Sports fans crave an exciting atmosphere when watching a big event. When they are engaged, customers tend to stay longer, leading to increased sales of food and drink. For sports bar owners, creating an engaging environment is key to driving foot traffic, increasing sales, and boosting your bottom line. Investing in an immersive fan experience is always a winning strategy. We’ve put together some of our expert tips on how you can elevate the fan experience in your establishment.
WHY BAR OWNERS MUST PRIORITIZE THE FAN EXPERIENCE
The fan experience is the heartbeat of any sports bar. It’s the magic that brings customers together, fuels their excitement, and keeps them coming back for more.
A memorable and engaging experience builds brand loyalty. When fans enjoy watching a big sporting event at your bar, they’re more likely to become repeat customers, bringing friends and family along for the ride. They also become your best marketing advocates! Word-of-mouth recommendations are powerful and a memorable fan experience will encourage customers to spread the word about your bar, reaching a broader audience.
TIPS TO CREATE AN ENGAGING FAN EXPERIENCE IN YOUR SPORTS BAR
1. FEATURE THE RIGHT SPORTS AT THE RIGHT TIME
Quite often, multiple high demand events fall on the same day – sometimes even with the same start time. Make sure that your Joe Hand Promotions content bundle is customized to fit all of your audience’s needs. Offer events that matter most to your fans and curate a selection that ensures they never miss a moment. Whether you’re showing a highly anticipated UFC Pay-Per-View on one side of the bar or another premium sports eventon the other, stay ahead of the game!
2. CREATE AN INTERACTIVE WATCH PARTY BY LEVERAGING INTERACTIVE SPORTS BETTING
In today’s digital age, sports bars can take the fan experience to the next level by bringing real-time sports betting to your establishment with UPshow. Customers can make bets on their favorite teams and truly immerse themselves in the gameday experience.
This interactive experience not only enhances the excitement of the game, but also creates a sense of community among fans. Live betting lines can even be displayed on screens throughout the bar, adding to the overall thrill of live sporting events.
With an in-venue sports betting platform, you can harness the power of technology to build a loyal fan base and transform your venue into the ultimate hub for unforgettable sports experiences.
3. CREATE DEDICATED FAN ZONES TO KICK UP THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT
By dedicating specific areas to different teams, sports, or fighters, your establishment can create a personalized and immersive fan experience. These zones create a sense of community, encouraging like-minded fans to engage and connect with one another resulting in longer dwell times and larger average order values.
4. HOST A SOCIAL MEDIA GIVEAWAY ON EVENT DAY
Hosting a giveaway that encourages fans to share their real-time experience at your sports bar on their personal social media accounts is a brilliant way to create buzz and keep fans more engaged with your bar. In the end, this will help increase brand loyalty and visibility. Here are a few tips to follow:
- Choose an enticing prize for the giveaway, like sports merchandise, gift cards, free drinks, etc.
- Promote the giveaway on your bar’s social media channels, website, and in-house signage in the weeks leading up to the event. Build anticipation by teasing the prizes and encouraging fans to head to your venue the day of the event.
- Create a unique and catchy hashtag specific to the giveaway so you can track entries. It should reflect the theme of the event, and be easy for fans to remember. Make sure to feature the hashtag all over your sports bar as a reminder!
- Make the giveaway time-limited to create a sense of urgency.
- Announce the winner of the giveaway at the end of the event. This can be done on your social media channels and in the bar itself!
GET STARTED: TEST WHICH FAN ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES WORK FOR YOUR SPORTS BAR
Creating an engaging fan experience is your ultimate winning strategy. Test the different tips provided, and prioritize the excitement and satisfaction of your customers to help turn your bar into the go-to destination for local fans. And remember, Joe Hand Promotions provides marketing materials to promote upcoming events so you can focus on what matters, getting people through the door. Leave the creative to us!
ABOUT JOE HAND PROMOTIONS
We bring fan communities into bars, restaurants, casinos and cinemas for unforgettable viewing experiences. With our deep portfolio of live sports and entertainment content, we amplify the experience you want to deliver your clientele. Our in-house marketing team will help you promote your content packages to new and existing patrons, with a focus on maximizing retention and growth.