Halloween is the perfect time to introduce lots of new people to your space and keep them coming back in the future because many people celebrate the spooky festival by signing up for Halloween bar crawls. As Halloween nears, Bartenders Business chatted with Peter Altholz, the founder and CEO of Bar Crawl Nation, which currently works with more than 150 bars and is hosting its "Boos Fest" Halloween Bar Crawl on November 2 in 23 cities across the United States. Peter Altholz gave useful tips for bar owners to make the event the best it could be, from his experience of organizing bar crawls since 2015.

Image Title: Peter Altholz, The Founder and CEO of Bar Crawl Nation

Set Up Bar With Instagram-Worthy Halloween Decor

People are inevitably going to love a bar that has amplified its ambiance with spooky decorations that look great in photographs. However, to truly stand out, Peter Altholz suggests picking a concept and transforming the entire space to match it. It is not enough to just hang decorations bought from a store. “You need to go all out,” he says. For instance, you can bring in a creepy prop like a coffin that people would want to take photos of. By providing the perfect backdrop, bar crawlers are more likely to post the pictures on their social media, thus spreading the word about your bar to more potential consumers.

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Consider Including Seasonal Promotions

Considering that a lot of the bar crawlers visiting your bar may not be your regular customers, it is crucial to employ tactics that will encourage them to return even after the event is over. For this, Peter Altholz recommends that you ensure to form a line of communication with them before they leave your bar. One way to do this would be by having people enter a lucky draw where they will have to follow or tag the bar’s social media handle to win a special prize like a $100 bar tab that can only be used after the Halloween event. 

Image Title and Source: Halloween prop from a past bar crawl event

Ensure That Bar Staff Are Well Prepared

To ensure that everything goes smoothly, it is crucial to ensure that the staff are well prepared to handle any situation and assist those in need. It would also help if you assigned two staff members to engage with people wanting to enter your raffle or giveaway. That way, they could get more people to participate, thus turning the Halloween bar crawl crowd into hundreds of potential customers. You could also ask all the staff to dress according to your chosen theme to portray a truly immersive experience and show what a fun place your bar is.

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Craft A Halloween-Themed Cocktail Menu

Rather than serving your regular cocktails, craft a Halloween-themed cocktail menu that would align with your unique concept. You could elevate the drinks using various techniques like smoke effects, edible glitter, layering, themed ice cubes and more that would make each glass aesthetically appealing. Peter Altholz adds that it gives customers a reason to take a photo of the drink and share it with their friends. This will increase your chance of boosting sales, as more people are going to be drawn to the appearance and would want to try a cocktail or more. 

Also read: The Secret Ingredient: How to Use Ice to Elevate Your Cocktails

Image Title and Source: Halloween-Themed Cocktail

Highlight Your Bar’s Specialty

While you transform your bar to fit the Halloween craze, don’t forget to also include the different aspects that make your bar special. This can range from anything like an extensive craft beer menu to cocktails prepared with freshly squeezed juice. It is important to give attendees a sneak peek of what they can expect if they walk into the bar on some other day. More importantly, Peter Altholz notes that it is a common misconception that most bar crawlers are only looking for cheap options. In reality, most appreciate a really good drink, regardless of how highly priced it is.

Partner With The Right Organizers

These days, anyone can make a website or an Eventbrite page saying that they are organizing a bar crawl so it is essential to double-check that you are partnering with the right business, which can undoubtedly bring in more people to your bar. As bar crawls are a great way to bring in extra revenue, it is crucial to make sure that you are working with reputable organizers like Bar Crawl Nation, Rich & Bennett, Orlando Pub Crawl, Crawl Reno and others. 

Image Title and Source: Halloween Bar Crawl Crowd

Given that most organizers don’t ask bars to pay a fee to be included in the venue list, bar crawls are a free marketing method. By following all these suggestions, bars can fully take advantage of that and ensure that the benefits of a bar crawl are not just a one-day thing but something rewarding in the long run. 

Header image by Bar Crawl Nation

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