Why do social clubs need to find ways to increase profits?
Last year there were 755 clubs, a decade ago, there were over a thousand. In the 1970s there were 4,500! This fall in the number of licensed clubs – which include working men’s clubs, social clubs and nightclubs – equals a quarter lost in ten years across Yorkshire alone.
At Club Insure, it’s our mission to help support and protect social clubs. As the UK’s top provider of insurance broking for socials clubs, we understand clubs and are constantly hearing about the great varied work and ideas social club managers are producing.
We’ve compiled some of these popular techniques into a list of tips and tricks. This list is available for club managers to help diversify and improve their social club’s offering.
See our chat with Leeds Irish Centre, who have reinvented themselves over multiple decades to benefits the welfare of the club.
How to increase the income and profits of your social club?
1. Increase what’s happening at your social club
Run events that you never used to do, such as quiz nights, special events and coffee mornings, and member’s dinners.
A good idea is to have themed food nights. This could be with pizzas, curries or any sort of cultured food choices.
Put on events and entertainers for society’s or group to come visit. Tribute bands are fantastic, as are small indie artists. Offer your venue to grassroots music and performers.
2. Take advantage of your outdoor space
If you have outdoor space, make sure it is utilised. Do not keep your garden space a secret – if you have it, make sure it is advertised at the front of the clubhouse. Beer gardens are very desirable, especially during good weather, and a pleasant outdoor space will attract custom.
Ensure you have your planning permission in place and health and safety and risk assessments completed to allow for outdoor service.
If you regularly have live music inside on a Saturday evening, consider occasionally having it on a Sunday lunchtime in the garden.
3. The Benefits of serving cocktails
A cocktail offering is excellent for providing a premium drink offering to those who don’t prefer beer, lager or ale. Cocktails are easy to provide, with good quality pre-made canned versions or you can easily pre-mix some cocktails like Negronis in advance.
4. Improve your Bar Snacks
Improve on the crisps and nuts with an offering such as olives and meze, or ciabatta and humous. Elevate your offering in order to delight your regulars and impress newcomers.
Perhaps once a week, suggest an offer of free food to anyone who attends. When cooked in bulk, many foods are relatively inexpensive, and will be worth the increased drink sales. These could be pork pies, mini cocktail sausages, bread and dip, salsa, or many other options.
5. Invest in a Wine Collection
Have a selection of wine to offer your distinguished guests.
Wine tastings are excellent for profits and are very fun for guests. Your wine collection does not need to be extensive – often a small menu with more detail is more impressive.
6. Vouchers and Special Offers to Encourage Return Visits
Clubs are often busiest in November and December. Why not give everyone who visits during these months a voucher for a half price drink in January and February to encourage them to keep visiting the club during the quieter months.
7. Non-Alcohol Options
Stock up on non-alcohol alternatives – including diet cokes, blue beers, virgin cocktails and juices. Many responsible drinkers need an option to enjoy their visit without feeling left out or unsociable. Kombucha cans, herbaceous spirits, seltzers and complex mocktails are very popular and are all non-alcoholic.
8. Appease your Regulars and Build the membership
A social club’s core membership is the most important aspect of a club, for both income and longevity. Get to know your members, help the bar staff learn their names, and make a special effort to appease their wants and needs. Build up the membership by asking them to pass on the good news of the club by word-of-mouth. Tell them of upcoming events and allow them to invite guests.
9. Rent your function room
A great function room is such an essential asset for a club. Consider renting it out for weekend or weekday events to help boost your revenue. Publicise it to the local community, through word-of-mouth, flyers, posters, letter box, marketing social media and websites. Your event space could be a perfect affordable alternative for weddings, wakes, parties, and group activities.
Ensure your event organisers have the correct insurance. Event insurance can be purchased here.
10. Special Offers and Promotions
Consider offering 10% off drinks for the evening. Make this a recurring event on a particular night.
Offer a certain food with each drink bought, or visa versa. It could be a free packets of crisps to share between two when they buy drinks.
11. Tell members you are Holding Beer Prices
If you are holding beer prices, which means to reduce or to not increase the price of beer, to the benefits of your members, then tell them.
If you have had to raise prices on some lines but not others, make a point of informing your members that you are putting extra effort into keeping the prices on key beer lines as low as possible.
12. Keep thinking of ideas and take on suggestion from members
Keep thinking of ideas to motivate your members, improve income and boost sales. Reach out and host local events, have a themed quiz night, rent out your space. Get started, build the initial momentum, and find what works for you.
Take the time to ask your members their thoughts on what they’d like to see and how the club could move forward. Make the suggestions anonymous and listen closely, one of these ideas could produce a massive impact for your social club.
CLUB CHAMPIONS – THE LEEDS IRISH CENTRE
For our Club Champions campaign at Club Insure, we learn more about the hardworking people behind the clubs, their stories, and their connected communities. The Club Champions campaign aims to showcase the longstanding efforts of managers, club secretaries and staff.