There are nearly 9,000 breweries in the United States. You wouldn’t necessarily be able to tell when you buy beer in the grocery store. About 78% of the beer sold in grocery stores is from four large companies.
How can a brewery compete when a few companies control the majority of market share? It’s a difficult path to travel, but it’s possible to compete with the conglomerates.
Brewery marketing is the most effective way to get your brewery in front of customers. You have to be smart about how you spend your marketing budget.
Keep reading to learn how to market a brewery and make a big impact on the beer market.
1. Establish Your Brand
If someone were to ask you what your brand is about, how would you answer them? A lot of small business owners make the mistake of showing their logo and saying that’s the brand.
Your brewery’s logo isn’t your brand. It’s a visualization of what the brand represents.
The brand is the one thing that people should remember about your business. Consider your values, the best thing about the brewery, and who you want to drink your beer.
What kind of space is your brewery and how do you want people to feel about it? An example is a neighborhood bar with quality beer.
Once you have the brand, then design the logo. Studies show that 71% of consumers try new beers based on the packaging and logo design.
Make yours bold and interesting so it stands out on the store shelves.
2. Search Engine Optimization
When people visit an area or they want to try something new, they’ll search for “breweries near me.” Search engine optimization is a way to get to the top of local search results.
There are dozens of factors that impact your rankings, so it’s best to start with the simple things. Make sure you fill out your Google My Business profile.
Add images, menu information, and contact information. Get as many reviews as you can because that helps convert people who see your listing into customers.
If you want to get in front of a beer-loving audience, start a blog. It improves your chances of being found in search engines and you get people from outside of your local area interested in your craft beer products.
Blog about your types of beer, new releases, and your brewing methods.
3. Social Media
Social media is the perfect avenue for giving your brand a voice. Pick social media channels where your target audience spends time.
Breweries that target a college crowd will do well on TikTok and Instagram. If you target an older crowd, Instagram and Facebook are a good fit.
Post a mix of images, stories, and short videos. You can post high-quality images of what’s on tap today and behind-the-scenes looks into the brewing process.
The main thing you want to do is post consistently. That encourages algorithms to prioritize your content.
Be sure to engage with your audience. Ask questions, take polls, and create a conversation. That establishes a connection and makes people more likely to visit your establishment.
4. Sell Promotional Items
Promotional items also expand your reach. Put your big, bold logo on t-shirts, hats, and relevant items.
What’s a relevant item? How about beer koozies personalized for breweries? People will use them, give them as gifts, and they’ll remember your brewery.
People will also remember your brand. Use the promotional items as giveaways to customers and create contests on your social media accounts.
Another possibility is to sell the items online and at the brewery. That allows you to create a new revenue stream for the business.
5. Host Events
Do you have a space in your brewery to host events? There are probably dozens of networking groups that meet in your local area.
Your local chamber of commerce hosts regular meetings, luncheons, and events. Offer your space for one of these events.
You can also create your own event, such as a speaker series. Attract local experts on topics of interest to your audience. For instance, you can hold a speaker series for entrepreneurs.
6. Public Relations
Public relations is an important way to establish your brewery as a go-to place. A great write-up in the local paper can make a huge difference in your business.
Getting people to write about your brewery isn’t easy. You need to build relationships with local writers and food critics.
Beyond your local paper, contact industry publications and blogs.
7. Community Outreach
As a local business, community outreach is going to be one of the best ways to market your brewery. It will open the door to distribution in local and regional grocery stores.
Another way to conduct community outreach is to sponsor local festivals. Some festivals have beer gardens where adults can consume their favorite beverages.
These are excellent opportunities to expand your reach and give people a chance to try your beer.
You can leverage the audience of other local businesses. Breweries frequently partner with local restaurants to provide food and create a fun environment for brewery guests.
Breweries that don’t have a kitchen invite food trucks in the area to visit and sell food to customers. It’s a win-win for the brewery and the food trucks.
Take it a step further with food and offer food and beverage pairings to your guests.
Brewery Marketing Made Easy
It’s not easy to get your brewery business exposure because the market is so saturated. With these tips for brewery marketing, you can get your brand in front of people at the right time.
Put them all to use and you’ll have a complete marketing strategy for your brewery, getting attention online, offline, and in the press. Your brewery will be full and you’ll get distribution deals to expand the business.
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