Starting a mobile bar is more than just buying some cases of beer and renting or buying a trailer to set up at events. When starting a new business, there is much to think about and prepare for to make sure your investments get paid back and you become a thriving success in your community.

A mobile bar is a great way to cater to a huge market of customers. If you can’t be tied down to a single spot or are using the mobile bar business as a way to save money for an eventual permanent location, promotion and marketing are the primary ways you will be able to grab business out of other competitors hands and keep your customers coming back. 

How To Promote Your Business

Owning a mobile bar business in 2021 looks a little different than in say, 2019, but as with most small businesses, getting your name out into the world and keeping it on the minds of potential customers is your #1 task. Let’s take a look at what you should be focusing your efforts on.

Digital Marketing

This may seem obvious, but there are many ways someone can fumble this approach and not get the uptick in visibility fast enough to gain the right customer base their business will need to grow.  Here are some avenues to start with in the digital world:

• Instagram/TikTok: All it takes is one good hashtag or one interesting video and you can be on the screens of thousands in your city.  Don’t rely on going viral, but keeping your account up to date and creating fun and interactive content for your customers is a great way to get them to take interest in your business. A video of a delicious drink on a hot day can go a long way to making someone crave your unique menu.
  Don’t forget to use varied content – utilize short, slice of life content for Instagram Stories and Reels, TikToks, or other timed content, and make sure to put your more polished content on your actual page as posts for maximum exposure.
• Up To Date Website: You have about 6-8 seconds to get the average adult’s attention once they click through to your site, so make sure your website really pops. Events you are vending should be highlighted as well as customer reviews, photos of your menu, blogs on how to craft drinks at home etc. A cohesive and easy to navigate website with a blog will help people know you are a business that likes to keep their customers informed and improve your visibility in searches. Make sure you are either up to date on your SEO knowledge or hire a firm to help you be the top of all searches for mobile bars in your area.
  
• Research: Make sure to search out competition, great vendors to get your wholesale stock from, and find the best equipment and products to use. Don’t jump in blind. It is exciting to start a new business, but knowing the risks and rewards and going in with reasonable expectations is the first way to succeed in building your own business.
  

Physical Marketing

• Referrals: Word of mouth is still one of the BEST ways to grab new customers. If one customer had a great experience with you, they will tell multiple friends. Customer satisfaction is always the most important marketing step you can ever take. You can TikTok and post your heart out, but if your customers are unhappy, you will be too.
  
• Be Active In Your Community: Whether it’s a fundraiser, a local pop-up or a private event for someone well-known in your community, being active in your area and showing your face at local events is a fantastic way to create buzz about your company.
  
• Keep It Fresh: Keep your menu fresh, be it whole new seasonal specials or perhaps just a few signature drinks that rotate. Keep people wanting more and get them excited for up-coming events you will be doing.
  
• Merchandising/Branding: While your main goal is to sell your perishables, eye-catching branding that you can put in pins, shirts and other takeaways is an excellent way to not only get your name out there but to make some extra revenue. Even better, invest in custom branding that goes into (or on) every cocktail. Branded cocktail napkins, signature straws, or even a literal brand that sears your logo into fruit rind garnishes make for must-post social media content your customers will by dying to share.
  
• Good Equipment: Appearance is everything, so having a good looking trailer with your unique logo and amenities for your customers will always be a must to catch people’s eyes and let them know you are a must-hit hotspot.

Other Ways To Enhance Your Business

• Offer discounts and specials for repeat bookings 
• Free samples lead to sales
• Network with other local businesses for cross promotional opportunities
• Work pop-up, farmers markets and other local events
• Look at the competition and learn from their successes and failures
• Get help if needed with local marketing firms or an online firm to help your reach grow

Triple B Has Your Mobile Bar Ready to Roll 

If you’re ready to go with your new mobile bar business, we can help you obtain what might be the most crucial tool to your business —  the trailer itself. 

Triple B Trailers has been in business for over 60 years and we’re here to help you get the perfect trailer to meet all of your and your customer’s needs. Our trailers are bar-ready and come in 6 different models for exactly the setup you need. 

Ready to get your mobile beer bar on the road? Check out our website today and take a look at our selection! You handle the paperwork, and we’ll handle getting you the trailer of your dreams.