- Talk directly with the bar owners or managers
Owners and managers of smaller, less known venues typically are under pressure to make money and happily welcome any group that wants to bring 50-100 people to their establishment.
If you end up talking to a staff employee or to the manager of a large venue, don't be surprised if they have little interest in what you have to say. They're just there for the paycheck and could care less about the bottom line.
Occasionally even some bar owners don't care either, because they are clueless about what it takes to make money (first time bar owners) or they opened up the bar for reasons other than to make money.
- Clear out the seats!
The best events/venues are those where the bar is on one side of the room, the complimentary appetizers are on the other, and nothing but floor space is in between the two. This setup encourages maximum networking and gets people circulating around the room.
If a bar/restaurant has seating areas, move 'em out. Once your guests sit down, it's pretty much over.
- Do a little reconnaissance work...
Scope out a potential venue on a typical Thursday evening and see how much foot traffic they have that night. If it's low, make your move.
For optimal results, meet with management that evening - not on a Friday night or during the weekends when they are distracted with their busiest days. Saturday afternoons are often the worst times to call.
- SAY that you are coming, don't ASK for permission
When you ask for permission, you are giving them the choice to say "no".
When you TELL them enthusiastically that you want to use their venue for an event, it sets the stage for them to say, "When is the event, and how can we help? What do you need from us?"
- ** Do not sell the idea or raise the expectation that the venue will make a lot of money from bar tabs **
This almost always results in disappointment, no matter how much they do make from drink sales that evening.
Emphasize the free advertising and marketing they receive -- the alternative for them is to pay for a print ad in the local newspaper which does not guarantee the foot traffic that our happy hours do -- and the fact that we are bringing potential new customers straight to their door steps.
If they present good food and service, our members will likely return as dining patrons, and that is the whole point.
- Free Appetizers & Drink Discounts (Optional)
Free appetizers and drink specials make events more appealing, but negotiating for them is not a requirement. Some teams don't wish to put in the extra effort; others really know how to work it and even negotiate free drinks and food for themselves.
How much you can ask for will vary from case to case and will only work if:
- You can show consistently high turnouts with your previous RSVP Guest Lists, and/or
- One of your organizers can really BS (people who can BS can ask for just about anything), and/or
- You have an established rapport with management after using their venue a few times
- Encourage venue managers to offer dining coupons and raffle giveaways
Recommend to venue managers that they distribute dining coupons as a means to encourage our guests to stay for dinner that night or return some other time, i.e., repeat business.
Raffle giveaways (ex. "complimentary dinner for two") are also fun ways to promote their establishment to our guests.
- Avoid "unwelcoming" locations
If venues don't want or need our business and are particularly unwelcoming, thank them kindly and cross them off your venue selection list.
Don't torture yourselves for any one specific venue no matter how "great" or "cool" it is, as there are many, many other venues that would be delighted to have our business and will happily accomodate to our needs.
- Hit up 5-star hotel bars & lounges
5-star hotel bars/lounges in prime locations with low traffic on Thursday evenings are recommended as they meet our criteria, and management tends to be more accomodating as it's in their best interest to host a formidable group of frequent international travelers such as ours. Don't waste your time with those that don't get it, just wish them lots of luck and move on.
- Downplay your expected attendance
(U.S. locations only, Asia is the exact opposite)
If they ask, say that you expect 25-30 people even if you anticipate more.
If you have a small turnout, no harm done. If you pack the house, no one will complain. But if you tell them you expect 80-100 people or talk it up too much, they may in turn require a banquet fee because they're thinking "we need more staff that night and that's going to cost us and you".
UNLESS you plan to negotiate for free appetizers and drink specials do not go into details about ORIENTED, our demographics, international presence, etc. Again, most bar and restaurant employees could care less, only venue owners. Once you use their space a few times and they see for themselves your turnout, most will gladly ask you to return. Keep it casual and simply say you want to meet up with some friends there.
- Reconfirm closer to the day of the event
Venues often forget the terms of your agreement or forget that you are coming altogether.
To avoid problems, speak with the manager who will be on staff that evening (and not necessarily the manager you reach by day) and ask if the bartender and wait staff have been informed of your event. Request the venue to print out a special drink/food menu to display that evening if specials are being offered, a common service provided by more experienced bars/restaurants.