus it’s also just a really great way of highlighting your amazing space and happening events. Think of it as the ultimate in FOMO: sharing club photos is a sure-fire way to entice new people onto your dance floor, resulting in increased revenue and localized foot traffic.
Getting your nightclub on platforms like Google My Business is essential for standing out from the competition. Include relevant snaps, contact info, and business hours and menus, plus highlight customer feedback and ratings.
Apps like Instagram, Tik Tok, and Facebook are where you can really advertise your space and popular events in real time. Best of all, these apps have metrics and insight tools that are invaluable for building growth. They can tell you which of your influential followers has been attending your events and which events tend to garner the most activity within social circles. Once you discover which of your events is the most buzzworthy, have more of those kinds of nights.
3. Carve out a dedicate VIP section
If you’ve got the type of nightclub that is consistently packed each night with lineups around the block (then, honestly, congrats!), you might want to consider incorporating some recessed lounging space for guests willing to bypass the waitlist while spending some extra cash to be taken care of.
Nowadays, VIP treatment anywhere can be considered a form of self-care – for a few bucks more, guests can experience an elevated degree of service and enjoyment – which is especially on trend. Don’t think about it as an elitist move, consider it an opportunity to build client relationships and turn frequent, big-spenders into long-term regulars.
4. Turn any night into a theme night
Everybody loves an excuse to dress up when the event calls for it. So, naturally, you should use your large entertainment venue to play house to a variety of different theme nights. Not often, but just often enough that you can keep your regular patrons happy while also attracting a new crowd of dance enthusiasts.
Try staging the ultimate 90s rave event, with raver gear and glowsticks encouraged. Then, flip the script and go full period costume ball. Host Oscar or Grammy night on typically slow Sundays and encourage attendees to doll up as their favorite celebrity. The possibilities are endless, and you really don’t have to spend that much. Consider these types of themes on nights when the crowds aren't as large to fully maximize your earnings vs. overall spending.
5. Share your best menu items
A top trend in socializing and eatertainment circles, sponsorship deals are a major milestone for any nightclub. And it doesn’t have to be too complicated: put your business out there and network with local hosting, venue, and catering companies to try to get your most popular food and drink items onto their menus for private gigs and celebrations. The more inventive the item, the more likely you are to stand out.
Inevitably, your club could become known as THE place to go for killer cocktails or late-night small bites. Take it a step further and promote your best menu items on social media and watch it gain even greater traction – you’ll soon find vendors reaching out to you in order to feature their products in your place of business. And once top sponsors start to participate, audiences loyal to the brands will soon follow.
6. Turn your space into an event space
One of the greatest things about owning a nightclub is how much space you’ve got at your disposal – all day, every day. Sooner or later, it might be worth opening your large (mostly nighttime) venue to events.
Temporary real estate is always a hot commodity, especially in urban areas where many nightclubs typically thrive, and the same people who need to get out and dance on a Friday night also occasionally need a place to hold private functions in the light of day. Maybe it’s a 24-hour pop-up for a new, small brand launch; or a personal trainer looking to teach their clients in a more open, less conventional environment. You can also consider other pre-booking opportunities like private karaoke rooms.
Whatever the reasons, if your nightclub sits vacant on a Tuesday morning when it could be earning some side money, that’s definitely something to consider.
There you have it! A handful of quick and effective promotional ideas you can implement today to increase sustainable, long-term business at your nightclub. Put these practices into place and, in no time, you’ll be on your way to witnessing sizeable growth.