It’s time to celebrate those March Madness wins and grieve those big losses. As a restaurant manager, you can be along for the ride—and the big dance—if you don’t drop the ball planning this year’s March Madness event.
Don’t wait until the first jump ball
The first step is to not to wait until Selection Day to start prepping and promoting your restaurant March Madness party. Plan a promotional schedule that starts weeks before Selection Day. Strategically place décor and signs that announce March Madness events and specials, such as behind the bar and by the door for customers that leave and enter. Create a buzz by posting big announcements, images, and dates on social media that draw a crowd.
Choose the right promos
The best, slam-dunk March Madness restaurant promotions are baskeball-themed and carefully chosen for the target audience. Put simply, restaurants need to offer promotions that matter to existing and new customers, such as discounts when the local favorites win or giveaways for upsets. Consider running specials (i.e. 4.40 wings for the Final Four, 16 deals to celebrate the Sweet Sixteen, rewards for successful brackets) the coordinate with the local March Madness buzz (or put your own spin on one of these March Madness promotion ideas).
Brew up a winner
According to WalletHub, a surplus 1.3 million barrels of beer is produced every March (over other months of the year). The takeaway for restaurants is to include beer into your March Madness event and promotion strategy. Consider running happy hour specials before and after games to draw customers in and extend the party. Ask social media followers to name the kind of beer that fits the game they’re buzzing about. Select brews that fit certain events, or put your own twist on a favorite brew.
Brag about your big screens
A March Madness party isn’t complete without big screens so customers can catch all those big March Madness plays. Buy or rent big screens for the occasion, and don’t hesitate to show off all those televisions and projector screens online. Share images and videos of the screens and the party space as you put it together; customers love to see inside scoops and shots of what’s to come.
Put together the ultimate party space
If you have space for the ultimate March Madness restaurant event, use it. If you don’t, use tents (heated so your customers are warm during our Chicago winters) to expand the space and draw customers in. Position your tents strategically. A tent in front of a restaurant can be a draw for sidewalk traffic. A well-promoted tent behind a restaurant can be a huge addition that can make your March Madness event an overtime win.
