Wine pairing nights are a great way to take your restaurant to the next level. These show your expertise and knowledge related to food and all its related fineries. So, you should make sure every seat available is filled as fast as possible. Your wine pairing nights should be the talk of the town, with connoisseurs clamoring for a table. This means that you’ll have to market these nights effectively.
Here are a few ideas for you.
Create special food and wine menus
First of all, come up with a special menu for each night. Don’t just let people know you’ll be serving XYZ wine with certain dishes on your menu. Make the whole experience look truly exclusive with specialized menus for each night.
These menus should just include the dishes that work best with the wines you want to showcase. Keep this limited from three to five wines, along with two dishes suggested for each wine. Present these options on a menu only available on that night. This will generate considerable hype and a sense of FOMO.
Share posters and flyers
Design some attractive posters and flyers to showcase your wine pairing nights. Try to keep these designs classy and attractive, with a hint of fun. This fine balance can be achieved if you use the restaurant flyer templates on PosterMyWall and simply plug in your information. You can also create customized menus there for your events.
Make sure these posters and flyers showcase what you offer on each of these nights and what options people will have. Also let people know how to register and add links to your social media pages as well.
Make a social media event
Create an event on each of your social media platforms. If you have your wine pairing nights on a regular scheduled night, then turn this into a recurring event. Facebook has some great event page tools, so do make good use of them. Create dedicated event pages, and then share the latest updates on these pages.
Also share countdowns in your Instagram stories and let people save the event to their calendars. You should create hype on your social media platforms with some fun posts you design using tools like PosterMyWall.
Pair up with local businesses
You should pair up with local businesses to take your wine pairing nights to the next level. Work with local cheese makers to create a cheese plate to serve with the wines before you bring out your food.
In addition, you can reach out to local musicians and have them perform live at your wine pairing nights for a complete night out. You can even create specialized gift bags for customers who attend your wine pairing nights. These can include items from various local businesses, along with vouchers to your restaurant.
Give exclusive access to regular customers
Exclusivity is very valuable currency when it comes to something like a wine pairing night. So, you should share first access with your regular customers. See who dines at your restaurant and who has attended previous similar events.
Then, reach out to these people and let them know you’re giving them first choice to come attend your wine pairing night. This exclusivity is sure to make them feel special and register for the event. You can even create a list of wine pairing night regulars and have them sit down for discussions after dinner as well, if they choose. This will turn your event into something more elevated than just a food and wine night.
Educate your audience about wine
Speaking of taking things beyond food and wine, turn these nights into an educational experience. This will attract food and wine connoisseurs as well as people interested in expanding their knowledge about wines.
Bring in an expert sommelier and also do your research into the history and provenance of each of the wines on that night’s menu. You can even delve into the history and culture of the region your wines came from, and why you paired certain foods with them. Turn your wine nights into complete cultural education experiences, and you’re sure to get a stellar audience for them.
Bring influencers on board
Influencer marketing is one of the simplest ways to let people know about your wine pairing nights. Reach out to food and wine influencers in your area, and invite them to a special tasting night. Then, have them talk about the whole experience on their platforms.
This will give you access to a large audience, and widen your horizons. You can also have these influencers educate your audience about the food and wine pairings they enjoyed. To make this successful, you need to find the right influencers for the job and strike a solid deal with them.
In conclusion, there are many fun ways to promote your restaurant’s food and wine nights. You just need to find the right balance between your marketing efforts and the elevated nature of the event.