Why Do People Go To Breweries?
Answer: It's more than the beer.
This seems obvious right? Breweries attract customers because customers want their beer. However I believe it has to be more than that. You can get great beer now at a 7/11 or just about any place with a liquor license.
Of course, I think one customer driver is if you are in the mood for a beer, what better choice than to get that beer right where it is made? Unlike wine, beer is best (in most cases) fresh. I enjoy a beer when I can see the tank it is coming out of. Speaking of tanks, that’s part of the charm right there. If you go to a brewery you want to see the damn beer tanks.
Plus there is the brewery staff. Most employees in a brewery, have a greater education about beer and can and should be able to answer your beer related questions. Also there is the brewer, who after a shift may be hanging out in the tasting room, and she should be happy to answer any questions customers - especially home brewers - have that is technical. That’s just fun.
All that aside however, you need to create a space that people want to hang out in. Your tap room should be inviting - like a second home! It should be comfortable in whatever way you choose to interpret comfort.
I’ve written about the Oyster in a past newsletter, and it is one of my favorite subjects when talking about breweries. This is the one thing you need to memorize and will do more to positively influence your business (without costing anything) than almost anything else I can think of. When a brewery has the Oyster down, you know it as soon as you walk in the door. It’s the vibe of the place.
Just to review, your Oyster is divided up into 5 parts: Music, Lighting, Temperature, Cleanliness, and Stage Setting.
Your brewery is so much more than a production facility. It is an off Broadway play that you put on every day. Everything, all the five elements, can change based on the time of year, the economy, the pandemic, or whatever is happening in your local community. But by following the five elements of the oyster, you are in control of your play.
This is what people buy into. Customers long for connection - especially in these strange times. By not only providing the right setting that includes; knowledgable staff, obvious display of your production facility, and a really good stage setting, your brewery will become the second home that keeps customers returning.